the ashes, 2025 26

Mitchell Starc to Mark Wood, out Caught by Carey!! Seven for Mitchell Starc and England have been bowled out for 172. Mark Wood didn't hang around or didn't want to. It's short just outside off, he backs away outside the leg-stump, this keeps rising and is not there for the cut, he plays it anyway, right off the bottom of the bat and straight up. Carey settles under it and that's the end of the innings. Starc leads the team off the field. Mark Wood c Carey b Mitchell Starc 0(1)

Mitchell Starc to Jamie Smith, out Caught by Green!! Jamie Smith had to take on the bowling and he perishes as a result. Length delivery on off and middle, Jamie Smith actually times the heave, but picks out deep square-leg. Green takes it easily on the reverse-cup. Again these big boundaries and it's not easy to clear them. Green like Marnus is well in from the fence and catches it. Australia just one wicket away now from bowling England out. Jamie Smith c Green b Mitchell Starc 33(22) [4s-6]

Doggett to Brydon Carse, out Caught by Labuschagne!! Such a fine catch at deep backward square-leg. Actually Marnus misjudged it, but he hangs on as he leaps at the end to take it two-handed. A short delivery at Brydon Carse who pulls and any other ground it was six, but this is a massive arena, Marnus is well in from the cushions, went quickly and it was flying. Marnus doesn't pick it at first but then shows good judgement as he backtracks to take it. The short ball ploy is doing wonders for Doggett and Australia. Brydon Carse c Labuschagne b Doggett 6(9) [4s-1]

Mitchell Starc to Atkinson, out Caught by Smith!! Michelle fifer for Mitchell Starc. It's a length delivery outside off, angling away, nothing shot from Atkinson, he hangs the bat out and the thick outside-edge goes low to 2nd slip, Smith makes no mistake and Starc shows off the ball to the crowd. Australia have gone bang bang here. Atkinson c Smith b Mitchell Starc 1(2)

Doggett to Brook, out Caught by Carey!! First Test wicket for Doggett. Dug in short and leg-sidish, Brook was looking to get out of the way, but the ball brushes the top hand glove - the left one, Carey and Smith knew it. Doggett wasn't too keen. Nitin Menon didn't give it and as Australia review, Brook started walking off. RTS shows a clear spike. Brook fails to get away from the line of the ball. The short ball has paid immediate dividends here. Australia break this stand totally against the run of play. Brook c Carey b Doggett 52(61) [4s-5 6s-1]

Mitchell Starc to Stokes, out Bowled!! Knocked him over! There's that inward curl again and Stokes gets bamboozled. Starc picks up a 4-fer and he is really charged up! 140.9kph length delivery in the channel, seams in after landing, Stokes tries to drive on the up but leaves a bat-pad gap and the ball goes right through that to crash into middle and off. Starc has dismissed Stokes for the tenth time in Test cricket. He set him up with a series of outswingers and caught him off-guard with one that nipped back in. Brilliant piece of bowling from Starc but it was a loose shot from Stokes as well. Stokes b Mitchell Starc 6(12)

Green to Pope, out Lbw!! The partnership has been broken. Green strikes! That is going to give him a big boost. There was a lot of talk about Green and his bowling, but he has delivered in his first over. Very full delivery, close to yorker length, Pope shuffles across and plays all around it, misses the flick and is struck low on the pad. The impact was in front of the stumps and that's why umpire Nitin Menon had his finger up. Pope did review it but ball-tracking came back with umpire's call. A typical Pope knock - looks good, has a start but does not convert it into a big score. Pope lbw b Green 46(58) [4s-4]

Mitchell Starc to Root, out Caught by Labuschagne!! Starc is on fire as he gets a 3-fer in his first spell! England in disarray! Skiddy back of a length ball that pitches on leg-stump and seams away sharply to open Root up in his stance. He plays it with a closed bat-face and a thick outside edge flies to third slip. Labuschagne gets low as he tries to take it with both hands near his chest but the ball pops out a bit. But, he manages to maintain balance as his hands are close to his body and he holds on. A failure for Root in his first innings of 2025-26 Ashes. Root c Labuschagne b Mitchell Starc 0(7)

Mitchell Starc to Duckett, out Lbw!! Duckett has been trapped in front but after a chat with his partner, he decides to challenge the decision. It looks adjacent to the naked eye. Was a fuller length delivery that swung in on middle and leg, Duckett was caught in the crease as he tried to keep it out but got beaten on the inside edge and pinned on the pad. Snicko shows a gap between bat and ball. Over to ball-tracking and it reveals three reds. That would have crashed into the leg-stump. Duckett departs and takes a review with him as well. The lack of foot movement cost him his wicket there. Also, the brilliant stop from Green on the previous delivery was instrumental as it was only a single and that kept Duckett on strike. Small things like these matter a lot. Duckett lbw b Mitchell Starc 21(20) [4s-4]

Mitchell Starc to Crawley, out Caught by Khawaja!! Mitchell Starc strikes! Not off the first ball but in the first over for sure! Mitchell Starc is up and running as he roars in delight! Good channel bowling from Mitchell Starc and he has got the reward. 143.6kph back of a length delivery angled across, seaming away after pitching, Crawley with minimal foot movement tries to drive on the up through covers but gets a thick outside edge. Khawaja at first slip manages to hold onto it. Wasn't that convincing as the ball slipped out of his hands but he used his body to clutch on. Not an ideal shot from Crawley first up but that's how they play in the Bazball era. Crawley c Khawaja b Mitchell Starc 0(6)

