England have been bowled out on a 204-run second innings lead in Perth. Mitchell Starc and Brendan Doggett picked 3, followed by Scott Boland’s 4-wicket haul to restrict the visitors.
The match is now set for a dramatic chase at home for Australia. They have 3 Days and 1 session left in the match, but batting has seemingly not been easy on this surface, which renders this a challenging task to say the least.
Ashes 1st Test: 30 Wickets Fall In Less Than 2 Days
England won the toss early on Day 1 and chose to bat. Their Bazball brand of play, however, faltered against Mitchell Starc’s brilliance, who ran through their batting lineup picking 7 wickets.
The visitors set a 172-run lead on Day 1, and while Australia seemed to have had the upper hand, they too, struggled against the fast-bowling.
England’s captain, Ben Stokes, chipped in with a 5-wicket haul himself, which helped them get the home side down to 9 wickets at stumps. The following morning, they had them all-out with a 40-run lead.
When Stokes’ men came out to bat again, it was the same story. Starc struck in the 1st over of their second innings with an impossible caught-and-bowled, and while there would be a substantial second wicket stand, the English batting order collapsed late during the day, all out on a 204-run lead.
Mitchell Starc 10-Wicket Haul
Among the 20 wickets that England lost across the two innings, 10 were taken by Aussie fast-bowling maestro, Mitchell Starc alone.
As mentioned, he got 7 in the first innings, and then hit back with 3 in the second.
Notably, he was the one to send back Stokes on both occasions, which in fact, was the 11th time that he had dismissed the English all-rounder.
Although a 205-run chase will likely not be easy, Starc’s efforts, partnered by Doggett and Boland, have made sure that the equation has not gone completely out of hand.
