Mitchell Starc claimed a career-best seven wickets to break the back of England’s batting as Australia bundled England out for 172 after losing the toss in the first Ashes Test at Perth. Starc’s 7-58 included critical wickets like that of Joe Root and Ben Stokes.
The 35-year-old left-arm pacer snapped up three England wickets in his first five overs in the first session at Perth. He also picked up his 100th career wicket and took a wicket in the first over of a Test for the 24th time in his career. Starc’s early breakthroughs had England on the ropes with the scoreboard reading 105 for four at lunch on Day 1.
Starc’s 100th Ashes wicket was also a big one for Australia as he got the No. 1-ranked Test batter Root out. Root is still searching for his first Ashes century in Australia. His stay in the middle on Friday lasted just seven balls before he nicked Starc to Marnus Labuschagne at third slip for a duck and England slumped to 39-3.
Starc started his destructive spell by sending opener Zac Crawley home on the sixth ball of the day with England not even having a single run on board. Crawley was caught at slip by Usman Khawaja.
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England lost six wickets for 67 runs after lunch — the last five wickets tumbling for 12 runs to be all out in the second session.
Ben Duckett (21) was punishing an off-rhythm Scott Boland’s half-volleys at the other end to keep the runs flowing, punching four boundaries down the ground, before Starc trapped him lbw in the seventh over with a full-length ball.
The only bright spot for England for the day was the 55-run stand between Ollie Pope (46) and Harry Brook (52), which gave England some momentum before allrounder Cameron Green (1-10) struck at the end of his first over of bowling in a test match since 2023.
(With inputs from the Associated Press)
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