England 114-3 at lunch on Day 1 of final Ashes test after Bondi tribute at Sydney Cricket Ground

SYDNEY (AP) — England was 114-3 at lunch on Day 1 of the final Ashes test against Australia on Sunday amid a strong security presence at the Sydney Cricket Ground and after an emotional on-field tribute for the Bondi terror victims and first responders.

After losing three wickets in quick succession midway through the session, fourth-wicket pair Joe Root and Harry Brook guided England to lunch in a good position.

At the break, Root was unbeaten on 31 and Brook was 23 not out.

Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley got away to a swift start after England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bat on a bright, sunny day in Sydney.

Mitchell Starc ended their partnership at 35 when he teased an edge from Duckett (27) through to wicketkeeper Alex Carey for his 27th wicket of the series.

Australia then made a double strike just after the drinks break with Michael Neser trapping Crawley (16) lbw and, eight balls later, Scott Boland sending Jacob Bethell (10) on his way with a trademark ball that nipped off the seam and caught the edge through to Carey.

At 57-3 England was in trouble before Root and Brook doubled their score without further damage.

In a rarity at a sporting event in Australia, police with long-arm rifles, mounted police and riot squad officers were on patrol as part of heightened security measures at the sold-out match following the antisemitic Bondi Beach terror attack which killed 15 people three weeks ago.

Before play commenced, victims of the shootings, first responders and community members were honored with an on-field tribute, including a guard of honor and a standing ovation from the capacity crowd.

In strong emotional scenes, the largest roar of the morning was for Ahmed al Ahmed, the shop owner who helped put an end to the rampage of one of the shooters, as he joined other community members and emergency services on the field.

After the standing ovation, Ahmed, along with the others, were each greeted by the Australian team with Usman Khawaja embracing Ahmed, who was wearing a sling to protect the shoulder where he was shot during the attack.

Khawaja is playing his 88th and final test for Australia after announcing his retirement on Friday.

Australia made one change with allrounder Beau Webster getting his first appearance of the series at the expense of Jhye Richardson.

Webster’s recall meant there was no space for spinner Todd Murphy, the first time Australia has not fielded a specialist spinner at the SCG since 1888.

England called up speedster Matthew Potts after Gus Atkinson pulled up lame during the Boxing Day test in its only change.

England lost each of the first three tests to allow Australia to retain the Ashes in just 11 days of on-field action.

England then won its first Ashes match Down Under since 2011 with a four-wicket win in the Boxing Day test that led to days of sustained criticism about the overly grassed pitch.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

England's Joe Root bats during play on day one of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

England's Harry Brook bats during play on day one of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

England's Joe Root runs between the wickets with teammate Harry Brook, left, during play on day one of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia's Mitchell Starc, left, is congratulated by teammates Alex Carey and Cameron Green, right, after dismissing England's Ben Duckett during play on day one of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

England's Ben Duckett bats during play on day one of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

First responders and survivors from the Bondi Beach shooting arrive onto the field during a ceremony ahead play on day one of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Police patrol outside the Sydney Cricket Ground ahead of play on day one of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

First responders and survivors from the Bondi Beach shooting wave from the field during a ceremony ahead play on day one of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia's Todd Murphy looks at the pitch ahead of play on day one of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge turned to the Bleacher Creatures during their first-inning Roll Call at the New York Yankees' home opener Friday, bent a knee and flexed with both arms in honor of Brett Gardner.

“Still hoping he gets a chance to come back here and share his knowledge with the boys a little bit,” Judge said after his go-ahead, two-run homer in the first inning started the Yankees to an 8-2 win over the Miami Marlins. “He was a big part of this team, his long tenure here as a Yankee, so I always like paying him a little credit. He's tuned into the game and watching.”

Gardner spent his entire big league career with the Yankees from 2008-21, and Judge made his major league debut with New York in 2016. Judge started flexing for Roll Call when playing center field, Gardner's old position. Judge roomed with Gardner in 2017.

“He was a leader. He was a professional. He was a prankster. He was everything that you look for in a guy to lead the team,” Judge said, speaking slowly and choosing his words carefully. “He took me in at a young age when I first got here and he treated me just like everybody else and showed me respect. He taught me a lot of things. It kind of teaches you how to lead a clubhouse. He had a big influence on me not only on the field but inside this clubhouse, just the way he played the game and the way he held everybody to a standard. Very few guys are made like Brett Gardner.”

Gardner has been in the Yankees' thoughts even more since March 2024, when his youngest son died at age 14 during a family vacation in Costa Rica. Authorities determined carbon monoxide poisoning was the cause of death.

Judge, the team captain, wanted the Yankees to arrive in style after opening 5-1 on their West Coast trip.

“That's Cap, again, setting the tone,” said Ben Rice, who homered and drove in three runs. “Sent us a text late last night saying: `Hey, suits tomorrow.' So everybody was fired up and we were happy to continue that momentum out on the field.”

Trent Grisham reached leading off with the first of 11 walks by Marlins pitchers and Judge drove a slider into the left-field seats against Eury Pérez for a 2-1 lead.

Judge, who had three RBIs, hit a record 20 first-inning home runs last year, when he finished with 53. Three of Judge’s five hits this season have been home runs.

Coming off his third AL MVP award and first batting title, Judge is off to a slow start with a .185 average.

He gave his teammates a scare in the second inning when he was hit below the right wrist by a 98.9 mph fastball from Pérez, one pitch after Grisham's bases-loaded walk.

“I’ve broken my wrist like that, so that’s always the main concern,” Judge said.

Judge missed 45 games after he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City’s Jakob Junis on July 26, 2018.

“Felt like he was probably OK but I tend to jump up a little quicker when it’s to him," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) hits a two-run home run during the first inning of the Yankees' home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) walks back to dugout during the fifth inning of a home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) successfully steals second base during the eighth inning of a home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees outfielders Cody Bellinger (35), Trent Grisham (12) and Aaron Judge (99) embrace each other after wining a home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of the Yankees' home-opener baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)