Ashes 5th Test: Rain, bad light halt England at 211/3 on day 1

England ended the first day of the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground at 211/3 , with Joe Root (72 off 103 balls) and Harry Brook (78 off 92 balls) unbeaten, after rain and poor light curtailed play.

The two batsmen put together a crucial 154-run partnership for the fourth wicket , stabilizing England’s innings after the visitors lost their early wickets. Their stand ensured England ended Day 1 in a strong position, despite losing minimal momentum in the second session.

The day began with England opting to bat, with openers Zak Crawley (16) and Ben Duckett (27) putting on 35 runs for the first wicket. Jacob Bethell fell for 10, leaving Root and Brook to steady the innings. By Lunch, England was 114/3 after 24 overs, with Root and Brook unbeaten on 31 and 23 respectively.

The second session saw England dominate the bowlers, racing past 155/3 in 33 overs. Root reached his fifty in 65 balls, while Brook followed soon after, bringing up his half-century with a four off Beau Webster . The visitors crossed the 200-run mark in the 42nd over and completed a commanding 150-run stand during the 43rd over.

However, the third session could not take place due to persistent rain and bad light, forcing the umpires to call stumps. Earlier interruptions had already delayed the start of play, and even after the rain subsided, deteriorating light prevented any further cricket. Officials are yet to confirm whether extra time or additional sessions will be allotted in the coming days to make up for the lost play.

For Australia, Mitchell Starc , Scott Boland , and Michael Neser took one wicket each, with Neser finishing with figures of 1/36.

Brief Scores:

England 211/3 (Joe Root 72, Harry Brook 78, Michael Neser 1/36) vs Australia.