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Joe Root hundred guides England on freewheeling first day of the Ashes
Australia 20 for 0 trail England 393 for 8 dec (Root 118*, Bairstow 78, Crawley 61, Lyon 4-149) by 373 runs
England had made clear that they would not change the approach that has brought them so much success in the last 12 months and hurtled towards 400 while scoring at five runs per over, looting 45 boundaries and playing out only two maidens all day.
He brought up his hundred in 145 balls, clipping Nathan Lyon off his pads, then twice charged down to hit him back over his head for six in Lyon's next over. With the second new ball approaching, Ben Stokes had seen enough and called his batters in to leave David Warner and Usman Khawaja 20 minutes to survive until the close.
The Edgbaston crowd, who made themselves known to Australia's boundary-riders throughout an unbridled opening day, became part of the theatre, teeing up Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson as they bounded in with the new ball. But both openers survived with few scares and will come back on Saturday hoping to set Australia on their way to a lead on a flat, slow pitch.
It had long been clear that this Ashes would be played at a different tempo to any other, and the first ball of the series only served to reinforce that. Eighteen months ago in Brisbane, Mitchell Starc's dismissal of Rory Burns set the tone for a tour defined by England's dismal performances; here, Crawley crunched Cummins through the off side on the up.
Cummins posted a deep backward point from the start, pre-empting England's aggression and by the third over had three men on the rope. Their value was shown in the fourth: Ben Duckett only half-committed to a cut shot, with deep backward point nullifying his opportunity for a boundary, and edged Josh Hazlewood through to Alex Carey.
Hazlewood's inclusion for his first Test since January came as a surprise, with Mitchell Starc making way after playing in the World Test Championship final at The Oval last week. But he was the pick of Australia's attack, finding some bounce on an unreceptive surface and finishing the day as their most economical bowler - even if he conceded more than four runs per over.
Lyon came on early, introduced in the 10th over as though Cummins was dangling a carrot. He started with four men out, but Crawley was in no mood to milk singles, and thrashed the final ball of his first over for four through the covers. By drinks, he had lashed Scott Boland for two further boundaries.
"Another 30 for Zak!" taunted an Australian fielder, picked up by the stump microphone, and Crawley's innings should have ended before he had reached a half-century. He stepped across to the off side looking to whip Boland into the Eric Hollies Stand at midwicket and edged a lifter through to Alex Carey - but Australia did not appeal.
He brought up his half-century off 56 balls, but had lost his partner just before. Ollie Pope, who settled into his innings after a frenetic start, lofted Lyon over mid-off but was trapped on the knee roll as he looked to whip across the line. Umpire Ahsan Raza initially gave him not out but ball-tracking confirmed the ball had pitched in line with leg stump.
England ticked over throughout the session, taking an unprecedented 54 singles before lunch - yet Australia's defensive fields were vindicated by three wickets in the first session, Crawley falling in the final over of the morning. He gloved behind as Boland found some extra bounce from a length, Australia successfully reviewing the on-field decision.
Harry Brook, facing Australia for the first time in his career, counter-punched in the afternoon, lofting Lyon over cover from the eighth ball he faced. He cut and drove Boland for two boundaries in three balls, but nearly fell in the same over: he top-edged a short, wide ball which Travis Head initially failed to pick up at deep point, then dropped as he scampered in and dived forwards.
England then lost two wickets in nine balls, leaving them 176 for 5. Brook's dismissal was a freak: he shouldered arms to Lyon and the ball ballooned up off his thigh pad to a cry of "catch it"; Carey tried to but watched it land inside the crease and spin sharply back into middle stump. He caught the next one that came his way, an outside edge from Stokes as Hazlewood angled one across him.
Root was given out on 61 but successfully overturned the lbw decision on review, having gloved the ball into his pad. It was the second of three successive reverse-sweeps he played off Lyon; the other two flew to the boundary.
Bairstow played aggressor after tea as the partnership swelled past 100, but his dismissal for a run-a-ball 78 preceded a frantic passage of play. He and the returning Moeen Ali were both stumped off Lyon, charging down the pitch, before Broad lost his off stump to Green after hoicking a couple of fours.
