Well, if you were worried the opening day of the Ashes wouldn't live up to the hype, you can put those fears to rest. What an absolutely wild, rollercoaster of a day in Perth. It felt like, as Aussie player Pat Cummins said, "four days' worth of cricket" all crammed into one. We saw a total of 19 wickets tumble, a career-best bowling performance, and a captain's knock with the ball that completely flipped the script. You just couldn't take your eyes off it.
Key Highlights
- ✓ A chaotic opening day in Perth saw a staggering 19 wickets fall.
- ✓ Australian paceman Mitchell Starc was sensational, claiming career-best figures of 7-58.
- ✓ England captain Ben Stokes fired back with the ball, taking a remarkable five-wicket haul of 5-23.
- ✓ England were bowled out for just 172, with Harry Brook top-scoring with a resilient 52.
- ✓ Australia finished the day on a knife-edge at 123-9, still trailing England by 49 runs.
Starc's Thunderbolts Rattle England
The day started with a huge call from Ben Stokes, who won the toss and chose to bat. It’s a decision that historically pays off in Perth—every team that's batted first here has won. But almost immediately, it looked like a gamble that might not pay off. The undisputed leader of Australia's attack, Mitchell Starc, was on fire from the very first over, sending Zak Crawley back to the pavilion for a duck.
England found themselves in trouble early, reeling from Starc's onslaught which also claimed the key wickets of Ben Duckett and Joe Root, who also went for a duck. Ollie Pope (46) and Harry Brook (52) tried to mount a recovery, and for a while, it looked like they might get England to a respectable total. Brook, in particular, played some magnificent shots on his way to a half-century.
But then, the floor fell out from under them. After Stokes himself was bowled by Starc for just 6, England suffered a catastrophic collapse, losing their final five wickets for a measly 12 runs. It was a procession, and Starc finished with simply incredible, career-best figures of 7-58. As commentator Jonathan Agnew noted, he was the star of the show because he "didn't really have any support at the other end."
England's Pace Attack Roars Back
With only 172 on the board, things looked grim for England. But this is the Ashes, and the drama was only just getting started. It was time for England’s much-anticipated pace attack to have their say. And boy, did they. With his second ball of the innings, Jofra Archer trapped debutant opener Jake Weatherald lbw for a duck. What a start!
The opening spell from Archer and Gus Atkinson was described by Michael Vaughan as "some of the best bowling I've seen from England in a while." They were quick, intimidating, and skillful. Fellow seamer Brydon Carse joined the party, taking the huge wicket of Steve Smith and dismissing Usman Khawaja, who had to bat down the order due to "back spasms." Before you knew it, Australia were reeling at a shocking 31-4.
This is the England attack fans have been waiting to see, with the express pace of Archer and Mark Wood in the same Test team for only the second time ever. They absolutely troubled the Australian batters, and as Vaughan put it, an attack like this can "scar a team very early in a series." England's bowlers had come out breathing fire to get their batters out of a massive hole.
The Stokes Show Begins
Just as Australia looked to be building a partnership through Travis Head and Cameron Green, who put on 45, the game turned on its head once again. The man responsible? England’s captain, leader, and talisman, Ben Stokes. He brought himself on to bowl after tea and produced a spell that was nothing short of sensational.
He first broke the partnership by getting Head caught, and from there, he just took over. In a fiery, dominant six-over spell, Stokes ripped through the Australian lineup, ending the day with figures of 5-23. His teammate Brydon Carse summed it up perfectly: "Unbelievable. The way he’s trained over the last three or four months to get to this position to be fit and firing. Today he reaped his reward. His character and resilience is something this team looks up to."
A Day of Chaos Leaves the Match on a Knife-Edge
So, where does that leave us? At the close of play, Australia are 123-9, still 49 runs behind England's first-innings total. It's an incredible turnaround and leaves the first Test balanced precariously. England have a slender lead, but as Vaughan pointed out, this match is far from over. Australia "don't give up," and if the pitch flattens out, a chase of around 250 might not be too difficult.
The day was a perfect encapsulation of this England team under Stokes and McCullum—reckless and frustrating with the bat at times, but utterly thrilling and game-changing with the ball. They have, in Vaughan's words, "opened a little crack or two with Australia," and now the challenge is to widen that crack and not let them back into the contest.
This series was billed as a clash of styles, a verdict on England's aggressive approach, and a chance to change their miserable recent record down under. After a day that saw two stunning individual performances and constant momentum shifts, it's clear we're in for one heck of a series. Grab your popcorn, because day two is going to be fascinating.
Conclusion
What a truly remarkable opening day to the Ashes. It had absolutely everything: a batting collapse, a stunning seven-wicket haul from Mitchell Starc, and an inspirational five-wicket response from captain Ben Stokes. With 19 wickets down and Australia trailing by 49 runs with just one wicket in hand, this Test match is unbelievably poised. Day one didn't just live up to the hype; it smashed it to pieces, setting a breathless, unpredictable tone for the rest of the series.
