The Visitor England could perhaps reference one moment of minor controversy as mitigation as they moved to the brink of a resounding defeat in the first Ashes Test at the Gabba. By stumps on day four, in pursuit of just 170 to win after England mustered 195 all out, Australia put themselves bang on course to wrap up their long-accustomed Brisbane victory.

David Warner (60no) and his debutant opening partner Cameron Bancroft (51no) both bagged half-centuries as the hosts closed on 114 for none after England had hinted at a more substantial target on the back of a half-century from captain Joe Root (51)Moeen Ali's dismissal, stumped after the tightest of third-umpire rulings amid mutterings about a bulge in the hand-painted popping crease counting against him, did not help England - who lost their last five wickets for 40.

#Ashes Nightwatchman: The key moments you missed overnight on day four https://t.co/EUuID6LtjT

— Telegraph Cricket (@telecricket) 26 November 2017

But they were in trouble long before their all-rounder departed the scene. The other suspicion, though, was that Moeen could have relatively easily helped himself and his team by making sure he knew where his back foot was as he reached forward and missed an off-break. Chris Woakes and Jonny Bairstow responded well initially to the setback, keeping their composure in a seventh-wicket stand which was handy but no more before the former was bounced out by Starc. When Bairstow, like Moeen, fell short of his half-century with a misjudgment - upper-cutting Starc straight to third man - England's last two wickets were sitting ducks, and duly delayed Australia by just eight more balls and one run.