Some 171 years since the same state hosted Australia's inaugural first-class match at Launceston's NTCA Ground, 140 years after the Ashes series began and five years and two months since Tasmania's last Test match, one of the world's oldest sporting rivalries reached its southernmost point.

The picturesque Hobart ground became the seventh Australian Ashes venue by joining the MCG, SCG, Gabba, Adelaide Oval, WACA and the Brisbane Exhibition Ground which staged a single Test in 1928-29.

In contrast, England has used nine venues in the series.

Bellerive joins the Brisbane Exhibition Ground, The Riverside in Durham and Sheffield United Football Club's home ground Bramall Lane in hosting just one contest while Sophia Gardens in Cardiff has staged two.

England became the sixth different nation to play Test cricket in Tasmania.

In 13 previous matches in Hobart, New Zealand have featured in four, Pakistan and Sri Lanka three each, West Indies two and South Africa one - the most recent just over five years ago when they also recorded the highest winning margin by a visiting side of an innings and 80 runs.

The headbanded Stuart Broad had the honour of being the first Englishman to bowl a ball in Test cricket in Tasmania.

And it proved an eventful delivery.

Beginning the day half an hour later than scheduled due to a rain delay, the 35-year-old paceman fell over and slid down the pitch after releasing the ball, but still joined in a half-hearted appeal for lbw against David Warner.

Broad was returning to the ground he graced for the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League in 2016-17.

When Australia was reduced to 3-12 inside the first hour, it was their worst start since 2017 against South Africa - in the last match played at Bellerive Oval.