Warner, Bancroft give Australia 10-wkt win in first Ashes Test

England, skittled out for 195 off 71.4 overs on Day 4 after losing their last six wickets for 82, offered hardly any resistance as Warner (87 not out) and Bancroft (82 not out) hit up the required runs in the first session itself.

Bancroft displayed a cool head after finding himself all over the back pages with news of an alleged headbutt by England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow. He was given a life on 60 when he edged one off Jake Ball past first slip, but was anything but a Test match rookie and justified his selection over Matt Renshaw with a composed knock. Fittingly, he hit the winning runs.

Warner was his usual aggressive self and looked good for a century before the match ended with him on 87, inclusive of 10 fours, off 119 balls.

It was the highest opening stand in an Ashes Test for Australia since Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden combined for 185 at The Oval in 2005.

The Australians, unbeaten at their Gabba fortress since 1988, were chasing down 170 runs for victory. At stumps on Day 4, they were 114 without loss, with Warner unbeaten on 60 and Bancroft not out 51.

Warner powered to his 25th Test fifty off 74 balls with seven fours, while Bancroft, playing in his first Test match, reached his first Test 50 off 111 balls.

It was an even contest between the traditional rivals over the first three days, raising England's hopes of a first victory at the ground in 31 years.

But Steve Smith's match-turning unbeaten 141 over eight-and-a-half hours and Josh Hazlewood's two late wickets on Saturday swung the momentum firmly Australia's way.

Much depended on Joe Root's producing a captain's knock after senior batsman Alastair Cook failed again, but once Root was out on Sunday England crumbled.

Australia have a formidable record at the Gabba, where they haven’t lost a Test since being eclipsed by Viv Richards's West Indies 29 years ago.