Ashes 2nd Test: Root's first century in Australia tops Starc’s 6 wickets as England takes honours on Day 1

Joe Root posted a long-awaited first Ashes century in Australia to give England the honors on Day 1 of the second cricket test despite Mitchell Starc’s six wickets.

- AGENCIES

Starc removed Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope to have England reeling at 5-2 in the third over Thursday.

That’s when Root went to the crease and set about restoring the England innings, and confidence, following the series-opening eight-wicket loss in Perth.

His unbeaten 135 led England to 325-9 at stumps, with No. 11 Jofra Archer at a career-best 32 in an unbroken 61-run last-wicket stand.

Zac Crawley, who helped Root get England’s revival going in a 117-run third-wicket stand, described his teammate’s century as a “phenomenal knock.”

“He played brilliantly,” Crawley said. The ball “was doing plenty when he first came in and he was so calm and he was so clear as well about how he wanted to go about it.”

Opener Crawley, who was coming off two ducks in Perth, scored 76 from 93 balls and was outscoring Root before he attempted an extravagant pull shot and got an under edge through to the keeper just after the first interval.