England cricket legend Stuart Broad could not conceal his shock as the national team made a disastrous beginning to the second Ashes Test in Brisbane, before staging a partial recovery.
Nightmare Start at the Gabba
With England's preparations for the day-night pink ball Test having been questioned—they chose not to play a two-day warm-up match—the opening overs were under intense scrutiny. The fearsome reputation of Australia's Mitchell Starc with the pink ball was instantly justified. In the very first over, he drew opener Ben Duckett into a loose shot, with the edge flying to Marnus Labuschagne at first slip. Duckett was out for a golden duck, leaving England reeling at 0-1.
Watching from the Channel Seven commentary box, where he is working for the series, Broad was captured on camera mouthing the word 'unbelievable'. Sitting alongside former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, Broad's exasperated reaction was a picture that spoke a thousand words about England's frailties.
Viral Reactions and Further Scares
The clip of Broad's disbelief quickly circulated online, with one viewer quipping that the best part of the Ashes might be "all the Stuart Broad reaction GIFs." Another pleaded for more of the bowler's expressive shots. This was not the first time Broad's reactions had gone viral during the series; he was also filmed in a state of stunned silence when Joe Root was bowled in the first Test.
Broad was not alone in his despair. On the BBC's Test Match Special, former England spinner Phil Tufnell was seen lowering his head after Duckett's dismissal and then putting his head in his hands when Ollie Pope played on to another Starc delivery, leaving England at a precarious 5-2.
England survived two more major scares. Captain Joe Root narrowly avoided being caught after edging a Starc delivery, and an appeal for caught behind against Zak Crawley off Michael Neser was turned down by the umpire.
A Fightback Led by Root and Crawley
Despite the catastrophic start, England showed resilience to fight their way back into the contest. Zak Crawley and Joe Root built a crucial partnership, guiding the team to 98-2 at the tea break on the first day of the pink-ball Test.
Crawley's aggressive innings eventually ended on 76, with England's score at 122-3. Root, demonstrating his class and importance to the side, went on to compile a determined half-century, ensuring England finished the session in a far more respectable position than had seemed possible after the first chaotic hour.
The recovery, however, will be tempered by the memory of another top-order collapse, a recurring theme that continues to haunt England's Ashes campaign down under.
