Root, Brook Power England to Strong Start on Gloomy Day 1 in Sydney Ashes Test

• Only 45 overs played on Day 1 of the final Ashes Test in Sydney due to dark clouds and early stumps.
• England finished Day 1 at 211/3, with Joe Root (72*) and Harry Brook (78*) building a crucial partnership.
• Joe Root scored his 67th Test half-century, now one short of Sachin Tendulkar's 68 fifties.
• Australia's pacers were largely ineffective; Australia played without a spinner in Sydney for the first time in 137 years.
• England's top order (Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Jacob Bethell) failed to convert starts after Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bat.

Why It Matters: England, powered by Root and Brook, made a strong start on a weather-affected Day 1 of the Ashes Test.