The Ashes best bets for day two and odds: England ripped apart at the Gabba

Free cricket tips, best bets and analysis for the Ashes between Australia and England.

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, 11.30pm Wednesday

Scoreboard
England 147 all out (Buttler 39, Cummins 5-38). Australia yet to bat

Best prices
2-9 Australia, 11-1 England, 6-1 Draw

Story of day one

It was a familiar story for England on day one of the 2021-22 Ashes series as their top order was eroded by Australia's explosive seamers at the Gabba.

Joe Root won the toss and elected to bat but may have immediately regretted that call when Rory Burns was dismissed with the first ball of the series and England quickly slipped to 11-3 with Dawid Malan (six) and Root (0) himself failing to settle.

Ben Stokes marked his return with a boundary but also did not last long, having been caught off the bowling of Pat Cummins for only five.

Haseeb Hameed (25) hung around for longer than most but also fell to the bowling of Cummins and England were in trouble at 60-5.

Knocks of 35 from Ollie Pope, 39 from Jos Buttler and 21 from Chris Woakes gave the tourists some sense of resurgence before they were bowled out for a paltry 147 by tea.

But with the evening session wiped out by a storm, England are yet to respond with the ball and day two will start slightly earlier to compensate.

Star of the day

To be your country's first fast bowler captain since 1956 is a big responsibility but you would not have thought it watching Pat Cummins in Brisbane.

The paceman did not seem fazed by his extra duties as skipper and led by example with figures of 5-38 from just over 13 overs.

He took the prize scalp of Stokes and rattled through England's lower order to put his team in control.

Moment of the day

That first ball of the series from Mitchell Starc, which was full and fast and found its way behind the legs of unbalanced England opener Rory Burns to hit the stumps, set the tone for the whole day's play.

It was only the fourth time a wicket has been taken with the first ball of the Ashes and that moment ignited the Gabba.

View from the camp

'It's all gone to plan so far today. I'm proud of all the guys. We stayed really composed. I was probably going to have a bat, but I wasn't upset to lose the toss. It was 50-50.'

Pat Cummins, Australia captain & bowler

Day 2 preview

Before play had even started, fans were already asking questions of this England team. With James Anderson confirmed to be missing the first Test, why opt to drop Stuart Broad as well?

It remains to be seen if there is a fitness or injury concern but nonetheless it leaves England with bowlers short of experience of facing that Australia top order.

And one man who can capitalise is Marnus Labuschagne.

Averaging just over 60 in Test cricket, Labuschagne is a picture of consistency anyway but is especially comfortable at the Gabba, having played for Big Bash side Brisbane Heat since 2016.

And in his four Test innings at the venue, he has scored 81, 185, 108 and 25. Back him to be his country's top runscorer in their first ininngs, starting on day two.

Best bet

Marnus Labuschagne top Australia runscorer
1pt 3-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Not got a bet365 account? Sign up today and get up to £100 in bet credits

Up to £100 in Bet Credits for new customers at bet365. Min deposit £5. Bet Credits available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.

MORE FREE BETS

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport