Starc Shines as Australia Rock England Early in Ashes Opener

Australia began their Ashes title defence in the best possible way on Friday as Mitchell Starc produced a brilliant bowling spell to dismantle England’s top order before lunch on the opening day in Perth. By the break, England were struggling at 105 for 4, a position that gave Australia early control of the match.

Australia entered the series with concerns due to injuries to their main fast bowlers, captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. With two key players missing, the pressure was on Mitchell Starc to lead the pace attack. The experienced left-arm fast bowler accepted the responsibility with confidence and delivered a powerful and accurate performance. Starc finished the first session with figures of 3 for 24, showing why he remains one of the most dangerous bowlers in world cricket.

England won the toss and chose to bat first on a pitch known for helping fast bowlers. To take advantage of the conditions, England selected an all-pace attack, preferring Brydon Carse ahead of young spinner Shoaib Bashir. Australia, on the other hand, picked two debutants: fast bowler Brendan Doggett and opening batter Jake Weatherald, adding fresh energy to their lineup.

The match began with high intensity as Starc bowled with great pace right from the first over. His very first success came quickly when he delivered a sharp 144 km/h ball that moved away from Zak Crawley. Crawley attempted an off-drive but edged the ball straight to Usman Khawaja at first slip, falling for a six-ball duck. This early breakthrough lifted Australia’s spirits and immediately put England under pressure.

Starc’s second wicket came in the seventh over with a perfectly pitched inswinger that struck Ben Duckett on the pads. The umpire gave him out leg-before-wicket, and Duckett had to walk back after scoring 21 runs. With this wicket, Australia gained control over the match and England were pushed onto the defensive.

The highlight of Starc’s spell came soon after when he dismissed Joe Root, one of England’s most important batters. Root was yet to score when Starc bowled a ball that moved just enough to catch the edge of his bat. Marnus Labuschagne held a sharp catch at third slip. With this dismissal, Starc achieved a major career milestone—his 100th wicket in Ashes cricket.

Australia’s dominance continued when all-rounder Cameron Green, returning to bowling after recovering from a back injury, got into action. Green bowled a good-length delivery that trapped Ollie Pope in front of the stumps. Pope, who looked confident and scored 46, was given out lbw, adding to England’s troubles. Green’s return to bowling is an important boost for Australia, as he offers both batting and bowling strength to the team.

At lunch, England had two unbeaten batsmen at the crease: Harry Brook on 28 and captain Ben Stokes on 4. Both players held their ground and tried to rebuild the innings after the top-order collapse. However, with Australia’s fast bowlers in strong form and conditions favouring seam bowling, England still faced a challenging situation.

The opening session clearly belonged to Australia. Starc’s disciplined and fiery bowling set the tone for the match, helping the team overcome the absence of two key bowlers. The support from Cameron Green provided further comfort for the hosts. With England already four wickets down, Australia will look to keep the pressure high in the next sessions.

As the Ashes series begins, this strong start gives Australia confidence, while England will need a determined effort to recover from a difficult first session.