Overview
- Joe Root reached 72 not out and Harry Brook 78 not out in an unbroken 154-run stand that lifted England from 57-3 to 211-3 when bad light and rain ended day one early.
- Ben Duckett fell for 27 to Mitchell Starc, Zak Crawley was lbw to Michael Neser for 16, and Jacob Bethell edged Scott Boland for 10 before England’s recovery.
- Ben Stokes won the toss and batted; England brought in seamer Matthew Potts for the injured Gus Atkinson, while Australia picked all-rounder Beau Webster and named off-spinner Todd Murphy as 12th man.
- Neither side selected a specialist spinner, with the hosts reportedly omitting one in a Sydney Test for the first time in almost 140 years.
- Australia lead the series 3-1 and have retained the urn, while Starc’s dismissal of Duckett was his 27th wicket of the series and he is reported on 428 career Test wickets as he chases Rangana Herath’s left-arm record.