You could almost hear the collective sigh of relief in the away balcony. For most of day one England had scrapped their way to parity; in the last half-hour they stole the advantage. Joe Root, poised and largely unflustered, and Jofra Archer, all fast hands and freer arms, rattled up an unbroken 61 for the tenth wicket to close on 325 for 9. Under the Gabba lights, against a softening pink ball, it felt like bonus territory.
England had been 269 for 9 when the scheduled close arrived at 9 pm. Ben Stokes, sat in the dug-out, mulled over a declaration – conditions, pink ball and all, were arguably perfect for a short burst at Australia. On Fox, David Warner admitted he was “absolutely baffled” the declaration never came. But Root stayed put, and Archer wandered out at No. 11 for only the second time in his Test career.
Six overs, 56 runs. Archer started by charging Scott Boland and depositing the first ball of the over into the stands at square-leg; 19 came from that set alone. Mitchell Starc’s next offering, a full toss, disappeared over long-on. Root then reverse-scooped Boland beyond deep third. Suddenly England’s dressing-room noise cut through the evening hush.
“We definitely won that last hour,” Zak Crawley said afterwards. “We’re positive going into tomorrow.”
Root walked off unbeaten on 135, Archer on a new Test-best 32. It is England’s first tenth-wicket half-century stand since Jonny Bairstow and James Anderson at Old Trafford in 2023, and their first in Australia since Norman Cowans and Derek Pringle back in 1982.
Australia’s mood soured just as quickly. Starc, who had earlier collected six for 75 to underline his mastery of the pink ball, could hardly hide his frustration. “If you have a look at that ball, it’s basically bowling with a tennis ball,” he told SEN radio. “They chanced their arm, there were a few that dropped short. I think there’s a little bit of tactical nous in there as well. Hopefully, we take that tenth one early tomorrow and get batting with the sun out. We saw that it [the ball] didn’t do a whole lot, and day two is generally a good day to bat on. If we can get stuck into batting early tomorrow when there’s sun on the wicket – and their balls go soft as well – it could be a good day’s cricket.”
Earlier, Starc had done most of the heavy lifting. He swung the new ball late, pinned Ollie Pope lbw, and later removed both Stokes and Ben Foakes in the same spell after tea. Help arrived from Pat Cummins, who accounted for Crawley (49) with a brute that lifted off a length, and from Nathan Lyon, whose extra bounce winkled out Harry Brook.
Still, Root remained – rhythmical through cover, watchful when the ball nibbled. His hundred, carved behind square off Boland, was his 33rd in Tests and seventh against Australia. He barely celebrated, evidence of a mind still churning through possible declarations.
Steven Smith, captaining in Cummins’ absence last time the sides met here, was quick to drag the over rate whenever a declaration looked imminent. Travis Head even kitted up for a single delivery under the helmet at short-leg; Root complained to umpire Sharfuddoula about the delay, but little came of it.
By the end, though, it was England making the tactical calls and Australia chasing leather. Boland finished with 1 for 77, Cummins 2 for 62. The pink Kookaburra, battered and lacking lacquer, did neither side many favours, yet England managed to squeeze 4.78 an over – brisk by any measure, faster still in context.
Key moments
• 269-9 at the scheduled close; Stokes opts against the declaration.
• Archer’s six first ball of the added Boland over flips momentum.
• Root coasts to 135*, his conversion of starts now less of a talking point.
• Starc’s day: wickets, venom, then the grumble about “a tennis ball”.
What next?
The forecast is clear, the surface already showing gentle cracks but still true. If Australia knock over Archer swiftly, as Starc hopes, they bat in daylight on a pitch expected to quicken. England, of course, fancy a first crack under lights: Jimmy Anderson and Mark Wood are unlikely to waste the swing on offer.
Either way, the psychology has shifted. England entered the series talking about controlling tempo; the final burst here felt like practical proof. Australia, meanwhile, have another reminder that a dominant day can be undone in minutes when Root is set and someone – anyone – hangs around in support.
Imperfect? Definitely. England lost 4 for 27 either side of the second new ball and at times looked stuck against Lyon. Yet they found something at the finish. A day that threatened to drift into ordinary has instead set the series alight, quietly, without fuss.
