Late strikes give Aussies edge
Australia stunned England with two late wickets, including that of Joe Root for 83, to leave the tourists wobbling on 233 for five at the end of the rain-disrupted opening day of the fifth and final Ashes Test on Thursday.
A day that started with rain washing out the first session had looked like ending with a packed Sydney Cricket Ground bathed in summer sunshine and England's Barmy Army of fans in full triumphant voice.
Root and Dawid Malan had combined for a 133-run partnership to help steer the tourists to 228 for three when Australia took the second new ball with two or three overs of play remaining.
First, Mitchell Starc induced Root into a half volley to square leg where Mitchell Marsh took a superb catch. Then Jonny Bairstowwas removed caught behind with what turned out to be the last ball of the day.
Malan, who survived a few scares to notch up his fifth Test half century and reached stumps unbeaten on 55, said England were obviously disappointed.
"It sort of sums up where we've been in on this tour, we've been on top for so long in games and then make a couple of mistakes and let the Aussies back in," he said. "I thought Rooty played fantastically well to get to that position, obviously he was disappointed to get out and to be five down after the hard work we put in today is obviously not ideal."
"The second new ball is always a challenge. You don't know if it's going to swing, you don't know if it's going to skid off the wicket. We were definitely speaking about trying to get through this period. Still looking to be positive, still looking to have our scoring intent.
“Unfortunately, he clipped that to square leg and if it was two or three yards to the left or right it would have been four and everybody would have said 'great shot'.”
SCORES IN BRIEF
ENGLAND: First innings 233 for 5 (Cook 39, Stoneman 24, Vince 25, Root 83, Malan 55 not out; Hazlewood 2-47, Cummins 2-44)
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