Aus v Eng, 2017-18: 1st Test, Day 1-Review: Hosts' triple strike level Vince, Stoneman show

The Gabba track looked a bit slow initially as two lesser-known Englishmen James Vince and Mark Stoneman decided to announce their arrival with a 125-run stand for the second wicket, the visitor’s first in 31 innings. Vince, playing his eighth match, looked at peace while facing the pace ‘Mowlers’- Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.

The Three Lions lost Alastair Cook in the third over of the day’s play, after Starc exposed the left-hand batsman’s weak spot and found an edge to the slips. Vince didn’t waste any time and was off the mark straightaway. The duo started off slow and consumed much time at the wicket. A few stares and glares couldn’t really shatter their mind, as they looked prepared for the chirpings.

The duo were on a damage control mode after Cook’s fall and went to the dressing room at Lunch on 59/1. There was a slight delay in the start after rain graced the occasion and joined the spirited Thursday morning crowd. Vince, who found himself close to his maiden fifty on four occasions previously, fetched the important runs to achieve his first. The newcomers brought up the 100 for England in the 44th over and things looked settled for the defending champions.

Stoneman in sublime touch

Stoneman, who came into the 1st Test with three fifties and a ton against his name in the warm-up games, continued from where he had left and faced 159 balls for his hard earned 53, before Cummins found his timber with a beauty just before Tea. Ahead of the game, Australia’s Nathan Lyon led the banter with headlines. With the ball, Lyon couldn’t manage to scalp a stick but kept the batsmen in check. He found turn and the Englishmen opted to play him out. He bowled 24 overs in the day’s play, with nine maidens and an edge off Vince which was dropped by Tim Paine.

Lyon’s brilliance in the field

But Lyon did feature in the scoreboards, courtesy an outstanding piece of fielding as he hit a ‘bull’s eye’ to mark the end of Vince, who scored a solid 83, with the help of 12 boundaries. Australia looked determined to get a few more before stumps, and it was Cummins, who trapped skipper Joe Root for 15, with a bit of help from the DRS. Dawid Malan and Moeen Ali did a good job in the last hour of play.  Moeen smacked the first six of the match while Malan had six boundaries in his short stay at the crease as the umpires offered light to the batsmen, much to the disappointment of skipper Smith, who would have liked to take the honors at the end of Day 1 with one more wicket.

Apart from the poor run-out of the well-settled batter Vince, England did well as they finished four short of the 200-mark- 196/4. They would want Moeen and Malan to see out tomorrow’s morning session and take the game from there on. The visitors still have Jonny Bairstow with pads on tomorrow morning and in Chris Woakes, they have a reliable bowling all-rounder. Cummins made good use of his pace and returned back with figures of 2/59.

Brief Scores:

England: 196/4 ( Vince 83, Stoneman 53; Cummins 2/59)