Australia Crush England By 8-Wicket In Wild Start To The Ashes At Perth

KEY POINTS

Australia crushed England by eight wickets as the first Ashes Test wrapped up inside two dramatic days.
Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland combined for 10 wickets, triggering England’s stunning second-innings collapse.
Travis Head smashed a blistering 123 off 83 balls, powering a record-fast chase of 205 in just 28.2 overs.
The Perth Test became only the 27th men’s match in history to finish in two days, highlighting its rarity in the modern era.

ISLAMABAD: In a whirlwind five-hour collapse at Perth Stadium, England tumbled from control to catastrophe as the opening Ashes Test astonishingly wrapped up inside two days, handing Australia a commanding eight-wicket victory.

After a chaotic first day that saw 19 wickets fall, Australia flipped the script in stunning fashion. Pace duo Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland dismantled England’s second innings in the afternoon session, combining for ten wickets in the match and exposing a nervous, error-ridden batting display from the visitors.

Set 205 runs to win, Australia made a mockery of the chase. Promoted opener Travis Head unleashed a brutal counterattack, smashing 123 off just 83 balls, reaching his hundred in 69 deliveries, one of the fastest Test tons by an Australian.

His relentless strokeplay shredded an England attack that had looked menacing barely a day earlier.

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Australia stormed to the target in 28.2 overs, scoring at over seven runs an over. Marnus Labuschagne, recalled at No. 3, added a confident 51 not out, while captain Steven Smith sealed the win with the final run, igniting celebrations among the home crowd of 49,983.

For England, the rapid turnaround left them stunned. What began as a position of promise ended in a humbling defeat, Head’s fearless hitting visibly rattling Ben Stokes’ side as their lengths drifted and fielders watched balls repeatedly whistle to the boundary.

The opening Test of the 2025–26 Ashes produced a slice of history, becoming only the 27th men’s Test match ever to finish inside two days.

The second Test of the 2025/26 Ashes will be played at The Gabba in Brisbane from December 4-8.

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A rare occurrence in the modern era

The Test’s rapid finish places it alongside some of the shortest matches in cricket’s 147-year history. While two-day Tests were common in the 19th century, they have become rare since World War II. Prior to this week’s match, only six two-day Tests had been played since 2000.

England have hosted nine such Tests, though only one since 1921, while South Africa leads with eight. Australia’s victory in Perth marks the fourth two-day finish on Australian soil.

One of the strangest historical clusters occurred in the 1888–89 season, which produced five two-day Tests in a row, and six in seven matches. Those days reflected volatile pitches and unmatched bowling dominance, conditions rarely seen in the modern game.