Brisbane — Pace spearhead Mitchell Starc says there are encouraging signs for Australia in the Ashes Test series after winning the early battles with England’s top batting duo Joe Root and Alastair Cook at the Gabba. At the end of the fourth day on Sunday, the Australians were sailing to apparent victory in the first Test, just 56 runs away with 10 wickets in hand, after restricting skipper Root to a second-innings half-century and twice dismissing senior batsman Cook cheaply. Much depended on Root in the second innings after he was out for 15 on the first day, but he perished lbw for 51. Former skipper Cook scored just two and seven and faced a total of only 24 balls. "It’s still a long way to go in the series, but encouraging signs for us," Starc said after day four. "We knew the two guys in their line-up we’d have to keep quiet throughout the series, being so experienced and important in their line-up. "Cookie has scored 10 runs or something over two innings… a big plus for us th...
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