BRISBANE: Former Australia cricketer Mark Waugh was “shocked” that England had left out star pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad for the first Ashes Test on Wednesday.
England omitted Broad from the playing XI as Ashes got underway on Wednesday morning. Skipper Joe Root won the toss and elected to bat first.
“Shocked England batted first and left out both Anderson and Broad,” Waugh replied to former England skipper Michael Vaughan on Twitter.

Vaughan said he was astonished to see Broad’s exclusion from the playing XI and asserted it will be difficult for the visitors to get their feet on Gabba pitch.
“A juicy pitch at GABBA .. Done more than I have ever seen it in my time watching Ashes cricket .. Englands test batting for a long time hasn’t coped on these kind of pitches .. also staggered No Broad on this kind of surface,” Vaughan tweeted.
50.1 overs were bowled on the opening day and it saw England bundle out for 147 with Australia skipper Pat Cummins taking five wickets.
Cummins and Mitchell Starc got among the wickets as Australia dominated Day one of the first Test.