 "As Mitch Starc created new history at Perth, Michael Vaughan took the Bazball to the cleaners. Images: Reuters")
All the hype and hoopla around the England team and the tough challenge they can pose against Australia in Ashes 2025 was washed away on Day 1 of the series as Mitchell Starc ran through the visiting batting line-up with terrific bowling figures of 7/58. In the absence of regular captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, the third member of the famous trifecta, Starc, took his first three wickets inside the first nine overs in a blistering opening spell.
He dismissed England captain Ben Stokes soon after, before Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson and Mar Wook. In the first spell, he had sent back Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Joe Root as England were bowled out for just 172 at Perth on Friday.
Vaughan loses cool on Bazball after Starc wreaks havoc
Such was Starc’s class that it forced former England captain Michael Vaughan to criticise his team for a change. Usually a big cheerleader of the English team, Vaughan slammed Bazball and the team’s batting approach at the end.
“Poor batting. The way the last few wickets down. Really poor. You’ve got to question Bazball and its brain,” Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.
“The tailenders should have looked to bat with Jamie Smith. Really poor from the batters towards the end. The plan should have been to give him the strike and let him do the heavy lifting,” he added.
Starc creates history with Perth performance
Meanwhile, Starc also touched a few milestones with his seven-wicket haul. He now has 24 wickets in the first over of a Test innings, having dismissed Crawley early on
By dismissing Root, Starc became the 21st bowler to complete 100 wickets in Ashes Test matches. He is the first left-arm pacer to do so and his strike rate of 44.8 is best among all 21 fast bowlers who have taken 100 or more wickets in Ashes.