Root freed his arms after ticking past his hundred, a landmark that was met with a punch of the air and a standing ovation from around the ground. This was his first hundred against Australia in eight years, with a dozen unconverted half-centuries in between times, and the 30th of his Test career.
There was enough time for him to take 20 runs off one Lyon over - along with Robinson, who reverse-swept him for four - before Stokes, wearing his bucket hat, gestured for the pair to come back in. There may never have been a day of Ashes cricket quite like it.
Matt Roller is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @mroller98
Jonny Bairstow: 'When your beans are going, you try to give it a whack'
Though Bairstow made his return to the Test team against Ireland at Lord's earlier this month, his innings on Friday was his first visit to the crease for England since breaking his leg in a freak golfing accident in September last year.
He arrived at a critical juncture too, with England wobbling on 176 for 5 following the dismissal of Ben Stokes. However, he instigated another wave of attack in a 121-run partnership with his fellow Yorkshireman, Joe Root, and by the time he was stumped off Nathan Lyon, he had shown more than just a glimpse of his stellar form from 2022 than had made his recall non-negotiable.
"It was great fun being back out there, to be honest," Bairstow told Sky Sports. "It took a little bit of time to just get my rhythm, just to get my hands and my feet going. But I think when you come in off a lay-off like I have, that's going to take a bit of time. But when you're ready, you try and give it your best shot and, if it's there to hit, you try and give it a whack."
"Giving it a whack" was very much the order of another extraordinary day of England's new-look Test approach. The tone was set by Zak Crawley's blazing drive for four off Pat Cummins' first ball of the series, and continued at such a chaotic rate that Stokes was able declare the innings at 393 for 8 after 78 overs, leaving Australia four overs to survive before the close.
"Over the last 12 months, I don't think that's a change to what it's been like, to be honest with you," Bairstow said. "If the ball has been there to hit, the lads have tried to hit it. Sometimes you nick it, sometimes you miss it, sometimes you middle there. It's part and parcel of the game that we're fortunate to play.
"The intent that the lads showed - from, obviously, Zak's shot first ball of the day … I just heard it. I was like, wow, it's like a cannon … it's a stark contrast to when we were Down Under the last time.
"So it's been a good day. The crowd's been amazing, the lads have been on good form, really enjoying it, and that's exactly what we spoke about leading into the game.
"The lads are out there with a smile on their face," he added. "You can see that at the start of the day, whether it's in the warm-ups, or that first ball, and right to the end.
"International cricket is completely different to county cricket, and the occasion and everything is what we live for. And when your beans are going and your hands are going, that's exactly what I love. That's what it's all about."
England's typically high tempo of 5.03 runs per over meant that, for the fourth time in his captaincy, Stokes was able to declare England's first innings inside 100 overs. However, with Root unbeaten on 118 and looking good for several more on a true wicket, it was arguably the most contentious closure yet. Bairstow, however, insisted the faith that this team has in each other's roles means that they are confident that the bowlers will get stuck in on day two.
"It was a bold call, it was a good call," Bairstow said. "There will be conversations around it, but no-one likes going out there with 20 minutes and four overs, when you've got Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson running in at the end of a day that has been a bit of a toil.
"The biggest thing is being patient and relentless on a length," he added. "They're going hit the middle of the bat because they're good players. But we're able to build pressure through our fields, through the ruthless lengths that we're able to hold, with the three guys [Broad, Robinson and James Anderson] that have got such a wealth of experience behind them.
"Whether the pitch is flat, whether it's swinging, whether it's seaming, I've no doubt that the guys will be able to call upon all those experiences, and all those times that it has potentially been flat. We will turn up in the morning and we'll see again. They had to start tonight, and they've got to start again, and it does take a couple of balls to get in."
With 11 wins in their last 13 Tests, however, England are riding a rare high in Test cricket, and Bairstow admitted that the confidence that that breeds could be critical for the rest of the contest.
"There's different pressures, but when you go in on the back of wins, and of people in some form, there's a huge amount of trust within each other to go out and do their own jobs individually, which then collectively comes together as a unit.
"Throughout the whole last 12 months, that's exactly what it's been about. It's about trust in each individual to go out and play their individual way."
