Australia Crush England in First Ashes Test at Perth Stadium

The first Ashes Test at Perth Stadium ended in a shocking fashion as Australia defeated England by eight wickets inside just two days. In a match full of twists, England went from a strong position to a total collapse, leaving the crowd in disbelief.

England started the second day with hope after topping a 19-wicket first day. However, Australian fast bowlers Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc completely changed the game. They shared ten wickets between them, dismantling England’s batting in a dramatic middle session. Boland triggered a major collapse, taking key wickets in quick succession, reducing England to 4-11 in just 19 balls. Starc then joined in, removing Joe Root and Ben Stokes, leaving England struggling.

Chasing 205 for victory, Australia’s makeshift opener Travis Head played an incredible innings, scoring 123 runs off 83 balls. His aggressive batting set the tone as Australia reached the target in only 28.2 overs, scoring at over seven runs per over. Head’s century, the equal third fastest by an Australian in Test cricket, thrilled the 49,983 fans in the stadium. Marnus Labuschagne remained unbeaten on 51 runs, while Steven Smith hit the winning run, sparking scenes of celebration.

Head was promoted to open after Usman Khawaja faced back spasms during England’s innings. Despite having opened only in South Asia before, Head embraced the role with confidence, supporting debutant Jake Weatherald and attacking England’s bowlers fearlessly. He punished short-pitched deliveries and took advantage of England’s inconsistent bowling, particularly against Ben Stokes, hitting boundaries that thrilled Australian supporters.

England had started the second day in a strong position at 65 for 1 with a lead of 105, but they soon crumbled under pressure. Boland’s accurate bowling dismantled the top order, while Starc maintained relentless pace and swing. Even efforts from lower-order batsmen Carse and Gus Atkinson, who shared a 47-run partnership, could not prevent the defeat. Brendan Doggett, in his Test debut, finished the innings with five wickets, adding to England’s misery.

Australia had struggled earlier, resuming at 123 for 9 in their first innings, but Doggett and Nathan Lyon helped reduce the deficit slightly. England’s bowlers initially applied pressure, but Australia fought back with aggressive running and decisive hitting. Starc’s swing and pace proved too much, while Boland improved after a costly first innings spell to wreak havoc in the second innings.

England’s batting line-up collapsed under Australian attack, while Head’s fearless century and the combined fast-bowling effort of Starc and Boland sealed a dramatic and dominant win for Australia. This result will boost Australia’s confidence and puts immense pressure on England in the Ashes series.