England rue missed chances as Australia reach 113-1 at lunch

BRISBANE, Australia - David Warner survived being
bowled off a no-ball to forge a century partnership with Marnus Labuschagne
as Australia took control of the first Ashes Test against England at the
Gabba on Thursday.

  Ben Stokes bowled Warner when the score was 30, but the all-rounder had
overstepped to give the Australia opening batsman a reprieve.

  Australia went to lunch at 113-1 in reply to England's first innings of
147, with Warner unbeaten on 48 alongside Labuschagne, not out 53.

  England needed to take all their chances to keep their hopes of salvaging
anything from the first Test after their disastrous start on Wednesday when
they were bowled out in just 50.1 overs.

  They started well when Ollie Robinson claimed his first Ashes wicket,
Marcus Harris, with the score on 10.

   But they were unable to make any further breakthroughs despite a series of
near misses as the Australian batsmen struggled against the new ball.

  After a cagey first two hours of an extended session, which began 30
minutes early to make up for time lost to rain on Wednesday, Australia's
batsmen cut loose in the last six overs before the break.

  They were particularly harsh on spinner Jack Leach, whose three overs
disappeared for 31 runs, including two sixes in one over from Warner and
another in his next from Labuschagne.

  England went into the Test match without veteran seamers Jimmy Anderson and
Stuart Broad, surprising many including Australian captain Pat Cummins.

  But the seam attack of Robinson, Chris Woakes and the outright pace of Mark
Wood were able to keep the Australian batters pinned down early on with some
tight and accurate bowling.

  Robinson was particularly dangerous and made the breakthrough when he
enticed Harris to play forward to a ball that left him slightly, the
Australian opener edging to second slip where Dawid Malan took a good low
catch.

  With overhead conditions much better than on Wednesday and the ground
bathed in sunshine, England captain Joe Root made regular bowling changes.

   He took the gamble of introducing Stokes, who hasn't played a Test match
since March following mental health issues, into the attack.

  It looked to have paid off immediately when Stokes drew a thick edge from
Warner with his second ball, then two balls later he bowled the Australian
opener off his pads, only for the TV umpire to call a no-ball.

  Television replays later showed that Stokes had overstepped on the first
four balls of his opening over, but none had been called by umpire Rod Tucker.BSS/AFP