It took just over an hour on day five for Australia to knock off the 56 runs required to win the first Ashes Test at Brisbane.
After resuming on 114 for 0 overnight, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft played a measured, deliberate innings, taking no risks and easing their way to the finish line. Warner ended on 87, Bancroft on 82.
If England were to take anything from this Test, the first of five, it is that they were competitive for three and a half days in an absorbing contest, proving they are not the ‘rabble’ they were rudely labelled in the buildup.
‘We came here fully confident that we could get a win, and for three days we were excellent.’ said England captain Joe Root. ‘We probably missed a couple of chances with bat and ball in the first innings, where we should have maybe gone on and made that 400-plus score. Being four down with 250-plus on the board, you want to make that count.’
Root singled out the efforts of Mark Stoneman and James Vince, whose first-innings half-centuries seemed to have set England up in the match.
‘Mark and Vincey in particular played outstandingly well in their first Ashes Test. To stand up like that showed great character, composure and skill. It’s just about making sure they go on and make big hundreds when they get in next time,’ he said.
‘Similarly with the ball, we made them work extremely hard. I do think the wicket got better and better throughout, but [Steve] Smith played an unbelievable knock, and if you take that out, we bowl them out for 150.’
Steve Smith complimented England as a ‘quality side’.
‘The first Test of an Ashes is always incredibly important, especially with our record here at the Gabba,’ he said. ‘So it’s great to keep that intact. We played some really good cricket after losing the toss, and to get a 10-wicket win against a quality side is very satisfying.’
‘My hundred has got to be up there with one of my best, purely from the position we were in and that it’s an Ashes series. I had to work really hard for it, dig deep and get ourselves out of that situation, so I’m really pleased with it.’
Photo: Dave Hunt/EPA/BackpagePix
