Stokes Shines as England Rallies After Starc’s Record Seven Wickets

Australia found itself in a precarious position at the end of an extraordinary first day of the Ashes series, trailing England by 49 runs with a score of 123-9 at Perth Stadium on October 20, 2023. The day saw a remarkable 19 wickets fall, significantly tilting the balance in favor of the bowlers. Mitchell Starc led the charge for Australia, taking a career-best 7-58, which helped dismiss England for 172 before the tea break.

The crowd of 51,531 was abuzz with excitement as England captain Ben Stokes orchestrated a pace attack that decimated the Australian batting lineup. Stokes claimed five wickets himself, finishing with impressive figures of 5-23. Nathan Lyon and debutant Brendan Doggett will return on day two, determined to reduce the deficit further.

Action-Packed Opening Day

The opening day of the 2023 Ashes series was the most eventful in terms of wickets since 1909, reminiscent of the 17 wickets that fell on the first day of last year’s test between Australia and India. After winning the toss and opting to bat, England was immediately thrown into disarray. Starc struck early, dismissing Zak Crawley for a duck with a well-angled delivery that found its way to first slip. He then trapped Ben Duckett leg-before for 21, marking the start of a dominant performance.

Starc’s 100th Ashes wicket came when he bowled Joe Root for a duck, while Ollie Pope managed to score 46 before becoming one of Cameron Green’s victims. Stokes fell prey to Starc’s onslaught, getting bowled for just six runs. Doggett, making his test debut, secured his first wicket by catching top-scorer Harry Brook behind the stumps for 52. Starc rounded off a stellar day by taking his seventh wicket, dismissing Jamie Smith for 33 and Mark Wood for a duck, underscoring England’s struggles as they lost their last four wickets for just 12 runs.

Starc commented on England’s aggressive approach: “We know how England want to take the game. Their approach of being aggressive creates opportunities, and I thought we bowled quite well even in a period where it felt like it was kind of helter-skelter.”

Weatherald’s Short Stint

In a turn of events, debutant Jake Weatherald faced a brief outing, falling lbw to Jofra Archer for a second-ball duck. Archer, who consistently bowled at speeds nearing 150 kph, finished with figures of 2-11 in nine overs. He and Mark Wood set the tone for England’s bowling effort, complemented by Stokes and Brydon Carse, who ended with 2-45.

As the innings progressed, Australia faced further setbacks. Marnus Labuschagne, who opened for Usman Khawaja, fell to Archer for just nine runs. Stand-in captain Steve Smith scored 17 before being dismissed, while Khawaja managed only two runs before Carse claimed his wicket. Stokes then quickly accounted for Green, Starc, and Alex Carey, who scored 24, 12, and 26 respectively. Stokes’ performance marked his sixth test “five-fer,” highlighting the intensity of the contest.

As the Ashes series unfolds, both teams will be eager to seize the momentum, with Australia looking to recover from a challenging day and England aiming to capitalize on their early advantage.