England lose 20 wickets in 67 overs; Starc takes 10 wickets in Perth Test

Australia need 205 runs to win the 1st Ashes Test after bowling England out for 164 in the second innings at Perth. Mitchell Starc claimed a stunning 10-wicket match haul as England collapsed in just

Australia require 205 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the Ashes after bowling England out for 164 in their second innings on a chaotic second day at the Optus Stadium in Perth. England’s innings lasted just 34.4 overs, meaning they were dismissed twice inside 67.3 overs across the match — their shortest combined effort since 1904.

 

The hosts now face a chase that is modest on paper, but far from straightforward on a pitch that has offered consistent pace, bite and steep bounce throughout the Test.

 

England Fold Again After Lunch, Starc Dominates With Third 10-Wicket Haul

 

Mitchell Starc continued a dream Test, completing his first Ashes ten-wicket haul and the third of his career. The left-armer needed only 123 balls to reach the feat — the fewest by any bowler in a Test in the last 20 years. The previous quickest was Yasir Shah (125 balls vs New Zealand, 2018).

 

Everything went Australia’s way after lunch. An end change unleashed Starc’s trademark away-seamer, which Ben Stokes edged to Steven Smith at second slip. It was the 11th time Starc dismissed Stokes in Tests.

 

England spiralled soon after, losing five wickets for 12 runs to crash from relative stability to total collapse.       

England 2nd Innings
Batting		R	B	M	4s	6s	SR
Zak Crawley	c & b Starc	0	5	4	0	0	0
Ben Duckett	c Smith b Boland	28	40	87	3	0	70
Ollie Pope	c †Carey b Boland	33	57	91	2	0	57.89
Joe Root	b Starc	8	11	17	1	0	72.72
Harry Brook	c Khawaja b Boland	0	3	2	0	0	0
Ben Stokes (c)	c Smith b Starc	2	11	29	0	0	18.18
Jamie Smith †	c †Carey b Doggett	15	25	41	1	0	60
Gus Atkinson	c Doggett b Boland	37	32	61	2	2	115.62
Brydon Carse	c †Carey b Doggett	20	20	31	1	2	100
Jofra Archer	c Smith b Doggett	5	3	3	1	0	166.66
Mark Wood	not out	4	1	5	1	0	400
Extras	(b 1, lb 11)	12
Total	34.4 Ov (RR: 4.73)	164
Bowling	O	M	R	W	ECON	WD	NB
Mitchell Starc	12	1	55	3	4.58	0	0
Scott Boland	11.4	2	33	4	2.82	0	0
Brendan Doggett	9	0	51	3	5.66	0	0
Cameron Green	2	0	13	0	6.5	0	0

 

Atkinson’s 37 Gives England Hope — Just

 

England’s final resistance came from Gus Atkinson, who top-scored with a brisk 37 off 32 balls. His late hitting, including two fours and two sixes, pushed England’s total to 164 and may yet prove critical. Australia will need the highest score of the match to finish the job.

 

But his dismissal — lapping Scott Boland to Brendan Doggett at fine leg — summed up a day of muddled batting and wasted opportunity.

 

England’s Middle-Order Meltdown: Four of Top Six Nick Off

 

The top order crumbled with a familiar pattern. Four of England’s top six were caught behind the wicket attempting drives or expansive strokes against the new ball.

 

Zak Crawley fell driving in the first over, as in the first innings.

 

Joe Root dragged on attempting a high-risk drive.

 

Jamie Smith was dismissed twice by short balls before falling to a contentious caught-behind decision.

 

Harry Brook managed just three balls before perishing.

 

Pundits were blunt. Justin Langer called England’s effort “very, very poor batting”, blasting their failure to adapt to Perth’s steep bounce:

 

“Driving on the up here has never worked. This has been going on for decades,” he said on Channel 7.     

 

Australia’s Short-Ball Tactics Raise Eyebrows

 

Despite dominating with fuller lengths earlier, Australia bafflingly abandoned the method to bowl short at the lower order. Brydon Carse and Atkinson accepted the invitation, adding 50 valuable runs. Carse struck 20 off 20 before gloving Doggett to Alex Carey.

 

The tactic drew comparisons to Headingley 2023, where Australia allowed England back into the match in similar fashion.

 

Doggett Makes His Mark on Historic Day

 

Brendan Doggett, the third Indigenous Australian man to play Test cricket, continued to justify his selection. Bowling alongside Scott Boland — the first time two Indigenous Australians have played in the same Test XI — he troubled England’s middle order and removed Brook, Carse and Archer.

 

Boland, after an erratic start, finished strongly with 4 for 33, including the crucial wickets of Duckett, Pope and Atkinson.

 

Khawaja Injury Worry Returns

 

Usman Khawaja did not return to the field during England’s second innings, ruling him out of batting for the first 45 minutes of Australia’s chase — possibly longer. Cricket Australia said he had left the field for treatment, with no further update available.

 

His preparation, which included three rounds of golf earlier in the week, has drawn scrutiny after he managed just two runs in the first innings and dropped a catch today at slip.

 

Controversy Over DRS Lives On

 

Jamie Smith’s dismissal triggered a lengthy DRS review that divided commentators. Mark Waugh claimed:

 

“Smith walking off convinced the umpire. The decision took far too long for there to be no doubt.”

 

It added to an already combustible Ashes atmosphere. 

 

What Lies Ahead

 

Australia’s path to victory is clear: score 205 runs. But on a pitch that continues to spit, bounce and seam, it may not be straightforward.

 

England, battered but not broken, cling to the hope that Atkinson’s late runs and the new-ball assistance could yet unsettle Australia.

 

Either way, the match remains poised — and a two-day finish is still on the cards.