By Peter Hall
BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) – Opener Zak Crawley was out last ball before lunch to leave England on 124-3 and temper what had been a positive opening session for the hosts in the first test of the Ashes series at Edgbaston on Friday.
With World Test Champions Australia in town, many experts predicted England may soften their aggressive “Bazball” approach for the Ashes, but such doubts were quickly put to bed as Crawley hammered a boundary off the first ball of the innings.
It was in stark contrast to the first ball of the last Ashes series, when Mitchell Starc clean bowled England opener Rory Burns, ahead of Australia’s rampant 4-0 success.
The final ball of the session, however, ensured it was impossible to call who was on top in the Birmingham sunshine, as Crawley was caught behind off the bowling of Scott Boland.
The runs flowed for England early on, even after they lost opener Ben Duckett, out for 12 after Josh Hazlewood struck, with the hosts taking advantage of a defensive Australia field to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
England, who average just under five runs an over under coach Brendon McCullum in test cricket, reached 32-1 off the first seven overs with Crawley leading the charge.
The home side moved onto 50 runs inside 50 minutes and were approaching the century mark when Nathan Lyon had Ollie Pope trapped leg before wicket for 31, following an Australian review.
Joined by captain Joe Root at the crease, Crawley moved onto his half century off just 56 balls, before hammering another boundary to take England into three figures.
Yet another successful Australian on-field review got the tourists the key wicket at a crucial moment.
(Reporting by Peter Hall; Editing by Toby Davis)
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