Australia go 1-0 up
Australia 132 and 205 for 2 (Head 123, Labuschagne 51*) beat England 172 and 164 (Boland 4-33, Starc 3-55) by eight wickets
In the span of five madcap hours at Perth Stadium, England went from position of strength to crashing to a calamitous eight-wicket defeat as the first Ashes Test remarkably finished inside two days.
Somehow topping a 19-wicket opening day, Australia turned the series-opener on its head with quicks Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc, who finished with 10 wickets for the match, tearing through a ham-fisted England batting effort in the middle session.
Needing 205 runs for victory, makeshift opener Travis Head plundered 123 off 83 balls as Australia chased down the total in just 28.2 overs. They scored at more than seven runs an over, with recalled No. 3 Marnus Labuschagne finishing unbeaten on 51 from 49 balls.
Skipper Steven Smith hit the winning run to trigger scenes of jubilation for an Australian team that was staring down the barrel earlier in the day.
Tristan Lavalette's full report will appear here.
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Australia win by eight wickets
Steven Smith cracks Brydon Carse away through cover-point for four, and the Australia fans in Perth Stadium roar in celebration.
A truly incredible day of cricket. Remember, England led by 99 runs with nine second-innings wickets at the start of the afternoon session, which was only five hours ago. They've now been not only beaten, but utterly eviscerated by Australia in one of the most dramatic turnarounds in Ashes history. They now need to win three of the next four Tests to regain the urn; they've not won a single one in Australia since January 2011.
Click the 'Live' tab or here for all of the reaction from the post-match presentation as it arrives.
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Labuschange 50, scores level
Marnus Labuschagne becomes only the third player in the match to reach 50, after Harry Brook (52) and Travis Head (123) with a huge six off Joe Root. Scores are tied. Australia are about to go 1-0 up inside two days.
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Head finally falls
A standing ovation from the Perth Stadium crowd as Travis Head walks off the field. Finally, a shot goes to hand as he swipes Brydon Carse miles up the air, and Ollie Pope settles underneath a steepling catch at deep square leg. 123 off 83 balls in a match where the next highest score is 52. This is an innings that will be talked about for a long time.
Travis Head, take a bow!
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) November 22, 2025
One of the greatest innings in Ashes history pic.twitter.com/4HrLpgF6hd
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Vaughan: This will damage England
Michael Vaughan on Fox Cricket says that England look totally shell-shocked. They have hardly created a single chance across 25 overs in this innings.
"This is going to hurt England, it's going to damage them I think. I thought after yesterday's play Engalnd had opened up a few cracks in the Australian batting lineup. Ben Stokes won't really understand what's happened.
blockquote"We're talking four-and-a-half hours of cricket where his team have gone from not a dominant position, but you're in control of a game. They had the chance yesterday [to bury Australia] and they lost 5 for 12 down the back end of the innings. They have the tools to be really competitive, but you can't be competitive without brains."
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Another record
21.3 Overs Travis Head needed to complete his hundred, the second earliest that any batter has scored a century in a Test innings. David Warner took 19.4 overs to reach his hundred against India at the Waca in 2012. via Sampath Bandarupalli
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Head's moment
Only Travis Head could celebrate an innings like that in such low-key fashion. One of the sport's great mavericks.
100 off just 69 balls! Travis Head, what an innings! #Ashes | #MilestoneMoment | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/oiV1QEneYp
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 22, 2025
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Head hundred
Wow. A 69-ball hundred for Travis Head, an instant Ashes classic. The second-fastest century in the long history of this great rivalry, behind only Adam Gilchrist's 57-ball effort in this city back in 2006-07. Pushing him up the order to open in Khawaja's absence has proved a masterstroke, and England are getting beaten at their own game. They were 105 runs ahead with nine second-innings wickets in hand barely four hours ago; now, they face the very realistic prospect of getting beaten inside two days.
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Outrageous hitting
There has been some unbelievable hitting from Travis Head in Perth this afternoon but that pull straight back over Jofra Archer's head might be the best shot of the lot. What a player
— Matt Roller (@mroller98) November 22, 2025
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Relentless Head
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Australia are cruising towards this target. England are well aware of just how dangerous Head can be after his player-of-the-series efforts against them four years ago, but they have no answers to the questions he is posing them this afternoon. He takes one Ben Stokes over for 17 runs, including four boundaries which highlight his unpredictability: one slapped through cover, one rifled pull shot through square leg, one straight punch, and a wrist-roll through midwicket. Stunning batting.
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50 for Head
Top-scorer and player-of-the-series in the last Ashes series in Australia. Starting with a bang in this one.
Travis Head's promotion to open is looking like a masterstroke!
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) November 22, 2025
A 36-ball half-century has Australia firmly in the driving seat #Ashes pic.twitter.com/bZBRCDG0gS
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Carse gets the breakthrough
Finally, England have their first wicket. Weatherald gets himself into a tangle shaping to pull, and top-edges the back-of-a-length ball from Brydon Carse into his helmet. It loops up for Ben Duckett at cover-point, and the opening stand is broken at 75. Marnus Labuschagne walks in at No. 3, and England revert to a much more orthodox field setting.
