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Australia has made a dominant start to their Ashes 2025 defence, thanks to a devastating bowling display from Mitchell Starc. The star fast bowler delivered a career-best 7-58, ripping through England’s batting lineup to dismiss them for a paltry 172 before tea on day one of the First Test in Perth.
Starc’s lethal pace and swing were the central story of the day. His fiery opening spell immediately put the visitors on the back foot, claiming three of the first four wickets, including sending Zak Crawley back to the pavilion for a second-ball duck in the very first over. After lunch, the left-armer showcased his full repertoire, delivering a rapid 141 kph inswinger that clean-bowled England captain Ben Stokes, completely dismantling any lingering resistance.
Only Harry Brook offered a semblance of a fight with an attacking 52 off 61 balls before falling to debutant Brendan Doggett, who finished with strong figures of 2-27. The final four wickets contributed a mere 12 runs, confirming that England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ philosophy had spectacularly collapsed under relentless Australian pressure. Starc wrapped up the innings by trapping Gus Atkinson and dismissing Mark Wood for a first-ball duck, achieving his fifth Ashes five-wicket haul and 17th overall.
The rivalry for the Ashes is the most celebrated and historic in Test cricket, dating back to 1882. The name originated following a satirical obituary published in an English newspaper after Australia secured their first-ever Test victory on English soil at The Oval. The article declared that English cricket had “died” and “the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.” The English captain, Ivo Bligh, then vowed to “regain those ashes” on the subsequent tour to Australia, leading to the creation of the famous, diminutive terracotta urn.
Over the decades, the series has produced some of the sport’s most intense and memorable moments. This includes the infamous ‘Bodyline’ series of 1932-33, where England controversially deployed aggressive fast, short-pitched bowling tactics to combat the brilliance of Don Bradman, and more recently, the unforgettable heroics of Ian Botham in 1981 and Ben Stokes in 2019. Now, in the Ashes 2025 opener, Starc has already added a stunning chapter to this enduring saga, setting the tone for what is expected to be another fierce contest for the coveted urn.
In reply, Australia finished the session trailing by 157 runs at 15-1. The single loss was debutant opener Jake Weatherald, who was dismissed for a second-ball duck. Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith saw out a challenging final spell of the afternoon, navigating a hostile barrage from English pacemen Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, who both consistently touched speeds of 150 kph. With two of their most experienced batsmen at the crease, Australia will look to build a significant lead and consolidate their strong position on a tricky, fast-paced Perth pitch.
