Australia

Australia vs England (1st Test, Ashes 2025-26) Venue: Optus Stadium, Perth Result: Australia won by 8 wickets on Day 2

Australia 2nd Innings (Batting – Target 205)

The heroes of the chase

• Travis Head: 123 (83) Player of the Match Performance

• Marnus Labuschagne: 51*

• Jake Weatherald: 23 (35)

• Usman Khawaja: 2 (6)

England 2nd Innings (Batting)

Key contributions

• Gus Atkinson: 37 (32)

• Ben Duckett: 28 (38)

• Ollie Pope: 33 (42)

• Joe Root: 8 (15)

• Ben Stokes: 2 (9)

Australia Bowling (2nd Innings)

• Scott Boland: 4 Wickets (33 Runs)

• Mitchell Starc: 3 Wickets (55 Runs) [Total 10 Wickets in Match]

• Brendan Doggett: 3 Wickets (51 Runs)

Match Summary 

• England 1st Innings: 172 All Out

• Australia 1st Innings: 132 All Out

• England 2nd Innings: 164 All Out

• Australia 2nd Innings: 205/2

Australia Crushes England in Two Days: Travis Head and Mitchell Starc Heroics Seal 1st Ashes Test

Venue: Optus Stadium, Perth | Result: Australia won by 8 wickets

In one of the most dramatic starts to an Ashes series in recent history, Australia has thumped England by 8 wickets inside just two days at the Optus Stadium in Perth. The victory gives the hosts a commanding 1-0 lead in the 2025-26 Ashes series. While the match was set up by the bowlers, it was finished in brutal fashion by Travis Head, whose lightning-fast century made a tricky chase of 205 look like a walk in the park.

The match, characterized by tumbling wickets and electric pace, saw Aus bounce back from a first-innings deficit to completely outplay the visitors in the second half of the game.

Starc and Boland Dismantle England

Day 2 began with the match evenly poised, but the balance shifted violently in Australia’s favor courtesy of Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland. Starc, who had already claimed a magnificent 7-wicket haul in the first innings, continued his dream run. He removed England opener Zak Crawley for a duck—his second of the match—setting the tone for the day.

While Starc (3/55) was the destroyer-in-chief, finishing with a historic match haul of 10 wickets, it was Scott Boland who broke the back of England’s middle order in the second innings. Boland bowled with relentless accuracy, claiming 4 for 33, ensuring England could not capitalize on their 40-run first-innings lead. Despite brief resistance from Gus Atkinson (37) and Ollie Pope (33), England crumbled under the pressure of the Australian pace attack, bowled out for just 164.

This left Aus with a target of 205 runs—a total that could have been tricky on a pitch offering plenty of assistance to the bowlers.

The Travis Head Show: A Counter-Attack for the Ages

Walking out to bat with Australia needing a solid start, the hosts lost an early wicket, but what followed was pure carnage. Travis Head, promoted up the order, played an innings that will be remembered for years. Deciding that attack was the best form of defense, Head launched a blistering assault on the English bowlers.

He smashed the ball to all parts of the Optus Stadium, reaching his century in just 69 balls—the second-fastest century in Ashes history. His aggressive intent completely demoralized the English attack, which had no answer to his stroke play. Head finished with a magnificent 123 off 83 balls, an innings studded with boundaries that killed the contest in a single session.

Labuschagne Plays the Anchor

While Head destroyed the bowling at one end, Marnus Labuschagne played the perfect supporting role. Composed and solid, Labuschagne rotated the strike and ensured there were no further collapses. He finished unbeaten on 51, hitting the winning runs to seal the victory for Aus. The partnership between the two completely shut the door on any hopes England had of a miracle comeback.

A Historic Win for Australia

This victory is a massive statement from the Australian team. Winning a Test match in just two days highlights the dominance of their bowling unit and the explosive capability of their batters. For England, it is back to the drawing board as their “Bazball” approach was dismantled by disciplined pace and a counter-attacking masterclass.

Key Match Stats:

• Player of the Match: Travis Head (123 runs off 83 balls).

• Best Bowler: Mitchell Starc (10 wickets in the match).

• Turning Point: Travis Head’s 69-ball century that chased down the target in record time.