AUS vs ENG 1st Test Ashes Cricket Match Score and Updates: Mitchell Starc and Ben Stokes were the highlights of Day-1

Atkinson bowled tightly to Green and Head, with Green opening his account with a classy straight drive for four, while Head managed three runs off the over.

Travis Head walked out to bat while Brydon Carse continued his tight bowling. England’s Jamie Smith was dismissed caught by Brook for 17, edging a short-of-length delivery outside off. Usman Khawaja joined Head at the crease, battling illness and looking below full fitness.

Brydon Carse bowled a testing over, but Smith was in fine touch. He pulled a short ball through a gap for four and then cut another wide delivery past backward point for another boundary. The rest of the over saw Smith leaving or nudging the ball carefully, keeping the scoreboard ticking.

Brydon Carse bowled a tidy over to Labuschagne and Smith, conceding only a few runs. Labuschagne picked up three off a half-volley, while Smith stayed largely defensive, surviving appeals and close calls. England’s review against Labuschagne was unsuccessful, leaving some fans frustrated.

Mark Wood maintained serious pace, regularly touching 150+ kph, testing both Labuschagne and Smith. Labuschagne rotated the strike with a single but was beaten on several deliveries, leaving or defending sharply. Smith also managed just a single run, staying cautious against Wood’s fiery short and full-length deliveries. A no-ball on a full delivery provided relief for Labuschagne, but Wood’s relentless speed kept the Australians under pressure. The over highlighted England’s intent to challenge the top order with raw pace and movement.

Jofra Archer made an immediate impact on debut, striking with the second ball of the innings to dismiss Weatherald for a duck, trapped LBW with a full, in-line delivery swinging late at 140kph. Archer’s opening over was lively, beating Smith multiple times with pace, movement, and precision. The field was set aggressively with three slips, gully, short-leg, and leg-slip, putting early pressure on the new batter. Steven Smith walked in at the other end as England looked to steady themselves after a dramatic start.

Brendan Doggett made an immediate impact, claiming the wicket of Brydon Carse with a short delivery that was expertly pulled into a stunning two-handed catch by Marnus Labuschagne at deep backward square-leg. Earlier in the over, Carse had survived a close call after a bouncer struck his helmet grille, prompting a concussion check. Doggett’s use of short, rising deliveries kept the batters on edge, forcing mistakes and creating pressure. Jamie Smith rotated the strike with a single, while Jofra Archer walked in to continue England’s innings under the watchful eyes of a fired-up Australian attack.

Mitchell Starc faced some punishing strokes in this over as both Jamie Smith and Harry Brook capitalized on scoring opportunities. Smith opened with two gorgeous boundaries - a straight drive and a powerful pull—and added a well-placed flick for a single. Brook reached his fifty with a smart back-foot pull to deep square leg. Despite Starc’s pace and probing line, the England batters showcased excellent timing and footwork, keeping the scoreboard ticking while giving Starc a stern test.

Mitchell Starc’s over to Harry Brook was a rollercoaster of skill and flair. Brook showcased his class with two exquisite boundaries: a perfect off-side drive off a half-volley and a flick to fine-leg with just one hand, both racing away for four. Starc tested Brook with short deliveries, including a high one that Brook ducked under and a fullish leg delivery he missed. Despite the runs, Starc’s pace and movement kept Brook honest, producing an enthralling contest between bowler and batter.

Mitchell Starc struck again, claiming his fourth wicket of the spell by bowling Ben Stokes for just 6 runs. After probing Stokes with a mix of back-of-length and fuller deliveries, Starc’s perfectly angled 140.9kph delivery exploited a bat-pad gap and crashed into the stumps. Jamie Smith joined the crease as Starc continued to dominate, showcasing his lethal rhythm and seam movement.

Mitchell Starc resumed his spell with his usual pace and late movement, keeping Harry Brook under pressure throughout the over. Brook managed to defend a few deliveries and ride the bounce, but Starc’s seamers tested his technique consistently. Across four innings, Brook faced 26 balls, scored 17 runs, and was dismissed three times, averaging just 5.66 against Starc. Cam Green also picked up his first Test wicket since March 2024 earlier, adding to Australia’s dominance before lunch.