First 50 run opening partnership for AUS since the first Test v SL in January
— Swamp (@sirswampthing) November 22, 2025
Travis Head opened in that match as well
#AUSvENG
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Australia take control
Travis Head is flying. England have gone to their short-ball ploy but Head has absolutely no qualms about taking Mark Wood on, hooking him for six and then slashing him away for four through the off side.
Jake Weatherald is playing a vital hand himself, crunching Brydon Carse through midwicket for four. This is getting very ugly, very quickly for England.
75 Travis Head and Jake Weatherald's opening stand is now the highest partnership of the match for any wicket, overtaking Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett (65) for the second wicket in England's second innings.
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Head's fast start
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Travis Head leans back to loft Brydon Carse over deep third for six, then two balls later crashes a cut shot through cover-point for four. Australia are off to a flying start, and England need to get him before he eats any further into the target.
Most Australian batters would have hoped for flatter surfaces in this series, but Head explained to ESPNcricinfo last month that he was happy for the recent trend of bowler-friendly pitches to continue:
"I probably enjoy batting on those sort of wickets... [Trying] to eke out runs has never probably come as natural to me with being a stroke-player and wanting to get on with it. And the slower, flat wickets probably don't tend to that. But fast-paced pitches that nip, you can maybe get away with a few things.
"And then obviously the way I want to play is if they present opportunities to score, you score. So when they're greener, they pitch up a little bit more and a bit fuller, and the style that I play, if they miss a little bit, I'm able to hopefully score and get busy."
He's proving that exact point in this innings.
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Cummins on Khawaja
Australia's captain Pat Cummins, who missed out on this Test due to back stress, has been speaking on Fox Cricket about Usman Khawaja:
"Unfortunately, Uzzie is not moving too well. His back flared up again in the slips going for a jump above his head, so he is unable to open. Hopefully Uzzie can still play a role in the middle order at some point."
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Head opens up
Travis Head is promoted to open alongside Jake Weatherald in Khawaja's continued absence, with Marnus Labuschagne returning to No. 3. This is the ninth innings that he's done the job in Tests, but the previous eight have all been in Asia. His name is greeted by a huge roar from the crowd at Perth Stadium - as is an early boundary through the leg side off Gus Atkinson.
Pat Cummins on Fox: "We were trying to work out whether we shuffle everyone up like the first innings, but Trav ran off and he was keen to give it a crack. He's done it quite a bit in white ball cricket so we switched those roles."
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England rolled
67.3 Overs that England batted across both innings. The last time that they were bowled out twice in fewer overs was in 1904.
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Australia need 205 to win
Gus Atkinson is England's last man out, lapping Scott Boland to Brendan Doggett at fine leg after top-scoring with 37 off 32 balls, including two fours and two sixes. Those could prove to be invaluable runs, and Australia will need the highest score of the match to go 1-0 up in the series. It's not a big chase by any means, but it is unlikely to prove easy on a pitch that has offered pace and bounce throughout.
Usman Khawaja did not return to the field at the end of England's second innings, which means that he will not be available to bat for at least 45 minutes - and potentially a full hour. Cricket Australia say that they are waiting for confirmation of exactly how long that will be.
Another remarkable session of cricket: England were 59 for 1 off 15 overs at lunch, then lost nine for 105 to be bowled out for 164 in 34.4 overs. All told, they have lost 20 wickets in the match in just 67.3 overs.
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Carse falls after valuable stand
The short ball tactic finally works but it has come at a cost for Australia. Brydon Carse tried to scoop Brendan Doggett fine but gloved it through to Alex Carey. But Carse made a run-a-ball 20 with two sixes and a four. He put on an even 50 with Gus Atkinson who is now England's top scorer in the innings. Strange tactics from Australia. Jofra Archer also falls to the short ball with Steve Smith taking a good catch at a deep midwicket to leave England nine-down.
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Australia go short and leak runs
0 Number of slips in for Australia to the tail
Four of England's top six nicked off and their wicketkeeper Jamie Smith also nicked off twice before finally falling to a controversial caught behind down the leg side off a short ball. Zak Crawley was out driving, as he was in the first innings, and Joe Root dragged on trying an expansive drive on the up. But despite all that success pitching the ball up and using the helpful seaming conditions, Australia have abandoned it completely and bowled short to Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse. England's quicks have played it well and the partnership is growing to a valuable number. Strange tactics by Australia. They also did this at Headingley in 2023, when having nicked off most of the top seven, they tried to bounce the tail and let England back into the match.
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Khawaja off again
Meanwhile, Beau Webster has been back on as a sub fielder at slip for several overs. If you missed it, Khawaja was unable to open the batting for Australia yesterday after spending that final stages of England's first innings off the field following a back spasm, and his preparation for this match - which included three rounds of golf - has come under heavy scrutiny since. He made 2 yesterday from No. 4, and dropped a catch today at slip.
Cricket Australia have this to say: "Usman Khawaja has left the field to receive treatment. No further information is known at this time."
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Controversy in Perth
Here's the footage of Smith's dismissal.
"I think Smith gave it away there," Mark Waugh says on Kayo Sports. "I don't think the umpire would have been convinced that he'd hit that if he'd stayed there.
"You've got to think if that takes that long to make a decision that there's got to be some doubt there. But when Smith walked off, I think that's what convinced the umpire. I think that's the longest DRS decision I think I've seen."
