Overview
- England won the toss and chose to bat with an all-pace attack, leaving out off-spinner Shoaib Bashir.
- Australia debuted opener Jake Weatherald and seamer Brendan Doggett under stand-in captain Steve Smith, with Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood sidelined.
- Mitchell Starc produced Test-best figures of 7-58 to bowl England out for 172 in 32.5 overs, with Harry Brook top-scoring on 52.
- Ben Stokes spearheaded England’s reply with 5-23, supported by Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse, to reduce Australia to 123-9 at stumps, 49 runs behind.
- Doggett’s inclusion alongside Scott Boland marked the first Australian men’s Test XI to feature two players with Indigenous heritage.