Mitchell Starc brought out his A-game and got rewarded for his 7-wicket haul as England were skittled out for 172 in 32.5 overs. Mitchell Starc looked determined out there and led from the front in the absence of superstars in the bowling line-up. His 7/58 and along with reckless batting by the English batters bowled them out for 172 in 32.5 overs. In reply, Australia lost Jake Weatherald for a silver duck on debut. Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith took the team through to the Tea Break.
Mitchell Starc’s 7-wicket haul skittles England out for 172 in 32.5 overs
Harry Brook and captain Ben Stokes came out to resume for England while Scott Boland had ball in hand for Australia. Brook made his intentions clear as he jumped outside the crease and stayed leg side of the ball and lofted it inside out over extra cover for the maximum. Starc took the ball from the other end. He removed Ben Stokes for 6 off 12 balls.
Starc bowled a wobbled seam delivery pitching on length outside the off-stump line. Stokes on the front foot played away from his body with the ball nipping back in through the gate and castled the stumps. Jamie Smith came out to bat next. Boland continued and appealed for LBW against Smith. The umpire said no and the Aussies burnt their review. Smith then got off the mark with a boundary by waiting for the ball and guided it between third slip and gully for a boundary.
Starc continued and Brook took the attack to him by hitting him for consecutive boundaries first through fine leg region and then stood and delivered between mid-off and mid-on for a boundary. Jamie Smith then spanked Boland down the ground through mid-on for a boundary. Brook took him on as he slashed it hard through covers as the batters ran all 4 runs between the wickets. Smith took the attack to Starc by hitting him for back-to-back boundaries first down the ground and then through deep backward square leg.
Harry Brook brought up his fifty in 58 balls and it was his 14th Test match fifty. Smith then pulled Starc away past Boland at deep fine leg as the ball raced away to the fence. The 150 came up for England in 29 overs. Doggett came back into the attack as Smith managed to get a triple off him. The debutant struck for the first time by getting rid of the form batter Harry Brook for 52 off 61 balls with 5 fours and one six to his name.
Doggett banged it short into the wicket down leg side which was well directed bumper from Doggett. Brook thought of playing the pull shot down to the fine leg fence but changed his mind at the last second. He failed to get away from the line of the ball and Carey moved to his left and took the catch. The TV umpire was called for and on replays we found that the ball brushed the gloves through to the keeper. The ball brushed the left glove to the keeper. Gus Atkinson came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Starc completed his five-wicket haul as he removed Atkinson for 1 off 2 balls. Starc bowled from over the wicket a short of a good length around the fourth stump angling across the batter. There was no footwork at all from Atkinson as he poked at it away from the body and got a thick outside edge where Steve Smith took a really good catch at second slip. Brydon Carse came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary as he lunged forward and opened the bat face at the last moment to find the gap between point and gully.
Doggett continued and hit Carse on the helmet as a mandatory concussion test was done on the batter. Doggett got rid of Carse for 6 off 9 balls with a boundary to his name. Doggett banged it short into the wicket around the off-stump. Carse used the pace of the ball and pulled it away flat and hard behind square on the onside. Labuschagne timed his jump perfectly and took a wonderful catch with both hands. Jofra Archer came out to bat next.
Starc continued as Jamie stood tall and hit the short ball to pull it away over midwicket for a boundary. Starc removed Smith for 33 off 22 balls with 6 fours to his name. Starc bowled a back of a length delivery around off-stump. Smith cleared his front leg and heaved it away to the onside from the inner half of the blade and didn’t get enough elevation on that one. Cameron Green at deep square leg settled underneath it and took a good safe catch. Mark Wood came out to bat next.
He got dismissed first ball as Starc finished with 7 wickets as it was a golden duck for Wood. Starc banged in short into the wicket around the fourth stump line. Wood spread himself and looked to slash it away on the leg side and he got a top edge which went straight up in the air. Carey settled underneath it and took the catch. Archer remained unbeaten on 0 as England were bowled out for 172 in 32.5 overs. 7 extras given by the fielding side.
Mitchell Starc was the pick of the bowlers as he finished with best ever figures of 7/58 in 12.5 overs. Brendan Doggett on debut picked up 2/27 in 7 overs. Cameron Green picked up 1/10 in 1 over. Scott Boland’s 10 overs went for 62 runs while Nathan Lyon bowled 2 overs for 10 runs. England were bowled out an hour into the play in the afternoon session.
Jofra Archer removes Jake Weatherald for a duck on debut as Australia make a cautious start before Tea
With Usman Khawaja unable to open the batting due to being off the field, debutant Jake Weatherald opened the batting with Marnus Labuschagne for Australia while Jofra Archer had ball in hand for England. Archer made the perfect start for England as he removed the debutant for a silver duck thanks to successful usage of DRS.
Archer bowled an inswinger fuller length around the leg stump. Weatherald failed to get his front pad away and missed the flick on the inside edge. His head fell off on the off-side as he wore it low on the front pad. Appeal was turned down and was reviewed. Nothing on Ultra Edge and the ball pitched in line and crashed the stumps. Three reds and decision was overturned to OUT. Captain Steve Smith came out to bat next.
Gus Atkinson took the ball from the other end and started with a maiden over. Archer continued and bowled another maiden over. Atkinson bowled another maiden over. Archer continued and Smith finally got off the mark. Labuschagne finally broke the shackles by driving it down the ground past mid-on for a boundary to long-on fence. Atkinson continued and hit Smith on the elbow who got treatment and recovered as well.
Mark Wood came into the attack now. Marnus survived a close run out scare at the bowler’s end as the throw missed. Atkinson bowled a miserly over. Wood continued and overstepped but bowled a probing over. Brydon Carse came into the attack next to bowl the final over before Tea. He too bowled a tight over. Australia were 15/1 in 10 overs when players went off for the Tea Break with Labuschagne on 6* and Smith on 7*. 2 extras given by the fielding side so far.
4 bowlers used by England so far with Jofra Archer getting the wicket with his 1/5 in 3 overs. The other bowlers have bowled decently and kept things tight without taking a wicket. An absorbing final session awaits us all.
What Lies Ahead in Evening Session
A 7-wicket haul from Mitchell Starc and some reckless batting meant England’s innings was cut short at 172 in 32.5 overs. Australia also are 15/1 in 10 overs in reply as England are giving it their all with the ball. This match is fascinating already and plenty to come in the final session. Australia slightly ahead, but need to bat well while England will want to keep wickets at regular intervals to push Australia back.
An absorbing final session awaits us now, an important one for both teams.
Also Read: Ashes 2025-26: Mitchell Starc’s 3-Wicket Haul Dents England