Jamie Smith started to walk before coming back after this hotly discussed moment. So what's your call here?#Ashes | #DRSChallenge | @Westpac pic.twitter.com/FpiqM6U6uM
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 22, 2025
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Taufel on Smith decision
Simon Taufel on Channel 7 suggests that the decision is the right one. He explains:
"This is the difficulty when we have two types of edge detection technologies around the world. Primarily we use Hawkeye Ultra-Edge. In Australia, it’s one of the few countries in the world to use real- time Snicko [RTS]. It's very difficult to come into a series with limited experience around how to judge RTS, but the conclusive evidence protocols with RTS [are that] if you get a spike up to one frame past the bat, that is conclusive. And in this particular case, that is exactly what was there.
"Unfortunately, he didn't want to pull the trigger quite as quickly as perhaps he could have or should have. And the guys in the truck were doing their utmost to show him and to slow it down and to try rocking and rolling that frame. For me, the correct decision was made. A spike [on] RTS after one frame past the bat, the batter has got to go."
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Smith out on review
Controversy.
Australia appeal for a catch down the leg side as Jamie Smith is cramped on the pull by Brendan Doggett, and Steve Smith is convinced that there is a glove on it. He sends the decision upstairs, and the batter starts walking off when he sees a small spike on real-time Snicko.
But he stops when it becomes apparent that the frames do not quite align, and there is a long delay as TV umpire Sharfuddoula weighs up the decision. It takes more than four minutes in the end for him to decide that it is out, and there are boos from the Barmy Army in the ground.
Remember, there has to be conclusive evidence for the on-field decision to be overturned. For what it’s worth, Travis Head at short leg and Alex Carey behind the stumps were both absolutely convinced straightaway that there was a noise when the ball went past the bat.
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Starc's new record
123 Balls needed Mitchell Starc to take 10 wickets - the fewest by a bowler in Tests in the last 20 years. The previous fewest was Yasir Shah (125) against New Zealand in 2018.
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Starc has ten!
Everything Steven Smith has touched since lunch has turned to gold. An end change for Mitchell Starc works to perfection: he decks one away from Ben Stokes, whose outside edge flies to Smith at second slip, and England have lost a fifth wicket in the session. Starc gets Stokes for the 11th time in Tests. We're on for a two-day finish at this rate!
This is Starc's third ten-wicket haul in Tests, and his first in the Ashes. This has been an incredible effort, leading Australia's attack in the absence of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood and thriving on the opportunity.
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Langer: Very, very poor batting
Scathing comments from Justin Langer on Channel 7 as England lose 4 for 11 in 19 balls:
“It's just really poor batting. I don't care what anyone says - 'Oh, you play like this, you play like that'. If you do your preparation to come to Perth, one, you've got to take some time to get in, usually 25-30 balls to get in; be patient, watch the ball. Second thing is, driving on the up here in Perth [rarely works]. This has been going on for decades, not just for this Test series. Very, very poor batting by England.”
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Khawaja drops it
Big chance. Jamie Smith, who belted a quick 33 in England's first innings yesterday, edges his third ball low to Usman Khawaja at first slip, who can't cling onto the chance. Khawaja has found himself under major scrutiny in the past 24 hours after his back spasms yesterday, and that won't help his cause whatsoever. An early life for Smith.
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Starc gets Root again!
Incredible drama in Perth! After a quiet first session, the first Test is alive again. Joe Root looked calm and composed for his first nine balls, working his first ball off his pads for two to get off his pair and swivel-pulling Cameron Green away through square leg for four.
But Steven Smith senses the moment to bring back Mitchell Starc after a flurry of wickets at the members' end, and he gets the big fish for the second day in a row. It's a chop-on: a length ball, wobble-seam, angling across Root and skewing into his leg stump via the inner half of the bat as he shapes to drive. Root trudges off, and Australia are rampant.
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Boland takes three in 11 balls
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Ollie Pope played and missed repeatedly at Scott Boland before lunch, but his luck finally runs out. Boland beats him with the second ball of the 19th over, then goes a fraction fuller a ball later to entice another loose drive outside off stump. Alex Carey takes a simple catch, and Boland has two in two overs after lunch.
In walks Harry Brook, and mid-off immediately drops back to long-off to plug a potential boundary option. He defends his first two balls, then slashes hard at a drive outside off stump which flies to Usman Khawaja at first slip. Ben Stokes comes out to join Joe Root: 59 for 1 at lunch has become 76 for 4.
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Boland gets Duckett
Boland has been far more consistent today, nagging away on a good length after overpitching yesterday, and dismisses Duckett with his second ball after lunch. He has tried bowling around the wicket to him, but starts from over, angling the ball against the left-hander, squaring him up, and inducing a thick outside edge which Steven Smith snaffles at second slip.
50 Scott Boland now has 50 Test wickets in Australia, at an average of just 14.04
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CA boss defends Khawaja's preparation
Cricket Australia has leapt to the defence of Usman Khawaja after the under-fire opener was criticised for his decision to play golf the day before the Ashes. Khawaja, who turns 39 next month, played golf with Mitchell Starc on Thursday, just 24 hours before the start of the Ashes.
"It (playing golf before a Test) has held him in good stead over the last couple of years. It's not uncommon for a lot of them to play golf a day prior," Todd Greenberg, Cricket Australia's chief executive, told SEN. "Did that correlate to any of the issues? I personally don't think so.
