Ashes 2021: Skipper Pat Cummins takes five as England bowled out for 147 on Day 1

Australia’s new captain Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc got among the wickets as Australia dominated the second session on Day 1 of the ongoing first Ashes Test at the Gabba, Brisbane, on Wednesday (December 8). England was bowled out for 147 with skipper Cummins taking five wickets.

Resuming the second session at 59/4, England was given a body blow straight away as Australia skipper Pat Cummins got the better of opening batter Haseeb Hameed (25) and this brought Jos Buttler to the middle. The right-handed Buttler played a counter-attacking knock, however, his 39-run knock finally came to an end in the 41st over after being dismissed by Mitchell Starc.

Soon after, the set batter Ollie Pope (35) also departed after top-edging a ball bowled by Cameron Green and England was reduced to 118/7 in the 44th over of the day. The Three Lions’ innings went further into a slump after Ollie Robinson (0) was sent back to the pavilion by Pat Cummins.

Mark Wood (8) was sent back to the pavilion by Cummins and England was nine wickets down with less than 150 runs on the board. In the end, the visitors were bowled out for 147. Earlier, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins got among the wickets as England was left reeling on Day 1. At the lunch break, England’s score was 59/4. A total of 26 overs were bowled in the opening session of the first Test.

Meanwhile, former Australian player Adam Gilchrist termed wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey’s cricketing journey a ‘courageous’ one as he handed out the Baggy Green to the 30-year-old, who made his Test debut at The Gabba in the opening Ashes game here on Wednesday.

Carey, who has come in as a replacement for wicketkeeper-batter Tim Paine after the latter voluntarily stepped down as skipper in the wake of the sexting scandal, became the 461st men’s cricketer to represent Australia at the Test level and the 34th wicketkeeper to don the Baggy Green.

On Wednesday, Carey took three catches – Dawid Malan (6), Jos Buttler (39) and Ollie Robinson (0) – as England slumped to 147 in the face of some hostile bowling from Australian bowlers, especially skipper Pat Cummins (5 wickets) and Mitchell Starc (2 wickets).

Delivering a stirring speech while presenting Carey with his Baggy Green cap in Brisbane before the start of the Test, Gilchrist said, “Mate, you deserve this. Rest assure that you deserve this, there is absolutely no way this is given out lightly. It’s been a courageous journey, you walked away from one journey (playing the Australian Football League) and courageously resumed another dream and here you are fulfilling that dream today. Absolutely brilliant,” added Gilchrist.

In an extremely tough competition for the wicketkeeper-batter’s slot in the Australian Test team, South Australia’s Carey emerged victorious to replace Paine after the selectors reposed faith in him for the first two Ashes Tests.

Brief Scores: England 1st inngs 147 (Jos Buttler 39, Ollie Pope 35; Pat Cummins 5/38) vs Australia

(with Agency inputs)