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Australia Crush England in Two-Day Ashes Opener as Head Blazes 69-Ball Ton

England enter a 12-day reset before the day-night Gabba Test following a two-day loss that put Australia 1-0 up.

Overview

  • Australia chased 205 in 28.2 overs to win by eight wickets in Perth, with Travis Head smashing 123 off 83 balls after being promoted to open.
  • Head’s onslaught followed England’s second-innings collapse from 65-1 to 164 all out, triggered by Scott Boland’s burst and Mitchell Starc’s strikes.
  • Starc finished with a 10-wicket match haul, including career-best figures of 7-58 in the first innings, after England had earlier bowled Australia out for 132.
  • The match was the first Ashes Test to finish inside two days since 1921, with England losing all 20 wickets in 67.5 overs across the game.
  • Ben Stokes described himself as shellshocked and urged teammates to let the defeat hurt, as England consider a pink-ball PM’s XI hit-out and Australia assess Pat Cummins for a possible Gabba return on December 4.