"Usman's a very seasoned campaigner, he knows his body well, and he knows how to get himself prepared for cricket. So I think that [saying golf was to blame] is drawing a long bow. A lot of people talk about cricket being played between the ears, so getting some time away from being in your hotel or at training I think is really important.
"I noticed Mitch Starc played golf with him, so it certainly didn't impact his performance." AAP
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Duckett survives on review
59 Duckett and Pope's second-wicket stand is now the biggest partnership of the match, overtaking Pope and Brook's 55-run stand for the fourth-wicket yesterday.
Ben Duckett wore a nasty blow on the forearm from Scott Boland off the fifth ball of the 15th over, receiving treatment as some swelling quickly emerged. He was then given out lbw off the very next ball, but successfully overturned the decision, as the ball pitched outside leg stump. England walk off at lunch leading by 99 runs with nine second-innings wickets in hand, and will be very happy with how this morning has gone. They took slightly longer than they would have liked to get the final wicket but at a cheap cost, and since Zak Crawley's dismissal to Mitchell Starc, it has been one-way traffic.
Boland has bowled much better today than he did yesterday, with Trent Copeland's analysis on Channel 7 noting a major shift in his lengths. Ricky Ponting suggests that his lack of control yesterday was the result of his unfamiliar role as an opening bowler: "Maybe with the brand-new ball yesterday he felt he had to get it up there and try to get the ball to swing a little bit more. Normally when he comes into the attack, there's no swing in there, so he can just lock himself into that length."
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Busy England
3 Boundaries off the bat in Duckett and Pope's 50-run partnership
Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope have been proactive this morning, scampering quickly between the wickets and looking to put pressure on Australia's close fielders as a result. They have a good understanding, having batted together regularly over the past three years, and their quick running has worked to their advantage: twice in two balls from Brendan Doggett, they benefitted from overthrows as Travis Head and Jake Weatherald's attempts at direct hits flew wide of the stumps.
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Lyon back on
Beau Webster fielded at third slip for the first seven overs of England's second innings, with Nathan Lyon off the field after being hit on the left hip by Mark Wood while batting last night. But Lyon is heading back out now, with Marnus Labuschagne replacing Webster in the cordon. Lyon only bowled two overs yesterday, but will likely be involved more later this afternoon - assuming England's second innings lasts a bit longer than their first.
Lyon isn't moving freely. He chases sheepishly after a ball driven through cover-point by Ollie Pope, and clutches his hip straight after throwing it into the keeper's end. One to keep an eye on for Australia.
Starc's catch
A matter of millimetres, but the catch is clean. Starc is still an incredible athlete at 35 years old.
WHAT A RIDICULOUS TAKE! Mitchell Starc sends Zak Crawley off for a pair! #Ashes | #PlayoftheDay | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/1cg8PtLzx4
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 22, 2025
Simon Taufel on Channel 7: "Great catch there by Mitchell. To make sure, the umpires have gone upstairs to ensure that the ball has not touched the ground from the moment that the fielder started to make contact with the ball and the act of the catch ends when they've got complete control over the ball and their movement. So, Mitchell here, great work to have the ball in hand but make sure that the ball does not touch the ground until the catch is completed.”
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Starc stunner, Crawley pair
This Test match continues to race along at breakneck speed. Mitchell Starc has his eighth wicket of the match, and we're only three-and-a-half sessions in. Zak Crawley survives Starc's hat-trick ball, after he finished the first innings with two in two balls, but chips his fifth ball - a full one - back towards the bowler while looking to drive.
1 Zak Crawley has registered his first pair in his 60th Test
It looked as though it would be out of Starc's reach, but he flung himself at full stretch to his left in his follow-through and managed to cling onto it. Incredible athleticism. Crawley hung around for a while as Sharfuddoula, the TV umpire, took a long look at the replays, with the ball extremely close to the ground. But the catch is deemed clean, and Starc strikes in the first over yet again. He gets a standing ovation from the members as he walks down to fine leg.
Mitchell Starc to Zak Crawley in 2023: 125 balls, 114 runs, 1 dismissal
— Matt Roller (@mroller98) November 22, 2025
Mitchell Starc to Zak Crawley in 2025-26: 11 balls, 0 runs, 2 dismissals
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Stokes' new record
5 Ben Stokes' bowling figures of 5 for 23 are the best by an England captain in Australia, and the third-best for an England captain overseas.
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Carse breaks through
Brendan Doggett and Nathan Lyon held England up for the first six overs this morning, with Ollie Pope dropping a touch chance at forward short leg off Mark Wood's bowling. But the first bowling change reaps instant rewards, with Lyon's thick edge off Brydon Carse flying straight to Ben Duckett in the gully. Australia are bowled out for 132 and trail by 40 runs on first innings.
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No worries over Root
A potential injury to Joe Root in the warmup before play today
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) November 22, 2025
Thankfully, he looks okay
Watch #TheAshes LIVE on TNT Sports and discovery+ pic.twitter.com/oG9OCFrK84
There was a few hearts in mouths in the England camp during the warm-ups when Joe Root briefly went down after getting his spikes caught in the outfield while kicking a ball around in the warm-ups. But he was back on his feet barely two minutes later, and England say there is nothing to worry about. He's fielding at first slip as Mark Wood charges in for the first over of the morning.
