Joe Root and Harry Brook defied Australia’s all-pace attack with an unbroken 154-run partnership on Sunday, guiding England into a strong position on a rain-affected opening day of the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
After England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bat, Root and Brook helped the tourists reach 211 for 3 before bad light forced players off the field shortly before tea. Persistent rain and the threat of lightning later brought an early end to the day’s play.
Root was unbeaten on 72, with Brook on 78, after the pair came together with England struggling at 57 for 3. Earlier, Ben Duckett made a brisk 27, Zak Crawley scored 16, and Jacob Bethell was dismissed for 10 before lunch as Australia’s seamers struck regularly.
On a pitch offering little assistance to bowlers, the world’s top two-ranked batters counter-attacked effectively, rotating the strike and punishing loose deliveries. Both reached well-earned half-centuries as dark clouds gathered over the ground.
“We’re in a very good position,” Brook said after play. “Hopefully we can make the most of that going into tomorrow. It’s a good wicket.”
England entered the match buoyed by a four-wicket victory in Melbourne that ended a 15-year drought without a Test win in Australia.
However, that result came too late to prevent Australia from retaining the Ashes, having already sealed the series with wins in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide.
Australia surprised by fielding an all-pace attack, leaving out off-spinner Todd Murphy and bringing in all-rounder Beau Webster in place of injured quick Jhye Richardson. It marked the first time in nearly 140 years that Australia have not played a frontline spinner in a Sydney Test.
“Hate doing it,” said Australian captain Steve Smith. “But if the wickets aren’t going to spin and seam and cracks are going to play a big part, you get pushed into a corner.”
England made just one change, drafting in seamer Matthew Potts for the injured Gus Atkinson, while spinner Shoaib Bashir missed out again.
The day began with a tribute to first responders from last month’s Bondi mass shooting, drawing loud applause when hero Ahmed Al Ahmed appeared.
Duckett set the tone early, striking five boundaries off Mitchell Starc, but the Australian quick dismissed him for the fifth time in the series. Crawley soon followed, trapped lbw by Michael Neser, and Bethell edged Scott Boland behind to leave England in trouble.
Root and Brook then took control, adding stability and momentum.
Root brought up his 67th Test fifty - second only to Sachin Tendulkar - while Brook survived a close call on 45 before reaching his own half-century, sealing a dominant stand that shifted the balance firmly in England’s favour.
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