Brydon Carse to Lyon, out Caught by Duckett!! Carse ends it for England. He just needed a couple of balls to pick the wicket. Full delivery, there for the drive and Lyon goes for it, but the ball nibbles enough to fly off the outside edge and Duckett pouches it safely at gully. Lyon c Duckett b Brydon Carse 4(21)

Stokes to Boland, out Caught by Brook!! What a player! Stokes has come to England's rescue. The skipper shows the ball around the Perth Stadium. He has a 5-fer in just 6 overs. England were in trouble after being bowled out for 172 but their captain is leading from the front once again. Back of a length delivery, angled in and holds its line, Boland is caught in the crease and having a tentative poke, the outside edge goes low to second slip and Brook bends down to scoop it before it hits the ground. Boland c Brook b Stokes 0(2)

Stokes to Carey, out Caught by Brydon Carse!! This is poor! Carey knew what he had done as soon as he played it. The trap was set and he falls right into it. There was a third man in place. Stokes banged it halfway down, Carey backs away and ramps it straight down Carse's throat. He moved in a few yards and picked up third catch off Stokes's bowling. Carey was the one to get Australia close to England's total and he too departs. Carey c Brydon Carse b Stokes 26(26) [4s-3]

Stokes to Mitchell Starc, out Caught by Brydon Carse!! Third wicket for Stokes. Reckless shot from Starc. There was no need to play the big shot. But that's the beauty of counterattacking cricket - you live by the sword and die by it. Fullish delivery and Starc's eyes lit up, he looks to bash this down the ground but ends up dragging it off the inner half to mid-on, another easy catch for Carse. The bat turned on impact and hence there was no timing. Australia are 7 down and still 54 runs adrift. Mitchell Starc c Brydon Carse b Stokes 12(12)

Stokes to Green, out Caught by Jamie Smith!! Edged and gone! Second wicket for Stokes. Australia in trouble now. Both their set batters gone in quick succession. Stokes is pumped and so are the rest of his team mates. This is a classic Stokes wicket. Fullish delivery, angled in and Green is drawn into the drive as the line is outside off, but the ball straightens to catch the outside edge and Jamie Smith has a simple take behind the stumps. Green was looking assured but he too departs. Green c Jamie Smith b Stokes 24(50) [4s-2]

Stokes to Head, out Caught by Brydon Carse!! The English skipper strikes and he is cock-a-hoop! It's a really soft dismissal to be honest. That's an important wicket for England as we all know the superlative ability of Head to take games away from the opposition from difficult situations. Short of a length delivery angling in towards off from round the wicket, Head hops and whips it and doesn't bother to keep it down. Carse at mid-on takes a simple catch. That's what a consistent period of disciplined bowling can do to the opposition. Head was particularly looking susceptible with his footwork and never quite looked settled out there. Head has thrown his wicket away. Head c Brydon Carse b Stokes 21(35) [4s-1]

Brydon Carse to Khawaja, out Caught by Jamie Smith!! A snorter and Khawaja is gone. Flicks the shoulder of the bat on the way to Jamie Smith. From round the wicket, angle in and rising on a short of length, Khawaja looks to take the bottom hand out of the ball's way, but it flicks the shoulder of the bat and the finger is up. Brydon Carse generating disconcerting bounce and Khawaja had no clue there. RTS shows a spike when ball is next to bat. England have their fourth and the Barmy Army are singing loudly. The seam came wobbling out of Carse's hand and it may have flicked the left bicep on the way to the keeper too. Khawaja was looking to sway away but couldn't in time. Khawaja c Jamie Smith b Brydon Carse 2(6)

Brydon Carse to Smith, out Caught by Brook!! Edged and gone. Brydon Carse runs away to his mates to celebrate. Smith was getting squared up all innings and now he falls. This is angled in towards him, short of length and with his shuffle he plays at this, the thick outside-edge is found and flies to 2nd slip, Brook makes no mistake. Without the shuffle across outside off, Smith could have left that. Once it seams away, the outside-edge is in business. England on fire here and the game is moving at the rate of light here. Smith c Brook b Brydon Carse 17(49) [4s-2]

Jofra Archer to Labuschagne, out Bowled!! Tad unlucky but England won't complain. It's a rising short of length delivery on off, nips back in a tad, Labuschagne is late in leaving that, shoulders arms and the ball hits the right arm and falls on the stumps. Labuschagne was looking good but now he has to go. Second for Jofra Archer. This was bowled at 144.2 kph and rushed Labuschagne with extra bounce. Labuschagne b Jofra Archer 9(41) [4s-1]

Jofra Archer to Weatherald, out Lbw!! Second ball duck for Weatherald on debut. He is on the floor too. It has pitched in line, full and at pace, at 140kph, Weatherald falls over as he flicks and misses, once it has pitched in line, then it was curtains for Weatherald, it swung in late and rapped him low on the pads. Crashing flush into middle and leg. Jofra Archer was convinced that it was out but umpire Adrian Holdstock was not. England had a chat and Stokes went for it. The perfect start for England. Weatherald lbw b Jofra Archer 0(2)