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England reserves join Lions
England have sent three of their unused squad members out west to Lilac Hill to play for England Lions on the second day of their match against a Cricket Australia XI. Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks and Matthew Potts are the three men to leave the main squad, with Shoaib Bashir and Josh Tongue joined by James Rew as sub fielder options for the Test match.
There was an intriguing name at the top of the CA XI's batting order too, with Josh Inglis scoring 40 off 37 as a makeshift opener. Inglis has thrived in the middle order for Western Australia but could emerge as a left-field alternative to come into the Test team if Australia decide to make a change.
Khawaja chaos
It was a bizarre first day for Usman Khawaja, who took a tumbling slip catch off Mitchell Starc in the first over of the series but struggled thereafter with back stiffness, and had a back spasm midway through the afternoon session - initially hidden as a 'toilet break' by Cricket Australia. It meant that he was unable to open the batting after spending the end of England's innings off the field and he had a torrid time when he came out at No. 4, caught behind off a snorter from Brydon Carse for just 2.
The Australia camp insist that Khawaja had no issues coming into the game, but the fact that he played 18 holes of golf on Thursday has attracted significant interest from the local media. The West Australian's front-page splash this morning reads: 'MULLIGAN: Aussie batters - and the Ashes defence - in total disarray after Usman Khawaja was forced off the field suffering back spasms - a day after playing 18 holes of golf, on the eve of the first Test.'
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Overcast morning in Perth
Good morning from Perth Stadium, where the groundstaff are hovering by the pitch as a light rain shower rolls through the city. There have been a few spits of rain in the past hour, but it's dry right now with the restart 50 minutes away. Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith - two of the three players to reach 30 yesterday - are having a close look at a surface that saw 19 wickets fall on it yesterday.
It was an absorbing opening day, with ball dominating bat. Click here to catch up with all of our written content, including Vithushan Ehantharajah's analysis of England's five-man pace attack.
Stokes bags five, England on top after 19-wicket day
Ben Stokes has taken five wickets to put England on top after a record-breaking 19-wicket day. England had earlier looked to butcher a good batting opportunity as Mitchell Starc's career-best seven wicket haul helped bowl them out for 172. But England and Stokes hit back. Jofra Archer provided a stunning opening burst. Brydon Carse took two huge wickets of Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja. Stokes then ripped through Australia's middle to lower order although some of the stroke-play from Australia will be questioned internally.
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Seventeen, again
17 Number of wickets that have fallen on day one
Mitchell Starc's wild swipe to mid-on hands Ben Stokes his third and registers the 17th wicket of the opening day. It is the same number that fell on day one in the Perth Test 12 months ago and it equals an Ashes record of the last 100 years, alongside Trent Bridge in 2001 and Lord's in 2005. It's hard to blame the surface for all of them. Two of Australia's last three wickets have been hole outs to mid-on. Cameron Green nicked a deliver he easily could have left. England too played a stack of loose shots that might have been unnecessary. The surface is not unplayable. The bowling has been very good though. Sustained pressure at high pace for most of the day has certainly contributed to some of the batting errors.
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Stokes stands tall as Green falters
Ben Stokes is doing Ben Stokes things. Cameron Green is aspiring to reach Stokes' level as a match-winner for his country but he is well short right now. Green looked the most assured of Australia's batters so far, even with a dropped return catch and a hit on the head from Mark Wood. In between times he had moved well and played some confident drives. But he committed a cardinal sin in Perth, driving on the up through cover to a ball that wasn't a half-volley. Stokes lured him in with a tempter and Green fell to the trap, scratching a nick to Jamie Smith. England are into the tail. Sixteen wickets have fallen in the day so far. The parallels to last year's Perth Test continue.
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Head gifts Stokes a key wicket
21 Travis Head's runs tally before he was dismissed
Ben Stokes had his head in his hands at Lilac Hill last week when a heap of nothing drag downs yielded six wickets in the first innings of England's practice match. There was no such reaction at Perth Stadium when another chest high short ball, without much venom, was chipped straight to Brydon Carse at mid-on from the bat of Travis Head. England's tormentor four years ago was setting a platform to counterattack again. But he has gifted his wicket away and his frustration was evident as he trudged off. England will be very relieved to see the back of him.
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Will batting become easier when the ball gets softer?
This Test is currently tracking as a carbon copy of the Australia-India contest in Perth last year. The evidence is clear that batting will become a lot easier when the ball gets softer late into the evening and on the morning of day two. Australia were eight down after 28 overs in their first innings against India last year. Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood batted for 23 overs after that without too much trouble against a 30-plus over ball. But the damage was done. India then piled up 487 for 6 declared. Australia are currently four down after 28 overs. Batting appears to be getting easier for Travis Head and Cameron Green with the zip in the surface dissipating as the ball gets softer.