Such are the reasons why Moeen Ali was tempted back to Test cricket after an absence of 21 months. His first innings back was a predictably hard-swinging knock of 18 from 17 with two fours and a big six down the ground. And, on a dry pitch that has already earned Lyon four first-innings wickets, his most important role could yet be to come.
"That's the brilliant thing about Mo," Bairstow said. "He comes in with that freedom and the thought process of, right, let's go and try and change the game. Let's go and try and win a game.
"That's the whole ethos of this team. How can we have those individual performances that enable you to go and win games? Not just go and compete, but go and actually take the game on, in order to put you and the team into a position that you can potentially force a result."
Andrew Miller is UK editor of ESPNcricinfo. @miller_cricket
Declaration 'no surprise' on first evening of opening Ashes Test, Bairstow says
Root and Ollie Robinson had looted 20 runs from a Nathan Lyon over when Stokes - wearing training kit and a bucket hat at the time - called his batters in, leaving just over a quarter of an hour for David Warner and Usman Khawaja to face the new ball on the first day of this summer's Ashes series at Edgbaston.
Khawaja was beaten by Robinson on the outside edge and neither opener looked comfortable, with a series of near mix-ups as they ran between the wickets. But Australia made it through to the close unscathed, reaching 14 for 0 in four overs to trail by 379 runs heading into the second day.
"I'm sure there are many decisions that Ben has made that have probably taken commentators and some people by surprise," Bairstow said. "It was no surprise to us. You'll all be aware that a 20-minute slot for any opening pair is something that's not very nice and can be a bit niggly.
"It was a decision that Ben and Brendon [McCullum] made in conjunction with the bowlers. It's a shot to nothing, isn't it? You can walk off and there might be an unbelievable ball in there - there might be a loose shot or whatever.
"But we'll come back tomorrow with a ball that's four overs old, a fresh bowling attack and a team that are really looking forward to the challenge."
Speaking to Sky Sports, he added: "It's a bold call. It's a good call. There will be conversations around it, but no-one likes going out there with 20 minutes and four overs, when you've got Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson running in at the end of the day that's been a bit of a toil."
This was the fourth time that England have declared their first innings within 90 overs since Stokes took over as captain on a full-time basis last year, and the second earliest of those after he pulled the plug 58.2 overs into the Mount Maunganui Test in February.
"We didn't know anything about it [in advance]," said Bairstow, who first knew it was coming at "three minutes past six". He added: "It was a scramble to get the old tape on, pads on, and the rest. When you're not expecting [something], it's sometimes the best form of attack."
Koepka critical of U.S. Open host, 'not a huge fan'
LOS ANGELES -- There have been plenty of golfers posting low scores in the first two rounds of the 123rd U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.
PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka hasn't been one of them.
"I'm not a huge fan of this place," said Koepka, who is even par after 36 holes. "I'm not a huge fan of blind tee shots, and then I think there's just some spots that no matter what you hit, the ball just ends up in the same spot.
"I think it would be more fun to play on just like a regular round than it would be a U.S. Open. I mean, there's, what, two 8s yesterday? That doesn't happen."
Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele both set the U.S. Open scoring record with 8-under 62s about 30 minutes apart in Thursday's opening round.
Koepka, a two-time U.S. Open champion, said he played better the past two days than he did in the final two rounds of last month's PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York.
There, Koepka posted scores of 4-under 66 and 3-under 67 on the weekend to defeat Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler by 2 strokes to win the Wanamaker Trophy for the third time.
For whatever reason, Los Angeles Country Club's North Course, which is hosting the U.S. Open for the first time, doesn't suit him.
"I won majors on golf courses that I haven't really liked too much," Koepka said. "But, yeah, this one, I don't know. It's not my favorite."
Koepka, captain of Smash GC in the LIV Golf League, was 10 strokes behind Fowler when he signed his scorecard Friday.
"Obviously, I got to play two good rounds, so that's something I have to do," Koepka said. "But definitely would like to be further up from where I'm at. But it all depends what happens today, whether the wind picks up. ... Who knows what those guys are going to get to."
