Australia vs England, Ashes First Test Day 5 at the Gabba
Cameron Bancroft has dismissed a headbutt from Jonny Bairstow as a “weird” greeting of choice as Steve Smith sees the lighter side of the incident.
Australia wrapped up the first Test in just over an hour, racing to victory in the first Ashes Test of the summer. See how it unfolded below.
Paul Johnson 6.30pm: Root dismisses Bairstow incident
England captian Joe Root has used the age old ‘boys will be boys’ mantra to dismiss the headbutt incident that has embroiled England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow in the aftermath of the first Ashes Test.
Bairstow was said to have headbutted Aussie opener Cameron Bancroft in a Perth pub but Root said it was nothing more than two lads joking around.
“I think it was just a bit of joshing around, boyish behaviour,” Root said.
“I think the most important thing is we stay strong and tight as a group of players and as a squad and that we continue to keep doing the hard work we have done throughout the whole trip.”
Adrian McMurray 3.03pm: Bancroft laughs off Bairstow ‘headbutt’
Australian opener Cameron Bancroft has dismissed a headbutt from England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow as a “weird” greeting of choice, confirming the incident occurred but that the action wasn’t anything more than a “random” choice from the Englishman.
Speaking after Australia’s 10-wicket victory in the first Ashes Test, Bancroft had the assembled media in stitches when asked about the meeting at a Perth pub, which occurred on a night where WA were celebrating and England were only just starting their Ashes preparations.
“I got into a very amicable conversation with Jonny, he greeted me with a headbutt kind of thing,” Bancroft said.
“I was expecting a handshake... there was certainly no malice in his action and we continued on having a very good conversation for the rest of the evening.”
Bancroft — who finished with an unbeaten 82 as Australia cruised to victory — added he might’ve expected to receive another form of greeting, but said there was nothing more to read into the confrontation.
“At the time he said sorry, for me it was just really weird.
“A handshake or a hug would’ve been something I would’ve expected more than a headbutt but as I said, there was nothing malicious about his action.
“I don’t know Jonny Bairstow but he just says hello to people very differently to most others. I let it go and moved on from it, it was fine.”
When pressed further on the incident, Bancroft said wasn’t knocked over, citing — rather bizarrely — the size of his head as the reason why he was largely unfazed by the contact from Bairstow.
“I’ve actually got the heaviest head in the WA squad … there’s an actual measurement for it. I just took the blow quite well and moved on from it,” Bancroft quipped.
“It was a good hit, play on.”
1.13pm: Bairstow on ‘headbutt’ claims
England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow has addressed claims he headbutted Australian opener Cameron Bancroft, adamant the incident has been “blown out of proportion”.
Speaking after his side’s loss to Australia in the opening Test at the Gabba, Bairstow said there was nothing to the alleged incident which occurred at a Perth pub prior to the start of the Ashes.
“There was no intent or malice about anything during the evening,” Bairstow said.
“And as you saw out there today, there is no animosity between myself or Cameron any of the other Australian players.”
Wayne Smith 12.33pm: Incident shouldn’t overshadow Test win
Bancroft and Warner have just produced the highest unbeaten partnership ever for Australia in a successful run-chase and in the process ensured that head curator Kevin Mitchell can head off into retirement having never produced a wicket on which Australia was defeated.
The winning sequence against England at the Gabba now extends 31 years, the winning sequences against all opponents stretches to 29 years. The 1988-89 West Indies side remains the last visiting side to win in Brisbane. Joe Root was graceful in defeat but also took the chance to dismiss the Jonny Bairstow incident as “a mountain out of a molehill”. It might be if it weren’t for the fact that England had already disciplined and fined Bairstow for his role in the Ben Stokes incident in Bristol. But nothing can detract from what has been a wonderful victory by Australia, built around captain Steve Smith’s amazing, unbeaten 141 in the first innings. On to Adelaide. Thanks for being with us.
Peter Lalor 12.29pm: England play down ‘headbutt’ incident
England is attempting to play down the incident between Jonny Bairstow and Cameron Bancroft late last month in Perth.
Captain Joe Root said after play that people had made “a mountain out of a molehill”.
BBC reported that director of cricket Andrew Strauss would meet with players after the Test but was not concerned by reports of the wicketkeeper head butting the Australian.
“It was playfulness, no malice, blown out of all proportion. There will be a debrief of all players and staff after the Test match,” the BBC reported Strauss saying.
Audio from the stump microphones picked up David Warner saying to Bairstow “you shouldn’t headbutt our mates”.
Bairstow defended himself saying it was “playful”.
The problem for England is that Bairstow was already under a caution for being out the night Ben Stokes and Alex Hales were involved in a nightclub brawl ahead of the tour.
Stokes is being investigated by the police for the violent incident.
The incident between Bairstow and Bancroft, who was not in the Australian side at the time, happened the night England arrived in Perth.
The Australians believe the incident is similar to what happened between Warner and Joe Root in 2013.
The Australian missed two Tests as a consequence of that nightclub scuffle but has stayed out of trouble since.
Wayne Smith 12.08pm: Australia take a 1-0 series lead
Australia wins the first Test at the Gabba to go 1-0 up in the best-of-five Ashes series. Cameron Bancroft hits the winning run, a powerful off-drive off Chris Woakes for four, to be unconquered on 82 while David Warner remained not out on 87. Final score, 0-173 off 50 overs. What had been a see-sawing contest for the opening three and a half days degenerated quickly into a 10-wicket victory stroll. The Australians will take the win in their stride and not change their approach for the Adelaide Test starting on Saturday, at least according to Mitchell Starc, but the more important question is: How will England respond? They’ve given this Test their all and have come up short.