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Khawaja troubles against pace from around the wicket continue
15.1 Usman Khawaja's average against right-arm pace from around the wicket in 2025
Usman Khawaja has a problem. It was well-known coming into the series. He had been dismissed by right-arm pace from around the wicket in each of his last eight Test innings. Brydon Carse, riding high after knocking over Steven Smith, went straight around the wicket and produced a brutish delivery to make it nine out of nine. It leapt at Khawaja from a length as he sat deep in the crease. He fended and removed his bottom hand and reared his head back, the ball kissed the bat handle on the way through to Jamie Smith. England's all-out pace attack has worked so far. Australia's 38-year-old opener, who had to bat No.4 because he spent too much of England's 32.5 over batting innings off the field due to "toilet breaks" and "stretching" could not handle it. He has not been alone in this innings so far. But the trend is far more worrying for him than others. Ten of his 13 dismissals in Tests in 2025 have come via quicks from around the wicket. He will face nothing else in this series.
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Carse bags Smith, Australia in trouble
Brydon Carse wheeled away to the Barmy Army on the eastern side of Perth Stadium. He had just claimed Australia's best player and stand-in captain Steve Smith with a beauty. Another hostile lifter that climbed from a length and seamed away. Smith was squared up trying to stand tall on the back foot to defend. He nicked it straight to Harry Brook at second slip. England's all-out pace attack is causing Australia some pain both physically and psychologically so far.
Day one is following the same blueprint as last year's Perth Test between Australia and India when 17 wickets fell on the opening day. There is two hours of cricket remaining.
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Jofra gets Marnus!
And *that* is exactly what England have been desperate for; Marnus Labuschagne bowled as Jofra Archer gets yet another delivery to rear up and canon off the back elbow. Smith suffered two of those blows but remains.
In the 12th over, from Brydon Carse, Stokes burned two reviews trying to rid both. Carse had found his length, that patch where a batter's got to decide whether to go back or forward, and hope they've made the right call. He's also getting it to nip. However the first flicked Smith's front pad, and the second missed Labuschagne's by a whisker, with a murmur on UltraEdge not tallying with the daylight visible between bat and ball.
A torturous innings comes to an end, as Usman Khawaja finally makes it out to the middle after "toilet breaks" and "stretching". Presumably not at the same time.
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Collapses and chaos, Australia win the session
Another remarkable session. Harry Brook plundered a 58-ball half-century but England lost 5 for 20 in 23 deliveries to be bowled out for 172 after winning the toss. Mitchell Starc was phenomenal, taking 7 for 58. He has taken 13 for 67 in his last two Test bowling innings. Brendan Doggett finished with two wickets on debut England the key scalp of Brook. But the most extraordinary moment came just before the collapse. Usman Khawaja had left the field several times in the first three hours. He walked off again just before Brook was dismissed and did not return as England crumbled. It meant he could not open the batting. Jake Weatherald fell for a second-ball duck to Jofra Archer with Marnus Labuschagne watching as his makeshift opening partner at the other. It brought Steve Smith out at No.3 third ball. Labuschagne and Smith have scored just 15 runs in 10 overs against the extreme pace of Wood and Archer. Australia will look to wear England down. But they will be wary of what happened 12 months ago against India when they bowled the visitors out for 150 on day one and then lost seven wickets on the first night on their way to a heavy defeat.
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Smith and Labuschagne grind early
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England lost 10 wickets in 32.5 overs but they rattled along at 5.23 an over to post 172. Australia are grinding by comparison. Eighteen balls at Adelaide 2021 was the previous longest Australia took to get off the mark in an Ashes Test in this century. They took 28 balls today.
Batting has looked difficult against the high pace of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood and the accuracy of Gus Atkinson. Archer and Wood have nudged 150kph. It's clear Australia are going to try and put miles in the legs of England's quicks like they did in 2023. But it requires they do need to score at some point.
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Archer strikes and Smith walks out at No.3
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Chaos to start Australia's innings. Jake Weatherald was pinned on the pad second ball by a quick straight delivery that didn't shape away. Weatherald slipped on all fours as England pleaded with umpire Adrian Holdstock. He kept his finger down. England reviewed. Three reds popped. With Marnus Labuschagne at the other end because Usman Khawaja was not allowed to open due to spending too much time off the field at the end of England's innings, Steve Smith had to walk out at No.3 to a mix of cheers and boos.
Jake Weatherald joins Nathan McSweeney in making a duck on Test debut. He also fell in Perth in 2024 against India. This is the first ever Ashes Test match where both Australia and England lost their first wicket without a run on board in the first innings.
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Starc takes seven, England capitulate
32.5 England's second shortest innings in Ashes cricket
Mitchell Starc has taken career-best figures for the second straight innings in Test cricket, finishing with 7 for 58 as England fold for 172 in 32.5 overs. England have only had one shorter innings in Ashes cricket back in 1887.
England collapsed so quickly that Usman Khawaja was off the field for too long and can't open the batting in Australia's first innings. Marnus Labuschagne has been forced to open alongside Jake Weatherald. Apparently Khawaja is fit to bat but will have to wait the appropriate amount of time to bat.
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Starc has five, Australia hunt the tail
17 Five wicket hauls in Tests for Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc raised the ball to the crowd after picking up his 17th Test five-wicket haul in Tests and his fifth in Ashes cricket. It came with arguably his least threatening delivery, a back of a length ball angled across Gus Atkinson who meekly nicked it to Steve Smith at second slip. But it has been a magnificent display of fast bowling. Hardly a delivery under 140kph. He has been using the three-quarter seam grip to nip the ball away from the right-handers and into the left-handers. It's worked to all comers. Crawley, Root and Atkinson nicked balls angling across, Duckett and Stokes were beaten on the inside by balls angling in. Starc now has 11 wickets in his last 20 overs in Test cricket, after taking 6 for 9 in his most recent Test.
