Cricket-England in trouble at 59 for four at lunch in Ashes opener

By Ian Ransom

MELBOURNE (Reuters) -England’s Ashes campaign began disastrously as they lost a wicket on the first ball of the series and three more before lunch after winning the toss and electing to bat on a grassy Gabba wicket on Wednesday.

England were in peril at 59 for four at the lunch break, with opener Haseeb Hameed (25 not out) and number six Ollie Pope (17 not out) tasked with resurrecting the tourists’ innings on a muggy day in Brisbane.

Rory Burns became the first player dismissed first ball in an Ashes series since 1936, with Mitchell Starc bowling the opener around his legs to bring huge roars from the terraces.

The last time it happened was when Ernie McCormick had Stan Worthington caught behind at the same ground to give Don Bradman the best possible start to his first series as captain.

Dawid Malan was caught behind for six, needlessly pushing at a rising Josh Hazlewood delivery, the edge giving debutant wicketkeeper Alex Carey his first test dismissal.

Within a giddy half-hour Australia claimed their third victim as captain Joe Root became England’s second duck of the morning when Hazlewood induced an edge to David Warner in the slips.

That left the tourists reeling at 11 for three, looking to Ben Stokes to mount a rescue with Hameed.

All-rounder Stokes was under siege from the Australian pacemen before new captain Pat Cummins squared him up with a short ball that Marnus Labuschagne caught low in the slips in the first over after the drinks break.

“It’s been a good start, I think we got the balls in the right areas, nice and full,” said Hazlewood.

“It’s doing a bit but I think it’s a good wicket. Starcy usually gets a wicket in the first over and we expect that now.”

England earlier sprung a surprise by confirming Stuart Broad would be rested along with fellow pace veteran James Anderson, the first time in five years that neither have bowled in a test.

The last time, England lost to Bangladesh.

That left a combined 1,156 wickets on the bench, leaving the inexperienced Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood to lead the pace attack, with Jack Leach picked as a spinner.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

By Ian Ransom

MELBOURNE (Reuters) -England’s Ashes campaign began disastrously as they lost a wicket on the first ball of the series and three more before lunch after winning the toss and electing to bat on a grassy Gabba wicket on Wednesday.

England were in peril at 59 for four at the lunch break, with opener Haseeb Hameed (25 not out) and number six Ollie Pope (17 not out) tasked with resurrecting the tourists’ innings on a muggy day in Brisbane.

Rory Burns became the first player dismissed first ball in an Ashes series since 1936, with Mitchell Starc bowling the opener around his legs to bring huge roars from the terraces.

The last time it happened was when Ernie McCormick had Stan Worthington caught behind at the same ground to give Don Bradman the best possible start to his first series as captain.

Dawid Malan was caught behind for six, needlessly pushing at a rising Josh Hazlewood delivery, the edge giving debutant wicketkeeper Alex Carey his first test dismissal.

Within a giddy half-hour Australia claimed their third victim as captain Joe Root became England’s second duck of the morning when Hazlewood induced an edge to David Warner in the slips.

That left the tourists reeling at 11 for three, looking to Ben Stokes to mount a rescue with Hameed.

All-rounder Stokes was under siege from the Australian pacemen before new captain Pat Cummins squared him up with a short ball that Marnus Labuschagne caught low in the slips in the first over after the drinks break.

“It’s been a good start, I think we got the balls in the right areas, nice and full,” said Hazlewood.

“It’s doing a bit but I think it’s a good wicket. Starcy usually gets a wicket in the first over and we expect that now.”

England earlier sprung a surprise by confirming Stuart Broad would be rested along with fellow pace veteran James Anderson, the first time in five years that neither have bowled in a test.

The last time, England lost to Bangladesh.

That left a combined 1,156 wickets on the bench, leaving the inexperienced Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood to lead the pace attack, with Jack Leach picked as a spinner.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)