England Collapses for 172 as Starc Dominates Opening Ashes Session

England’s Ashes campaign opened with a jolt on Friday as Mitchell Starc tore through their first innings, leaving the visitors wrapped up for 172. Few saw this kind of collapse coming, especially after Ben Stokes chose to bat under clear skies.

England Win Toss, Choose To Bat, Pick Four Quicks

Stokes backed his batting group from the start. He won the toss, looked at a hard Perth pitch, and chose to bat. England also went with a full pace attack, leaving out Shoaib Bashir and loading four quicks around Stokes. The choice looked bold. It didn’t age well.

Across the line, Australia handed debuts to Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett. Steve Smith said he would have batted first too, suggesting both sides believed the opening session mattered.

England’s plans cracked almost immediately. Starc got the new ball and needed only six deliveries to strike. Zak Crawley pushed at one that shaped in, and Australia celebrated loudly as the edge carried. The early noise lifted the entire stadium.

Ben Duckett tried to settle things with a few early pushes, but Starc caught him lbw on 21. Ollie Pope looked compact and busy, yet even he struggled once the ball began tailing back.

Root’s Early Exit Shocks England’s Dressing Room

Joe Root lasted seven balls. His dismissal changed the mood completely. Starc forced him into a mis-hit, and Marnus Labuschagne snatched the chance without fuss. For a moment, you could feel the stadium pause as England fell to 39 for 3. To be fair, no one expected the top order to go that quickly.

Pope fought on, reaching 46 with calm shots square of the wicket. He looked like the only batter reading the length well. But Cameron Green trapped him on the crease, continuing England’s slide.

Harry Brook brought some life back with a lively 52. He hit five clean boundaries and one crisp six, lifting the England balcony. Jamie Smith followed with a fast 33 that briefly nudged England to 160 for 6. For a short spell, the partnership looked steady. That one moment flipped everything again.

Starc returned. And in three overs, he tore through the tail. Gus Atkinson edged. Brydon Carse miscued. Jamie Smith fell to another rising ball. Mark Wood was gone next ball. England crashed from 160 for 6 to 172 all out. The collapse looked as sudden as it was brutal.

Starc finished with 7 for 58 from 12.5 overs, the standout spell of the Ashes 2025 opening day. It was raw, fast, and relentless. Every wicket shifted the noise in the stadium, and by the end, Australian fans were on their feet.

England’s Reply

England needed a quick strike to drag the game back. Jofra Archer delivered it in his first spell, removing Weatherald for a duck. England fielders crowded the bat, knowing another wicket could open the door.

Labuschagne and Smith both started slowly, leaving the ball with patience. England’s quicks kept the ball full, but Australia did not chase anything wide. The scoreboard moved carefully, almost stubbornly, as Australia reached 123 for 9 in 39 overs. England’s all-pace attack has delivered the pressure on Aussies with Stokes’ 5 for 23 in just 6 overs.

Stokes said before the match that his bowlers were ready for long spells. They may need all of them. Early movement in the first hour tomorrow could shape the rest of this Test. England vs Australia Test battles often turn on single sessions, and England must have to retain this spark.

For now, the headline remains simple: Bowlers own the day. The Ashes 2025 opener has only just begun, but the tone has been set sharply in Perth.

Australia XI

Steve Smith (c), Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett, Scott Boland

England XI

Ben Stokes (c), Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood