Joe Root puts an end to eight-year wait for Ashes ton as England declare on Day 1

Centurion Joe puts on 121 runs with wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow (78) to help England recover from 176-5 and go beyond 350 on opening day against Australia at Edgbaston

Ton-up Joe Root held firm after Australia hit back on the opening day of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston on Friday. 

England were 368-8 at the time of going to press in the post-tea session, with Australia having bowled well on either side of lunch after losing the toss on a good batting pitch. Star batsman Root (100 not out) and Yorkshire teammate Jonny Bairstow (78) shared 121-run stand for the sixth wicket. Their county colleague Harry Brook made a dashing 32 before his first Ashes innings ended in unlucky fashion. 

But two quick wickets brought Australia right back into the game as captain Ben Stokes was caught behind off Josh Hazlewood for just one to leave the hosts 176-5. Hazlewood, recalled in place of left-arm quick Mitchell Starc after missing Australia’s 209-run thrashing of India in the World Test Championship final at The Oval last week through injury, had interval figures of 2-44 in 11 overs. England have won 11 of their last 13 Tests. 

Also Read: England refrain from all-out 'Bazball' attack, post 124/3 at lunch in Ashes opener

Aggressive approach

An aggressive approach, dubbed Bazball in honour of coach Brendon McCullum’s nickname, has been built on rapid run-scoring, and England sped to 22-0 off 21 balls on Friday. The hosts signalled their intentions from the first ball of the match, with Zak Crawley elegantly driving Australia captain Pat Cummins through the covers for four. Crawley also took a boundary off Hazlewood’s first ball, clipping the seamer through square leg—another shot greeted by a huge roar from a 25,000 capacity crowd. 

Australia, however, hit back when Ben Duckett (12) was caught flat-footed and cut Hazlewood low to wicketkeeper Alex Carey. Nathan Lyon (4-129) then had Ollie Pope lbw for 31 on review as the off-spinner moved to within 12 wickets of 500 in Tests. 

Crawley out just before lunch

Crawley continued to attack and completed a sparkling 56-ball fifty including six fours. But off what became the last ball of the session, Scott Boland produced a superb delivery that leapt off a length and brushed opener Crawley’s glove on it way to Carey, leaving England 124-3 at lunch.

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