As it happened - Australia vs England, 1st Test, Day 2, Ashes 2021-22

Travis Head thumped a century in a session to rip the game away from England after they briefly clawed their way back into the contest following a series of self-inflicted errors.

Head made the equal third-fastest Ashes century off 85 balls, and became the first to score a Test century in a session at the Gabba, to torch any hopes England had after Australia had lost 4 for 29 in the afternoon to lead by just 48 with five wickets in hand. Australia finished the day with a lead of 196 and three wickets in hand with the South Australian still unbeaten on 112.

Head’s century came on the back of a supreme 156-run stand earlier in the day from David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne, with Warner making an eventful 94, while Labuschagne made a masterful 74 in difficult batting conditions to set the game up. Ollie Robinson bowled superbly to take 3 for 48, but limped off with a hamstring injury late in the day while Ben Stokes also battled a leg issue and a host of no-ball problems, including bowling Warner on 17 when he overstepped.

What an astonishing innings from Travis Head as he brings up the third-fastest Ashes hundred off 85 balls after taking England apart in the final session. The moment came with an on-drive against Chris Woakes in the first over of the second new-ball. His was probably the most debatable selection in Australia's XI - but no longer. It is the type of innings that Adam Gilchrist, the man with the fastest Ashes hundred, would have been proud of.

Jack Leach currently has the second-most expensive figures in Tests in Australia in terms of runs per over conceded after a minimum of 10 overs bowled.

Ollie Robinson has headed off the ground after bowling one over his new spell. He grabbed at his right hamstring during the over and it was his slowest of the day delivering a couple of balls at just 120kph. He completed the over but walked straight off to the rooms. Ben Stokes has hardly bowled this afternoon as well due a leg issue. England are hurting now as Travis Head starts to motor.

A lot hinges on Travis Head as we take a drink before the last 90 minutes of play. Head has started brightly although he copped a nasty blow on the bottom elbow in the last over before drinks. But he is the last of the recognised batters for Australia and they only lead by 93. If England can knock over Head they could wrap up the innings tonight and keep the lead to a manageable number. But if Head can get going and get some support from Australia's tail the lead could blow out beyond 150. It looks like Wood, Robinson and Woakes will have to do the heavy lifting in the last session with Stokes looking sore while Leach has been ineffective despite picking up Labuschagne. The second new ball is due in 13 overs.

Travis Head has got himself started but England are yet to go around the wicket. Shiva Jayaraman notes Head's record against right-arm fast bowlers from around the wicket in Tests is 15 dismissals at an average of 24.6 whereas over the wicket he has just 6 dismissals at 33.6. In Australia, around remains the better angle to dismiss Head (8 out 12 dismissals), but the average improves to 36.

There's no first-class data on Alex Carey but in the BBL against right-arm pace from around the wicket Carey has been dismissed 13 times at 20.53. From over the wicket he has been out 11 times at 40.5. But we're not sure we can read much into his BBL numbers.

Ollie Robinson spoke pre-series of his experiences in Australia both travelling and playing. As a 13-year-old in 2006-07, he bunked off a week of school to spend Christmas out in Australia and watch Andrew Flintoff's team get crushed in three of the five Tests of that winter's Ashes whitewash. He played a starring role in England Lions' victory over Australia A two winters ago. He also did two stints in Australian grade cricket, alongside Josh Hazlewood and Trent Copeland for Sydney and St George. He has been a shining light today for England, proving his previous experience in Australia has been worthwhile.

One of the few debates Australia had at the selection table was whether Travis Head or Usman Khawaja should bat at No.5 for this Test match. The selectors went with the younger man. Both have similar Test averages although Khawaja has far more Test experience. But one area they diverge significantly is their first-class records at Australia's major Test venues. At the Gabba, Head averages just 20.83 in 11 matches without a century while Khawaja, Queensland's captain, averages 52.28 from 23 matches with six centuries. Head averages just 34 in first-class cricket Australia's Test grounds but 56 on the other club grounds used for first-class cricket and 79 at Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide. The key difference between the Test grounds and the club grounds is the steeper bounce and sideways movement. Although Head does average 59 at the WACA in first-class cricket but it has been a friendlier batting track in recent years. Usman Khawaja only made 11 today for Australia A against the England Lions.

England fought back in that last hour after the game appeared to be slipping away thanks to a brilliant 156-run stand between Marnus Labuschagne and David Warner. They became the second-fastest Australian pair to notch 1000 runs together in Tests, doing so in 11 innings, just two more than Sir Donald Bradman and Bill Ponsford. Labuschagne's masterclass came to an end with a rare mistake off Jack Leach on 74 and it opened the door for England. Mark Wood walked through with a fiery spell to remove Steve Smith cheaply. For all the luck Warner has had, bowled off a no-ball, dropped and missed being run out, he remains there on 94 not out, in sight of his 25th Test century. But Australia still have work to with the lead just 46 and an inexperienced lower middle-order to come. Huge last session coming up.

