In the first test match between Australia and England starts today as the visitor won the toss and elected to bat first. England don’t get good starts from their opening batsmen as they lose former skipper Alastair Cook after a stunning delivery from Starc. A much better line from Starc forces Cook to defend the first three balls of the over before he suckers the former England skipper into a half prod forward with a full ball outside off stump that takes the edge and carries at perfect waist height to Handscomb at first slip.
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) 23 November 2017
The final over before lunch Starc round the wicket to Stoneman with a short-leg and leg slip in place. The pitch is giving Starc no help though, with the ball just flying over the batsman's head and looping through to the keeper at waist height. Stoneman mixes defense with ducking and in the end we have a maiden over.
After lunch neither side will be too unhappy with their morning's effort, but crackle England will certainly be the happier of the two batsmen with Stoneman and Vince showing plenty of guts after that early loss of main opening batsmen Cook. The Aussies have tried their damnedest on a pitch that isn't offering them a great deal of help and will know that this England innings is still very much in its infancy if they can get an early breakthrough after lunch. I'll be back in a bit.
