Joe Root scores century '12 years in the making' to end Australian pain and rescue England on day one

BRISBANE: Joe Root has ended his long wait for an Ashes ton in Australia and in turn saved England from another awful total.

Root passed the milestone late on day one at the Gabba, after only just expressing his belief on Sunday that there shouldn't be day-night cricket in The Ashes.

The right-hander had to dig deep as wickets fell around him, particularly a momentum shifting run out from Josh Inglis in the final session.

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Inglis turned the second Ashes Test on its head, with a run out sending Ben Stokes on his way.

England looked solid at 4-210 in the final session at the Gabba before Stokes tried to push a quick single at short cover.

Root, rightfully so, sent him back and Inglis with one stump to aim at was successful.

"Can you believe it? They were in full control," Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.

"There wasn't a single there. How often do we see Australia do this?"

The run out notably lifted the crowd at the Gabba as a slow over rate and more patient approach from England led to a noticeable restlessness.

Stokes' (19) departure brought Jamie Smith to the crease who was then bowled by an absolute beauty from Scott Boland for a second-ball duck.

England was then seven wickets down when Will Jacks (19) was caught by Steve Smith off Mitchell Starc's bowling.

At 7-252, Root passed the mark with a leg glance for a boundary and celebrated truly.

"A century that's been 12 years in the making, relief for Joe ... his 40th in Test match cricket and who knows? Maybe the one he will savour the most," Adam Gilchrist said.

Root's first series in Australia was in 2013.

Brett Lee added later: "Finally, the monkey's off his back".

Earlier, Starc's habit of dismantling England's top order continued as the visitors showed more control than Perth in the first session at the Gabba.

Starc caused carnage in the West Test, dismissing Zak Crawley for a pair and once again had England reeling with Ben Duckett nicking to Marnus Labuschagne for a golden duck.

Ollie Pope was then bowled for a three-ball duck, chopping on from a loose shot outside off stump.

"A poor shot early on in an innings ... far too close to the body to be playing that sort of shot and probably got the just result," Allan Border said on Fox Cricket.

Before the Test started Australia made the call to drop Nathan Lyon in favour of a four-man pace attack, with Michael Neser included.

The Queenlander opened alongside Starc but was expensive, finishing with 0-16 from his first three-over spell.

Root and Crawley then saved England from disaster and kept hope of the Test making it to at least day three.

Crawley reached his half-century off 68 balls to a loud applause from the Gabba crowd.

"He's set the tone here ... that'll be a bit of relief there for Ben Stokes and the England team," Brendon Julian said.

By the end of the first session, England was 2-98 with Root on 32 off 60 and Crawley on 61.

After tea, Crawley became the first scalp for Neser, edging behind for 76.

Harry Brook looked solid for 31 but then played another rash shot to give Starc his 415th career scalp, helping him surpass Wasim Akram for most wickets by a left-hander in Test cricket.

England was 4-196 at dinner with Root (68 not out) on course for that elusive Australian ton. Ben Stokes defended the final over from Neser and was 14 not out.

But then it all changed when Stokes was run out and Smith followed immediately after.

Root calmed the storm post those wickets and then caused some chaos with him and Jofra Archer's final-wicket partnership.

The two men combined for 61 runs off 43 balls with England 9-325 at stumps. Root finished 135 not out while Archer is on 32.