Australia registered an emphatic 8-wicket victory over England in the first Test of The Ashes 2025-26 at Perth, after an impressive all-round performance, notably from Mitchell Starc and Travis Head. England, who had been bowled out for 172 in their first innings, struggled in their second innings as well, with Starc again leading the charge. Head’s scintillating knock of 123, alongside Marnus Labuschagne‘s steady 51*, guided Australia to their target of 205 in just 28.2 overs. Starc’s 7-wicket haul across both innings earned him the Player of the Match award, while England were left to reflect on a lackluster display, which saw them bowled out for 164 in their second innings.
Ashes 2025-26: Mitchell Starc’s dominant bowling performance for Australia
Starc was the standout performer for Australia, claiming a remarkable 7 wickets for 58 runs in England’s first innings and 3 for 55 in their second. His fiery spell in the first innings set the tone, dismissing key English batters such as Zak Crawley, Joe Root and Ben Stokes. In England’s second innings, Starc delivered yet again, taking crucial wickets to leave England reeling at 76/5. His disciplined line and length, combined with his ability to swing the ball both ways, made him a nightmare for the English batsmen throughout the match. Starc’s performance was a key factor in Australia’s dominant win, providing early breakthroughs in both innings and keeping the pressure on England.
Ashes 2025-26: England’s batting collapse: A tale of missed opportunities
England’s batting, particularly in the first innings, was disappointing. Despite a solid 46 from Ollie Pope and a battling 52 from Harry Brook, England were bowled out for a modest 172. Starc’s lethal spell, supported by Cameron Green’s lone wicket and Brendan Doggett’s couple of breakthroughs, saw England lose wickets regularly. Their second innings didn’t fare much better as they were dismissed for just 164. Ben Duckett’s 28 and Gus Atkinson’s 37 were the only bright spots, but they weren’t enough to prevent another collapse. Root’s second-innings failure (8) and the dismissals of key middle-order players were crucial turning points, with England failing to mount any significant partnerships under pressure.
Also WATCH: Ashes 2025-26: Steve Smith takes a stunning low catch to dismiss Ben Duckett on Day 2 of the Perth Test
Ashes 2025-26: Travis Head’s match-winning knock on Day 2 at Perth
In response to England’s second-innings target of 205, Head played a match-winning knock of 123 off 83 balls. Head’s aggressive strokeplay took Australia to within sight of victory, blasting 16 fours and 4 sixes in an outstanding display of power-hitting. His opening partnership with Jake Weatherald (23) helped Australia recover from an early wobble at 75/1, and Head’s relentless attack on England’s bowlers left them with little chance to make a comeback. His knock was a perfect example of how to chase down a challenging total under pressure, as he accelerated Australia’s run rate throughout the innings. With Labuschagne providing the anchor at the other end, Head guided his team to a dominant victory.
Ashes 2o25-26: Marnus Labuschagne’s calm approach and Australia’s resounding win
Labuschagne’s composed 51* ensured Australia reached their target without any further hiccups. While Head was providing the fireworks, Labuschagne played the role of a steady anchor, rotating the strike and keeping the scoreboard ticking over. Australia’s win by 8 wickets was set up by the combined efforts of their bowlers and batters, with Starc’s brilliance with the ball and Head’s explosive batting sealing the match. England’s inability to build partnerships in both innings, coupled with their underwhelming bowling performance, left them with no answers to Australia’s all-around dominance. With this comprehensive win, Australia took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, making a strong statement to begin the 2025 Ashes campaign.
Here’s how fans reacted:
TRAVIS HEAD 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽#Ashes2025 pic.twitter.com/OzdLGl2stE
— DK (@DineshKarthik) November 22, 2025
Travis Head🔥🔥. #Ashes2025
England don’t look like they have the answers.
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) November 22, 2025
Travis Head’s the name 🫡#PlayWithFire | #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/jgLJR6CbvL
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) November 22, 2025
England made huge mistakes with the Bat in 2023 at the start of Ashes series … they went 2-0 down … they have made exactly the same mistakes here … it’s bloody disappointing …
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) November 22, 2025
Whether it’s a spinning ball or now a fast and bouncy wicket, my tweet from last week rings TRUE again – batters techniques these days are flawed for Test Match cricket.
And, like I said, who cares, cos it’s not where their bread is buttered and you can’t blame them!
Enjoy…
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) November 22, 2025
I have a Head-ache.
Incredible century by @TravisHead24 – given the match situation, one of the great Ashes innings. But jeez, England just haven’t turned up today – so disappointing. pic.twitter.com/HGgRIxdj95— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 22, 2025
MITCHELL STARC WON POTM AWARD. 🏅 pic.twitter.com/ZnkSH2Vvu5
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) November 22, 2025
🚨 MITCHELL STARC – PLAYER OF THE MATCH 🚨
– 7 wickets in first Innings.
– 3 wickets in second Innings. pic.twitter.com/dUnDtBiEo0— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 22, 2025
Hang on!
Is this actually a cunning plan by England to lose every Test in two days, bankrupt Cricket Australia due to all the refunds they’ll have to pay and then win all subsequent Ashes series by default?
Rob Key – Machiavellian genius? pic.twitter.com/ObmcIBzol8
— RumblePants (@WG_RumblePants) November 22, 2025
👏 Australia Strike First in the Ashes!
An emphatic 8-wicket victory in the first Test, Australia lead 1-0, dominating England on Day 2 in Perth! 💥🏏
Scorecard: https://t.co/58Y8AP9b8n#Cricket #Ashes #TravisHead #Australia #England #PerthTest pic.twitter.com/oH6g54nGVj
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) November 22, 2025
Also READ: Netizens slam 3rd umpire as Jamie Smith’s dismissal erupts major controversy on Day 2 of Perth Test