Koepka hit only 10 of 18 greens Friday. He carded a 1-under 69 in the round.
"I thought every pin position was fine," Koepka said. "I didn't think anything was really tricked up. I guess I just didn't play that great, so not going to really shoot a good number."
Deion Sanders might lose his left foot as a result of circulation issues that forced him to have two toes amputated in 2021.
Sanders allowed camera crews with "Thee Pregame Show" to film a meeting with his medical team at the University of Colorado, where he's preparing for his first season as head football coach.
In an 11-minute segment released Friday on YouTube, Sanders met with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ken Hunt, vascular surgeons Dr. Donald Jacobs and Dr. Max Wohlauer and athletic trainer Lauren Askevold to discuss his daily pain levels and possible next steps.
"You just have to understand what the risks are. Things can cascade," Jacobs said, adding that Sanders might not just lose another toe but "could lose the foot."
"Well, I know what risks are," Sanders replied. "I only have eight toes. So, I'm pretty sure I understand."
Sanders said he has no feeling on the bottom of his left foot, and said if a procedure is recommended he wants to get it done right away, because once the season starts he'll be too busy.
"I want to do it this summer because when we get rolling, I'm not going to have time to do it," Sanders said. "This is the best downtime I have."
Sanders missed three games at Jackson State in 2021 after having two toes amputated during the season.
Sanders took over the downtrodden Buffaloes program in December following Colorado's 1-11 season in 2022. His hiring has led to a resurgence of interest in the program, which has had just two winning seasons since 2016 -- one of those being a 4-2 mark during the pandemic season of 2020.
The Buffs sold out their spring game in April and have sold out their season-ticket allotment for the first time in nearly three decades. Colorado opens at TCU on Sept. 2 and hosts former Big 12 rival Nebraska a week later at Folsom Field.
The Chicago White Sox placed right-hander Mike Clevinger on the 15-day injured list because of right biceps inflammation.
In a corresponding move, the White Sox recalled right-hander Jesse Scholtens from Triple-A Charlotte.
Clevinger, who had an IL stint in late May with right wrist inflammation, left Wednesday's start against the Dodgers after 4⅔ scoreless innings. He underwent evaluation and testing Thursday and said there was no structural damage.
Clevinger is 3-4 with a 3.88 ERA, 53 strikeouts and 26 walks in 12 starts over 62⅔ innings during his first season with the White Sox. He has undergone two Tommy John surgeries in his career, which also includes stints with the Cleveland Guardians and San Diego Padres.
Scholtens is 0-2 with a 3.24 ERA in five games over two stints with the White Sox this season. He is 2-2 with a 4.44 ERA, 45 strikeouts and 13 walks in nine starts over 46⅔ innings with Charlotte.
BOSTON -- New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Friday that Aaron Judge received another platelet-rich plasma injection on his sprained right toe but continues to make progress on an injury that has him sidelined for the second time this season.
"They hit the other ligament that was still giving him some of the soreness," Boone said prior to New York opening a three-game series at Boston. "So, he had that yesterday and is doing a lot better today. So, nothing in the way of baseball stuff the next probably 48 hours. But he's doing better."
Judge banged his right toe while making a running catch and crashing into the outfield fence during the eighth inning of New York's 6-3 win over the Dodgers on June 3.
Boone didn't rule out that Judge could return before the All-Star break.
"I think there's a shot for that," Boone said. "That said, I don't know. I think he could be back in a week. I think he could be back in four. I don't know. We have to get to a point where we're starting to move the ball from a physical activity and baseball standpoint. Hopefully, the latest PRP is part of speeding that process up."
Asked if surgery had been ruled out at this point, Boone said he wasn't sure, but the hope is that the injection will help him avoid those discussions.
"I don't know. I don't think so, but that's over my head," he said. "My understanding is the ligament should heal over time. Anytime you strain or tear in the ligaments, it takes time to heal that obviously. [Plasma injections] hopefully speed that process up. So, hopefully, he continues to move in the right direction."
He's basing his assessment that Judge is feeling better on what he's saying and how he's observed him moving when he has seen him on the clubhouse.
Boone is optimistic that Judge could begin working on range of motion and doing some work in the pool soon.
