On a dramatic opening day of the Ashes series in Perth, the narrative was rewritten by one man. With Australia’s vaunted pace attack missing two of its pillars, Mitchell Starc delivered a monumental performance, claiming a career-best 7 for 58 to dismantle England and seize immediate control of the contest.
The pre-series chatter had focused on the potential vulnerability of an Australian side without Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Instead, their absence created a stage for the veteran left-armer to produce a spell of sustained, high-quality fast bowling. While Scott Boland struggled for rhythm and debutant Brendan Doggett offered support, Starc was unplayable for large periods, transforming the celebrated ‘Big Three’ into a one-man wrecking crew.
England, opting for an aggressive approach, scored briskly but were undone by relentless accuracy and pace. Starc’s wickets were not gifts from reckless batting; they were earned through a masterclass in seam and swing bowling across two demanding spells. He removed Zak Crawley early, trapped Ben Duckett lbw, and found the edge of Joe Root with a delivery that seamed away late. His finest moment came after lunch, a vicious scrambled-seam ball that cut back through a gaping gate to castle Ben Stokes.
Despite England’s lower order swinging hard to post 172, the damage was profound. Australia’s reply then stuttered to 123 for 9 by stumps, ensuring the match remains precariously balanced. Yet, the day belonged indisputably to Starc, whose figures now sit among the most famous seven-wicket hauls in Ashes history.
The question now is whether this individual brilliance will be the foundation for an Australian victory or a standout performance in a lost cause. Starc will be required to bowl again soon and may need another heroic effort. But on this evidence, writing him off would be a grave mistake. For one day, at least, he proved that sometimes all a team needs is one big weapon, firing on all cylinders.