Joe Root Slams 138 as England Reach 334 All Out Against Australia in 2nd Ashes Test
Joe Root scores 138 as England finishes the first innings at 334 all out; Australia begins their reply.
England posted a competitive first-innings total of 334 on Day 2 of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba, with Joe Root's masterful 138 anchoring the innings against a relentless Australian bowling attack led by Mitchell Starc's six-wicket haul. Resuming at 325 for nine overnight, Root and Jofra Archer extended their defiant 10th-wicket partnership to 61 runs before Archer fell for 32, caught behind off Starc to end the innings in the first session. Root, receiving a standing ovation from the Brisbane crowd, raised his bat in acknowledgement, marking his first Test century on Australian soil in 12 years and rescuing England from a precarious early collapse to 2 for 5 on Day 1.
The day began under overcast skies with the pink ball still carrying seam movement, allowing Australia to wrap up the innings swiftly after just 4.3 overs of play. Starc, who claimed 6 for 94, surpassed Wasim Akram's record for the most wickets in day-night tests, his fiery spell dismantling England's middle order and highlighting the Gabba's traditional green-top challenges. Root's knock, blending patience with calculated aggression, included 14 boundaries and came off 192 balls, providing stability after skipper Ben Stokes' aggressive 45 and Harry Brook's fluent 62 set a platform before reckless shots led to further wickets.
Australia's openers, Travis Head and Jake Weatherald, then negotiated the new ball cautiously in their reply, reaching 16 for no loss in 5.5 overs by the update, trailing by 318 runs as England's seamers—Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse—sought early breakthroughs. Weatherald, playing his first Ashes innings, clipped a boundary off Atkinson to get off the mark, while Head survived a testing spell from Jofra Archer, who returned figures of 0 for 20 in his opening burst. The hosts, led by stand-in captain Steve Smith in Pat Cummins' absence, aimed to build a solid foundation under lights, where the deteriorating pink ball could favour batting.
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With the series locked at 1-0 to Australia after their dominant Perth win, England's improved resilience offered hope of levelling the Ashes, though questions linger over their top-order fragility. Root's return to form, post a lean run Down Under, could prove pivotal, while Australia's pace battery—bolstered by Michael Neser's inclusion over Nathan Lyon—remains a formidable threat. Day 2's play, interrupted briefly by rain, sets up an intriguing battle as England eyes its first Gabba victory since 1986.
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