The first day of the highly anticipated Ashes series delivered a breathless spectacle in Perth, where a staggering 19 wickets tumbled, setting a frantic pace for the contest. By stumps, Australia found themselves nine down in their first innings, trailing England by 49 runs after the visitors had earlier been dismissed for 172.
England’s bowling unit received high praise from within their own ranks following a sustained and aggressive performance. Seamer Brydon Carse described the pace attack’s approach as “relentless,” crediting captain Ben Stokes for his astute leadership and positive messaging during the chaotic day. Stokes’s tactical rotation of his bowlers proved highly effective, with the skipper himself delivering a decisive five-wicket spell after entering the attack in the 28th over.
“His character, his resilience is everything this team strives to be,” Carse said of his captain. “The collective mindset is to keep passing the ball over to each other and stick to our plans. We have a group of fast bowlers who offer different skills and complement each other well, and that relentlessness is what we want to be known for.”
The drama began early when Australia’s Mitchell Starc struck with the sixth ball of the match, setting the tone for a day dominated by the ball. Starc produced a magnificent seven-wicket haul, his career-best figures for the third time in a year, to dismantle the English batting order. Despite the low total, Carse insisted the team’s spirit, buoyed by Stokes’s unwavering enthusiasm, never faltered.
Reflecting on the extraordinary number of dismissals, Starc dismissed simple explanations of poor batting or a treacherous pitch. “We often sit here and blame the wicket or the batting, but I think both teams bowled really well,” he stated. “England’s aggressive approach creates opportunities, and sometimes you just have to say it was pretty good bowling from both teams.”
Australia’s reply was immediately disrupted by the late withdrawal of opener Usman Khawaja, who suffered a back spasm, forcing a last-minute reshuffle. The home side’s innings then mirrored England’s, with wickets falling at regular intervals against a disciplined and persistent bowling attack.
Despite the dramatic shift in momentum, Starc expressed confidence in his team’s composure. “We’re a pretty calm group,” he said. “It’s not the first time things haven’t gone our way. We’re behind, but there’s a long time left in this game.”
The remarkable tally of wickets marks the most prolific opening day in an Ashes Test since 1909, ensuring the series has ignited with immediate and fierce intensity, leaving everything to play for as the teams prepare for day two.