The Ashes -Cricket's super clash: Stokes leads fightback for England after Starc's super seven as 19 wickets fall on day one

England's Ben Stokes (C) celebrates his five wickets with teammates on day 1 of the first Ashes cricket Test match between Australia and England at Perth Stadium in Perth on November 21, 2025. -- Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP

PERTH, Nov 21 (Reuters): Australia trailed England by 49 runs on 123-9 at the end of an extraordinary opening day of the Ashes series on Friday at Perth Stadium, where bowlers had very much the upper hand and a remarkable 19 wickets fell.

Mitchell Starc, spearheading the home attack in the absence of the injured Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, took a career-best 7-58 as Australia dismissed the tourists for 172 before tea.