Ashes highlights 2021: England vs Australia as it happened last night

Follow live coverage as England and Australia begin the Ashes with the first Test in Brisbane.

England won the toss and elected to bat, but were all out before tea time on day one with a dreary total of 147.

Australia's Pat Cummins claimed a 5-ver for 38 on his Test captaincy debut, which began with overseeing a complete collapse of England’s top order — stumbling to 29-4.

There was a brief rally led by Haseeb Hameed and Ollie Pope to go in to lunch on 59. But the second session started as badly as the first, and though Jos Buttler offering a fighting 39 it was ultimately undone as England’s last four wickets amounted to just 35 runs.

The Aussies were set to begin their batting innings after tea but with ominous clouds overhead, the covers are on at the Gabba pitch. A storm seemed to have formed over Brisbane, threatening to end the day prematurely.

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Ashes 2021-22: Day one

• England all out at 147

• England vs Australia - summary of the first Test so far

Jason Roy insists England must control the controllables

08:58 , Jack Rathborn

Ashes 2021: Steve Finn reacts to day one

08:27 , Jack Rathborn

“England will have fancied their chances of getting through the first hour, when you know there are going to be difficult periods,” Steve Finn told BBC Sport.

“There was evidence there to suggest that the ball was skipping onto the bat once it lost its hardness. I can understand why England made that decision but unfortunately it hasn’t gone right for them.”

Ashes 2021: Jason Roy on Rory Burns’ first-ball duck

08:16 , Jack Rathborn

Jason Roy on Rory Burns’ first-ball duck on BT Sport: “It was a yorker, first ball of an Ashes Test match, your heart will be pumping out of your chest. I'm gutted for him.

“You can net and do everything to be ready but when you step out there, in Australia, a big crowd.

“It’s such a hard thing to prepare for. In the second innings he’ll feel way more at ease.

“It’s hard to get to grips with. They won’t hound him, it is what it is, you know best what you’ve done wrong. They’ll leave it and know what they need to do.”

Ashes 2021 - Steve Harmison: ‘This game is not lost yet'

08:07 , Jack Rathborn

Former England paceman Steve Harmison also urged England to take an aggressive approach for the remainder of the Test.

“England need somebody to grab the game by the scruff of the neck,” he said. “This game is not lost yet.”

Harmison, who had his own first-ball ordeal in 2006 when he bowled a wild wide, admitted Burns’ first-ball dismissal had sent shock waves through the England side.

“I don’t think they ever recovered from that,” he said.

Cummins was understandably happy with his side’s opening-day showing.

“It has all gone to plan at the moment,” he said.

“I’m really proud of the guys for the way they bowled. It’s a great start. Getting England out for 147, we’re pretty happy.

“I’ve bowled better before but it was nice to get wickets.”

Cummins admitted Starc’s breakthrough with the opening ball had fired his side up.

“He was pumped. We were all pumped,” he added.

“He’s got a knack of doing that, getting wickets early. I’m really happy for him. It’s been a great day for him.”

Former Australia seamer Glenn McGrath was delighted with the opening day’s action.

“It was a perfect start to the Ashes for Australia,” he said. “To start with a wicket on the first ball. It doesn’t get any better than that.

“On this pitch it is about getting enough balls in the right area. The way to take wickets is to get the ball up there and get them coming forwards.”

Ashes 2021: Alastair Cook urges England to opt for aggression on day two

08:00 , Jack Rathborn

Alastair Cook admits England will have to “come out swinging” on day two after being bowled out for 147 on a morale-sapping opening day of the Ashes series in Brisbane.

Mitchell Starc bowling Rory Burns from the first ball of the series set the tone and England’s brittle batting line-up subsided with Australia’s new captain Pat Cummins taking five for 38.

England skipper Joe Root, who opted to bat first after winning the toss at the Gabba in cloudy conditions, fell to Josh Hazlewood for a duck.

Former England captain Cook says England have no choice now but to come out fighting.

“Joe Root talks about England having character, they are going to have to show it now,” Cook told BT Sport. “They will have to come out swinging.

“They have got history of fighting back against Australia.

“The coaches have to earn their money now, saying the right things at the right times, making sure it isn’t doom and gloom.

“They have to go around tonight making sure that the likes of Rory Burns can regroup and come back and bat in the second innings.”

England dismissed for just 147 in disastrous start to Ashes tour

07:40 , Jack Rathborn

England began their Ashes tour in disarray at The Gabba, flopping to 147 all out on a dispiriting first day which saw Rory Burns dismissed by the first ball of the series.

With grey skies overhead and green tinges underfoot captain Joe Root resisted the temptation to bowl first, a decision he will rue for some time after Australia’s relentless pace attack wiped the tourists out inside two sessions.

While Root will look back on his day in Brisbane with bitter regret, opposite number Pat Cummins enjoyed a charmed start to life as Australia skipper with figures of five for 38. England were then denied the chance to land some blows of their own, with torrential rain and bad light meaning no play was possible after tea.

