David Warner and Cameron Bancroft resumed at 0-114 on day five of the series opener after being set a target of 170.

The openers didn’t muck around this morning, peeling off the additional 56 runs required in a tick over an hour.

Vice-captain Warner finished 87 not out, while debutant Bancroft was unbeaten on 82 after stroking the winning runs.

“We had to show some really good character throughout, obviously losing the toss,” Steve Smith said after being man of the match for his game-changing ton.

“It’s nice to finish early. I’m pleased with the way we have played, bowling first at the Gabba is hard.”

Jonny Bairstow, who is the subject of an England and Wales Cricket Board probe after it emerged he physically clashed with Bancroft while drinking earlier this month in Perth, was a quiet presence behind the stumps on day five.

Bairstow wasn’t alone, with the subdued visitors largely going through the motions as they no doubt struggled to grasp the margin of their meek surrender given the state of play on day two. 

The inaugural Ashes day-night Test starts at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, with Moeen Ali’s cut spinning finger a clear concern for the tourists given the allrounder didn’t bowl today.

Collapses of 6-56 and 4-10 that finished England’s first and second innings will have infuriated coach Trevor Bayliss, likewise his side’s attack impotency in the final innings of the match.

If England had been able to dismiss Steve Smith on Friday or even early Saturday they would have been in the box seat to inflict Australia’s first Test loss at the venue since 1988.

Instead Smith finished unbeaten on 141 as he guided the hosts from 4-76 to a total of 328 and first-innings lead of 26 runs.

“For three days we were excellent. Bar Steve’s knock we were in it,” England captain Joe Root said.

“He played exceptionally well on that surface and took the game away from us.”

Moeen conceded defeat on Sunday night, only for the visitors’ woes to dramatically escalate as news broke of a run-in between Bairstow and Bancroft after stump microphones picked up Warner saying “you shouldn’t headbutt our mates” on day four.

England’s campaign suffered a major setback before it even started because of another alcohol-fuelled incident as Ben Stokes was involved in a brawl outside a Bristol nightclub.

Meanwhile, the long wait for a baggy green looks set to continue for Chadd Sayers after Mitchell Starc claimed Australia’s pace attack would have no problem backing up in this week’s second Ashes Test in Adelaide.

Glenn Maxwell may also be out of luck after his much-lauded Sheffield Shield double century with national selector Mark Waugh saying his preference was a Test allrounder who bowled medium pace.

Sayers appeared set to make his Test debut at hometown Adelaide after being picked in Australia’s initial 13 with the pink ball Test in mind.

In another encouraging sign, the South Australian swing king was then asked to remain and train with the national squad for the Ashes opener in Brisbane after fellow quick Jackson Bird was released for Sheffield Shield duty.

But Starc didn’t expect any changes for the day-night Test starting on Saturday.

“It won’t be an issue backing up, it’s all good,” Starc said.

Starc and fellow quicks Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins were expected to endure heavier workloads and be rested at some stage of the five Test series after selectors opted not to pick an allrounder.

Starc bowled 44 overs in the first Test, Hazlewood 38.4 and the injury plagued Cummins 42.4 but Starc said they weren’t feeling the heat.

“As far as I know, we’re all going pretty well so I’d expect it to be the same squad and hopefully the same line-up going into Adelaide,” he said.

It would be another baggy green setback for Sayers, who was 12th man last summer for Tests against South Africa and Pakistan.

Chadd Sayers at Adelaide Airport last week. Photo: David Mariuz / AAP

Maxwell also would have had the Adelaide Test in his sights after his 278 for Victoria against NSW at North Sydney Oval but Waugh said his preference was an allrounder who was a “seam-up” bowler.

Maxwell bowls off-spin.

“He’s not a bowling allrounder, he’s a batsman who bowls,” he told Triple M.

“Ideally, you’d want a man at six who bowls seam-up as your batting allrounder.”

-AAP