Sydney: An emotional moment emerged on the opening day of the fifth Ashes Test at the SCG when both England and Australian cricketers paid tribute to the victims and first responders of the Bondi Beach terror attack.
On the night of December 14, 15 people were killed in a shooting at Bondi Beach. Before the match, players from both sides formed a guard of honor to welcome survivors, first responders and community members.
Ahmed Al Ahmed, who disarmed two gunmen during the attack, received applause from the crowd, along with Saya Tatoon, who was shot in the leg while protecting two young children.
“Thank you, everyone, for sharing our gratitude for the incredible service provided by these individuals and so many others. Thank you to all of you for your continued concern for our community in response to this tragedy. Thank you,” the SCG announcer told the crowd.
Doctors from the Royal Prince Alfred and St Vincent’s Hospitals and members of the police force attended and shook hands with the soldiers, adding to the emotional tone of the event.
After the tribute, attention turned to cricket, where England dominated an eventful but rain-affected first day. Despite early setbacks, the visitors established a commanding position against a toothless Australian attack, finishing on 211-3 in 45 overs.
England slumped to 57-3 before Joe Root and Harry Brooke put on an unbeaten 154 for the fourth wicket to take the innings past 200.
After electing to bat, England reached 114-3 at lunch, oscillating between early promise and vulnerability.
Ben Duckett provided the initial impetus, with crisp drives and Mitchell Starc’s clips to record five fours. However, Starc soon bounced back, coaxing an edge from Duckett outside the off stump.
Wickets fell quickly around the Drinks break, with Jack Crawley caught lbw by Michael Neser’s sharp in-swinger, while debutant Jacob Bethel edged Scott Boland behind.
From there, Rude and Brooke quietly rebuilt. While Australia’s seamers occasionally saw movement, their lack of consistent accuracy allowed the pair to settle and dominate.
With the partnership already past 150, poor light brought an early tea. Clouds gathered, visibility deteriorated, and referees looked at the light meter amid the frustration of a vocal crowd.
As the rain continued and conditions failed to improve, stumps were called an hour early, ending a truncated but productive day for England.
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