Root finally makes century in Australia and late burst gives England edge after Starc salvo

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Dec 4, 2025 - 12:45

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Root finally makes century in Australia and late burst gives England edge after Starc salvo

Second Test, day one: England 325-9
Starc takes six but Root and Archer add 61 for final wicket

It was one of the most intense opening days to a Test match in recent memory. The Gabba was like a cauldron, the air as thick as soup, and with the pink ball zipping around for Mitchell Starc as he continued his bulldozing start to the series, the pressure on England felt relentless.

And yet at 8.38pm local time this all melted away as Joe Root tickled Scott Boland for four to seal his 40th Test century and – far more notably – his first on Australian soil. Root insisted this tour was never about addressing the gap in his otherwise stellar CV but, even for the most self-effacing of masters, the sense of relief out in the middle was palpable. Continue reading...