Cardiff: This is the best way to start a Test series, especially if the opponents are arch rivals – England and Australia. It was already speculated that the Ashes series would not be a cakewalk for the visitors, considering England’s strong performance at home. Sophia Gardens in Cardiff witnessed one of the most shocking Test defeats of the World Champions – Australia in recent times. They were heading for a mammoth run-chase of 412 to seal the Test, but England outwitted them at the right moment and won the match by 169 runs.

Ashes 2015: Joe Root stars as England win the First Test by 169 runs to take 1-0 series lead over Australia

Stuart Broad and Moen Ali kept the Kangaroo batsmen under control. They shared 6-wickets between them. Nevertheless, other bowlers from the host team also chipped in well and didn’t concede their economy rates go beyond 4 runs-per-over. Australia were bowled out for 242 at the end of 70.3 overs.

Aussie batsmen were not able to stand up to the challenge and its top-order failed without making big scores. It made the task easier for the English bowlers to keep the pressure on from both ends. Apart from 78-run partnership between David Warner and Steven Smith in the beginning of the inning and vital 73-run partnership between MA Starc and Mitchell Johnson, the rest of the Aussie batsmen seemed to be completely out of touch at this particular innings.

Australia failed short of 169 runs and handed a wonderful victory to England just within four days play. In fact, the turning point of the match came when the Kangaroo team gifted 122-run huge lead to the visitors at the end of their first innings. England put a huge score of 430 in the scoreboard in their first innings, thanks to Joe Root’s 134 (166b, 4s x 17) and Moen Ali’s impressive 77 (88b, 4s x 11, 6s x 1) that helped England score such a massive total. Mitchell Starc’s 5 for 114 and Josh Hazlewood’s 3 for 83 were still incapable to restrict the English side within 300-400 mark.

Australia’s batting at the first innings was ordinary. Only Rogers (95) could get past the score of fifty, while other ace batsmen contributed in 30s. Eventually, the whole team was dismissed for 308. Jubilant England made the most out of this opportunity; with the help of J. Root’s 60 and I. Bell’s 60, the hosts scored 289 runs before getting all-out. However, it was sufficient enough for the in-form English bowlers to defend the target.

Australia in their second innings failed miserably except some late fireworks from the all rounder Mitchell Johnson 77 (94b, 4s x 9, 6s x 2). His inning was something that the Aussie fans could boast of despite the team’s lackluster performance in this particular Test. Joe Root’s impressive knocks at both the innings of this test match helped him grab the Man-Of-the-Match award.

Tags: Ashes 2015, Australia, Cardiff, Cricket, England, Joe Root, Moen Ali, Sophia Gardens, Stuart Broad, Test Match