The wicket of Marnus Labuschagne was sweet relief for England. But unfortunately it brings in Steven Smith. His overall Test record is extraordinary but his performances in the last two Ashes series have been out of this world. He has made 1461 runs in 14 innings, with six hundreds and five half-centuries. Five of the six centuries have been over 140, including in Brisbane four years ago, and two of them have been double-centuries.

Alex Malcolm: We're only halfway through the second day but England supporters have a sixth sense for where this could be headed. Andrew Miller and Andrew McGlashan have seen more England horror shows than most. Gents where does this rank so far?

Andrew Miller: There's nothing I'd rather get nostalgic about at 3.50am. This is already one of the most clicheed meltdowns I've ever witnessed. And like most of the best of them, it actually started with hope.

Andrew McGlashan: Shouldn't I be looking at the great days of Australian Ashes cricket...you know, given my current role.

Alex Malcolm: That's my job.

Andrew Miller: Where's the fun in that?

Andrew McGlashan: Hard to beat Nasser's day at the Gabba...Australia 364 for 2. This has similar feels about it the way Warner and Labuschagne are going.

Andrew Miller: Two memories spring instantly to mind. Nasser's Test in 2002-03, with Simon Jones' horror injury condemning the rest of the attack to death by Hayden and Ponting, and the Waca Test in 1994-95, when Devon Malcolm bowled a spell every bit as fierce as Mark Wood's today, and even broke Michael Slater's thumb. But he finished with figures of 2 for 198, including a booted four overthrows, after Graham Thorpe dropped another slip catch.Throw in some DRS fun and games, and we're back at Adelaide 2013-14 too. Even down to the first-ball demolition of an England opener...

Andrew McGlashan: Without wanting to just copy-and-paste your piece from yesterday, Andrew, Gabba 1994-95 was brutal as well particularly given the pace of scoring in what was generally a much slower era of Test cricket. Of course, Michael Slater was part of changing all that.

Andrew Miller: Stokes, of course, being the bowler whose debut wicket was over-turned by a late-detected no-ball.

Andrew McGlashan: What's the better stat: the combined age of the Gooch-Gatting wicket to remove Slater, or the combined Test wickets England have left out of this game between Anderson and Broad?

Andrew Miller: Gabba 1994-95 might prove very similar to this one, in that England briefly thought they might wriggle out of it, after Taylor decided against enforcing the follow-on. Less chance of that sort of salvation with them batting third this time, but there's always the rain...

Alex Malcolm: Old Trafford 2019 anyone?

Andrew Miller: Old Trafford 2019? Was there even an Old Trafford Test that year? Thought the series ended at Headingley...

Andrew McGlashan: Yes, 2019 certainly has the no-ball parallels given Jack Leach overstepped against Steve Smith, although that felt a little more of a one-man-show from Australia

Andrew Miller: I can see the logic in resting those two. But had even one of them been selected, surely Root would have felt better equipped to bowl first, which might have given England a toe-hold. At least they wouldn't be all-out yet!

Andrew McGlashan: Australia couldn't believe their luck

Andrew Miller: There is one other parallel to consider, mind you. The Gabba Test in 2010-11 didn't start too wonderfully for England either. Never mind that desperate first day, there was the small matter of a 300-run stand between Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin on days two and three. But in the midst of that partnership, James Anderson bowled one of the best wicketless spells I've ever watched. It was a sign that they had the tools if they could find the luck... But somehow, I don't see Hameed, Burns and Malan doing a Strauss, Cook and Trott...

Andrew McGlashan: Yes, although that was one of England's great batting orders. Meanwhile Jack Leach has gone for another six.

Andrew Miller: Ooh look, another six off Leach. They had one of their great spinners on that trip too ...

Andrew McGlashan: This is very Ashley Giles 2006-07 at the moment

Alex Malcolm: Might be time for another coffee, gents

Andrew Miller: Oh god, don't even get me started on that dropped catch ...

Andrew Miller: A wicket! It's on!

Andrew McGlashan: Got 'im! Knew Leach was the man

Alex Malcolm: Well bowled lads. Thanks for your time.

While Australia has been unable to find an opening pairing that can reach 20 together in their last 12 Ashes innings, David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne have loved batting together over the last two years. The pair have batted together 11 times in Test cricket and have combined for five century stands including a mammoth 361-run stand against Pakistan in 2019. This is their second century stand against England after they put on 111 at Headingley in 2019. Marnus Labuschagne could also create history today. He is playing his 32nd Test innings and is within sight of 2000 Test runs. Only one man in Test history has made 2000 Test runs in fewer than 32 innings.

