Steven ‘Stellar’ Smith’s batting and captaincy

Steven Smith walked out to bat in a rather tricky situation at the Gabba. With 3 quick wickets, England were right on top. It was then the Aussie skipper Smith showed what he’s made of.A knock laced with solid technique, his trademark shots and more importantly his presence of mind and the match situation. He had to guide the team out of a messy situation and also guide Shaun Marsh to hang in with him and put pressure on the English bowlers.

This innings of 141 not out from 326 balls was filled with 14 boundaries, most of which were sublime, exquisite shots. In terms of the pressure and the match situation when he came in to bat, the value of his century only increases.

Cameron Bancroft - A solid foil for the attacking David Warner

Cameron Bancroft has been impressive with his performances in the domestic circuit. 67 matches, 4477 runs at an average of 39.97 with 11 centuries and 18 fifties for Western Australia are good numbers.

With Australia looking at someone who can be a good foil to David Warner- who is prolific in home conditions, the selectors preferred to pick someone who has played well in Australian conditions heading into the Ashes.

Australia haven’t played to their full potential thus far

With the inclusion of debutant Cameron Bancroft along with the return of Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazelwood from injury, the Australian team looked a bit unsettled heading into a very important series- The Ashes.

Adding to that was the surprise inclusion of Tim Paine ahead of Matthew Wade or Peter Nevill as their wicket-keeper for this series. England, with their fragile batting lineup, looked stronger on paper before the start of the first test match.

Australia’s bowling attack performed well as a team

Nathan Lyon in particular was fantastic through the game. He carried forward his brilliant form from the Bangladesh series. He was able to put constant pressure on England, allowing Smith to rotate his quick bowlers from the other end.

It was a complete team effort from the Aussie bowlers where everyone chipped in to deliver the results. And this is with Starc and Hazlewood bowling within themselves. With the pink ball and lights, this Australian bowling attack is going to be even more lethal in the second test. 

Australia built on Engalnd's dependence on Alastair Cook

It’s a known fact that England are over-dependent on Alastair Cook and Joe Root with the bat and James Anderson and Stuart Broad with the ball. Australia figured that out pretty quick and had a strategy in mind to remove Cook and Root early.

Alastair Cook can bat long hours and can cause serious trouble for Australia. So, through Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood, they managed to get an edge over Cook as he managed a meagre 9 runs in the match.

Steve Smith has a phenomenal Test record

Yet another day that was even stevens spiced up the first Ashes Test match at the Gabba as the home side made 165/4 in reply
to England’s total of 302. The visitors started off well on the 2nd day with the help of a partnership between Dawid Malan and Moeen Ali.

Quite a romantic moment at the Gabba

During day two of the first Ashes Test at the Gabba, Michael Langridge and his girlfriend now fiancee Tori Roebuck were enjoying the cricket from the comfort of the pool deck. Langridge decided the setting was
an ideal time to bend the knee and pop the question in front of the thousands in attendance. Wearing only a pair of green and gold budgie smugglers you do have to ask yourself, just where was he hiding the ring?

Englishman travelled 35,000KMS to watch Ashes What is the reason behind?

Ed Miller, an English fan, travelled for three months and covered almost 35,000 kilometres to Australia to witness

the Ashes without spending a minute in air to fulfil his dream and a cause for The Oddballs Foundation in a hope to raise some funds and spread awareness for the fight against testicular cancer.

Australia comeback stunningly in the final session

The hosts were pushed to the corner by the partnership between Vince and Stoneman and were visibly frustrated. But the wicket of the former just before the tea pumped them up as they bowled and fielded excellently after that. First, Vince was
caught short of the crease by Lyon with an amazing direct hit from backward-point and then Cummins sent Root packing with an inswinging delivery. He was adjudged leg before on review to the delivery which shaped back in prodigiously after pitching. They also created a lot of chances in the final stages of play before the umpires called stumps due to bad light.

Gabba surface assisting spin on day one

The surface at the Gabba is usually bouncy and carries to wicketkeeper quite comfortably. But this time around it is a little bit spongy and there is a bit of a dampness to the wicket which has brought the spinners in the game. Lyon was brought in to bowl in the 16th over surprisingly and he extracted the turn from the surface.
He looked threatening throughout the day and bowled superbly with accurate line and length. He didn’t scalp a wicket but kept a lid on the score due to which the pressure piled up on the batsmen. Lyon finished the day with the figures which read: 24-9-40-0.

Lyon’s athleticism earns Australia a wicket

The final session of the day began with both sides in control of the situation as the partnership was just broken prior to the tea. Vince was looking good for his century as Joe Root was ever so assured. But Nathan Lyon’s
athleticism at the backward point caught Vince short off his crease on 83. The batsman pushed the ball in the gap and started running but Lyon was so quick on the ball and the direct hit from him caught the right-hander off-guard. Vince, unfortunately, was devoid of his well-deserved century by a stupendous fielding effort.