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Blistering Brook falls to Doggett for 52
Matt Roller writes:
Steve Smith has had a man out on the pull for Harry Brook ever since he walked out to bat in the ninth over but Australia had hardly bowled a short ball to him before his dismissal. He ducked under one from Mitchell Starc that flew down the leg side and knocked one on its head to reach a 58-ball 50, but the nature of his dismissal to Brendan Doggett – gloving behind while pulling out of a hook – will surely mean a change of plans next time he walks out to bat.
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Starc gets Stokes for the 10th time
10 Number of times Mitchell Starc has dismissed Ben Stokes in Tests
Ben Stokes dropped to one knee, fist on the ground for balance, staring at the pitch infront of him daring not to look back at his splayed stumps behind him. Mitchell Starc had snaked a ball back through his gate at 140.9kph to spark another almighty roar from the Perth fans. Starc has four for the day. He has now dismissed Stokes 10 times in Test cricket in 22 meetings for a cost of just 190 runs. Starc is making a staggering statement on the opening day of this series. Hard to believe he could add to his extraordinary legacy. But he's writing another chapter.
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Cummins 'a chance' for Brisbane
Australia's injured skipper Pat Cummins has told Channel Seven he is a chance to play in Brisbane after ramping up his bowling loads in Perth.
"Probably on track, if not, probably better than I would've thought say a month or so ago," Cummins said during a lunch break interview on day one. "A lot can go wrong when you go from nothing to trying to build up, but fortunately so far everything's felt great. I've been pulling up really well and probably surprised myself if anything. So yeah, obviously you do bit more work this week bowling then having a couple of days off, but all going pretty well so far."
Cummins looked supreme in an eight-over spell in the nets on Monday in Perth. He backed it up with another spell on match eve.
"I'm going on three-day cycles at the moment," Cummins said. "I've been bowling up to 10 overs and then have two full rest days. Let the bone and the body recover and then go again and tick that box and you move onto the next session and it's been really good. We'll see. Obviously Brisbane's about two weeks away, so have a few more sessions and see. That's a chance.
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Starc and Australia on top after frantic session
When Ben Stokes made the uncharacteristic call to bat first after the coin fell his way, a lunch score of 105 for 4 would not have been his preferred outcome. Mitchell Starc has been the stand-out on the first morning of the Ashes. While many on both sides looked nervous, Starc slipped into beast mode and ripped out three of England's top four in a devastating opening six-over burst. Scott Boland did not bowl well. Brendan Doggett looked good on debut but was unable to break through. Ollie Pope and Harry Brook steadied, albeit with some skittish but aggressive batting. Pope made his highest Ashes score but then missed a full straight ball from Cameron Green. Brook and Ben Stokes now hold the key for England to post a big score. The pitch will only get better to bat on this afternoon and tomorrow. Brook has been wild, borderline reckless with his approach but he's still there. Australia will be wary of letting him get away after lunch.
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Green strikes in bowling return
Cameron Green's last bowl in Test cricket was March 10, 2024. It was also the last time he took a wicket in Test cricket. Some Australian fans have queried whether Green should be playing ahead of Beau Webster as the lone allrounder coming off his back surgery. But he has already had an impact on his home ground. With a very full straight delivery he pinned Ollie Pope lbw, England's top-scorer so far. Pope reviewed in hope but it was was hitting a fair chunk of leg stump despite being umpire's call. Green now has Pope three times in Test cricket. He also has Crawley three times and Root and Stokes twice each. Green also has 23 Test wickets at 24.95 in Australian conditions. He looms a key plank in Australia's attack across the series and he will be used to strategically. He only bowled six balls and was pulled off, as Nathan Lyon replaced him to bowl to Ben Stokes.
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Pope starting to settle after nervy start
Matt Roller has kept at eye on Ollie Pope's start:
Ollie Pope’s spot at No. 3 has been under huge scrutiny over the past 12 months but he has been England’s most assured batter this morning. There have been a few nervy moments early on – squeezing his first ball past gully for three, chopping his third to second slip on the bounce, and being worked over in Brendan Doggett’s first over – but he has also played several crisp punches down the ground, and a couple of strong cuts. This is already his highest score in Australia (previously 35 on the first day of the 2021-22 series) and he looks well-placed for a first Ashes half-century at the 11th attempt.
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First over Ashes history
Sampath Bandarupalli has dug out the wickets in the opening over of an Ashes series:
Stan Worthington off Ernie McCormick, Brisbane, 1936 (1st ball)
Jack Moroney off Trevor Bailey, Brisbane, 1950 (4th ball)
Gary Cosier - Run Out, Brisbane, 1978 (5th ball)
Andrew Strauss off Ben Hilfenhaus, Brisbane, 2010 (3rd ball)
Rory Burns off Mitchell Starc, Brisbane, 2021 (1st ball)
Zak Crawley off Mitchell Starc, Perth, 2025 (6th ball)
Starc bowled the first over of an Ashes series for the fourth time today, the most by any bowler. Jack Gregory and Dennis Lillee done it three times each.
