ENG vs AUS, 1st Ashes Test, Day 1: Smith's Ton Rescues Aussies After Top-Order Tumble

Smith was subjected to repeated jeers by a partisan crowd. But he answered the boos in style with his first international century since his ban and his 24th in Tests

Amid all the boos and rude receptions, the Australian took the field against England in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston on Thursday. Having opted to bat first, the visitors had some extremely bad experience as the opening duo of David Warner & Cameron Bancroft were dismantled early. That was just the beginning of their batting collapse that continued till the 8^th wicket. The Aussie scoreboard showed just 122 but then the miracle happened. Former captain Steve Smith was the lone warrior who fought bravely till the end and took the total beyond 280-run mark with two crucial partnerships with Peter Siddle (88 runs for 9^th wicket) and Nathan Lyon (74 runs for the 10^th wicket). Smith not only marked his first Test since completing a 12-month ban for his role in a ball-tampering scandal but also slammed a superb century to rescue Australia. He also the last man out for 144 in a total of 284. Apart from Smith’s heroics, the rest of the top and middle-order exhibited a dismal batting show. Wickets fell steadily and it had seemed England would not suffer from the absence of James Anderson, England's all-time leading Test wicket-taker, who only bowled four overs in the innings before suffering a right calf injury. His long-time new-ball partner Stuart Broad took 5-86 in 22.4 overs and fellow paceman Chris Woakes chipped in with 3-58 on his Warwickshire home ground. In-form Warner was lbw to Broad for two and did not bother with a review, even though technology suggested the ball would have missed leg stump. As the cheers from the crowd died down, Warner was subjected to a prolonged chorus of boos on his return to the pavilion, with spectators waving strips of sandpaper. Fellow opener Bancroft, who actually applied sandpaper to the ball at Newlands, then fell for eight when he edged an excellent Broad delivery to England captain Joe Root at first slip. Bancroft's departure and Smith's arrival at the crease prompted even louder jeers from what has long been England's most raucous home crowd. Rory Burns and Jason Roy then survived two overs as the hosts ended the day on 10-0.