Mitchell Starc has battled through shoulder pain to land two crucial blows on England during another another frantic day of the Ashes at The Oval.

England went to tea on day one of the fifth Test at 7-250, with Starc having bagged the key wickets of Harry Brook for 85 and Ben Stokes on three.

After feeling for his left shoulder that he hurt in Manchester and spending time off the field early in the second session on Thursday, Starc returned to put Australia back in the game on day one.

The left-armer first took Stokes’ off stump with another brilliant delivery, angling it in at the left-hander and straightening off the seam to beat the outside edge.

It was the second time Starc has removed Stokes with a fine ball on this tour, after having the England captain caught in the slips with one of the deliveries of the series at Lord’s.

Moments later, Starc (2-58) then out-thought Brook to have his wicket.

With the England No.5 motoring along, he went to 85 when he gloriously drove a full ball from Starc back down the ground for four.

Next ball, Starc bowled it far wider and Brooks chased in an attempt to drive, only edging through to Steve Smith at second slip.

The story could have been far better for Australia had it not been for sloppy fielding in the first session.

Alex Carey put down a reasonably simple chance to remove Brook on five when Pat Cummins drew his edge, going one handed at a ball he could have got with two.

Carey has had a fine series behind the stumps, but this could well prove a costly error given the way in which England’s other batters have fallen.

Making the most of his reprieve, Brook pulled Mitch Marsh over midwicket for six and hooking Cummins into the crowd at fine leg.

He drove neatly until it eventually proved his downfall, and scored at close to a run a ball in his 91-delivery knock.

Brook’s runs also came as part of a 111-run stand with Moeen Ali, who battled a groin injury before being bowled for Todd Murphy on 34.

After hurting himself running between the wickets, Moeen took the long handle to Australia with the bat and hit 14 off one Cummins over.

But the bigger concern for England will be whether he is able to bowl, given his status as the sole frontline spinner in the side and the fact Stokes also can’t be used due to his knee.

Josh Hazlewood also claimed 2-54 in the first two sessions as he bowled Joe Root (five) and Jonny Bairstow (four) when they chopped on.

And Cummins has bowled far better than his figures of 1-66 suggest, removing Zak Crawley for 22, having Ben Duckett (41) and Brook dropped and beating the bat seven times in his opening six-over spell.