David Warner, the Australian opener, was visibly frustrated after being dismissed by Stuart Broad for the fifteenth time in the first Test of the Ashes. Warner had only made nine runs when he dragged the ball onto his stumps from Broad’s delivery. Prior to the start of the series, England captain Ben Stokes had backed Broad’s impressive record against Australia, which he believed made him the better choice over paceman Mark Wood.
During a recent press conference, Stokes had admitted that Broad’s record against Warner specifically played a part in his selection. This was evident in the first few moments of the game, as Broad delivered a lethal spell in the morning, taking the wickets of Warner and Marnus Labuschagne in back-to-back balls.
England put up a score of 393-8 on day one of the Edgbaston Test, thanks to an unbeaten century from Joe Root. However, a bizarre decision to declare before the close of play did not pay off, as England failed to take any wickets during the four overs they bowled at the Aussies.
Despite the frustration of losing their star opener, Australia fought back strongly in the remaining days of the Test. Steve Smith notched up an impressive century to lead Australia to a four-wicket victory over England. The stage is now set for an exciting continuation of this historic rivalry, with both teams looking to assert their dominance in the ongoing Ashes series.
