NEW DELHI: Zak Crawley steadied England after Mitchell Starc’s two early strikes, raising an unbeaten half century and joining forces with Joe Root to take the visitors to 98 for 2 at the first interval in the second Ashes test against Australia.

Starc delivered twice in four balls to leave England tottering at 5 for 2 in the third over of the day night contest on Thursday, continuing the control he held over the batters during Australia’s eight wicket win in Perth.

Crawley, dismissed for zero in both innings of the opening test, played and missed twice at the Gabba before he finally got off the mark with a boundary and then a single off Starc.

Ben Duckett fell for a first ball duck, taken low at slip by Marnus Labuschagne on the sixth delivery of the match. It marked the 26th time Starc has produced a wicket in the first over of a test innings.

Ollie Pope lasted two balls before dragging the third back onto his stumps, deepening England’s early trouble in the third over.

Those breakthroughs took Starc level with Pakistan great Wasim Akram on 414 test wickets, the joint highest tally for a left arm fast bowler.

Root received an early life on two when he edged Starc and Steve Smith failed to complete a difficult dive across from second slip, the ball deflecting away to the rope.

Crawley also offered a half chance when he drove on the up past Starc for four, and he might have escaped again when Australia declined to review after Michael Neser’s caught behind appeal.

Scott Boland let a sharp return chance slip when Crawley drove firmly back at him, and the opener progressed to 43 with a straight boundary.

Crawley remained composed and reached his fifty from 68 balls with a single off Starc, raising his bat gently towards the Barmy Army. He went to the break on 61 not out, with Root unbeaten on 32 from 60.

Their 93 run stand backed Ben Stokes’ call to bat first again as England looked to revive their Ashes campaign.

The day night game began in warm sunshine, with Australia giving their all pace attack first use of the pink ball and finding early movement and bounce.

But once the initial burst faded, the pitch eased, allowing Crawley and Root to keep the scoring rate above four an over with positive batting.

The boldest selection call of the series came from Australia, who brought back Neser and fielded five quicks, leaving out Nathan Lyon for only the second time at home since his debut in 2011.

Players from both sides wore black armbands to honour former England batter Robin Smith, who passed away this week in Perth.

(With AP Inputs)