11/20/25 10:44:00
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11/20 22:40 CST Starc takes 3 wickets as Australia restricts England to 105 for
4 in first session of the Ashes
Starc takes 3 wickets as Australia restricts England to 105 for 4 in first
session of the Ashes
PERTH, Australia (AP) --- Mitchell Starc took three early wickets and Cameron
Green snared another as Australia had England in trouble at 105 for four at
lunch Friday after the opening session of the Ashes series.
Starc took three wickets for 10 in his first five overs and brought up his
100th career Ashes wicket.
It started in the first over, when the veteran left-arm paceman had Zac Crawley
caught at slip by Usman Khawaja on the sixth delivery before England had scored
a run.
Starc bowled 12 balls without conceding a run before Ollie Pope took three off
him to start the fifth over.
Ben Duckett (21) was punishing an off-rhythm Scott Boland's half-volleys,
punching four boundaries down the ground before Starc trapped him lbw in the
seventh over with a full-length ball that hit him in the pads in front of leg
stump.
Duckett reviewed the decision but tracking technology confirmed the umpire's
decision and England was 33-2.
Joe Root, the No. 1-ranked test batter but still searching for his first Ashes
century in Australia, faced seven balls before he nicked Starc to Marnus
Labuschagne at third slip for a duck and England slumped to 39-3.
The key dismissal gave 35-year-old Starc his 100th Ashes wicket, at an average
of 26.65, and gave Australia the ascendancy after losing the toss and being
forced to bowl.
A 55-run stand between Pope and Harry Brook gave England some momentum before
allrounder Green struck at the end of his first over of bowling in a test match
since 2023.
Green trapped Pope lbw and again England reviewed the decision, which was
upheld by the TV umpire using tracking technology. The visitors were reeling at
94-4, bringing Ben Stokes to the crease before lunch on Day 1 of the series.
Stokes was unbeaten on 4 and Brook was unbeaten on 28 at the first interval.
England's attacking intent is regulation " Bazball " under Brendon McCullum's
coaching.
The team batting first has won all five tests played at Perth Stadium --- which
replaced the WACA as the Western Australian capital's test venue --- and that
was a heavy factor in Stokes deciding to bat after winning the toss, going
against his preferred option of bowling first and chasing.
The English, trying to win a test in Australia for the first time since
2010-11, opted for an all-pace attack led by Jofra Archer and 35-year-old Mark
Wood.
Australia has won 13 and drawn two of its last 15 Ashes tests in Australia.
Regular skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are missing the first test
because of injuries, opening the way for Brendan Doggett to make his test debut
and become the third Indigenous Australian man to play test cricket.
Doggett bowled alongside Scott Boland, making it the first time two Indigenous
Australians have played in the same test lineup. He troubled Pope in his first
over and had figured of 0-17 in his first spell in test cricket. Boland
struggled for line and lenghth and was unusually expensive, returning 0-39 from
seven overs.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
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