Chaos in Perth as Bowlers Dominate Dramatic Opening Day
The 2025-26 Ashes series exploded into life with an extraordinary opening day in Perth, where a staggering 19 wickets tumbled, leaving Australia on the ropes at 123 for nine, still 49 runs behind England's first-innings total. After winning the toss, England were bowled out for 172, but their pace attack hit back with ferocious intensity to wrestle control away from the hosts.
England's 'Relentless' Pace Barrage
England bowler Brydon Carse was quick to praise his team's "relentless" approach after the day's play. Despite posting a below-par score, Carse highlighted the unwavering positivity from captain Ben Stokes. "He was always positive, always full of enthusiasm," Carse said. "Stokesy said: 'Let's smash the wicket hard and let's get as much as we can out of it.'"
Carse explained that the collective mindset of the seam attack was key. "That's the collective messaging throughout the group, everyone 100% buys in to that... Hopefully that relentlessness... will stand us in good stead," he added, praising the complementary skills of England's six or seven fast bowlers.
Starc's Career-Best and Stokes's Magic
The day began with a blistering spell from Australia's Mitchell Starc, who produced career-best figures of seven for 58. Starc struck with the sixth ball of the match, dismissing Zak Crawley for the seventh time he has taken a wicket in the first over of a Test. "It's always been my role to be aggressive, to look for wickets, especially with the new ball," Starc stated, dismissing concerns about economy rates.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically when Ben Stokes brought himself into the attack. Held back until the 28th over, the England captain produced a game-changing spell, ripping through the Australian middle order to claim a five-wicket haul. "He's amazing," Carse hailed. "His character, his resilience is everything that this team strives to be."
Fallout and Looking Ahead
The chaotic day was further complicated by an injury to Australian opener Usman Khawaja, who suffered a back spasm and was forced to bat at number four. "We got caught off guard there a little bit," admitted Starc, who remained calm about his team's position despite the collapse. "We're a pretty calm group... We're 50-odd behind, and there's still a long time left in this game."
Reflecting on the carnage, Starc gave credit where it was due: "We often sit here and say 'It's the wicket' or 'It's the batting', but I think both teams bowled really well... Sometimes you can just say it's pretty good bowling from both teams." This remarkable day of Test cricket, featuring the most wickets on an Ashes opening day since 1909, has set the stage for a thrilling continuation.