Nathan Lyon made a tidy start in his spell, mixing flight and pace in the high-80s. Brook and Pope rotated the strike effectively, picking up singles and a couple through well-timed drives. Lyon kept a probing line outside off, tested the batters with flighted deliveries, and didn’t give away any boundaries, keeping England’s scoring under control while building pressure with his craft.

Scott Boland kept things tight with relentless accuracy, working a consistent back-of-a-length channel at 134–138kph. Brook defended most deliveries solidly but struggled to find scoring opportunities. A no-ball was the only blemish in an otherwise disciplined over. Brook finally pinched a single off the last ball, but Boland maintained full control throughout.

Scott Boland kept things tight in his over, conceding just a boundary to Harry Brook, who stylishly drove a full delivery past long-off. Apart from that one mistake, Boland troubled Brook with movement and variation, forcing a wild swing-and-miss and drawing defensive strokes, while Pope nudged a single to start the over.

Debutant Doggett delivered an impressive first over, troubling Ollie Pope with movement and bounce right from the start. He beat Pope with a seaming ball in the corridor, followed it with a lifting delivery that thudded into the thigh pad, and even drew an inside edge onto the pads that sparked an optimistic lbw appeal. Pope survived the testing over but picked up four leg-byes when one nipped in off the pitch. A confident, promising start from the newcomer.

Ollie Pope continued to look assured against Boland, picking up a couple of runs with a neat flick before driving a full delivery stylishly for four. He handled the fuller lengths confidently and stayed composed even when a straight drive deflected off Boland’s fingertips and hit the stumps - saved by quick awareness to ground his bat in time. Boland bowled a tighter over overall, but Pope kept England moving steadily.

Mitchell Starc mixed pace and movement in a lively over, but England managed to pick up runs. Ollie Pope drove a full ball for three - the first runs off Starc before Ben Duckett flicked a back-of-length delivery fine for a boundary. Duckett was also beaten a couple of times by pace, bounce, and late seam, while a few stray balls down leg kept the pressure from fully building. Overall, a testing but eventful over with England finding small rewards.

Mitchell Starc delivered another threatening over, consistently hitting the mid-140s and troubling Ollie Pope with movement and bounce. Pope survived a near chance when a bottom edge fell just short of Steve Smith at second slip. Apart from one stray ball down leg, Starc kept things tight despite briefly stopping to change his boots, maintaining the pressure with a probing line and length.

Mitchell Starc produced a fiery opening over to dismiss Zak Crawley for a six-ball duck. Crawley looked tentative throughout, beaten multiple times by pace and movement before finally edging one to Khawaja at slip. Starc set the tone with speeds touching 144 kph, giving England a rattling start.

Ben Stokes (England Skipper)

We are gonna have a bat. We will try and get some runs on the board and see where we go from there. It's a lot of hard work, determination, we have got a clean plan what we want to do in Australia. Bashir misses out for us. We have made sure we have covered everything. He looks good, he has had injuries but he has worked.

Steve Smith (Australia Skipper)

I would have had a bat as well. I think the cracks are going to open up as the match progresses. Those are big losses but it opens up opportunities as well. Boland has been fantastic.

England Squad: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes(c), Jamie Smith(w), Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Matthew Potts, Josh Tongue, Will Jacks

Australia Squad: Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith(c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(w), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett, Scott Boland, Beau Webster, Josh Inglis, Michael Neser

Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Ashes 2025-26 opener from Perth! The biggest rivalry in Test cricket returns as Australia and England lock horns in a high-octane Fire vs Ice showdown at the Optus Stadium. With searing pace, challenging conditions, and redemption on the minds of both teams, the stage is set for a gripping start to the iconic series. Stay tuned for ball-by-ball updates, key moments, expert insights, and everything you need as the Ashes drama unfolds!