Pat Cummins’ first day as Australian Test captain could not have gone much better.
After being asked to field first in seaming conditions in Brisbane, the Aussies bowled England out for 147 with Cummins, the world’s No.1 Test bowler, starring with the ball, taking 5/38 off 13.1 overs.
The star quick is the first captain to take five wickets in an Ashes Test since Bob Willis in 1982. It’s also Cummins’ first Ashes five-wicket haul.
The 28-year-old took the prized scalp of Ben Stokes and opener Haseeb Hameed either side of lunch to leave England reeling at 5-60.
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Mitchell Starc (2-35) and Josh Hazlewood (2-42) also impressed while Cameron Green took his first Test wicket, dismissing set batsman Ollie Pope for 35.
Jos Buttler (39) and Pope were the only two England players to score over 30 with top-order batsmen Rory Burns and captain Joe Root both scoring ducks.
Starc dismissed Burns with the first ball of the series in dramatic fashion, knocking over the opener’s leg stump which set the tone for the remainder of the opening day.
Test debutant Alex Carey took three catches behind the stumps.
Rain and bad light resulted in Day 1 coming to a premature end after 50.1 overs were bowled.
Day 2 will commence 30 minutes earlier on Thursday at 9:30am local time.