The Ashes: England roar back on extraordinary opening day

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Woods there with his open stance.

Stark runs in towards him and he swings at this.

He's hit it straight up in the.

Air, carries underneath it. He takes it all out. Oh, England all out.

Not with a bang, baby.

With a big whimper.

That is terrible.

All out for 172.

Moves in now to bow to Bohlen and Bohlen is edging to slip, second low down. They are going to consult the two umpires. Is that five for Ben Stokes? England are celebrating. They think they got the man. It is five for Ben Stokes and Australia are nine down. So the first day of this Ashes series did not disappoint. A remarkable day's cricket. 19 wickets falling and at the close of the day's play, England have a 49 run lead and Australia have one wicket left. Ben Stokes late intervention with five wickets scuppered any Australian recovery after England were bowled out for 172 in 32.5 overs. Mitchell start starting the day well and then ending up with 7 for 58. Pope making 46, Brooker rapid 52, Jamie Smith 33. Three ducks in that England innings, including Joe Root out for naught. So some glum faces around the ground from England supporters. 172 all out midway through the afternoon session. And then the fight back. Archer with a wicket in the first over. And then on it went, two for Archer, two for cast. Five wickets for Stokes and three catches for car off Stokes's bowling So Australia up against it at the close of this first day, 123 for nine. I've got Michael Vaugh here, I've got Jonathan Agnew here. Well, how do you react to that, Michael?

I think we all need to lie down and have something quite sharp. I mean these kind of contests get built up and then they arrive and you, you're always sometimes a bit disappointed with the, the kind of action but well, pretty much from the first over today it's all been intense. Zach Crawley with that big drive. I guess that's the Zach Crawley way of getting out. Start was magnificent for Australia. Harry Brook dancing down and getting off the mark with a dance down to Mitchell Stark who is bowling 145km an hour. There was some brilliant bowling today. It's a pitch here in Perth where there's just a little bit of movement, there's a bit of a steep bounce at times. And I have to say when England got the ball in hand, the bowlers had to get the batters out of trouble because they lost five for nothing when they batted. Playing, you know, the basball way was, was, was quite good at times where Jamie Smith and Harry Brook were playing and then those last five wickets fell to a little bit of stupidity. But you need bowlers to get you out of trouble. And England had an attack today where all five quick bowlers, they bowled with skill, pace, they were intimidating. I mean clearly you get a wicket in the first over, it gives you a boost. But I thought those first 10 hours from Joffre Archer and Gus Atkinson were as good as I've seen from an England team for a long time.

There's a lot of talk about England playing a five man attack. You don't need five pace bowlers but surely today showed that it can work. Especially if you've got this type of service and you've got the type of bowlers that can exploit these conditions.

Pretty pick your best bowlers, don't you? I mean let's be clear, England's bowlers rescued England there. I mean they've been magnificent. They really have. And I think Australia have themselves a bit to blame. They got absolutely no impetus in their innings at all. They just, they just struggled all the way through to score anything. And we can point the finger a bit at bas ball and yes, there is a reckless sometimes element to the way England bat but they wouldn't have chugged along to be 31 for 4 and 18 overs. You know, they'd have had, I don't know, at least Double that on the board, maybe more. So they just got themselves in a hole. Australia. But England's bowling was magnificent. It absolutely was. Archer from that far end. From right from the start, I thought Atkinson's first spell, I knew he didn't get a wicket. But he again proved, I think he's gonna be dangerous on this tour. He bowls that lovely length that you have to bowl a little bit fuller than you think in Australia. And he just, he gets it up there and he nibbles, nibbles the ball around, cast massive heart. Just runs in, runs in. And then Stokes picking up five. I mean there are a couple of odd wickets in there. Caught third man, two mid ons, you know, I mean, you know, you pick those up at times, but that's what Stokes is, isn't he? Stokes, he's a bit of a. Both of them. He's been sitting down there a few boxes down the way. He does have a bit of a golden arm at times and picks up wickets. You know, I think batson play the man rather, sometimes rather than playing, playing the ball. So he's got a really good FIFA there. But that is down to the bowlers today because that was a bit of a shambles towards the end of that England innings. 5 for 12, all sorts of flailing shots and really poor, just silly shot selection really. And the bowlers have, the bowlers have pulled them out of the mire.

So what's par on this pitch then? What's a par score?

