David Warner endured a chaotic 20-minute spell before being given out for two on the opening morning of the 2019 Ashes at Edgbaston.
Warner, and opening partner Cameron Bancroft, were met with boos from the crowd as they came out to bat, following on from their ball-tampering scandal suspensions.
The destructive opener would have been given out first ball had England bowler Stuart Broad reviewed a caught-behind appeal at the start of the second over, and then survived an actual review for leg before.
He was on his way soon after, though, Broad getting him lbw and, after Warner walked, replays showed he would have had the decision overturned had he reviewed.
As if that was not enough drama, Warner had already been spoken to by the umpires after taking his guard too far down the wicket.
Broad then snared an edge from Bancroft, caught in the slips, leaving Australia on 17 for two, bringing Steve Smith, the third man involved in the ball-tampering row, to the crease, to a similar level of jeering.
Australia captain Tim Paine earlier won the toss and elected to bat, giving the ‘sandpapergate’ trio an early meeting with the England fans as they each returned to the Test arena for the first time since their bans.
Bancroft was making his first international appearance since then, while Warner and Smith played in this summer’s World Cup in England.
England skipper Joe Root was not disheartened to have lost the toss in Birmingham
He said: “I’m not disappointed at all. It’s good, overcast conditions, a little bit tacky so there might be a little bit there there for us. Hopefully we can exploit that. We’ve got a very strong bowling unit in these conditions.”
Australia win the toss. We will bowl first! 🏴🇦🇺🏏 FOLLOW LIVE: https://t.co/yKnCjoSexF#Ashes pic.twitter.com/dCVpTMw1eC — England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 1, 2019
Australia named 34-year-old seamer Peter Siddle in their team, with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who shared the new ball for Australia during the last Ashes series, both sitting out.
Paine said: “The wicket looks nice and hard and dry. Hopefully we can post a good total in the first innings and we’ve got Nathan Lyon up our sleeve at the back end of the game.”
England are looking to regain the urn by completing a fifth straight Ashes series success on home soil.
