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Root & Brook Steady England After Early Wickets in Crucial Sydney Ashes Test

England reached 114 for 3 at Lunch on the opening day of the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney, recovering from a precarious 57 for 3. An unbroken 57-run partnership between Joe Root (31*) and Harry Brook (23*) provided crucial stability after Australia's seamers exploited a green pitch. Mitchell Starc, Michael Neser, and Scott Boland each claimed a wicket in the first session after England chose to bat. The match is also significant as it marks the final international appearance for Australian opener Usman Khawaja, who announced his retirement ahead of the game.

Key Points: Ashes Day 1 Lunch: England 114/3, Root & Brook Unbeaten

  • England elect to bat on green-top
  • Starc, Neser, Boland take early wickets
  • Khawaja's final Test match
  • Unbeaten 57-run stand repairs innings
2 min read

Ashes 5th Test: Joe Root, Harry Brook's unbeaten 57-run stand takes England to 114/3 at Lunch on Day 1

Joe Root (31*) and Harry Brook (23*) guide England to 114/3 at Lunch on Day 1 of the 5th Ashes Test in Sydney after early strikes from Australia.

"Root and Brook steadied the ship... and ensured no wickets fell as they stitched a calm and composed unbeaten 50-run partnership. - Match Report"

Sydney, January 4

An unbeaten 57-run partnership between Joe Root and Harry Brook for the fourth wicket helped England cross the 100-run mark in their first innings at the end of the first session on Day 1 of the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.

At lunch on Day 1, England were placed at 114/3 after 24 overs, with Joe Root and Harry Brook unbeaten at the crease. Brook was batting on 23 not out off 31 deliveries, laced with two boundaries, while Root was steady on 31 not out from 37 balls, including four fours.

England won the toss and elected to bat first on a green-top surface that offered early assistance to the fast bowlers. Ahead of the contest, Australia received significant attention as veteran opener Usman Khawaja announced that the Sydney Test would be his final international appearance, confirming his retirement from international cricket during a press conference before the match.

England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett started cautiously as the duo scored 27/0 in 6 overs. Left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc provided the first breakthrough in the seventh over. The veteran seamer removed Ben Duckett for 27 off 24 balls, including five fours. This was the eighth time Starc has removed the left-handed batter in Test cricket.

After the first 10 overs, England reached 43/1. During the 12th over, speedster Michael Neser dismissed opener Zak Crawley for 16 off 29 balls, with the help of three fours. Crawley was adjudged LBW. This was the third time Neser removed the England opener in the ongoing Ashes series.

In the very next over, veteran pacer Scott Boland dismissed Jacob Bethell for 10 runs off 23 balls, including two fours, as England slumped to 57/3. However, Joe Root and Harry Brook steadied the ship for the Three Lions and ensured no wickets fell as they stitched a calm and composed unbeaten 50-run partnership, taking their side to 114/3 at Lunch on Day 1.

Teams:

Australia (Playing XI): Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith(c), Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey(w), Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland.

England (Playing XI): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes(c), Jamie Smith(w), Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Josh Tongue.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Interesting to see Khawaja retiring. A class player. As for the match, 114/3 is a decent score on that pitch? The session definitely belonged to Australia after those three quick wickets. England's middle order has a lot of work to do.
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Ananya R
Root is playing like a proper wall! But honestly, England's top order collapse is becoming a pattern this series. They rely too much on Stokes and Root to bail them out. Need more consistency from the openers.
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Vikram M
Watching from Mumbai! Test cricket at the SCG is always special. That partnership just saved England from a proper disaster. Brook looks promising. Hoping for a competitive match, not a one-sided affair.
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Michael C
Starc to Duckett - 8 times now! That's some dominance. Neser and Boland providing great support. If Australia can break this partnership quickly after lunch, they'll be right on top. The pitch might ease out later.
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Priya S
The real test starts now. Session after lunch is crucial. Root needs to convert this start into a big one. Also, a respectful shoutout to Usman Khawaja. What a career he's had! Wishing him well in his final game. 🙏

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