Day One of the Perth Test delivered one of the most extraordinary opening days in modern Ashes history. Pace bowling dominated from the very first over to the final ball, leaving both England and Australia reeling, and the spectators breathless. By stumps, England held a narrow advantage, but the story of the day was the sheer destruction produced by the two pace spearheads—Mitchell Starc and Ben Stokes.
England won the toss and opted to bat first. However, the decision immediately backfired. Mitchell Starc struck with the very first delivery, removing Zak Crawley for a duck and setting the tone for a chaotic collapse. England’s top order crumbled under relentless pace and swing, with Starc producing one of the finest spells of his career. He finished with astonishing figures of 7 for 58—his best in Test cricket.
Only Ollie Pope showed meaningful resistance, crafting a determined 46. Apart from him, the English batting card offered little to admire. The innings folded abruptly in 32.5 overs for just 172 runs, leaving the visitors visibly frustrated.
Australia’s reply began in equally disastrous fashion. Debutant Jake Weatherald fell for zero in the opening over to Jofra Archer. For the first time in Ashes history, both sides lost their first wickets for ducks in their opening innings—a quirky but telling reflection of the day’s craziness.
Captain Ben Stokes then delivered a spell that matched Starc’s earlier destruction. Harnessing seam movement, bounce and raw aggression, he dismantled Australia’s batting, finishing with a superb 5 for 23. Wickets tumbled at alarming speed, and Australia limped to 123 for 9 in 39 overs before stumps were drawn, trailing England by 49 runs.
The extraordinary figure of 19 wickets falling on the first day evoked memories of 1909—the last time an Ashes Test saw such a dramatic start.
With the match delicately poised and momentum swinging wildly between the sides, Day Two promises even more unpredictability. Fans around the world are eagerly waiting to see whether bowlers will continue their domination or if the batters finally find a way to fight back.
