Ashes 2nd Test: Crawley-Root 93-run stand puts England at 98/2 after Starc's two wickets (Day 1, Tea)

Brisbane [Australia], December 4 (ANI): England have clawed their way back impressively after Zak Crawley and Joe Root steadied the ship with a well-composed, unbeaten 93-run partnership after the visitors suffered an early setback after Australia seamer Mitchell Starc removed Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope cheaply in the second Ashes of the five-match series in Brisbane.
At the end of the first session, England was at 98/2 in 24 overs, with Crawley (61*) and Root (32*) unbeaten.
England opted to bat first, and they found themselves in the back in the first over itself. Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc removed opener Ben Duckett for a golden duck. Duckett attempted to defend, but the ball found the edge of his bat, and Marnus Labuschagne took a simple catch at slips.
Starc took his second wicket when England's number three, Ollie Pope, was dismissed on the third ball of the third over. Pope attempted to play towards off-stump, but the ball took the inside edge of his bat before crashing into the stumps. Pope departed for a three-ball duck, and the visitors were at 11/2.
During the fifth ball of the fourth over, Zak Crawley survived after Australia decided not to review. Michael Neser bowled a short of a good length delivery. Crawley tried to defend from the crease and got a faint outside edge, and the umpire didn't raise his finger. Australia decided against the review, and the England batter survived.
Joe Root, who joined Crawley at the crease, started playing cautiously. In the ninth over, Starc conceded two boundaries against Crawley. The duo reached the 50-run partnership during the 12th over.
Root and Crawley played smartly and kept the scoreboard ticking with singles and doubles.
Crawley once again survived after right-arm pacer Scott Boland failed to take the catch in his follow-through during the fifth delivery of the 18th over.
The England opener Crawley kept chipping boundaries as he reached his first fifty of the ongoing Ashes series in 67 deliveries. It is a crucial innings for Crawley, as he bagged a pair in the first Test in Perth.
Root and Crawley negotiate the threat and ensured England reached 98/2 in 24 overs at Tea on Day 1 of the pink ball Test at the Gabba.
Australia are heading into the fixture with a commanding victory by eight wickets in the series opener. The match finished in just two days with a brilliant hundred from Travis Head, and a 10-wicket haul from Mitchell Starc squared off the game for the Aussies.
Brief Scores: England 98/2 (Zak Crawley 61*, Joe Root 32*, Mitchell Starc 3/26) vs Australia. (ANI)