Stoneman and Vince frustrate the Aussies

Stoneman and James Vince weathered the early burst after the loss of the experienced Cook. Both, making their Ashes debut, looked assured and left all the deliveries outside the off-stump. They were unfazed by the occasion and didn’t react to the verbal volleys thrown at them by the bowlers. They saw through the first session patiently and then pounced out on the freebies in the second session.

They added 125 for the second wicket and scored their respective half-centuries before Stoneman was castled by Pat Cummins just before tea on 53. Vince too was run-out soon on 83 but the duo surely troubled the hosts with their patient knocks.

Cook nicks one behind early

After opting to bat first, England were hoping to get a start from their openers. Mark Stoneman and Alastair Cook strode out to the middle with the similar intent but the latter nicked one behind in the third over of the day off Mitchell Starc.
The ball was pitched up by the bowler around the off-stump which shaped a little bit and Cook had to play at it. The end result was a nick behind to the wicketkeeper Tim Paine who accepted it gleefully. Cook could only score 2 runs and the visitors couldn’t get off to a flier after winning the toss.

Ashes batting Steve Smith – 215, Lord's 2015

England has become a tough country for Australia to play in, as they haven’t won the Ashes there for 12 years now. 2015 seemed to be following a similar direction as England won the first match comfortably in Cardiff.

Captain-in-waiting, Steve Smith, had different ideas as the teams headed to Lord's for the second game. Building a gargantuan stand with Chris Rogers, Smith kept collecting runs at a refreshing pace, even as Rogers made his way back to the pavilion. He speeded his way to a pompous double century.

Ashes batting Kevin Pietersen – 227, Adelaide 2010

Before 2010-11, England had last won an Ashes in Australia in 1986-87. Since then, there had been an odd victory or draws, but Australia was dominant on their home turf. As England came into the 2010-11 series, they were branded favourites. But this was a game that was to be won in their minds, more than plain skills. After an insipid draw in the 1st test, thanks to a belter at Brisbane, both teams walked into Adelaide with their defences up.

Kevin Pietersen, in his indomitable style, ensured England struck the vital first blow. In the able company of Cook, Collingwood and Ian Bell, Pietersen counterattacked his way to a belligerent double ton, the highest score of his career.Armed with a substantial lead of 375, there was no looking back for England in the series. They won the Ashes, 3-1, their first victory in Australia in 15 years. And the momentum for this significant achievement all started from this Pietersen innings.

Ashes batting Adam Gilchrist – 102 Not Out, Perth 2006

Few innings measure up to the destructiveness of this Gilly century. The second fastest test century at that time, Gilchrist’s 59 ball escapade didn’t just hit the nail in the coffin of England’s Ashes sojourn, but further proceeded to bury that coffin deep, ensuring they can’t get back up.

Gilly spanked Panesar out of the park, slashed Sajid Mahmood to all parts of the ground, treated Hoggard, Flintoff & Harmison with equal disdain. It indeed was a picture perfect piece of a massacre. England went on to lose the match and go down 3-0 in the series, hence ceding their ownership of the Ashes.

Ashes batting Ian Bell – 109, Nottingham 2013

Second innings tons, while setting a target, are always worth their weight in gold. In a match that was won by a mere 14 runs, it became doubly important.Ian Bell produced that innings for England in the first test of the 2013 Ashes. Coming in to bat with the score at 56-3,
and losing captain Cook with just ten more runs on the board, England were indeed up against it. Ian Bell grafted his way to a stubborn century, playing for nearly a whole day, and was dismissed only when the lead had risen to 306.Given that Australia had scored 296 in their final innings, and that England scored just four more runs after his dismissal, Bell’s innings truly deserves a special place in the annals of Ashes history.

Ashes batting Joe Root – 134, Cardiff 2015

The first test of an Ashes series. Fresh from a 5-0 whitewash, courtesy the alpha of test-match bowling, Mitchell Johnson. Typically murky English conditions. Team down in the dumps at 43-3 on Day 1. Enter Joe Root with a beautiful counter-punching innings that set the tone for the test, and the series.Accompanied by Ballance and Stokes,
Root took the aggressive route to nullify the threat of the Australian pace trio of Starc, Hazlewood, and Johnson. His 134 came off just 166 balls, and by the time he left the crease, the English team were at a stage from where they could dictate the terms of the match.And they did, winning the game by 169 runs and Joe Root was, rightfully, adjudged the man-of-the-match for his effort.

Bailey pouches a catch to end Anderson's innings

With the Ashes series approaching, there are plenty of stories doing the rounds about previous tours. Players are recollecting incidents on the field which sparked tensions.One such incident took place at the Gabba during the first Test in the 2013 Ashes, when there was a confrontation between James Anderson and George Bailey.
Famously, Michael Clarke stepped in and threatened to break Anderson's arm.Bailey has come forward with his own version of the story which throws some light on the matter."I find the Barmy Army songs quite catchy, and they were belting out the Jimmy Anderson song," Bailey recalled."It just got caught in my head, and I was singing it as he was about to face up," he further added.This did not go down too well with Anderson who shot back at Bailey, who was incidentally making his Test debut.