Gaurav Sundararaman points out that luck has gone Australia's way. England batters lost 10 wickets for 56 false shots played. That is one wicket for every 5.6 false shots. The average is about a wicket every 10 false shots. England bowlers have already drawn 39 false responses from Australia but have picked up just 1 wicket. England have bowled well and created chances but luck has surely favoured Australia.

Rubbing salt into the wound, David Warner should have been run out moments ago. He clipped one off his toes and ran but Haseeb Hameed stopped it at short leg. Warner slipped and dropped his bat as Hameed shied from close range but he missed! Warner was out of his crease, sprawled on the deck with his bat and the crease out of reach.

' Andrew McGlashan has the latest on Ben Stokes' set of no-balls that weren't called in his first over today. One of them ended up bowling David Warner.

Ben Stokes was denied a wicket in his first over back in Test cricket when he bowled David Warner with a no-ball and it soon transpired that he had overstepped on the first three deliveries of the over as well - but a broken system meant they weren't called by the third umpire under the new protocols.

It was later confirmed by host broadcaster Channel Seven that the technology put in place to allow the TV official to monitor the frontline had gone down before the match started so this Test is being played under the previous playing conditions where only wicket-taking deliveries are checked. Channel Seven reviewed the footage and revealed that Stokes bowled 14 no-balls in the first session from different ends, and the two umpires missed all of them except the one reviewed after the wicket fell.

Warner was dropped on 17 and reached his 31st Test half-century after lunch. He also received a huge slice of luck on 48 when he was dropped by Rory Burns at second slip off Ollie Robinson. It was a straightforward chance to his left.

If you were playing England Ashes Gabba calamity bingo you might have already won by lunch on day two. Make the wrong call at the toss. Tick. Make the wrong selections. Tick. First ball disaster. Tick. All out before tea on day one. Tick. Wicket off a no-ball. Tick. Give up an unbeaten century stand for the second wicket. Tick. Have your talisman allrounder limping at lunch on day two. Tick.

This is getting ugly for England. They bowled well in the first two hours without much reward. The wicket of Marcus Harris was supposed to open up Australia's line-up but Ben Stokes bowling David Warner off a no-ball was a dagger through the chest. The fact that the third umpire missed the previous four balls was salt in the wound. Marnus Labuschagne edged a ball just short of first slip, Warner had numerous other near misses. As England's quicks tired Joe Root had to turn to Jack Leach and Warner and Labuschagne assaulted him. It was calculated, premeditated and callous. Leach went for 31 in three overs and Mark Wood was asked to wind up again. Labuschagne reached his 11th Test fifty and Warner is just shy of his. Stokes limped off at the break after pulling up lame following a long chase to the rope. Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong for England. They will need their luck to turn this afternoon to avoid this game disappearing before their eyes.

David Warner and Jack Leach had played four Tests against each other in the 2019 Ashes but remarkably, Warner did not face a single ball from the left-arm orthodox spinner. Warner averaged 9.50 for the series with his lone half-century coming at Leeds when Leach did not bowl a ball in the first innings. But Warner loves left-arm orthodox in both short-form and long-form cricket. Ravi Jadeja is the only bowler with any real success claiming him four times. Otherwise, Warner averages 57.70 against left-arm orthodox and scores at 4.52 per over in Test cricket. Leach found out very quickly in his second over that Warner wasn't going to let him settle. Leach did dismiss Marnus Labuschagne twice in that series.

It took one over for Shane Warne to start lamenting Chris Woakes’ lack of energy.

It took five balls for Shane Warne to complain about Ollie Robinson’s failure to slip the handbrake, despite beating the outside edge twice in his first over in Australia.

The first “worrying signs for England” came as David Warner drove his first boundary in the fifth over, to hoist Australia to a heady 10 for 0.

Over on Channel Seven, Ian Botham and Ricky Ponting were bemoaning the absence of Stuart Broad. Every outlet ever conceived was pointing out that Warner’s susceptible to the full one from round the wicket.

Yak, yak, yak. And thanks to Wednesday’s washed-out final session and the subsequent early start, we hadn’t even reached the scheduled start of the second day of the series.

A fleeting moment of insight followed from Kerry O’Keeffe - the stopped clock that tells the right time twice a day - as his suggestion that “something might be about to happen” was followed immediately by Robinson making something happen, as Marcus Harris edged to slip for England’s first wicket of the Ashes.

But then, within three balls of his arrival, Mark Wood pinged one down at 150kph, and just for a glorious missed beat of befuddlement, the sound of stunned silence filled the airwaves. “150kph … wow…”

It was briefly a different ball-game during Wood’s three-over opening gambit – not for England, you understand, whose doughty display with the new ball had restricted Australia to a two-an-over run-rate while asking sufficient questions in the meantime, but for the Fox Sports commentators.