I actually winning them 160 for 5. I thought go and get 250 because I've seen enough cricket here. That 250 is a good first inning score. What this pitch might do is flatten out a little bit and then the cracks might arrive and it might deteriorate. If it gets to day three and four, we'll have to wait and see. But I don't think par 350. I think 250, 270 is about reasonable with the way that England bowled. I think England got more movement out of this pitch. They got more oomph out the surface with the way the engambler say par for Australia would have been around 200, 225. But England will light bowl into this Australian top order because they're not going to hurt them. They're not going to come out and punch them. They're going to try and sit. Usman Kwaj is batting that. I know he came in the middle of the order, but he's batting that far back now, you know he's Back behind the crease line, you know, and then you've got Marus Lavish saying who's been playing a bit more proactively but then the pressure's on at this level, a bit more pace. He didn't have a punch today.

You know, it does look old school, doesn't it? I mean we compare it to, to England and the way they've been playing to bat like that is, is an old fashioned way and it looks oldfashioned.

It's attritional guys, you know, reckless at times, but there's somewhere in the middle. And I watched, you know, Steve Smith is a great player and when I watch down and see that Steve Smith struggling, I think for England are bowling well because he is a great player and he is looking to score. But if I was England looking at Usman Quadra at the top, weather over at the top, Marnus Labergne in the top three, I would be absolutely delighted.

Go back to the, the start of the day's play. How surprised were you that when England.

Won the toss that they batted it's 1310 for Stokes? I think, I think I'm right in saying so 10 times he's chosen to bat first, 13 times he's chosen to bowl first. And you look at the pitch from. Well, we had a look at this warning, okay, it's got the history know that. But you just think that Ben Stokes with a record for bowling first with five seamers at the side would have gone to bowl first. So I must admit I think there's one with toughers in here. We sort of pick toughers off the floor. We just was assumed. I was delighted England both is the right decision.

I was delighted because every team that's batted first here in Perth has won. And this pitch does have a bit of spice in it and the first day in a bit is going to do quite a lot as we've seen. But it's the right decision to, to get the bat in hand and you know, I think England sometimes feel if they get the ball in hand early you can make a bit of impact and if you have a bad first session, you could always come back. If you have a bad, bad session with the bat, you know you can sometimes lose a test match. That's their theory. But I've seen enough cricket here that and I was actually downstairs doing interviews and we thought that England were going to bowl so Harry Brooke was going to do the interview, Abata was going to do the interview because they were going to go out in the field And Harry's about to do it.

And so they were surprised as well.

Didn'T have a clue. He went, oh, oh. So he ran in and suddenly had to interview Mark Wood. So we interviewed a bowler because they were about him. But it was the right call.

Yes, it was.

It really was the right call. And. Or from midway in the day where I thought, oh, England, come on. They've bounced back because of the brilliant bowling. And I always say this in World Cups or in big series, bowlers win your series, win your World Cups. And this England attack with that kind of pace on these wickets that bounce a bit more, they're going to trouble Australia throughout.

They've hurt them today. They've hurt them. They've been some nasty blows, elbows, I mean from decent length, balls as well. We're not talking about bounces, but the one that Cameron Green got straight in the face really from Mark Wood.

And you can scar, you can scar a team very early in a series when you feel you've got a little bit of the wool over a certain player's eyes or a certain set of batter's eyes and you've worked out a few tactics and there was some good tactics from Ingrid, the way that they bowled to a lot of the players and the way that he went really straight to Cameron Green with his field and then just threw it out a bit wide and said, go and hit it through extra cover. And he got him out straight away. There were certain little kind of tactical maneuvers that I saw today from England that they'll take forward to the second is they'll take forward to Brisbane and beyond. And when you feel that you can do a bit of down, look, it's early days and I was here last year when they went 1 nil down Australia and there was a big outcry and they won the series three 1. I get a sense that that outcry is going to come and it might be one that stays this time. The likes of Kawhi. I'm looking at Usman Kouaji. He's been fantastic. He's 39 in a few weeks time and he's facing this attack balling that quickly.

4.

I mean, I wouldn't want to face his attack on this kind of pitch when I was 30, playing in my pump. But at that age when you've not been playing great and he's now got one score overnight in 45 Test match innings and you're out to face that attack. I, I think they're in trouble with him.

They've already Brought in Jake Wetherald to open at the age of 31 which is kind of unusual. It's a very small sample size today.

But well, two balls.

Two balls, yeah. Extremely small.

