The first Ashes Test began in a frenzied manner with huge momentum swings as pace bowlers from both attacks dominated on a bouncy Perth Stadium surface, living up to the expectations after such a long build-up.
After taking 19 wickets in front of 51,531 spectators on an incredibly exciting first day, England finished with the lead.
With career-best bowling statistics of 7 for 58, Mitchell Starc, filling in for fellow quicks Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, gave Australia an incredible start to the series as England were dismissed for just 172 in their first innings.

Starc had expressed in the run-up to the Test that he was skeptical of a Perth surface known as a "green monster" and that he preferred series-openers to be played in Australia's traditional stronghold, the Gabba. Starc enjoyed a green-tinged pitch and was able to find some extra zing off to tear through England's batting, bowling consistently at 145 kph/90 mph.
After Usman Khawaja was unable to open due to time off the field during England's innings due to back discomfort, England's all-out pace attack responded by learning from Starc's efforts against a rearranged Australia batting order.

Marnus Labuschagne ended up partnering rookie Jake Weatherald, who had just gotten his cap from David Warner, after months of uncertainty about who would open.
Weatherald suffered a baptism of fire and was trapped lbw by fast Jofra Archer to fall for a second-ball duck, much like Nathan McSweeney did against India on the same ground a year prior.
For the first time in a Test since 2017, Steven Smith was dismissed at No. 3 because Khawaja was still unable to bat. Gus Atkinson's violent short ball struck him in the elbow, causing him to have a terrible time and need medical treatment.

After suffering yet another devastating blow, Smith battled valiantly, scoring 17 off 49 balls before edging Brydon Carse's crisp delivery to second slip. For the second time in his Test career, Khawaja batted at No. 4, but he was caught behind after a quick, short delivery from Carse that just touched the bat handle.
Ben Stokes concluded his six-over performance with five wickets, including Travis Head and Cameron Green, who had threatened with a 45-run partnership, in the shadows to crown England's incredible revival. Stokes was in considerably better moods than he had been earlier in the day.
The equivalent India Test from a year ago, when 17 wickets were taken on the first day, had uncanny similarities.After winning the toss, England's initial attempts to unleash their aggressive batting style on Australian soil did not go as planned. By the drinks break of the second session, they had lost 5 for 12 in 18 deliveries while scoring at a rate of 5.3 runs per over. They were bowled out in just 32.5 overs.
It was the shortest Ashes Test innings since Australia's opening-day 60-run defeat at Trent Bridge in 2015. In a method of dismissal that has been popular in Perth over the years, three of England's top six hitters were caught behind the wicket, either by the keeper or in the well-stocked cordon, while the other three were defeated by pace.

With offspinner Shoaib Bashir missing out in a rare instance when fit, England's comeback later in the day has validated their choice to launch an all-out pace attack.
Given Stokes' inclination to bowl first, it had been assumed that Australia would bat regardless of which side the coin fell. However, he chose to follow the ground's short history, when batting first had been beneficial until the surface cracked later in the game.
Australian supporters, who barely outnumbered their English counterparts in the terraces, jeered openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett as they made their way to the crease.

There was a whirlwind of excitement when Starc charged in, with thunderous applause echoing over the enormous arena, given the great drama surrounding opening deliveries of several recent Ashes series.
Naturally, on the opening delivery of the previous Ashes series, Crawley famously smashed Cummins for a boundary, but in an anti-climax, he blocked Starc into the off side.
Drama quickly developed after Crawley, who had effectively collared Starc in the 2023 series, played and missed on the third delivery before losing to Khawaja at first slip and failing to finish the opening over.

Crawley's ability to drive on a length in Perth had been questioned, and Starc's shorter length undid him. In his first red-ball game at Perth Stadium, a nervous-looking Scott Boland battled with his lengths as Duckett pounced with several beautiful drives down the ground, while Starc was a handful from the start.
Ollie Pope demonstrated his confidence with a number of sharp punches down the ground, hitting the ideal combination between aggression and balance, after a powerful hit-out in the Lilac Hill warm-up solidified his No. 3 position.
Despite the outfield being especially slow following a Metallica performance on the field just three weeks prior, the runs continued to flow.Duckett was never at ease against Starc, despite cruising at run-a-ball pace. On 21, he was beaten by pace and fell lbw following an unsuccessful review.
When Joe Root reached the crease in the ninth over, it would be difficult for him to reach Australia's elusive century target. However, Starc was on a roll and unleashed a brilliant delivery that pitched on leg and nipped across to flip Root inside out and nick to third slip. Starc's celebration was appropriate given it was his 100th Ashes wicket.
Harry Brook was unfazed in his debut Test innings against Australia, unfurling his signature cavalier strokes, some of which failed to connect, despite Starc's stats of 3 for 10 from five overs up to that point.A quick 55-run partnership between Brook and Pope helped England temporarily stabilize the situation. In the midst of Boland's difficulties, Starc was playing a lone-hand, and rookie Brendan Doggett bowled more sharply than his pace in the 130s suggested. Doggett came on first change right before the drinks break.
Pope looked to be cruising to his first half-century in Australia when Green, who had returned to Test bowling since March 2024, trapped him with a full delivery on leg stump.
After the lunch break, it was anticipated that batting would be simpler, and Brook didn't waste any time by hitting an unfortunate Boland for six over extra cover, causing onlookers to duck.

However, the interval did not stop Starc's enthusiasm, and he shattered Stokes' stumps with a stunning delivery that nipped back through the gate as Stokes fell to one knee in shock. With the Australian bowlers resisting bowling short, Brook smashed his way to a half-century off 58 balls after Starc dismissed Stokes for the tenth time in Test cricket.
However, Brook quickly left after gloving a brief delivery from Doggett, who had made a feeble appeal before being overwhelmed by his teammates in an unforgettable first-Test-wicket celebration.

As England fell, Doggett, who had earlier been awarded his cap by Boland and his former South Australia coach Jason Gillespie, also dismissed Carse with a short ball.
After taking the last two wickets in back-to-back deliveries, Starc left the field to a thunderous applause from the home crowd. However, the game took a dramatic turn barely three hours later as he went off the field following his ejection.