Australia’s Pat Cummins became the first bowler to lead his country in a Test match in 63 years after Richie Benaud. The Aussie skipper got his first wicket as a captain, sending back dangerous England all-rounder Ben Stokes for 5 as the visitors went to lunch at 59/4 in 26 overs on Day 1 of the first Ashes Test at the Gabba in Brisbane on Wednesday (December 26).


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Cummins toiled hard in first session along with fellow pacers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood under overcast conditions. The Australian speedster squared up Stokes with a delivery from around the wicket, which he only managed to edge to Marnus Labuschagne in the slips for 5 off 21 balls as England slipped to 29/4.


Watch Pat Cummins dismiss Ben Stokes here…



Opener Haseeb Hameed (25 not out) and Ollie Pope (17 not out) managed to tackle the rest of the session without any more loss for England. But Australia were firmly on top after losing the toss.


Earlier, England’s Ashes campaign began disastrously on Wednesday as they lost three wickets, including Joe Root for a duck, in the first half-hour after the skipper won the toss and elected to bat in the opening Test at the Gabba.


Paceman Mitchell Starc bowled Rory Burns around his legs with the first ball of the series, a full delivery clattering into leg stump after the opener scuttled across the crease in an ugly dismissal. Dawid Malan was then caught behind for six, needlessly pushing at a rising Josh Hazlewood delivery, the edge giving debutant wicketkeeper Alex Carey his first test dismissal.


Root became England’s second duck of the morning when Hazlewood induced an edge to David Warner in the slips, leaving the tourists reeling at 11 for three. Opener Haseeb Hameed and Ben Stokes were left to resurrect the innings on a grassy pitch and in humid conditions in Brisbane.


Brief Scores (Day 1 at lunch): England 1st inngs 59/4 (Haseeb Hameed batting 25; Josh Hazlewood 2/3, Pat Cummins 1/16) vs Australia


(with Reuters inputs)