They were two cracking balls by the way.

They were, yes.

And he played them pretty unconvincingly.

But the first one nipped across. He was a left hander. That's hard. So he gets his head over to off stump just to kind of COVID that, that kind of same ball and then josh balls and in swing. I mean two incredible balls. But again you're right, he's 31 years of age. I've been saying for weeks that Mitchell Marsh should have opened the batting. You know, England wouldn't have wanted to see Mitchell Marsh out there opening the batting. The form that he's been in. White ball cricket home venue. He plays brilliantly against the bouncing ball. Against the Pacers. England would have been delighted to see Usman Kaja, Jake Weatherald and Marus Lane.

Well, Mitch Marsh is playing Shepherd Shield cricket again which might be an indication that we, we could see him at the top of the order later in the suit.

Just say one thing S what is crucial and it's obvious but it's crucial is that England give their bowlers a rest tomorrow. They bat and, and they, and, and and you know they've got to, they've come in there. I know, I know the overs aren't high, you know, 9, 9, 5, 10 for cast. But it's more than just the number of overs you bow. It's the, it's the pressure, it's.

They don't play.

But they've got to because if they're going to maintain that sort of level of intensity they've got to have the chance to get their feet up. England have bat for a day, they've got to bat for a day.

Look the 48 ahead and it's not a lot, it's not a lot of runs and any day get another 10, let's say 40 in front way that England batted. They come out playing all the shots and they give off Australia four or five wickets chasing 250. It might be an easy chase because the pitch might flatten out and, and England have got to nail the moment. You know, they didn't nail the moment today at 160 for 5 when Harry Brooke and Jamie Smith were starting to go, you know, the bouncer tactic was created and it worked straight away. If England get the chance tomorrow to nail the moment and win the test match tomorrow, make sure you get it done. Don't allow Australia back into this contest.

Had a great day but nothing's been decided. Yeah, not by any means.

I suspect part of what we're talking about is actually relief because it was at mid afternoon. It was pretty awful around here, wasn't it? I mean the Aussies were crowing all the England, you know, I saw Stuart Broad next door there with a long face. When everybody, you know, it just, you just felt oh my God, all the build up and here we are again, 172 all out and they're going to crack on. They're going to get 320 and win the game. It just felt same old. So I guess part of, you know, if we're honest, part of the excitement and what we're feeling at this very moment is because they have taken these nine weeks because England do actually by 48 and there's still a hell of a long way to go. And they do have to Nate, they have to. They've got a batter date.

Yeah, well, you know they bat 60, 70 overs, you know that's going to be, you know, another 200, 300.

I wonder bowlers to get their feet up.

Yeah, they do. But there was enough scars that I saw today from the way that England bowled to the Australian batters that oh, you mentioned Mitchell Marsh back and I wouldn't be surprised if Marsh is in for the next game. I really wouldn't. I. I saw if I was an Australian selector watching the way that Australia batted against that kind of attack today, I'd be going oh dear. And sometimes you have to react quickly rather than leave it till you're tunnel down. Cummings obviously is waiting in the wings. Will he come back in? We'll have to wait and see. But from what I saw today, I think England will be sat in that dress. They're not too giddy. They're ahead at this minute and there's a long way to go. But I think quietly all those. When you've been a bowler, sometimes you just know when you run into you've. You've kind of got a nice tactic and you've got nice skill sets to bowl to certain players. And I reckon England have seen today and you go back to the last Ashley Series in 23 when Wood joined the party, Chris Wilkes down the back end of the Australia were hanging on. So this is an extension of 23 for me. You know, the first two games in 23 England should have won, but they didn't. Australia won the moment from Henley onwards. You know, Australia felt like they were on the ropes and they've been on the ropes this afternoon. They really were on the ropes and it could have been. If you look at that first 20 overs, the amount of balls that went past the outside edge, Australia could easily bow out for a lot fewer than they've got today. 123. You actually look. Australia did quit pretty well to get 123. It looked a real struggle and England should be in that dress room saying, okay, we've had a really good day, we're ahead, but can we just have a. And I don't know if they do this, can we just have a little discussion about those last five wickets that we lost? Because if the game gets really tight down into days three and early days four, and we've gifted Australia five wickets for 12 by being reckless trying to whack the 82 boundaries into the stand, it's not going to happen. You know, some of those shots today at Trent, Bridget Edge, Baston at Heading Lake, it probably goes into the stands because the boundary sizes in England are so small.

