England captain Ben Stokes says his team must “carry no baggage” into the next Test after suffering a crushing two-day defeat in the Ashes opener in Perth — the first Ashes Test to finish within two days in almost 100 years.
Facing an extraordinary display of power-hitting from opener Travis Head and a ruthless ten-wicket haul from Mitchell Starc, England collapsed to an eight-wicket defeat that immediately puts them under pressure ahead of the second Test in Brisbane on 4 December.
Stokes: “We must reset — no baggage”
Speaking after the loss, Stokes said the team must reset quickly.
“When we get to Brisbane, we need to be back to that mindset we had coming into the series,” he said.
“We’re still very confident in our abilities. It’s crucial not to take any baggage from this result.”
He also praised Head’s “special” innings, which derailed England’s plans within hours.
“That was a pretty incredible knock from Travis. He had an answer to everything and really took the bowlers on.”
Head destroys England with the second-fastest Ashes century
Travis Head produced one of the most devastating innings in Ashes history, smashing 123 off just 69 balls, the second-fastest century ever in an Ashes Test. Only Adam Gilchrist (57 balls in 2006) has reached three figures faster.
Head launched the chase of 205 with explosive intent, ramping, driving and pulling England’s quicks to all corners of Optus Stadium.
Key milestones from Head’s innings:
- 50 off 36 balls (3 fours, 3 sixes)
- 100 off 69 balls
- Became first opener in Ashes history to hit four or more sixes in an innings
- Reached 4,000 Test runs during the knock
- Passed 1,000 Ashes runs, averaging over 42 against England
He was joined by Marnus Labuschagne (51 off 49), who continued the counterattack as England’s bowlers struggled for control.
By the 17th over, Head had stripped 17 runs off Ben Stokes, hammering three consecutive boundaries.
Even express paceman Mark Wood and the returning Jofra Archer were dispatched with ease — Archer’s 19th over went for 16 runs.
Australia finished the chase in just 28.2 overs, sealing victory before stumps on Day 2.
Starc’s ten-wicket haul and Boland’s precision flatten England
While Head stole the highlights, Mitchell Starc delivered one of the great fast-bowling displays in modern Ashes history, taking 10 wickets for the match.
Starc, Boland (4/33), and Doggett (3 wickets) ensured England’s second innings never took off, skittling them for just 164.
England began Day 2 with a 40-run lead, but collapsed again under sustained Australian pressure.
The match result:
England: 172 & 164
Australia: 132 & 205/2
Australia win by 8 wickets and take a 1–0 Ashes lead.
Test lasts just two days — first time in a century
The Perth Test will be remembered for its speed as much as its brutality.
- Last Ashes Test to finish in two days: 1926
- First Test in Australia to finish in two days since the 1950s
- One of the shortest Test matches ever played at Optus Stadium
The combination of a lively pitch, aggressive batting, and a fragile English top order saw the match wrapped up in just 146 overs — barely the length of a One Day International and a half.
England look ahead to Brisbane
Despite the embarrassing result, Stokes insisted England would not abandon their attacking approach.
“We came here to play with intent. That won’t change.”
But after being outplayed in every department — bowling, batting, and fielding — England face enormous pressure heading to the Gabba, where Australia traditionally dominate.
The second Test begins on 4 December, with England needing a victory to keep the Ashes alive.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
