Ashes 2021: England vs Australia highlights as it happened last night

Pat Cummins made history as the first Australian captain to take an Ashes five-wicket haul since Richie Benaud in 1962.

That was 13.1 overs from the skipper, three maidens and 5/38 on day one with an economy of 2.89.

“England will have fancied their chances of getting through the first hour, when you know there are going to be difficult periods,” Steve Finn told BBC Sport.

“There was evidence there to suggest that the ball was skipping onto the bat once it lost its hardness. I can understand why England made that decision but unfortunately it hasn’t gone right for them.”

Jason Roy on Rory Burns’ first-ball duck on BT Sport: “It was a yorker, first ball of an Ashes Test match, your heart will be pumping out of your chest. I'm gutted for him.

“You can net and do everything to be ready but when you step out there, in Australia, a big crowd.

“It’s such a hard thing to prepare for. In the second innings he’ll feel way more at ease.

“It’s hard to get to grips with. They won’t hound him, it is what it is, you know best what you’ve done wrong. They’ll leave it and know what they need to do.”

Former England paceman Steve Harmison also urged England to take an aggressive approach for the remainder of the Test.

“England need somebody to grab the game by the scruff of the neck,” he said. “This game is not lost yet.”

Harmison, who had his own first-ball ordeal in 2006 when he bowled a wild wide, admitted Burns’ first-ball dismissal had sent shock waves through the England side.

“I don’t think they ever recovered from that,” he said.

Cummins was understandably happy with his side’s opening-day showing.

“It has all gone to plan at the moment,” he said.

“I’m really proud of the guys for the way they bowled. It’s a great start. Getting England out for 147, we’re pretty happy.

“I’ve bowled better before but it was nice to get wickets.”

Cummins admitted Starc’s breakthrough with the opening ball had fired his side up.

“He was pumped. We were all pumped,” he added.

“He’s got a knack of doing that, getting wickets early. I’m really happy for him. It’s been a great day for him.”

Former Australia seamer Glenn McGrath was delighted with the opening day’s action.

“It was a perfect start to the Ashes for Australia,” he said. “To start with a wicket on the first ball. It doesn’t get any better than that.

“On this pitch it is about getting enough balls in the right area. The way to take wickets is to get the ball up there and get them coming forwards.”

Alastair Cook admits England will have to “come out swinging” on day two after being bowled out for 147 on a morale-sapping opening day of the Ashes series in Brisbane.

Mitchell Starc bowling Rory Burns from the first ball of the series set the tone and England’s brittle batting line-up subsided with Australia’s new captain Pat Cummins taking five for 38.

England skipper Joe Root, who opted to bat first after winning the toss at the Gabba in cloudy conditions, fell to Josh Hazlewood for a duck.

Former England captain Cook says England have no choice now but to come out fighting.

“Joe Root talks about England having character, they are going to have to show it now,” Cook told BT Sport. “They will have to come out swinging.

“They have got history of fighting back against Australia.

“The coaches have to earn their money now, saying the right things at the right times, making sure it isn’t doom and gloom.

“They have to go around tonight making sure that the likes of Rory Burns can regroup and come back and bat in the second innings.”

England began their Ashes tour in disarray at The Gabba, flopping to 147 all out on a dispiriting first day which saw Rory Burns dismissed by the first ball of the series.

With grey skies overhead and green tinges underfoot captain Joe Root resisted the temptation to bowl first, a decision he will rue for some time after Australia’s relentless pace attack wiped the tourists out inside two sessions.

While Root will look back on his day in Brisbane with bitter regret, opposite number Pat Cummins enjoyed a charmed start to life as Australia skipper with figures of five for 38. England were then denied the chance to land some blows of their own, with torrential rain and bad light meaning no play was possible after tea.

“I thought at least one of them would play in every game, if not both of them. We were surprised but they’ve got plenty of other bowlers to step in and pose us a challenge.”

“It is the dream start really and it wasn’t a bad toss to lose. We all bowled really well and I’m really proud of how consistent everyone was. It was a really good start.

“I’m so happy for Starcy – that’s why he opens the bowling because he’s got a knack of picking up wickets in the first few overs.

“I was probably going to bat but it was 50-50 – I didn’t think it would have a huge bearing on the match. I felt like it would be better after lunch and it was a pretty standard day one Gabba pitch.”

Ollie Pope tells BT Sport: “We won’t necessarily put it down to the lack of preparation. They did bowl well. We won’t talk about the preparation necessarily because we’ve hit a lot of balls since we’ve been here but hopefully next time we’ll get some more runs.

“We were keen to get out there tonight but we realised too that if the ball gets ruined we can’t do what we wanted with it. We need to see both teams bat to know what a good score is but we need to take our chances and put the squeeze on.”