But if you're on 8, 9, 10, 11, and you're going to get bombed like they are and they're going to be, how, how do you play? How, how do I. Who's a hopeless battle? I do like facing short pitch, fast body. What am I going. What am I going to do?

I would say now Mitchell Stark's bowling 140, plus he can't bowl all the overs. Doggett's not bowling that quickly. Scotty Boland was bowling 130. Cameron Green can hardly bowl. So I look, if you're facing England's attack, I was saying get out of the way because that's intimidating. I didn't think Australia bowled with intimidation. It didn't look threatening. And when England were getting out, they weren't. They weren't.

That's both their fields, really. Didn't they. Both short.

There's one ball to Karsh that hit him. You know, he played it poorly, the short ball and then he put one down square leg stroke. But I don't think this Australian attack's intimidating on this kind of surface. England's is. So I just think England need to realize that, you know, particularly if there's a player in like Jamie Smith, the tail end can't just come out swinging. At least show a little bit of cricket now to go right. Jamie Smith said, look, if you're down with just the tail enders, I get it, just have a bit of a go. But if Jamie Smith is in Your job surely has to be. Okay. There's a one off.

Yeah.

Survive. You might have to wear one or two because Jamie Smith is that good.

Yeah.

That he could easily get 40, 50 runs in the next hour. You know, I think they've got to realize that, all right, they're ahead. But you know, that score that they got, they should have easily got another 50, 67 at least. And that could be the difference between winning and losing the test match.

I mean, this is going to. This is what they're going to get.

Yes. Yeah.

And.

And the Australia attack will get better.

Yes.

You know, I looked at Boland today and I was looking at him. It looks leggy. You know, it wasn't the bowling that we saw on the last trip here when he was zipping them all over the place. That was a bowling that I went, oh, hello. It didn't quite have that same month. And when Doggett came into the deck, it did. He got the ball to nip around a bit with a bit of extra pace. So we've opened up a little crack or two the England side today with Australia. But my message to them was don't allow that crack to come back together. You've got a great opportunity over the next two days to really widen those cracks. Make sure you take it.

Mitchell Stark, 7 for 52 today. Was it a 7 for 52 bowling performance from start? Bowled well at the start. I mean, he took it on because he's the only one left of the big three now.

He took the big wickets, didn't he? I mean, he opened it up with, I mean, Crawley. If you were to describe Crawley, saying he got out as Crawley was inevitably going to get out. People know at home exactly what the shot was. It was a big booming drive and he nicked it.

I reckon. I reckon some supporters would have been playing Crawley. Bingo. I reckon they've got a full house.

Well, they did. I mean, that's just how he. That's how he gets out, isn't it? But I mean, you know, Joe Root for n big wicket that, isn't it? You know, again, you talk about the whole pattern of the series. You know, Ben Stokes, he bowled loose shot again, but just after lunch he got, he got the big wickets, didn't he? And, and he had to because there wasn't much support at the other end. No, I thought he bow. I thought he bow well today.

But the others, I mean, Boland's an interesting one, isn't it? Because obviously bow superbly and he bowled really well in Australia. His average was 13 before today. And, you know, there's been a bit of to and fro about Boland, hasn't there? I mean, Mike Atherton saying, you know, England played him pretty well in the, in England last time and took him down. And Australians, ah, you wait, mate, until we, you, you come to Australia where he bowls really well.

But I think his length, right today he was looking, looking for that full length and he just got it too far.

Did he just have an off day or. You talk about a bloke who's like 36.

I would, I would think that if you look back when Scott Bollin's played before here, it's been when he's come in for a bowler, you know, there's been an injury or, you know, they've rested someone and he's kind of just hovered in the background and delivered. He was expected today, you know, because there's no comments, there's no Hazelwood. Stark stood up and he was magnificent. He knew today that Mitchell Stark had to deliver and he's done so. And that extra little bit of pressure on Scott Bond, all the talk, all the chat, you know, England did get him nicely in the uk. I've never seen him miss his length as much as he did today. And that can only be nerves or lack of rhythm or, you know, sometimes, you know, he's 36, sometimes, you know, a bowler just gets to that, that period where he's just lost that little bit of zip. We'll have to wait and see because tomorrow, if the pitch carries on to play like it has done today, someone like bottom will potentially be a handful. But I just saw early signs today that maybe, just maybe he'd. He might be just coming towards the end of his kind of bowling career. The TMS podcast from BBC RA5 Live.

