Ashes 2017-18: Australia in control after Root, Bairstow perish at stroke of Day One stumps

In front of the 44,974 spectators, the day one of the fifth and final Magellan Ashes 2017-18 Test wrapped with the two quick wickets on Thursday at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) which saw the hosts Australia returning stronger right to the game as highly impressive batsman Dawid Malan is batting on 55 off 160 balls after Australian skipper Steven Smith dropped a low-catch at first slip.

With the wicket of wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow on the bowling of Josh Hazlewood, umpires were forced to withdraw the stumps.

Gloveman Tim Paine claimed a regulation catch when Bairstow (5 off 7) got a thick outside edge after the Kangaroos leader Steven Smith took the new-ball.

Only 81.4 overs were bowled for the day after the rain stopped play which saw England post 233 runs on the scoreboard.

It is pertinent to mention that, earlier England was in good shape which saw them scoring 228 for three in 80.2 overs before skipper Joe Root was dismissed Mitchell March got hold of the sharp catch on the bowling of speedster Mitchell Marsh.

The 27-year-old right-handed batsman Root looked in his groove when he posted 83 off 141 deliveries before playing the short too early. He registered eight boundaries in his hard-earned knock.

However, for the third-wicket Root alongside impressive Malan forged 193-run stand after the visitors’ side was reeling at 95 for three in 32.3 overs.

For Australia, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood shared two wickets each as Mitchell Starc settled with the solitary wicket, as off-spinner Nathan Lyon is yet to open his wickets column after sending down 26 overs to concede 61 runs.

Early on the signs of the flat wicket were visible when the ball came nicely on to the bat, but the Three Lions openers managed to post 28 in 9.5 overs for the first wicket.

The opening batsman Mark Stoneman was the first to go when scored run-a-ball 24. Paine caught the 30-year-old left-handed batsman on the bowling off well-built Cummins.

However, for the second wicket, senior campaigner Alastair Cook registered 60 runs which saw James Vince being dismissed by Cummins after ball settled in Paine’s gloves. The promising batter faced 54 balls for his 25 which was comprised of four boundaries.

Moreover, the third-wicket added just seven runs when left-handed Cook was trapped in front of the stumps by Hazlewood on 39 off 104 balls.

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