Australia, Nov 21 : Veteran pacer Mitchell Starc tore through England’s top order in the first Test in Perth, claiming three early wickets and becoming just the 21st bowler and the 13th Australian to reach 100 Ashes wickets.
Starc achieved the feat in only 23 Tests, highlighting his sustained dominance in the historic rivalry. During the spell, he also drew level with Curtly Ambrose’s 405 Test wickets and now stands within reach of Wasim Akram’s 414, the most Test wickets by a left arm fast bowler.
Playing his 100th Test, Starc’s all-round value remains evident. The left hander has scored 2,322 runs, including 11 half centuries, with a career best of 99. In the current squads of both sides, only Nathan Lyon (110) and Starc have crossed the 100 Ashes wickets mark.
For England, Ben Stokes and Mark Wood lead the bowling charts in the Ashes among the current players, with 41 wickets each.
Earlier in the day, Stokes won the toss and chose to bat at Perth Stadium, opting for four pacers and leaving out off-spinner Shoaib Bashir from the 12-man squad. Australia, meanwhile, handed debut caps to opener Jake Weatherald and fast bowler Brendan Doggett, who earned his spot following an impressive Sheffield Shield run with 13 wickets in two matches.
England’s innings started poorly, with Zak Crawley dismissed for a duck in the first over by Starc. The left arm quick then removed Ben Duckett (21) and Joe Root (0) in rapid succession, reducing the visitors to 39/3.
A brief recovery followed as Ollie Pope and Harry Brook stitched together a 55-run stand before Cameron Green trapped Pope lbw for 46. England went to lunch at 105/4, with Brook unbeaten on 28 and Stokes on 4.