The Ashes 2025/26 started in a stunning way as the hosts Australia claimed an eight-wicket win against England inside the first two days of the opening game of the five-match series at Perth Stadium.
On Saturday (November 22), England got a 40-run lead after bundling Australia out for only 132 runs. However, England were all out for only 164 runs in their second innings, as they managed to set the 205-run target for Australia in the fourth innings.
In reply, Australian opener Travis Head scored a stunning century as he slammed 123 runs off 83 balls with 16 fours and four sixes, which guided the hosts to chase the target in just 28.2 overs after losing only two wickets.
With this eight-wicket win, the hosts Australia have taken a 1-0 lead in the series, while England’s dream to win a Test match in Australia is still on the waiting list.
Here are some key stats of the second day of the Perth Test in the Ashes 2025/26.
English captain Ben Stokes set a record with his fifer
England captain Ben Stokes recorded the bowling figures of 6-1-23-5 during Australia’s first innings of the Test match.
It was the best bowling figures by an English captain in the Ashes history. The previous record was 6-0-36-5 by Gubby Allen during the 1936 Brisbane Test.
It was the third-best bowling figures by an England captain outside home soil.
It was the third-best bowling figures by an away captain in the Ashes history.
Australia 132 all out
Australia were bundled out for only 132 runs in their first innings of the Test match.
It was the second-lowest completed total for Australia at home in the Ashes since 2000.
It was the fifth-lowest completed total for Australia in their home Tests since 2000.
England faced only 405 balls
England batted for only 405 balls in the entire Test match.
It was the third lowest ball faced by English batters in a Test match. Their top two lowest records in this record book are 325 balls (vs Australia in Melbourne 1904) and 388 balls (vs Australia in Lord’s 1888).
0/1 three times
The first three innings of the Test match experienced first wicket falls without scoring any runs.
It was the only third time that three innings of a Test match experienced first wicket falls without scoring any runs. The other two Tests were Australia vs England 1950 Brisbane Test, and Australia vs Pakistan 2024 Sydney Test. However, the latest Australia vs England Perth Test is the only Test match in which each of the first three innings experienced first wicket falls without scoring any runs.
Mitchell Starc 10 wickets
Mitchell Starc recorded a ten-wicket haul in the Test match (24.5-5-113-10).
Starc became the second Australian left-arm pacer to record a ten-wicket haul in an Ashes Test. The record is 61-20-148-13 by Bruce Reid during the 1990 Melbourne Test.
Starc also became the fourth left-arm pacer to record a ten-wicket haul in an Ashes Test.
Travis Head 69-ball century
Australian cricketer Travis Head smashed a 69-ball century.
It was the second-fastest century in the Ashes history. The record is a 57-ball century by Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist during the 2006 Perth Test.
It was the joint third fastest Test hundred by an Australian cricketer, equalling David Warner’s 69-ball century against India in the 2012 Perth Test. The top two records in this list are a 57-ball century by Adam Gilchrist (vs England in the 2006 Perth Test) and a 67-ball hundred by Jack Gregory (vs South Africa in the 1921 Johannesburg Test).
It was the joint sixth fastest century in Test cricket history.
Australia's flying chase of 205 runs
Australia successfully chased the 205-run target in 28.2 overs after losing only two wickets.
It was the first successful fourth innings chase in the Perth Stadium Test history.
It was the fastest successful fourth innings chase in Test cricket history when the target was 200+ runs. While the run rate per over in the fourth innings successful chase in this Test match was 7.23, the previous record was 5.98 when England chased the 299-run target against New Zealand in the 2022 Nottingham Test.
Perth Test completed with just 847 balls
This Perth Test ended in 847 balls.
It was the third-lowest balls bowled in a completed Ashes Test match. The top two lowest balls bowled records in a match in the Ashes history were 788 balls (1888 Manchester Test) and 792 balls (1888 Lord’s Test).
Perth Test ended inside two days
The Perth Test ended inside two days.
It was the sixth Test in the Ashes history that ended inside two days. The other five Ashes Tests were the 1888 Lord’s Test, 1888 The Oval Test, 1888 Manchester Test, 1890 The Oval Test, and 1921 Nottingham Test. (Credit: Cricbuzz).