This cabal of noise merchants can remark, without irony, on the exponential growth of Richie Benaud impersonators in the Gabba bleachers, without ever respecting the fact that he is still revered – almost a decade after his final commentary stint – for the fact that for most of his career, he never said a damned thing.

Wood whooshed his exocets through to Jos Buttler – round the wicket for the most part to Warner, whose firm-limbed decision-making suddenly looked less sure-footed as he flapped his bat at a few of his sharper lifters, to pave the way for the return to bowling action of the lesser-spotted Ben Stokes.

Allan Border greeted his arrival with the highest accolade this side of the Order of Australia. His impact is a bit like Ian Botham’s apparently. And what about that innings in the last Ashes – “at Trent Bridge was it?” … give us all strength.

Sure enough, Stokes’ impact was immediate, even if the outcome wasn’t quite so clear-cut. A fat edge through the cordon, wide of the stretching third slip, then a perfect timber-rattler … although not quite so perfect as it turned out, for Stokes knew he had overstepped from the moment the celebrations had begun.

And just like that, all the previous noise was becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s going to be a long day in the field… better mind those energy levels, lads.

England captain Joe Root spoke to the Fox Cricket's Adam Gilchrist via the spider cam at drinks. He was frustrated about Ben Stokes' wicket off a no-ball but he was positive. "Of course it's frustrating," Root said. "But the fact that we're creating chances and we have created a good number of chances, half-chances in that session is really pleasing. I think we've got to stay confident, keep trusting what we're doing. Yesterday didn't go to plan with a below-par score, but that's why we've got to stay on it. Keep trusting what we're doing and keep creating those chances. Believing that we'll get our rewards later on in this hour."

Root was also asked about the pitch. "It has dried out," he said. "It's played as I thought it would, it's hardened up a little bit. There's a few dents to work with for our seam bowlers. So we've just got to trust the areas that we've been hitting so far and back ourselves to take chances when they come."

Meanwhile, Channel Seven have revealed that Ben Stokes overstepped the front line four times in the lead up to bowling David Warner and was not called for any of them. Seven have former ICC umpire Simon Taufel as an umpiring expert on their commentary team. He was mystified why the third umpire did not intervene earlier. "They are supposed to be checking every ball," Taufel said. "I really can't explain it."

Here is the appropriate law that confirms the third umpire should be checking: "21.5.2 the bowler’s front foot must land with some part of the foot, whether grounded or raised - on the same side of the imaginary line joining the two middle stumps as the return crease described in clause 21.5.1, and - behind the popping crease. The third umpire shall review television replays of the bowler’s front foot landing and, if he/she is satisfied that any of these three conditions have not been met, he/she shall immediately advise the bowler’s end umpire who shall in turn immediately call and signal No ball. See clause 41.8 (Bowling of deliberate front foot No ball)"

Anyone have a sense of deja vu?

Ollie Robinson has made the early breakthrough for England and is out of the attack at the moment but he might be the perfect match-up for Marnus Labuschagne. Not much has troubled Labuschagne since returning to Test cricket as the concussion sub in the 2019 Ashes. He has made 1683 runs at 73.17 with five centuries in that period and averages 61.06 overall. But Labuschagne has run into some mild kryptonite in Sheffield Shield cricket. Trent Copeland, who is currently in the commentary box with Channel Seven, is a very similar bowler to Robinson. A sub 130kph seamer who is incredibly accurate with a high release point. For New South Wales, Copeland has knocked over Labuschagne seven times in nine matches, bowling him three times and trapping him lbw twice. Admittedly, Labuschagne has made three centuries in those innings where he has been dismissed including two last season. But Robinson could be a decent option provided he gets the right protection on the leg side if he is to try a risk-reward straighter line to Labuschagne. However England do need to be careful. Labuschagne, like Steve Smith, is happy to trade off the lbw vulnerability for scoring balls through the leg side. They might trap him eventually, but he may bleed them dry in the meantime.

There has been lots of prognosticating about David Warner in recent months. He dominated the T20 World Cup after a very lean build-up. But as is the relentless nature of international cricket, the question immediately turned to what he has done lately in Test cricket? The answer is not much, given he has barely played. England 2019 is fresh in the minds of Australian fans. But they forget how good Warner has been in Australia. He averages 63.30 in Australia with 18 Test centuries compared to just 26.04 in England without a century. Chris Rogers provided some incredible insights into his former opening partner. Much rests on Warner's shoulders still, as Marcus Harris misses out again, edging Ollie Robinson to third slip for 3. That is the 12th consecutive time Australia's opening pair have failed to reach 20 in a Test innings against England.