Mitchell Starc makes history in Ashes arm-wrestle

Pink-ball maestro Mitchell Starc has become the most prolific left-arm fast bowler in Test history amid an Ashes arm-wrestle unfolding under lights at the Gabba.

With the second ball of a new spell after tea, Starc (3-36) had the breakthrough wicket of Harry Brook (31), helping Australia push an improved England to 4-196 at dinner on day one of the second Test in Brisbane on Thursday.

The scalp took the veteran to 415 Test wickets - one more than Pakistan legend Wasim Akram, who previously had the most of any left-arm quick.

Starc had been brought on after a moment of frustration, with the hosts unsuccessfully reviewing an lbw shout that could have sent an on-song Joe Root on his way on 62.

Instead the England veteran survived and was unbeaten on 68 at the dinner break.

The near-miss came after opener Zak Crawley (76) had partnered with Root on a 117-run stand that invigorated the tourists following a poor start that left them 2-5 throught three overs.

But Steve Smith caught Brook in the slips on Starc's re-injection into the attack, before the left-armer slowed Root right down and helped Australia rein in the tourists.

Australia will be counting on Starc to continue making an impact when play resumes in darkness after the dinner break.

The big wicket was only the latest heroic with the pink ball for Starc, who has taken the most scalps of any man in day-night Test matches.

Earlier, after Australia lost the toss, Starc had drawn level with Akram by beginning the match with a signature burst of fury.

For the third time in as many innings this series, Starc struck in the first over, with opener Ben Duckett catching an edge for a first-ball duck.

Ollie Pope (0) went on the third delivery he faced, chopping on with a bottom edge from Starc to leave England in all sorts of trouble at 2-5 through three overs.

Under-fire opener Crawley recovered from a king pair in the first-Test loss to spearhead the hosts' fightback.

He navigated the new ball's early bounce on a green Gabba deck, weathering the loss of Duckett and Pope and bringing up his half-century with a single to mid-wicket before tea.

But just after the break, Queensland local Michael Neser (1-37) came up with a moment of magic on his divisive return to the Test side at the expense of spinner Nathan Lyon.

Crawley caught a bottom edge as he attempted a pull shot early in the second session and was caught by Alex Carey, leaving the pitch in self-admonishment.

Lyon was struck by a ball while bowling to Beau Webster in the nets earlier on Thursday and was filmed hobbling, but Cricket Australia confirmed he was uninjured.