Ben Stokes’s early declaration capped a fantastic day for the home side at Edgbaston
This was another sun-soaked day in south Birmingham, the river of spectators streaming through the gates in good time for the pomp, pageantry and pyrotechnics that precede a modern Ashes series. And after a poignant moment of reflection for the lives lost during the recent atrocity in Nottingham, followed by the anthems, came the latest entry into the list of famous Ashes first balls.
That said, an absorbing first session in which the hosts rattled along at 4.65 runs per over was a departure from some of their recent exploits, with the 12 fours struck a fairly standard return but some 54 singles pilfered with them. Australia, it quickly became clear, had a plan to disrupt the hosts, Cummins deploying three boundary riders from the outset and largely sticking to this all day.
Ben Duckett fared less well, an early attempt to dab the recalled Josh Hazlewood for four giving Alex Carey the first of five dismissals behind the stumps on the day, while Ollie Pope was busy enough until on 31 he missed a straight one from Nathan Lyon. The off-spinner operated around the wicket for the bulk of the day and, though taken for 149 runs from his 29 overs, the four scalps in the final column were well earned.
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