12.02pm: Victory in sight
Warner on 86*. Eleven runs to go for a win: https://t.co/P6sH6ROa7L #Ashes pic.twitter.com/wF7m1lNKVK
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 27, 2017
We’re edging closer to an Australian victory, with Warner now unlikely to crack the 100-run barrier.
Wayne Smith 11.31am: Will Warner hit 100?
The only question to be answered now is whether Warner can get to his century before Australia gets the required 170 runs. At present, he has scored 72 out of 0-131, which means he requires 28 from 39 — more than comfortable for a player of his skill and aggression. Bancroft is progressing modestly, added only five runs to his overnight score of 51 in the first half-hour
11.17am: 63 not out
On an emotional day, Warner hit 63*, the same score now synonymous with Hughes. The opener stopped to acknowledge the mark, looking to the sky as a tribute to his former teammate.
11.12am: Barmy Army’s tribute to Phillip Hughes
There's only one Phillip Hughes. #408 #63notout pic.twitter.com/4HoIgPDzhj
— England's Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) November 27, 2017
11.03am: Play resumes at the Gabba
Bancroft and Warner head to the middle. AUS 0/114 #Ashes pic.twitter.com/p1ahulzTnk
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) November 26, 2017
We’re back underway in Brisbane, with Warner and Bancroft to do damage early as the home side look to tie up victory early on day five.
Wayne Smith 10.37am: Short day on the cards
Welcome to what is shaping as a very short day five of the First Ashes Test at the Gabba, with Australia 0-114 in its second innings, requiring only another 56 runs for victory. After three absorbing, fluctuating days play, Australia seized control of this Test yesterday when it bowled out England for 195 in its second innings. Even with its 26-run first innings advantage, that still left a victory target that in the past would have taunted Australia but right from the beginning of the run chase it was not so much a case of if Australia would win but when.
The way openers David Warner and Cameron Bancroft went about their work, there even was a possibility they might get the job done last night but in the end the clock beat them. Warner finished with 60, Bancroft with 51, his first Test and Ashes half-century. By the close of play, England had batted him right into form and he will be a more relaxed and confident young man heading to Adelaide where the Second Test starts on Saturday.
For a ticklish moment this morning, it seemed that the Brisbane weather might have a role to play, when the lightest of rain fell onto the Gabba, but mercifully indications are that all will be fine for the duration of play. Later in the day, that might be a different proposition.
That crack outside the right-hander’s off stump is very prominent - will it be a factor this morning? #Ashes pic.twitter.com/T91PoQE6IG
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 26, 2017
The main talking point at the ground this morning was not the Test, which is seen as a foregone conclusion, but the alleged altercation between Bancroft and England keeper Jonny Bairstow in a Perth pub a couple of weeks ago. At that stage, Bancroft was not even on the Ashes radar for Australia. but it is understood Bairstow attacked the head of the Western Australian. England officials knew nothing of the incident and were scrambling to gather facts as the story was breaking last night. It’s a tricky one for the ECB to deal with given that Australia took a hard stand when Warner was involved in a similar incident before the 2013 Ashes series and was suspended for the first two Tests of that campaign. But then, Bancroft didn’t report the incident either and is understood to have continued socialising with Bairstow after the incident. It was only when Bairstow was being sledged by the Australians yesterday that the incident came to light. The additional problem for England is that it already has Ben Stokes under a cloud following a recent incident in a Bristol nightclub. There was some speculation that he might be invited to join the team in Australia — certainly his abilities as a cricketer have been sorely missed — but this new incident may have put an end to that.
10.30am: Moments in time swing the balance
Australian paceman Josh Hazlewood revealed after that the home side were looking for one “extraordinary moment” each day, writes Gideon Haigh.
“Hazlewood was speaking after Nathan Lyon’s mercurial run-out of James Vince, which assuredly qualified. David Warner’s salmon-launching-up-a-stream catch of Jake Ball at short fine leg would have filled the quota on day two, while Mitchell Starc’s limber snare of Alastair Cook at deep fine leg on day three was barely less meritorious.
“Yesterday? The fall of Moeen Ali after lunch was not perhaps so extraordinary as opportunistically excellent.”
10.10am: Remembering Phil Hughes
Australian players will wear black armbands during day five as a tribute to Phillip Hughes, who died three years ago today.
Never forgotten #408 pic.twitter.com/XSKBCtKIia
— Cricket Australia (@CAComms) November 26, 2017
10.00am: Steve Smith takes his place among the greats
A shining light in a largely bleak first innings, Australian captain Steve Smith set the tone for victory with his 21st Test century, establishing himself as “one of the great batsmen and leaders” according to The Australian’s Peter Lalor.
“Set 170 to win, David Warner (60 not out) and Cameron Bancroft (51 not out) are riding in the captain’s slipstream. Australia need 56 runs for victory this morning and have not lost a wicket.
“In a contest more even than anyone had predicted, Smith’s patient and undefeated Saturday century — the only one in the match — is the difference between the two sides.”
9.45am: Bairstow’s alleged headbutt
England are facing another scandal away from the pitch with wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow alleged to have headbutted Australian opener Cameron Bancroft earlier this month.
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