Stokes Inspires Dramatic England Fightback in Perth
Ben Stokes produced an inspirational captain's performance, turning what seemed like certain disaster into a remarkable fightback for England on an unprecedented opening day of the Ashes series at Perth Stadium. After being dismissed for a meagre 172 runs in just 32.5 overs, England were staring down the barrel before their skipper stepped up with the ball.
Captain's Heroics With the Ball
Stokes, making his comeback from a shoulder injury, delivered a relentless assault on the Australian batting line-up, claiming his third five-wicket haul in Tests against Australia and the sixth of his career. His heroic efforts reduced the hosts to 123 for nine by the close of play, completely shifting the momentum of the match.
Teammate Brydon Carse was full of praise for his captain's resilience. "Unbelievable," Carse stated. "The way he's trained over the last three or four months to get to this position to be fit and firing. He reaped his reward. His character and resilience is something this team looks up to."
A Day of Records and Drama
The action-packed day saw more wickets fall than on any day one of an Ashes Test since 1909, thrilling a full house of 51,531 spectators at the Perth Stadium. Australia's Mitchell Starc had set the tone early, responding to the absence of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood with career-best figures of seven for 58.
Starc's devastating spell included dismissing Zak Crawley with his sixth ball - the 24th time in his career he has taken a wicket in the first over of an innings. "It's always been my role to be aggressive," Starc explained. "I've never been one to worry about economy rates."
History was made when Jofra Archer pinned debutant Jake Weatherald LBW second ball, marking the first time in Ashes history that wickets had fallen for both teams before a run was scored. Carse then compounded Australia's problems by dismissing stand-in captain Steve Smith, a plan he described as "a really nice feeling."
Injury Concerns Loom for Australia
The drama continued off the field for Australia, with news emerging that Josh Hazlewood's hamstring injury will also rule him out of the Brisbane Test in a fortnight. This came after Usman Khawaja was forced off the field with a back spasm, creating further selection headaches for the home side.
As the dust settles on one of the most dramatic days in Ashes history, England will feel they have snatched the initiative from the jaws of defeat, largely thanks to their phenomenal captain Ben Stokes.
