Ashes score LIVE: Captain Joe Root leads England fightback against Australia on day three of 1st Test
England take on Australia in the first Ashes Test in Brisbane
England captain Joe Root was celebrating record-breaking 2021 as he and Dawid Malan dug deep to launch a brave fightback in the first Ashes Test at The Gabba.
After two despairing days at The Gabba, and a first-innings deficit of 278, the tourists finally landed some blows of their own to reach 220 for two on the third evening.
Dismissed for a duck in England’s underwhelming 147 all out, Root showed all his class and charisma to make 86 not out while Malan knuckled down for a highly impressive 80no.
Unlike Malan, Root has never scored a century Down Under but will spend the night dreaming of putting that right at the earliest opportunity as the duo resume their 159-run partnership.
While salvaging something from this match – a draw, the unlikeliest of wins, even just a measure of pride in defeat – would have been the only thing on Root’s mind, he scooped up a significant landmark along the way.
Until now no Englishman had ever scored more Test runs in a calendar year than the 1,481 Root’s mentor Michael Vaughan reeled off in 2002. But by the close he was sitting on a total of 1,541 and, with games at Adelaide and Melbourne still to come, he may have the Mohammad Yousuf’s world record of 1,788 in his sights.
Fifth wicket down for Australia
Robbinson is a step away from hattrick after he took down Warner and stumped Cameron Green on his first bowl. Robinson's hat-trick ball was full and straight but Alex Carey played it well.
Australia at 196-5 with a lead of 49 runs.
Warner dismissed before century
In a big loss to Aussies, Warner has been knocked out on the brink of his century. Warner was just six runs away from his century before he was dismissed.
Steve Smith caught out in third wicket
Wood scalps his first wicket of the innings with Steve Smith’s wicket to break Aussie’s momentum. England finally have some wind in their sails now.
Australia 193-3 at tea break as David Warner nears century.
Wicket! Labuschagne knocked down
Australia suffered second loss for the day after Labuschagne was dismissed by Leach. Got him at good form as Labuschagne has just hit a six. Australia is now at 170-2.
Australia start to build a lead
Australia is swiftly building a score with a lead of 11 runs after finishing the chase score set by England on day one. At 46th over Aussies are at 158-1. Warner 77, Labuschagne 68
England vs Australia - summary of the first Test so far
After an embarrassing day one of the first game of the Ashes series, England is again having a frustrating morning as Australia is comfortably closing to the score set by the guests at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Australia continues to dominate the innings with Marnus Labuschagne (56) and David Warner (64) leading the charge with 140 runs at just one loss after lunch.
England made a strong start when Ollie Robinson knocked over Marcus Harris cheaply in just the fifth over. But since then the closest England came to a second wicket was when Stokes forced his fourth delivery through Warner’s defences on 17, clipping his off stump via the front pad, but his conspicuously muted celebrations suggested he already feared what was about to come.
Sure enough, replays showed he had overstepped and the left-handed opener was called back to resume his innings.
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