"It starts in simple things like his gait. Basic, light things and then as you kind of graduate through his rehab," Boone said. "Hopefully, you start to get there in the next couple of days."
Eugene Amo-Dadzie: “I call myself the fastest accountant in the world”
Full-time chartered accountant runs 9.93 in 100m to go joint-fourth on UK all-time list
Eugene Amo-Dadzie, who labels himself “the fastest accountant in the world”, has just backed up his words on the track, after clocking 9.93 (0.1) in Graz, Austria (June 16).
It’s a mark that puts the 30-year-old joint-fourth alongside Reece Prescod on the UK 100m all-time list, only behind Linford Christie, Zharnel Hughes and James Dasaolu.
To add more context, it’s also the joint-sixth fastest time by a British athlete in history.
Amo-Dadzie, who trains at Lee Valley and represents Woodford Green and Essex Ladies, only started sprinting seriously four years ago and has improved his personal best by exactly a second from 10.93 to 9.93.
This is how Eugene Amo-Dadzie clocked 9.93 (0.1) ?
In doing so, he went joint-fourth on the UK 100m all-time list ??
In four years, he has improved his 100m PB from 10.93 to 9.93 ?pic.twitter.com/c6u8wqYd6y
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) June 16, 2023
He finished third in the 60m at this year’s British Indoor Championships and subsequently won his first British vest at the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul.
Amo-Dadzie got through his heat but exited at the semi-final stage after running 6.64 to finish fifth.
After his semi-final, AW spoke to Amo-Dadzie and this is a Q&A from the mixed zone interview.
This might not be the last time you hear about Amo-Dadzie’s story.
Eugene, this is your first major international championships, how was that?
It was nice to get my first Great Britain vest and get an idea of what it’s like on the European circuit and I felt at home. There was no imposter syndrome and it was nice to mix it with the guys.
By the grace of God, this will be the first of many vests. I’m looking forward to outdoors and what I’ve done in this indoor season bodes really well for that. So I’m happy and excited.
How’s your journey been within the sport. You mention you’ve been an accountant, so how does that work?
I call myself the fastest accountant in the world! There may be some accountants out there that think they can beat me.
My story in the sport is a bit of a unique one. I was 26 [2019] when I first started running seriously and I ran 10.93 in my first season. God has been so good and last year I ran 10.05.
I’ve not really set any expectations. I’ve got a great team around me, including my coach Steve Fudge, and it’s a team that are a big part of this.
Track and field is an individual sport but what you say today and getting a British vest, I’ve got to give a big shoutout to those guys as they’ve been incredible.
“If you’ve got a passion, go for it.” @TrackDadzie has just run 9.93 (0.1), going joint-fourth on the UK 100m all-time list ??
This was our interview with him at the European Indoor Championships back in March ?
?️ @TimAdams76 pic.twitter.com/QjwEpTbGgp
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) June 16, 2023
So you started out at 26, you’re quite a later bloomer?
You know what it is? Training wise, I count myself as a 20 or 21-year-old because I don’t have the wear and tear that someone at 16 might have for example.
I’m not precious about my journey and what I’m trying to do is show people that whatever passion they’ve got – this is inside and outside of track – go for it. In life sometimes you think you haven’t got enough time and I’m just here to prove that you can go for your dreams.
By conventional thinking, I shouldn’t be here but anything is possible with God. I hope you’ll see me in more British vests and repping the country. So that’s a little message for the people.
What’s the reason for starting at 26 and what do you want to get out of the sport?
So the reason for starting that late in all honesty is that one of my best friends Ben told me that I should try sprinting seriously and that I should give it a go. We were playing Saturday League football together and I was quick in school but I never really joined a club or took it seriously.
My expectations are to vibe and have fun. I’m getting to travel around the world and meet new people.
As I said, I’m not precious about my journey. I really want to put my message and story out there and hopefully inspire someone. That would be great.
Nottingham Open: Katie Boulter bests fellow Briton Harriet Dart - watch best shots
Watch the best shots as Katie Boulter beats fellow Briton Harriet Dart 6-3 7-5 to reach the semi-finals of the Nottingham Open.
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