Ashes 2025 live: England search for answers after humiliating defeat in first Test
Travis Head’s brilliant century inspired Australia to a 1-0 lead in the series after a pair of horrific England batting collapses
Australia blew England away in the first Ashes Test to claim an eight-wicket victory inside two days at Perth Stadium.
Following Ben Stokes’ bowling heroics on day one, England seemingly took control of the match by bowling the hosts out for 132 on Saturday morning before Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope steered them safely to lunch.
But, the afternoon session was one of catastrophe as England lost four wickets for just 11 runs as added bounce and wayward strokes caused yet another third innings collapse when England should have taken control of the match.
Scott Boland found movement off the pitch and skittled both set batters, as well as Harry Brook, before Mitchell Starc claimed the crucial wickets of Joe Root and Ben Stokes. Brendan Doggett cleaned up the tail despite a fifty-partnership between Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse.
Even that wasn’t enough as Travis Head (123), promoted to open the batting after an injury to Usman Khawaja, took the attack to England’s seamers and mullered them around the ground as Australia made light work of the target. Marnus Labuschagne scored an unbeaten 51 and captain Steve Smith hit the winning runs as the hosts move 1-0 up in the series.
Follow all the analysis and reaction to a remarkable first Ashes Test Down Under:
Why England’s haunting Ashes humiliation won’t lead to major change
Shell-shocked is the word you’re looking for. On a morning where England came into the game ahead, on an afternoon when they had the match in their grasp, to an evening where they had lost.
Two batting collapses of spectacular proportions in as many days, capitalised upon by an astonishing Travis Head century. Australia won by eight wickets, in what turned into a humiliating defeat for the touring side.
Where do you want to start? As a team, England’s two innings lasted 67.3 overs. Not since 1904 have they ever been bowled out twice so quickly. As a whole, the Test was the ninth shortest in history. Perth was always meant to be fast, but not like this.
Read Cameron Ponsonby’s full analysis from Perth:
Why England’s haunting Ashes humiliation won’t lead to major change
Why Travis Head was promoted to open before producing ‘one of the great Ashes knocks’
Australia captain Steve Smith congratulated Travis Head for "one of the great Ashes knocks" after his swashbuckling century finished England off in the first Test in Perth.
For three innings, ball dominated bat to a staggering degree with England bowled out for 172 and 164, while Australia managed just 132 in their first attempt.
A target of 205 looked challenging in those circumstances but Head launched into a tirade, smashing 123 off just 83 balls. He cruised to three figures in 69 deliveries for the second fastest ton scored in the long history of the rivalry.
Why Travis Head was promoted to open before ‘one of the great Ashes knocks’
Remaining Ashes schedule
So, after that frustrating defeat for England, where do they go next?
Well, to Brisbane and ‘the Gabbatoir’ - things don’t get any easier... Here’s the full remaining schedule
Second Test, Gabba in Brisbane: 4-8 December (4.30am GMT)
Third Test, Adelaide Oval in Adelaide: 17-21 December (12am)
Fourth Test, MCG in Melbourne: 26-30 December (11.30pm, 25 December)
Fifth Test, SCG in Sydney: 4-8 January (11.30pm, 3 January)
Australia on a high after victory
Australia will be floating after that victory, knowing that unless England somehow win three of the next four Tests (and they haven’t even won one since the 2010/11 series), they’ll be retaining the Ashes.
They were understandably in a good mood post-win.
WATCH: Shell-shocked England fall to defeat inside two days
Cameron Ponsonby is our man on the ground in Perth and he’s given his analysis of that embarrassing England loss in the first Test
Brendon McCullum: 'That's the way we are'
Anyone hoping for some pragmatism in England’s approach moving forward may want to look away now...
Head coach Brendon McCullum remains adamant that attacking cricket is the best approach and seems uninspired by Michael Vaughan’s suggestion that the warm-up match against Australian Prime Minister's XI next week should be used to give Test players game-time. It has currently been passed along to Andrew Flintoff’s England Lions side.
“We don’t do anything for optics, that’s the way we are,” McCullum told Test Match Special.
“We believe in our methods. We get it right sometimes and we get it wrong sometimes. We’ll let the dust settle on this and, over the next couple of days, we’ll work out whether a couple of guys going to play in that game is the right thing or whether keeping the team tight and making sure morale doesn’t drop is the alternative. We'll work on that and come up with a plan.
“I haven’t even thought about it just yet. I planned on us being here a little bit longer than two days.”
Ben Stokes 'wide-eyed' by end result
England captain Ben Stokes spoke after the match and admitted to being ‘shell-shocked’ by the result.
"I'm shell-shocked a little bit, wide eyed after that to see what unfolded, particularly after the first day,” Stokes admitted.
“Our third innings with the bat then to see what Head did with the bat. It's hard to settle in with plans when you look up and the runs are coming down quickly."
"We were very confident having a 200 run lead for Australia to chase. The way that the wicket was playing was tough. There was a lot in it for the bowlers.
“Looking back on it, if you're the one out the with the opportunity in the middle, you've got to make sure the mentality that you've never had enough. The ones that had success were the ones who were brave enough to face the ball."
Michael Vaughan: It would be 'amateurish' for England to rest key players in warm-up match
Michael Vaughan believes it would be “amateurish” if England maintained plans to rest key players from a practice match ahead of the pink-ball Ashes Test in Brisbane in a fortnight.
Those who featured this week were expected to skip a two-day match under lights next weekend against a Prime Minister's XI in Canberra, but England head coach Brendon McCullum hinted afterwards they could review the decision.
“I would say it's amateurish if they don't go and play,” England's Ashes 2005-winning captain Vaughan told the BBC's Test Match Special.
“What harm is playing two days of cricket with the pink ball under lights? What damage is it going to do you as a team and a player to play a pink-ball game to prepare yourself to play a pink-ball Test.”
Asked if it was only the batters who should try to get some time in the middle before the second Test at the Gabba, starting on December 4, Vaughan said: "The bowlers too. They've played two days of cricket.
"They've been out in the field for 70 overs. They're professional cricketers. I can't be so old school to suggest that by playing cricket, you might get a little bit better."
Pat Cummins gives himself ‘half a chance’ of playing second Ashes Test
Pat Cummins has given Australia another boost as they head to Brisbane, revealing that he has “half a chance” of being fit for the second Ashes Test.
The Australia captain missed the first Test in Perth due to a back injury, not that his side particularly needed him as the hosts raced to an eight-wicket victory inside two days.
Cummins was replaced in the bowling unit by Scott Boland, who took 4-33 in the second innings, and as skipper by Steve Smith but may yet surprisingly recover to feature in the day-night Test at the Gabba, in Brisbane, from 4 December.
Pat Cummins gives himself ‘half a chance’ of playing second Ashes Test
Why Travis Head was promoted to open before producing ‘one of the great Ashes knocks’
Australia captain Steve Smith congratulated Travis Head for "one of the great Ashes knocks" after his swashbuckling century finished England off in the first Test in Perth.
For three innings, ball dominated bat to a staggering degree with England bowled out for 172 and 164, while Australia managed just 132 in their first attempt.
A target of 205 looked challenging in those circumstances but Head launched into a tirade, smashing 123 off just 83 balls. He cruised to three figures in 69 deliveries for the second fastest ton scored in the long history of the rivalry.
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