England's Batting Woes Continue in Perth
England's hopes in the first Ashes Test suffered a devastating blow as they were skittled for just 164 in their second innings at Perth. The dramatic collapse, which saw nine wickets fall for 99 runs in a single afternoon session, has left Australia chasing 205 for victory with more than three scheduled days remaining.
Afternoon Session Carnage
Having established a 40-run first-innings lead, England appeared reasonably placed despite Zak Crawley's second duck of the match. They moved to 105 for one shortly after lunch, building what seemed like a competitive advantage. However, the match turned decisively in Australia's favour during a catastrophic period for the English batting lineup.
Ben Duckett edged Scott Boland behind, sparking a ruinous sequence that saw England's middle order dismantled in just six deliveries without adding to the total. Ollie Pope, who had enjoyed several lucky escapes during his innings of 33, finally nicked Boland to the keeper. The bowler then removed the dangerous Harry Brook for a duck with just his third delivery.
Starc Continues Dominance
Mitchell Starc, fresh from career-best first-innings figures of seven for 58, took centre stage once again. He clean bowled Joe Root via a big inside edge before capturing the crucial wicket of England's inspirational captain Ben Stokes, caught in the cordon. Starc's devastating spell effectively broke the back of England's resistance.
The tourists suffered further frustration when Jamie Smith was controversially given out caught behind off Brendan Doggett. A painfully long DRS review went with the bowler despite clear uncertainty surrounding the UltraEdge technology.
Brief Resistance Before Tea
From the depths of 104 for seven, England mounted a spirited counter-attack as Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse added a frantic 50-run partnership. The pair took on Australia's boundary fielders, hitting three fours and four sixes between them. However, their resistance was short-lived as the home side quelled the fightback just before the tea interval, with Boland finishing with impressive figures of four for 33.
The match now appears destined for an early conclusion, with Australia requiring 205 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the Ashes series. England will need to produce something special with the ball to prevent the hosts from cantering to victory in Perth.
