The first Ashes Test witnessed a remarkable opening day with nineteen wickets falling, as England’s bowling attack, led by captain Ben Stokes, gained an advantage after Australia bowled out England for 172.This marked a historic moment, as the last time 18 or more wickets fell on an Ashes Test opening day was in 1909 at Old Trafford, where Australia scored 147/10 and England made 119/10.Mitchell Starc’s outstanding performance of 7-58 put England in a difficult position after Stokes chose to bat first on a clear day at the packed Perth Stadium.
Harry Brook scored 52 runs and Ollie Pope contributed 46 runs, providing the only meaningful resistance as England’s innings collapsed after lunch.England’s fast bowlers responded strongly, with Stokes taking exceptional figures of 5-23, reducing Australia to 123-9 at stumps, trailing by 49 runs. Nathan Lyon remained not out on three, with Brendan Doggett yet to score.Australia’s innings began with unexpected drama as Usman Khawaja did not open with Marnus Labuschagne, instead Jake Weatherald made his debut appearance.Weatherald’s Test cricket debut was brief, as he was dismissed for a duck on his second ball, falling victim to Jofra Archer’s lbw decision.Labuschagne managed nine runs from 41 balls before Archer’s pace proved too much, bowling him with a fuller delivery.The situation intensified when Steve Smith was caught by Brook at slip off Brydon Carse’s bowling for 17 runs.Khawaja, batting at number four due to stiffness, lasted only six balls before being caught behind by Jamie Smith off Carse’s bouncer, leaving Australia at 31-4.Cameron Green (24), Travis Head (21), Alex Carey (26), and Starc (12) made starts but were all dismissed by Stokes after he introduced himself into the bowling attack.Starc’s impressive opening spell claimed three wickets, including Joe Root for zero, before dismissing Stokes after lunch and completing his haul.Despite all five previous Tests at Perth being won by teams batting first, England struggled initially, getting off to a poor start.Starc continued his first-over excellence, now having taken a wicket in the opening over 24 times, as he dismissed Zak Crawley for zero, caught by Khawaja at slip.Ben Duckett showed promise with a well-executed four off Scott Boland but fell to Starc’s lbw appeal for 21, leaving England at 33-2.Root’s latest attempt to score his first century in Australia ended quickly, edging to Labuschagne at third slip after facing just seven balls.Pope showed composure until Green dismissed him lbw, with England reaching 105-4 at lunch.Brook began aggressively after lunch, hitting Boland for six before Starc removed Stokes with an inswinger when the captain had scored six.Brook reached his fourteenth Test half-century but was caught behind off Doggett, giving the debutant his first Test wicket.Starc claimed Gus Atkinson’s wicket to secure his seventeenth five-wicket haul, and alongside Doggett, they efficiently dismissed England’s remaining batsmen.
