England faced a challenging start in the initial test of the 2025 Ashes series against Australia. Opting to bat after winning the toss, Ben Stokes’ team found themselves in trouble as the Aussies, led by Mitchell Starc, dominated their batting lineup. Zak Crawley fell for a duck early on, followed by Joe Root’s dismissal without scoring.
England struggled to a total of 172 runs before being bowled out, but Jofra Archer provided a bright spot by taking a wicket in the first over. Meanwhile, debutant Jake Weatherald was also dismissed lbw after a review.
The key moments of the opening day in Perth were highlighted by Mirror Sport, showcasing Starc’s exceptional performance in the absence of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood due to injuries. Starc’s early wickets set the tone for Australia’s dominance, with him finishing the day with seven wickets for 58 runs.
Despite some resistance from Ollie Pope and Harry Brook, England’s batting collapsed towards the end of their innings. Pope managed 46 runs before falling lbw to Cameron Green, while Brook contributed 52 runs before the tail-enders succumbed to pressure.
Australia’s strong bowling display put England on the back foot, with Starc’s exceptional form particularly standing out. The visitors will be looking to their star players like Root to stage a comeback in the upcoming innings to salvage the first test.
The match also saw some off-field drama as Steve Smith faced taunts from English fans referencing his past involvement in the ball-tampering scandal. The ongoing Ashes series promises more intense action, with live coverage available on TNT Sports via discovery+ or Prime Video’s TNT Sports channel.