The first Ashes Test in Perth was thrown into chaos on Friday as 19 wickets fell on a thrilling opening day, dominated by aggressive fast bowling on a lively pitch. By the close of play, Australia was precariously placed at 123/9, trailing England by 49 runs.
England captain Ben Stokes produced a stunning performance with the ball, ripping through Australia’s lower order to claim 5 wickets for just 23 runs in six overs. His spell built on the early pressure exerted by Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse, who also made significant breakthroughs. This day of carnage mirrored the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar opener held at the same venue, which also saw a Day 1 collapse with 17 wickets falling.
Earlier in the day, Australian pace ace Mitchell Starc had been unplayable, achieving his personal best Ashes figures with 7 wickets for 58 runs. He dismantled the England batting lineup, bowling them out for 172 in just 32.5 overs. Starc’s lethal bowling was witnessed by a record crowd of 51,531 spectators. England’s innings did have a highlight in the form of Harry Brook’s aggressive 52, which helped maintain a brisk scoring rate of 5.24 runs per over. This was the fastest first-innings dismissal for a touring side in Australia since 1932.
Starc’s destructive spell began by removing Zak Crawley for a golden duck and trapping Ben Duckett lbw for 21. He followed this by bowling Joe Root for another duck, quickly reducing England to 39/3.
Harry Brook then took charge, smashing boundaries, including a massive 89-meter six, and partnering with Ollie Pope for a 55-run stand before Pope was dismissed lbw by Cameron Green for 46. The momentum shifted again as Starc, supported by debutant Brendan Doggett (2-27), triggered a collapse of 5 wickets for only 12 runs in 19 balls, ending Brook’s attacking knock at 52.
Jamie Smith, the England wicketkeeper, contributed a rapid 33 from 22 balls before holing out, marking Starc’s seventh wicket.
Australia’s chase began under duress as Usman Khawaja was unavailable to open due to back issues, leading to Marnus Labuschagne partnering with debutant Jake Weatherald. The innings quickly unravelled. Archer struck on the second ball of the match (after review) to dismiss Weatherald. He then removed Labuschagne for 9, with the ball hitting his stumps after ricocheting off his elbow. Carse chipped in with two crucial wickets, sending Steve Smith (17) and Khawaja (2) back to the pavilion. The Australian collapse was completed by Ben Stokes, who took 5 wickets in a devastating spell, including Travis Head (21), Cameron Green (24), Mitchell Starc (12), Alex Carey (26), and Scott Boland (0). Nathan Lyon (3 not out) and Brendan Doggett (0 not out) were the last men standing.
Brendan Doggett and Jake Weatherald were presented with their Test caps, joining the elite group of Australian cricketers. England’s decision to field an all-pace attack paid dividends on the challenging pitch. The 19 wickets on the opening day represent the most in an Ashes Test since 1909, setting the stage for an intense contest on day two in Perth.