Brisbane: England’s James Vince (83, 170b, 12×4) was spectacularly run out with a century beckoning on his Ashes debut as Australia hit back to leave the first Test finely balanced after day one at the Gabba here Thursday.
Captain Joe Root (15) and Alastair Cook (2) both fell cheaply before the tourists reached 196 for four when bad light ended an attritional, rain-affected day.
Vince top-scored as the tourists scored slowly, but when he scampered for a quick single off Josh Hazlewood. However a brilliant off-balance throw from Nathan Lyon prowling in the covers caught him well out of his ground.
Vince, who was earlier put down by recalled wicket-keeper Tim Paine off Lyon, led a fighting English rearguard with Mark Stoneman (53, 159b, 3×4) after the early loss of Cook. The two put on 125 runs for the second wicket before Pat Cummins (2/69) produced a beauty to beat Stoneman’s defence and peg back middle stump.
Eighteen runs later, Root fell leg before wicket to Cummins after a review, in another huge scalp for the toiling Australians. At stumps, Dawid Malan (28 batting) along with Moeen Ali, whose 13 included the day’s only six.
After Cook had been dismissed by Mitchell Starc (1/49), Vince and Stoneman had few problems mastering Australia’s vaunted fast bowling trio. It looked as though Vince would go on and crown his resilient innings with a century after passing his previous highest Test score of 42. But then Lyon had Australia roaring back into the game with a fantastic piece of fielding.
Opener David Warner (neck) and lower-order batsman Shaun Marsh (back) were both passed fit to play after injury concerns.
Brief scores: England 196 for 4 (James Vince 83, Mark Stoneman 53, Pat Cummins 2/69) versus Australia. Match to continue.
agence france-presse
