Day 1 – Attendance – 44000

Session 1 — Dominated by Australia – England 105/4 at Lunch

The opening session of the Ashes 2025–26 series at Perth belonged firmly to Australia. From the very first over, the hosts stamped their authority with pace, discipline, and a bit of history-making along the way.

Key Highlights

• Brendan Doggett receives Test cap #472
  A proud moment for Australian cricket as Doggett was handed his Baggy Green.
• Historic pairing in Australia’s Test XI
  Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett became the first pair of Indigenous cricketers to represent Australia in the same Test match — a landmark moment for inclusivity in the sport.
• Mitchell Starc reaches a rare milestone
  Starc claimed his 100th Ashes Test wicket, dismissing Zak Crawley with Khawaja taking a sharp catch.
• Starc strikes early… again
  In trademark fashion, Starc picked up a wicket in the first over of the opening innings of a Test match for the 7th time — a staggering record for a fast bowler.

• Joe Root departs for a duck
  England’s talisman walked back without scoring, putting immediate pressure on the visitors.

Session 2 — England Collapse in a Heap

The post-lunch session turned disastrous for England as their Bazball approach unraveled spectacularly. What should have been a period of consolidation instead became a rapid freefall, handing Australia total control of the Test.

Key Highlights

• England bowled out for just 172 in 32.5 overs
  The innings lasted barely an hour after lunch, with England’s ultra-aggressive “Bazball” batting turning into a brainless, reckless collapse under Australian pressure.
• Six wickets for 67 runs after lunch
  What began as a manageable situation quickly spiraled, as England lost 6 wickets for 67 runs, unable to counter Australia’s relentless pace attack.
• Ben Stokes falls to a lazy shot
  The England captain played an uncharacteristically loose stroke and was bowled by Mitchell Starc, compounding England’s troubles.
• Mitchell Starc, at age 35, produces magic: 7/58
  Starc delivered a vintage performance, claiming 7 wickets for 58 runs — his 14th five-wicket haul (or better) in Test cricket. His fiery spell ripped through England’s lineup and set the tone for the match.

Australia 15/1 After 10 Overs at Tea

Australia began their first innings cautiously after bowling England out cheaply, but the English pace trio ensured that the hosts did not get away easily.

Key Highlights

• Weatherald dismissed for a duck
  Jake Weatherald on his debut, lasted just two deliveries before falling to Jofra Archer, giving England an early breakthrough.
• High-quality fast bowling from England
  Archer, Atkinson, and Mark Wood bowled with pace, accuracy, and consistency, keeping the Australian top order under pressure throughout the opening spell.
• Smith and Labuschagne dig in
  With the ball moving around, Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne opted for a defensive approach, focusing on survival rather than scoring, and guiding Australia to a cautious 15/1 after 10 overs.

Session 3 — Stokesy 5/23 and England Take Control – Australia 123/9

The final session of Day 1 swung dramatically in England’s favour. Their fast bowlers delivered a breathtaking spell of pace and hostility, turning the match on its head and putting Australia under immense pressure.

Key Highlights

• Superb fast-bowling exhibition by England
  Archer, Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson, and Mark Wood combined to produce one of the finest collective fast-bowling sessions seen in recent Ashes history. Every bowler hit the deck hard, maintained testing lines, and kept Australia guessing.
• High pace from the outset
  In the first 15 overs, England’s bowlers averaged an incredible 142 km/h, with Archer consistently clocking 145 km/h. The sustained speed unsettled Australia’s top order.
• Australian batters struggled
  The home side found it extremely difficult to negotiate the relentless pace. Defensive pushes turned into edges, hurried shots became miscues, and pressure led to regular breakthroughs.
• Ben Stokes rises to the moment
  As he so often does, Stokes stepped up under pressure, finishing the day with a five-wicket haul. His leadership, aggression, and tactical nous drove England’s intensity.
• Four of Stokes’s wickets came from Aussie mistakes
  While England bowled brilliantly, several Australian batters contributed to their downfall with poor shot selection and lapses in judgement.
• Pitch not to blame
  Despite the collapse, the surface offered no demons. England’s earlier batting woes were caused by recklessness, while Australia faltered due to the quality and consistency of England’s fast bowling.

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Day 2 — Head-On Collision With Bazballers Sends England to a Crushing Defeat

The second day of the 1st Ashes Test unfolded at breathtaking speed, swinging wildly between both sides before Australia delivered the final knockout blow. What began as a balanced contest soon turned into one of England’s most dramatic collapses — and Australia’s most ruthless finishes.

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Session 1 — Match in the Balance

The morning session saw momentum shift back and forth, with both teams sensing an opportunity to take control.

Highlights

• Australia bowled out for 132
  The English bowlers kept their side alive in the contest by wrapping up the Australian innings quickly, giving themselves a realistic chance to chase and set a competitive target.
• Zak Crawley gets a pair
  Crawley suffered the rare misfortune of a pair, falling for another duck — this time thanks to a sharp return catch by Mitchell Starc, who reacted brilliantly in his follow-through.

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Session 2 — England’s Reckless Batting Returns

Just when England were positioned to dictate the match, their recurring problem resurfaced: self-inflicted collapses under the illusion of Bazball.

Highlights

• England at 99/1 with a healthy lead
  The visitors looked ready to set Australia a challenging fourth-innings target, with Duckett and Pope giving them a strong start.
• Boland sparks the collapse
  Scott Boland removed Ben Duckett, opening the floodgates. What followed was yet another classic England meltdown.
• Pope, Brook, and Root fall to identical mistakes
  All three batters chased similar deliveries outside off stump, gifting wickets rather than being forced into errors. Technique, patience, and judgement deserted England at the worst possible time.
• Late fight from Atkinson and Carse
  The only bright spot came from a gritty 50-run partnership between Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse, who showed the application their top order lacked.
• England bowled out for 164
  With the collapse complete, England set Australia a modest target and surrendered all initiative.

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Session 3 — Travis Head Destroys England

The final session belonged entirely to Australia — more specifically, to Travis Head, who produced one of the most brutal counterattacks seen in modern Ashes cricket.

Highlights

• England’s bowlers run out of steam
  After two days of high-intensity spells, the English attack looked tired and increasingly ineffective.
• Head attacks Stokes with four boundaries in an over
  Head took the game away in a single over, smashing four boundaries off Ben Stokes and shifting all pressure back onto England.
• A stunning 69-ball hundred
  Head reached his century off just 69 balls, delivering a performance full of clean hitting, control, and absolute dominance.
• “Head-ache” for England — as Indian fans call him
  In India, fans jokingly refer to him as Head(ache) — and on this day, England learned exactly why.
• Australia cruises to victory: 205/2
  The home side chased down the target in emphatic fashion, securing a memorable victory.
• Man of the Match, Mitchell Starc with 10 wickets in test. He is just 2 short of equalling Wasim Akram’s 414 test wickets.
• Historic finish
  This match became the first Ashes Test to finish inside two days since 1921, highlighting both Australia’s brilliance and England’s catastrophic decision-making.

Cricinfo Scorecard