Brisbane, Dec 9 (AP): David Warner twice edged through the slips and had a reprieve on a no-ball before settling down and sharing a 103-run second-wicket partnership with Marnus Labuschagne to lift Australia to 113-1 at lunch on Day 2 of the Ashes series. The Australians are just 34 behind in the first innings with nine wickets in hand and sunshine over the Gabba. Labuschagne joined Warner with the total at 10-1 and reached a half century from 71 balls when he cut Chris Woakes to the boundary, his fifth of the innings. He hit a six in the previous over to take Australia past 100 as the scoring rate accelerated toward the end of an extended morning session. AUS vs ENG 1st Test Day 1: Pat Cummins' Five-fer Restricts England To Below Par in First Innings Score. 

At the interval, Labuschagne was unbeaten on 53 and Warner survived to be not out on 48 from 94 deliveries. The Australians are in a strong position after dismissing England for 147 in two sessions before rain and bad light ended play on Wednesday. Mitchell Starc took a wicket with the first ball of the series and Pat Cummins returned a five-wicket haul in what a called a “dream start really” to his test captaincy. The English won the toss, batted and slumped to 11-3 and 29-4, with skipper Joe Root and Ben Stokes out, after an hour. Only Jos Buttler (39) and Ollie Pope (35) made it out of the 20s. Unlike the England top order, the Australians navigated the bounce and carry of the Gabba wicket, losing only Marcus Harris (3) — edging Ollie Robinson to third slip — in the first hour.

With veterans Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad rested for the first test, the England pace attack of Woakes, Mark Wood and Robinson didn't quite get the length right to create enough chances. Wood regularly bowled at faster than 150 kph (93 mph) and was the most economical of the England bowlers, returning 0-11 from seven overs. Stokes created chances playing in his first test match since March, but continually cut it fine on the front crease in his first spell. The umpires failed to call four no-balls before Stokes appeared to have Warner out for 17, only to be overturned when replays showed he'd once again overstepped the crease.

Labuschagne and Warner were particularly harsh on left-arm spinner Jack Leach, who conceded 31 in three overs late in the morning session. Warner hit sixes straight down the ground on the first and second balls of Leach's second over, which went for 17 runs.

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