Superb England Tear Into Australia In Ashes Opener

First Ashes Test, Perth (day 1 of five)

England 172: Brook 52, Pope 46; Starc 7-58

Australia 123-9: Stokes 5-23, Archer 2-11, Carse 2-45

England lead by 49 runs

Scorecard

Captain Ben Stokes took 5 wickets arsenic England's accelerated bowlers sensationally tore into Australia connected an electrifying opening time of nan Ashes.

In a captivating slugfest connected a accelerated and bouncy pitchin Perth, England were bundled retired for 172, only to trim Australia to 123-9.

The ferocious action lived up to nan hype of nan astir anticipated Ashes bid successful caller memory.

Surprisingly batting first connected winning nan toss, England 'Bazballed' their measurement into trouble. Zak Crawley was retired for a duck from nan sixth shot of nan bid to Mitchell Starc, who was irrepressible successful taking 7-58.

Harry Brook swiped 52 and Ollie Pope batted nicely for 46, but England mislaid their past 5 wickets for 12 runs to beryllium bowled retired successful 32.5 overs - nan shortest first innings of an Ashes Test successful this state for 123 years.

The tourists' five-man gait onslaught responded pinch nan fastest show of bowling by an England squad since specified information was first collected 18 years ago.

Jofra Archer was magnificent and deserved much than 2 wickets. Any clip location was a lull, England had a caller paceman to move to. Brydon Carse removed Australia skipper and Monty Panesar's nemesis Steve Smith.

Stokes utilized himself arsenic nan 5th bowler, firstly snuffing retired immoderate proposal of an Australia fightback past moving done nan agelong tail. Playing for nan first clip since suffering a enarthrosis wounded successful July, nan skipper claimed his 2nd five-wicket haul successful arsenic galore Tests.

At nan extremity of a breathless and unforgettable day, 19 wickets person fallen, England lead by 49 and person a aureate opportunity to spell 1-0 up.

After nan expectation, speculation and trash talk, cricket's oldest rivalry erstwhile again delivered. This was an Ashes opening time for nan ages.

England person not travel adjacent to winning an distant Ashes for 14 years. At nan extremity of Friday, Australia would person been near successful nary uncertainty they are successful a title this clip around.

The spicy transportation played its part, arsenic did nan cacophonous ambiance created by 51,531 wrong nan colossal Perth Stadium. But what will unrecorded agelong successful nan representation is nan speed, hostility and value of bowling from some teams.

Stokes looked to history pinch his determination astatine nan flip - each of nan 5 erstwhile Tests astatine this crushed person been won by nan squad batting first. For arsenic bad England were pinch nan bat, they were arsenic as bully pinch nan ball.

This lucifer has echoes of nan erstwhile Test connected this ground, erstwhile 17 wickets fell connected time one. Twelve months ago, India were bowled retired for 150, only to past burst done Australia for 104. India went connected to triumph by 295 runs.

England's bowlers person dragged them into this match; now nan batters must play their portion connected time two. Stokes' squad are 1 beardown batting innings distant from a 1-0 lead.

For truthful long, England person lacked nan gait to compete successful this country. The culmination of a scheme to bring dense artillery down nether resulted successful this awesome and relentless battle connected nan Australia batting.

Mark Wood returned aft 15 months retired to play a Test alongside Archer for only nan 2nd time. Stokes is afloat fit. Gus Atkinson and Carse could beryllium nan workhorses of nan tour.

Archer group nan reside successful an opening three-over burst that averaged much than 90mph. The shot that pinned Weatherald lbw knocked nan left-hander disconnected his feet.

Marnus Labuschagne and Smith had to shuffle up nan bid because regular opener Usman Khawaja spent clip disconnected nan section during England's innings. The second-wicket brace were tortured by England's hostility, taking blows, playing and missing.

Archer returned to person Labuschagne play on. Carse took over. Smith, booed to nan crease by nan travelling fans, edged to 2nd slip, past Khawaja gloved a spiteful lifter.

Travis Head and Cameron Green threatened a counter-attack and Green should person been held successful his follow-through by Atkinson.

But Stokes was irresistible successful his first Test successful Perth since making his maiden period astatine nan Waca arsenic a 22-year-old 12 years ago. Head and Mitchell Starc were caught connected nan limb side; Green and Scott Boland edged behind, Alex Carey guided to 3rd man.

Ashes tours person seldom seen nan champion of Stokes. This was a connection of intent arsenic he bids to subordinate nan fewer England captains who person near this state pinch nan urn.

Four years ago, Starc bowled Rory Burns pinch nan first shot of nan Ashes series. Two years agone successful England, Crawley deed nan first shot for four. This time, Starc waited until nan extremity of nan first complete to springiness nan Ashes its lift-off, dragging Crawley into a needless separator to first slip.

Starc was required to measurement up successful nan absence of injured skipper Pat Cummins and chap gait bowler Josh Hazlewood, and responded pinch career-best figures.

He was helped by England's recklessness. Any proposal of a refined type of Bazball was abandoned. Only Joe Root, who edged to 3rd gaffe for a duck, tin consciousness for illustration he was sewage out.

Ben Duckett played crossed nan statement to beryllium lbw, Stokes near a immense spread betwixt bat and pad to beryllium bowled. When Starc returned to mop up nan lower-order, Jamie Smith and Mark Wood were bounced retired either broadside of Gus Atkinson tamely poking an edge.

Just 4 England batters reached double figures. Pope looked assured for his highest Ashes score, past horribly misjudged Green to beryllium lbw trying to play into nan limb side.

Brook's innings was astonishing, pinch much clip spent moving towards nan bowlers than opinionated still.

A slap complete other screen for six was portion of immoderate disdainful curen of Scott Boland, who conceded 62 from his 10 overs. When Brook innocuously gloved a short shot to springiness Brendan Doggett his first Test wicket, it began England's last descent of 5 wickets successful 19 balls.