The Ashes absolutely smashed every other program out of the water last night with the nighttime session hitting a total TV national reach of 2,811,000 and a national average of 1,265,000.
All three sessions of the first game of the second test made it into the top five of the day, beat out only by busy cricket fans too time pressed to watch the game and had to tune in for a quick score update.
Day one of the second Test at the Gabba felt like a return to classic Ashes cricket. England finished on 9-325, steadied by a superb century from Joe Root, his first in Australia, while Mitchell Starc made history as the most prolific left-arm fast bowler in Test cricket. Both players carried their sides through momentum swings as the match settled into a more traditional rhythm after the chaos of Perth.
Australia’s shock move to drop Nathan Lyon left them without a frontline spinner, and England took advantage at times against a pace attack that occasionally looked too alike.
Still, England’s innings was littered with self-inflicted wounds, loose shots from Crawley and Brook, plus Ben Stokes running himself out, keeping Australia in the contest. By stumps, neither side was fully in control, setting up an intriguing Test ahead.
