He might have put on a century partnership with Joe Root to steer England out of trouble on Day 1 in Sydney – but Australian great Justin Langer wasn’t a fan of some of Harry Brook’s batting.
Coming in with England 3/57 after 13 overs at the SCG, Brook and Root took the tourists safely to 3/114 at lunch, then continued to grow their stand in the second session.
But after watching the young star back away and wildly swing at Mitchell Starc, resulting in an edge flying over the slips cordon and on the bounce to a fine third man, Langer was scathing of the approach.
“It’s so dumb,” Langer said on Channel 7.
“I do not get it. I know he’s an entertainer and we know how talented he is. He’s an exceptional cricketer, but it’s not even in the first half an hour of the first day of the Test match. I don’t get it. Call me old fashioned, but I just do not get it.
“I love T20 cricket, I love T10 cricket, I love all cricket, I love Test cricket more and I just don’t understand that batting.”
Co-commentator and fellow great Ricky Ponting concurred, questioning why England were seeking to attack Starc rather than looking to wear him out as one of only three frontline bowlers in Australia’s attack.
“You think back to Perth, where they got it horribly wrong. The main danger man in Perth was going to be Mitchell Starc. And what did they do? They all got out to him,” Ponting said.
“It’s another moment like this. Now he can’t bowl all day.”
Shortly after, Brook brought up his half-century off 63 balls, with the pair’s stand reaching three figures.
‘Go the Giants!’ Starc’s cheeky mid-game AFL sledge for Swans star
Being in the middle of a Test match hasn’t stopped Mitchell Starc from seizing on the opportunity to pump up his AFL team.
Starc was fielding in the deep early on Day 1 at the SCG, midway through a spell of bowling, when he spotted Channel 7 reporter Mel McLaughlin interviewing Sydney star Tom Papley on the boundary line.
As the number one ticket holder, along with wife Alyssa Healy, for arch rivals GWS, Starc couldn’t resist the chance to crash Papley’s interview, sneaking in behind the pair and saying ‘Go the Giants!’
Taken aback at first, Papley was quick to see the funny side – and pointed out that while Starc supports the Giants, Australian Test captain Pat Cummins is a Swan.
“I don’t know how he even is a Giants fan … but we’ve got the captain, so it’s alright,” he said.
‘Silliest call’: Legends question Aussies’ 139-year first spin call
Beau Webster has been recalled for the fifth Ashes Test, as part of a bizarre Australian line-up to end the series.
Unlucky to be omitted to start the series after a strong 2025 in the middle order, the 32-year old was seen marking out his run-up at the SCG on match morning, with captain Steve Smith confirming his inclusion at the coin toss, which England captain Ben Stokes won and opted to bat first.
A year on from playing a key role on Test debut in Australia’s series-sealing win over India at the same venue, Webster has a batting average of 34.63 and bowling average of 23.25 from seven Tests, including the team’s World Test Championship final loss to South Africa mid-year.
However, he has batted just twice in professional cricket since the start of the Ashes series – 44 for Australia A against the England Lions and 27 for the Hobart Hurricanes against the Melbourne Renegades in the BBL – after spending the summer riding the pine as part of the Test squad.
His recall hasn’t come at the expense of under-fire all-rounder Cameron Green, as expected, but as a secondary all-rounder, with fast bowler Jhye Richardson missing out after making his long-awaited Test return against England at the MCG.
The move means there was no room in the team once again for spinner Todd Murphy, with Webster’s part-time off-breaks the closest thing Australia have to a specialist spinner in the team.
Remarkably, it is the first time since 1887 that Australia haven’t picked a spinner at the MCG, traditionally the most spin-friendly venue in the country.
“I hate doing it,” Smith said of leaving Murphy out.
“But you know, we keep producing wickets that we don’t think are going to spin.
“Seam’s going to play a big part, and cracks are going to play a big part. You kind of get pushed into a corner in a way.”
Speaking on ABC Radio, former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie was scathing of the call.
“This is the silliest call I’ve seen for a long time,” he said.
“I’m taking the selection panel to the Hague!” former Test leg-spinner turned commentator Kerry O’Keeffe said on Fox Cricket before the team was confirmed, amid rumours Murphy would again miss out.
“I’ve seen both Sheffield Shield games on this strip this year. It spun – it’s been bouncing for the spinners.
“Todd Murphy is a quality bowler. He deserves to play at the SCG. I will be bereft if Australia go in without a specialist spinner into this match.”
England, meanwhile, have made only one change to the team that broke a 15-year Test win drought in Australia in Melbourne, with injured quick Gus Atkinson making way for Matthew Potts.