With Joe Root batting superbly amid a testing session at the crease, England has reached dinner at 4-196 on an evenly poised first day in the second Test at the Gabba.
The English champion is yet to score a century in Australia but demonstrated his class as day turned to night in Brisbane to reach stumps just 32 runs shy of breaking the hoodoo.
In a session where Mitchell Starc snared free-wheeling No.5 Harry Brook and Michael Neser secured his first Test wicket in three years when removing Zak Crawley.
Watch The Ashes 2025/26 LIVE and ad-break free during play with FOX CRICKET on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
After losing two wickets in the first three overs, England seized control while batting during the daylight in Brisbane, with Crawley and Root continuing the charge after lunch.
Follow all the action in our live blog. If you can’t see it click HERE
MATCH CENTRE: Australia vs England 2nd Test live scores, stats, teams
But Crawley, who had a couple of reprieves during the innings, gambled once too often when edging Neser to Alex Carey to fall for 76.
That he was able to deliver a score of that significance is a bonus for England, for Snicko suggested he got the faintest edge to a Neser delivery amid the chaos in the infancy of the innings that Australia failed to review.
His 117-run partnership put England in a solid position with Brook joining Root in the middle and the young star batted expansively when taking the charge to the Australians.
Brook narrowly survived a spectacular stumping attempt from Carey, who was standing up to the stumps to Neser, when managing to ground his back foot after a failed ramp shot.
Root brings up his 50 | 00:39
But with Scott Boland tightening the screws on Brook and Root after an initial onslaught, the introduction of Mitchell Starc as dusk was falling proved pivotal.
The pink ball king was able to snare Brook when he edged an attempt at a full-blooded drive through to Steve Smith in the slips cordon to fall for 31 from 33 balls.
With his 415th wicket, Starc surpassed Pakistan great Wasim Akram to become the highest wicket taker in Test cricket in the category of left-armed pace bowlers.
Akram issued a congratulations to the Australian strike bowler on social media soon after he had snared the record.
“Super Starc! Proud of you, mate. Your incredible hard work sets you apart, and it was only a matter of time before you crossed my telly of wickets,” he wrote on X.
“I am pleased to give this to you. Go well, and keep soaring to new heights in your stellar career.”
Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey described Starc, who performed brilliantly in Perth as well, as a “bloody ripper” when discussing the opening day with Fox Cricket lead commentator Adam Gilchrist at dinner.
“I have been lucky enough to stand behind the stumps for a little while to him and he is one of the greatest bowlers Australia has seen and now the world as well,” he said.
That brought English captain Ben Stokes, who has had his struggles against Starc, to the crease and he was able to survive an early scare when edging a ball through slips for four.
Continuing to live on the edge, Stokes edged another attempt at a cover drive, this time from the bowling of Boland, through the cordon for his second four in the 43rd over.
Crawley bounces back with Gabba 50 | 00:48
Scarcely convincing in his time at the crease, a couple of overs later Stokes survived another scare when a ball from Neser ballooned off a top edge but fell into a gap.
He is unbeaten on 14 at the final break, with Root not out on 68.
Australia XI: Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Inglis, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer
