Ashes Test: England Finishes Day 1 Strong Amidst Crawley’s Optimism

The second Ashes Test in Brisbane saw England finish day one on a high note, a performance lauded by batsman Zak Crawley. After a disappointing first Test, England’s batting lineup showed resilience at The Gabba, amassing 325/9 by stumps. A pivotal moment was the 61-run partnership for the 10th wicket between Joe Root, who remained unbeaten on 135, and fast bowler Jofra Archer. This late flourish boosted England’s spirits, with Crawley highlighting the team’s positive mindset entering the second day. He explained their approach was to ‘go really hard’ in the final session, a strategy that paid off with valuable runs and maintained momentum. Australia’s Mitchell Starc acknowledged England’s aggressive batting in the twilight period. Starc, despite taking six wickets, conceded that the pitch conditions and the ball’s behavior influenced the game. He anticipates a potentially good day for batting on day two, especially with the sun expected to be out.