1st Ashes Test: Starc lights up Perth Stadium as ENG's bazball fizzles out

Australia pacer Mitchell Starc became the first left-arm seamer - and the 21st bowler overall - to claim 100 wickets in Ashes Tests

Mitchell Starc produced a sensational first-hour burst to give Australia an immediate advantage on Day 1 of the first Ashes Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Bowling without Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, Starc tore through England’s top order, removing Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Joe Root inside nine overs to puncture the visitors’ Bazball blueprint.

 

His triple strike also carried historical weight: Starc became the first left-arm seamer — and the 21st bowler overall — to claim 100 wickets in Ashes Tests. His strike rate of 44.8 is the best among all 21 bowlers to reach the landmark, underscoring his sustained impact across multiple Ashes campaigns.

 

Starc’s spell ensured Australia seized control early, while England’s top order continued their longstanding struggle to stitch together meaningful opening stands in Australia.  Check Australia vs England 1st Test Day 1 live score and match commentary here

 

Starc removes Crawley in the first over

 

Starc’s first breakthrough came in the opening over, a 143.6 kph delivery angled across Crawley before seaming away. The attempted drive on the up resulted in a thick outside edge, with Usman Khawaja holding on at first slip after briefly fumbling.

 

The wicket extended England’s pattern of poor starts on Ashes tours:

 

England’s first-innings opening stands in Australia since 2010/11

 

• 0 – Strauss & Cook, Brisbane 2010/11
• 28 – Cook & Carberry, Brisbane 2013/14
• 2 – Cook & Stoneman, Brisbane 2017/18
• 0 – Burns & Hameed, Brisbane 2021/22
• 0 – Crawley & Duckett, Perth 2025/26

 

Crawley’s attacking instinct, emblematic of the Bazball era, backfired early as he departed for a duck.

 

Duckett falls again to Starc as match-up holds

 

Ben Duckett, who has historically struggled against Starc, became the next casualty. A fuller delivery that swung in sharply trapped him lbw. He reviewed, but ball-tracking showed three reds, confirming his dismissal for 21.

 

The head-to-head continues to favour the Australian:

 

Duckett vs Starc – career stats

112 balls faced

98 runs

Four dismissals

Average: 24.50   

England 1st Innings (At Lunch break on Day 1)
Batting		R	B	4s	6s	SR
Zak Crawley	c Khawaja b Starc	0	6	0	0	0
Ben Duckett	lbw b Starc	21	20	4	0	105
Ollie Pope	lbw b Green	46	58	4	0	79.31
Joe Root	c Labuschagne b Starc	0	7	0	0	0
Harry Brook	not out	28	41	3	0	68.29
Ben Stokes (c)	not out	4	7	0	0	57.14
Extras	(lb 5, nb 1)	6
Total	23 Ov (RR: 4.56)	105/4
Bowling	O	M	R	W	ECON	NB
Mitchell Starc	8	4	24	3	3	0
Scott Boland	7	0	39	0	5.57	1
Brendan Doggett	5	1	17	0	3.4	0
Nathan Lyon	2	0	10	0	5	0
Cameron Green	1	0	10	1	10	0

 

 

Root edged out as Starc completes fiery triple strike

 

Starc capped his first spell with the wicket of Joe Root, who fell for a seven-ball duck. A skiddy back-of-a-length delivery pitched on leg and seamed away sharply, opening Root up and forcing a thick edge towards third slip. Marnus Labuschagne held the catch after briefly juggling it near his chest.

 

The dismissal gave Starc a three-wicket haul inside the first hour and moved him into Ashes history as the newest entrant to the 100-wicket club — and the only left-arm seamer ever to do so.

 

Bazball blunted by pace, movement and discipline

 

England entered the Ashes opener determined to impose their aggressive batting style, but Starc’s precision, pace and late movement left them little room for error. His early strikes not only disrupted their rhythm but also exposed the volatility of Bazball when confronted with disciplined, high-quality fast bowling.