That was how Nathan Lyon explained the spectacular run-out that triggered an Australian fightback on the opening day of the Ashes.

Lyon had talked the talk, now he has walked the walk, breathing new life into Australia's bid for victory at the Gabba - with Pat Cummins - to leave the first Test evenly poised.

Australia's most experienced Test player had taken it upon himself in the days before the series to fire such explosive verbal shots at the tourists that they made their way to the front page of the Fleet Street newspapers.

No careers have been ended just yet, nor has any Englishman looked particularly scared, but Lyon's display was as strong as his rhetoric three days beforehand and set up a dramatic final 30 minutes that saw Cummins (2-59), in his home Test debut, snare the prized scalp of visiting captain Joe Root.

England, 1-127 on the brink of tea, finished the day 4-196 with Dawid Malan (28 not out) and Moeen Ali (13 not out) holding out as Lyon and Cummins formed a probing last-hour bowling combination.

"I thought it was a great fightback by the Australian bowlers," Lyon said.

The off-spinner was Australia's most influential figure, breaking the day's key partnership with a brilliant pick up and throw from backward point that caught England No.3 James Vince well short of his ground and 17 runs short of a maiden Test century.

He also looked the most dangerous of the Australian bowlers, exerting turn and bounce out of a sluggish first-day pitch and importantly containing England's batsmen.

He conceded only 40 runs from his 24 overs, even with Moeen taking him on late in the day, and would have had the wicket of Vince attributed to his bowling rather than his fielding had Australia's new wicketkeeper Tim Paine not dropped him on 68. Great confidence had been placed in Lyon to play a central role here in the absence of an all-rounder in the Australian side and he has delivered.

"I just said to him he should say stuff before every game the way he bowled today," Cummins said. "I don't know how he doesn't have six-for [instead of] one-for."

Lyon engaged in a gripping battle with his old Adelaide club teammate Root in the final session, although it was Cummins who ultimately had the Yorkshireman's measure, trapping him lbw for 15. Umpire Marais Erasmus gave it not out but Steve Smith signalled the first review of the series and got it right.

It was deserved reward for a hard-working Cummins, who bent his back throughout and added the wicket of Root to that of opener Mark Stoneman in his Ashes debut.

"It has been such a long build-up and everyone has been talking about this game for months and months so to get here and get selected in the side and sing the anthem in a packed house I realised how good is this to play my first Ashes Test and first Test in Australia," Cummins said. "It was a pretty exciting day."

Vince (83), meanwhile, introduced himself to Matthew Hayden and the rest of Australia with a stylish innings that went a long way towards dispelling doubts about him thriving in the England top order this summer.

"If he didn't know who we were at the start of the day he probably does now," said Vince when asked about former Test opener Hayden, who had written off members of the England line-up as nobodies before the series.

Vince and Stoneman (53) were able to steady the ship after Alastair Cook nicked off to Mitchell Starc in the third over of play. The elegant Vince, in particular, drove exquisitely in a 125-run stand that by far exceeded any first-innings stand a pair England had compiled during their disastrous 2013-14 tour.

The Australian attack was left frustrated but did well to limit the damage by keeping the scoring rate down. Vince said England's strategy leading into the match had been to get as much work into the Australian bowlers' legs as possible.

"The more overs their bowlers bowl then the easier scoring will become," Vince said.