Perth, Nov 21: Mitchell Starc took a career-best 7-58 as Australia bundled England out for 172 despite losing the toss Friday in the Ashes cricket series opener.
Starc took a wicket in the first over of a test for the 24th time to set the tone, having Zac Crawley caught at slip by Usman Khawaja on the sixth delivery before England had scored a run.
The 35-year-old left-armer snared three wickets in his first five overs, picking up his 100th career wicket, and had England in trouble at 105 for four at lunch on Day 1.
He took four more after the interval, including the key wicket of Ben Stokes, as England lost six wickets for 67 runs after lunch — the last five wickets tumbling for 12 runs to be all out in the second session.
Ben Duckett (21) was punishing an off-rhythm Scott Boland’s half-volleys at the other end to keep the runs flowing, punching four boundaries down the ground, before Starc trapped him lbw in the seventh over with a full-length ball.
Duckett reviewed the decision but tracking technology confirmed the umpire’s decision and England was 33-2.
Joe Root, the No. 1-ranked test batter but still searching for his first Ashes century in Australia, faced seven balls before he nicked Starc to Marnus Labuschagne at third slip for a duck and England slumped to 39-3.
The key dismissal gave Starc his 100th Ashes wicket, at an average of 26.65, and gave Australia the ascendancy after England won the toss and batted.
A 55-run stand between Ollie Pope (46) and Harry Brook (52) gave England some momentum before allrounder Cameron Green (1-10) struck at the end of his first over of bowling in a test match since 2023.
Green trapped Pope lbw and again England reviewed the decision, which was upheld by the TV umpire using tracking technology.
England’s attacking intent kept with the “ Bazball ” method under Brendon McCullum’s coaching, aiming to score quickly and make the bowlers wilt.
The team batting first has won all five tests played at Perth Stadium — which replaced the WACA as the Western Australian capital’s test venue — and that was a heavy factor in Stokes deciding to go against his preferred option of bowling first and chasing.
The English, trying to win a test in Australia for the first time since 2010-11, opted for an all-pace attack led by Jofra Archer and 35-year-old Mark Wood.
Australia has won 13 and drawn two of its last 15 Ashes tests in Australia.
Regular skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are missing the first test because of injuries, opening the way for Brendan Doggett to make his test debut and become the third Indigenous Australian man to play test cricket.
Doggett bowled alongside Boland, making it the first time two Indigenous Australians have played in the same test lineup. He troubled Pope in his first over and made a vital breakthrough in his sixth to have Brook caught behind, cramped for room and gloving a short-pitch ball down legside.
Doggett also troubled Brydon Carse (6) with short-pitch bowling before getting his wicket, caught in the outfield by Marnus Labuschagne.
Starc, who picked up his fifth five-wicket haul in the Ashes when he had Gus Atkinson caught at slip by Steve Smith, picked off the last two wickets on consecutive balls to remove Jamie Smith (33) and Mark Wood (0).
He’ll start the next innings on a hat-trick.
“Nice way to start a series,” Starc said. “There’s been a lot made about the (Cummins and Hazlewood) being not here and I guess me being an experienced one, so nice to lead that way.” (AP)
