In an electrifying start to the 2025-26 Ashes series, a staggering 19 wickets tumbled on a breathtaking first day in Perth, leaving England with a significant early advantage. After being bowled out for 172 themselves, the tourists' pace attack roared back to skittle Australia for just 123, holding a lead of 49 runs.
England's Relentless Response
Despite posting what bowler Brydon Carse admitted was a below-par total, the mood in the England camp remained defiantly positive. Carse was full of praise for the team's character and their 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.'"
That enthusiasm translated into a devastating bowling performance after tea. Carse hailed the "relentless" nature of England's seam attack, a mentality he says every player buys into completely. "Hopefully that relentlessness, passing the ball over to each other... will stand us in good stead," he added, highlighting how the different skills within the bowling group complement each other perfectly.
Starc's Seven-Fer and Stokes's Magic
The day's drama began from the very first over. Australia's Mitchell Starc delivered a career-best performance, claiming seven wickets for 58 runs. He set the tone by dismissing England's Zak Crawley with the sixth ball of the match, marking 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.
For England, the game-changing spell came from their captain. Ben Stokes, held back until the 28th over, proceeded to tear through the Australian batting line-up, taking a five-wicket haul in just 11 overs as the hosts collapsed from 69 for four to 123 for nine.
Chaos and Calm in the Australian Camp
The chaos extended to Australia's preparations, with opener Usman Khawaja forced to bat at number four after suffering a back spasm late in England's innings. "We got caught off guard there a little bit," conceded Starc.
Reflecting on the carnage, which saw the most wickets fall on an Ashes opening day since 1909, 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," he said. "Sometimes you can just say it's pretty good bowling from both teams." Despite the dramatic shift in momentum, Starc insisted his team remained "a pretty calm group" and are ready to fight back on day two.