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Starc takes 100th Ashes wicket
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Mitchell Starc is a marvel. Australia's ironman continues to prove he is indefatigable. The only one of the big three fit and standing at the start of the series, with 100 Tests and 400 wickets to his name, edging towards his 36th birthday, all the predictions of age finally catching up with him continue to get left in a wake of 140kph wicket-taking rockets. He now has 100 of his 400 against England. His 100th and his third wicket of the morning was easily his best. After removing Crawley and Duckett via the help of some batter error, he bowled a peach to England's best player Joe Root. 142.8kph, pitching on leg and nipping across, he turned Root around like a pretzel as he tried to push onside only to edge it to the safe hands of Marnus Labuschagne at third slip. Starc is making a statement in the absence of Cummins and Hazlewood. He is the man England need to see off and they have failed to do so thus far.
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Duckett wastes a start, burns a review
Ben Duckett looked sharp. He looms as a key player for England given how important England's openers were to their last Ashes victory in Australia in 2010-11. His movements against Scott Boland were particularly impressive. Boland missed his lengths but Duckett never missed, driving him down the ground consistently. But he looked far less assured against Mitchell Starc and paid the price, missing a relatively straight half-volley on leg to be trapped lbw. Duckett took a review with him for good measure. England's start has been skittish. The pitch looks good for batting. They wouldn't want to waste it.
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Bazball continues to bash Boland
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Former England captain Michael Atherton wrote pre-series that Scott Boland will hold no fears for England based off what they did to him in 2023. Australia felt his record in Australia meant he would be a different proposition. But he has never played first-class cricket at Perth Stadium and he has got his lengths horribly wrong in the opening spell. Ben Duckett has driven him time and again when he has strayed full. Boland has only beaten the bat a handful of times and has switched from around the wicket to over multiple times. He's conceded 23 runs from his first 18 deliveries.
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Starc does it again
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Deja vu anyone? It wasn't quite first ball but Mitchell Starc strikes in the opening over of a home Ashes again. First ball Zak Crawley defended in an anticlimax. He played a wild drive and missed a half volley. Sixth ball of the over he flashed again on the up and nicked to Usman Khawaja who clutched it to his abdomen after initially juggling it. It was an excellent delivery from Starc, gripping it with the angled seam to get the angle away and the length was perfect. But driving that length in Perth is just not a high percentage play.
Starc adds another first over strike to his collection.
Matt Roller notes the stark contrast in the Starc versus Crawley match-up to 2023.
Starc to Crawley in 2023: 125 balls, 114 runs, 1 dismissal
Starc to Crawley in 2025-26: 6 balls, 0 runs, 1 dismissal
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Around the Wicket Ashes Preview
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Toss - England elect to bat first
Ben Stokes pulls a surprise and elects to bat first. They have gone with history at the ground. All five Tests here have been won by the side batting first. The teams are as expected.
Australia: Jake Weatherald, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett
England: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood
Here's Matt Roller on England's decision to leave out Shoaib Bashir: "It has been signposted for a while but England’s decision to pick an all-seam attack is significant. They have invested heavily in Shoaib Bashir, selecting him in 19 out of 20 Tests between his debut and the Lord’s Test against India in July, but have decided that conditions in Perth won’t suit him. The previous five Tests at this venue have seen Nathan Lyon take 29 wickets, visiting spinners have only managed eight between them.It is only the third time since Ben Stokes took over that England have gone in without a frontline spinner, and they lost the previous two. But this balance should allow Stokes to use his quicks in shorter bursts, which is particularly relevant to Mark Wood. Wood hasn't played a Test match since last August after elbow and knee injuries, and reported hamstring soreness after eight overs in last week's tour match at Lilac Hill."
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Doggett and Boland make history
There have only been two Australian men with indigenous heritage to play Test cricket for Australia. Both of them, Jason Gillespie and Scott Boland, have presented the third member of their exclusive club Brendan Doggett with Test cap 472. It will be the first time Australia will have two indigenous men in the same XI. It's a full circle moment for Boland and Doggett who opened the bowling together for Australia's Aboriginal XI on the 2018 tour of England that celebrated the 150th anniversary of the first Australian Aboriginal team to tour England in 1868.
Meanwhile, David Warner has presented Jake Weatherald with cap No.473. It is a passing of the baton of sorts given Weatherald is the most similar player to Warner to debut since Warner retired. But Weatherald is also the sixth different opening partner Usman Khawaja has had since Warner finished. Australia will want to lock that revolving door for the remainder of this series.
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Here we go
It's finally here. After all the talk in the build-up, day one of the Ashes is about to get underway in Perth. The pitch has plenty of grass but it looks firm underneath. Should be very good for batting on day two. The weather is glorious today but there are some showers in the predictions for the weekend. Huge crowd expected. The members is already filling up. It will be a record crowd at this venue for Test cricket. Well over 50,000 expected.
In team news, Mark Wood is marking his run so England are set to play an all seam attack and Shoaib Bashir misses out. This is Nathan Lyon's favourite Test ground in Australia. He's the leading wicket taker here with 29 wickets at 20.86.
Australia will hand out two new caps today to Brendan Doggett and Jake Weatherald. The cap presentation is not far away.
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