Cricket-Stokes leads fightback after Starc's seven as 19 wickets fall in Ashes

Cricket - The Ashes - Australia v England - First Test - Perth Stadium, Perth, Australia - November 21, 2025 England captain Ben Stokes shakes hands with Australia captain Steve Smith during the coin toss before the start of play on day one REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake

PERTH (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.