AUS vs ENG 1st Test: Day 1 of the opening Ashes Test in Perth produced a whirlwind of milestones, dramatic collapses and historic bowling spells, making it one of the most record-packed starts to an Ashes series in recent memory. With both teams struggling to gain control, individual brilliance from Ben Stokes and Mitchell Starc ensured the day belonged to the bowlers.
England, who opted to bat first under clear skies, were rattled early and bundled out for 172 despite a brief resistance from Ollie Pope and Harry Brook. Australia, in response, also found themselves in deep trouble at 123 for 9 by stumps, giving the series a gripping start.
Records Broken on Day 1
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Ben Stokes' 36-ball five-wicket haul made him the owner of the fifth-fastest 5-for by an England bowler in
Test cricket. He now stands alongside legends such as Stuart Broad, Johnny Briggs and Bernard Bosanquet, who hold the top four fastest 5-wicket hauls for England.
- Mitchell Starc produced his career-best bowling figures in Test cricket, finishing with a remarkable 7 for 58. This performance surpassed his previous best of 6 for 9 against the West Indies and added another chapter to his list of dominant spells across major Test venues.
- The opening day also witnessed a historic first in Ashes cricket:
- Both innings began with a maiden-wicket over, something never seen before in the long and storied history of the rivalry.
- Stokes, who struggled with the bat, became only the second England captain this century to take a five-wicket haul in an Ashes Test, underlining his unmatched ability to influence the game across formats.
- Starc's 7/58 also registered as one of the best-ever figures by an Australian left-arm pacer against England on home soil, reaffirming his dominance with the new ball in Australian conditions.
Day 1 further saw a rare statistical quirk as both teams lost their first three wickets before reaching 40 runs, highlighting the challenging nature of the Perth surface and the quality of fast bowling on display.
With both sides reeling and the bowlers ruling the contest, Day 1 of the Ashes 2025-26 has already entered the record books-setting up what promises to be a gripping and unpredictable series.