England dismissed for just 147 in disastrous start to Ashes tour

Ashes 2021: Pat Cummins surprised at Stuart Broad omission

07:37 , Jack Rathborn

“I thought at least one of them would play in every game, if not both of them. We were surprised but they’ve got plenty of other bowlers to step in and pose us a challenge.”

Ashes 2021: Pat Cummins reacts to ideal day one for Australia

07:30 , Jack Rathborn

“It is the dream start really and it wasn’t a bad toss to lose. We all bowled really well and I’m really proud of how consistent everyone was. It was a really good start.

“I’m so happy for Starcy – that’s why he opens the bowling because he’s got a knack of picking up wickets in the first few overs.

“I was probably going to bat but it was 50-50 – I didn’t think it would have a huge bearing on the match. I felt like it would be better after lunch and it was a pretty standard day one Gabba pitch.”

Ashes 2021: Ollie Pope reacts to England being bowled out on day one

07:16 , Jack Rathborn

Ollie Pope tells BT Sport: “We won’t necessarily put it down to the lack of preparation. They did bowl well. We won’t talk about the preparation necessarily because we’ve hit a lot of balls since we’ve been here but hopefully next time we’ll get some more runs.

“We were keen to get out there tonight but we realised too that if the ball gets ruined we can’t do what we wanted with it. We need to see both teams bat to know what a good score is but we need to take our chances and put the squeeze on.”

07:14 , Jack Rathborn

Ashes 2021: Ollie Pope reacts to day one

07:10 , Jack Rathborn

Ollie Pope reacts to day one with BT Sport: “We didn’t get the score that we wanted today. I felt good out there and it was frustrating to get out and not get a big score but the game situation led to some positive batting being needed. It was frustrating that neither me or Jos [Buttler] could kick on.

“The pitch was quite tennis-ball bounce so I realised earlier on we could leave and when there was lateral movement is when the nick came back into play.”

Ashes 2021 - Australia vs England

07:08 , Jack Rathborn

Here’s what you’ve missed overnight, let’s start with the good, as there’s not much.

Ollie Pope and Jos Buttler combined for 52 to salvage complete humiliation for England, who have been bowled out for 147 on the opening day.

Joe Root’s side elected to bat, but Rory Burns went first ball and new captain Pat Cummins started off his reign with a five-wicket spell.

A storm has denied the hosts from replying to end day one’s play.

Covers are on at Gabba pitch

05:30 , Shweta Sharma

Dark clouds are looming over Brisbane and the pitch has been covered as English bowlers are warming up for their bowling innings.

The play has been halted as it started to rain, with the Aussies’ first batting innings delayed for the time being.

England all out at 147

04:52 , Shweta Sharma

Woakes is the last one to walk to the pavilion on 38 as Cummins takes his fifth wicket. It was another great catch on the boundary by Hazlewood, and it’s met with a sea of applause in the ground.

The Aussies will begin their batting innings after the tea break — although with ominous clouds overhead, bad weather might yet end the day’s play.

Woods departs, and England Struggle at 147-9

04:41 , Shweta Sharma

Cummins takes his fourth wicket with Wood the latest English batsman to walk back. Wood (8) failed to deal with a short ball and got caught by Harris at short leg.

8th wicket down for England

04:30 , Shweta Sharma

Captain Cummins took his third wicket on day one as Robinson (0) is dismissed. Carey behind the wickets caught Robinson in another major loss.

The seventh wicket for England came down a short time earlier as Cameron Green took his maiden Test wicket and sent Pope back to the pavilion on 35, Hazlewood taking a diving catch.

Pope went for a pull but Hazlewood propelled his body forward to swoop the ball off the ground near fine leg.

8th wicket down for England

04:30 , Shweta Sharma

Captain Cummins took his third wicket on day one as Robinson (0) is dismissed. Carey behind the wickets caught Robinson in another major loss.

The seventh wicket for England came down a short time earlier as Cameron Green took his maiden Test wicket and sent Pope back to the pavilion on 35, Hazlewood taking a diving catch.

Pope went for a pull but Hazlewood propelled his body forward to swoop the ball off the ground near fine leg.

England vs Australia - summary of the first Test so far

04:08 , Shweta Sharma

After winning the toss and planning to set a big total, England had the worst possible start to their Ashes campaign as Mitchell Starc clean bowled Rory Burns off the first delivery of the Brisbane Test.

The pressure was then on for captain Joe Root to steady the ship — but he too was dismissed for a duck. England’s top order collapsed and saw themselves at 29/4.

Things only improved a little when Haseeb Hameed and Ollie Pope showed great fighting spirit and managed to see off the first session, taking the team to lunch at 59/4.

But the Three Lions’ second session started as badly as the first, as Australia’s new captain Pat Cummins sent back opener Haseeb Hameed and leaving England on 60/5.

After Hameed’s wicket, Ollie Pope and Joe Buttler have done a good job to ensure that there have been no further setbacks. Buttler has put the Aussies under a bit pressure with his counter-attacking batting.

The England team is currently 118/6 with the second session underway.

04:04 , Shweta Sharma

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the first Ashes Test between England and Australia in Brisbane.