This is the story of the 1. As a maintenance supervisor at a manufacturing facility, he knows keeping the line up and running is a top priority. That's why he chooses Grainger. Because when a drive belt gets damaged, Grainger makes it easy to find the exact specs for the replacement product he needs. And next day delivery helps ensure he'll have everything in place and running like clockwork. Call 1-800-granger. Click granger.com or just stop by Grainger for the one who get it done. Hello, it's Ray Winstone.

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Australia collectively. Start with the wickets. Perhaps didn't see enough of the rest, did we? I mean, Cameron Green got wicked in his first over 1 for 10.

I mean, look at Boland. 10 overs for 62. I mean, if you compare. Compare Stark. Actually, I thought Doggard bowled quite nicely. He almost got a wicket with his first ball. He looked quite skiddy. Yeah, he looked. He looked okay, but it was all stark. I mean, he said he's had no support, really, from the other end.

They have an issue, but Australians don't give up. You know, they won't turn up tomorrow thinking that this game's done and dusted. They'll be thinking, okay, we try and get a few runs and then we'll get the ball in hand and England will play all the shots. It was quite obvious to me how quickly Australia spread. You know, Harry Brooke, in the situation that he came out, you go back many generations. If Australia had been, you know, in this position, three down for whatever they were, not too many. Just got the best player out in Joe Root for naught. And Harry comes out and dances down once and then suddenly the field spread, you know, so it looks to me like they've got these tactics that sometimes work, but there were so many gaps for England just to. So the best balls were going for ones. And I always think, Brooks, second ball after.

Second ball after lunch. Straight smashing.

Look at the way that he stares at the ball and he studies the ball right onto the bat. I mean, if you're a bowler running up to bowl and you're thinking, when's Harry Brook coming down? You're not 100% comfortable in your action because you're just unsure of what he's going to do. And he comes down so late. So, look, he'll get out playing that shot. I have no doubt about it. But the way that he's playing it. Baz McCullum used to play it for New Zealand a lot. He used to dance down. The boy used to fly to all parts. And it's. It's a nightmare when it starts to go his way. There'll be moments when it doesn't go Harry Brooks way. But I do enjoy it because I think at the end of the mark, the bowlers run up going, I've no idea what he's sometimes he stays leg side. Doesn't he try and wax it through the offside? Sometimes he stays still and then he plays the most immaculate forward defense. He must be a very difficult batter to bowl to.

He bowls but he plays an immaculate forward defense to the ball he just jumped down to and hit for six over long.

That's that, that's the stage. Yeah, exactly. So if you're in up and he goes Bosch with a forward defense and then the next ball he dance down and whacks you over mid on. I mean it's difficult to bol to that style of player. I mean, Australia, I, I think that they lost the lines and length and I think he, he put them off their lines of length. I, I'm a strong believer if someone's going to play like that, you just keep bowling your best ball.

What about the long off they had in for him today? What did you make of that?

Well, it just looked, it looked really unusual, didn't it? He got, you know, there was a, there was a third man, there's a long off and then there was some orthodox bits. But I think they just, I think they trying to protect the bowler, weren't they? I mean, you know, got to have a long off when they were, what were they? Six down and he got a long off. I mean, it does look odd for a quick bowler, doesn't it?

Well, it's almost like a spinner's field, is it? You know, you go 3Cs and try and get the batter the top and. And Harry Brook may do, but fascinating to, to watch him. But every time he, you know, there's so many in this era that I love watching, but there's something about Harry Brook. As soon as he walks out the bat, I kind of just watch because I'm always looking to see what he does before he dances down. I was on commentary with you, I think Simon, when he first came out, I went, he's going to dance down. It might have been Jim, actually. I said he's going to dance. I said, I'm just trying to look when he will. Anyway, the next ball dance down hits with extra courage. Like what is that? So it's just the way that he goes about his business is he's a.

Bit of a Freak out for 52 today. Caught by Kerry off the glove, short ball from doggies. Actually wasn't looking to take it on. He was looking to pull out the shot and just flick the glove on the way through and that opened the way for Australia. But then Eng and had that fight Back from the bowlers. Let's hear from one of them now. Henry Moran is with Brydon Kaas.

Thank you very much indeed. And yes, standing on the boundary edge, Brydon Kaas, who I imagine has a slightly different feeling to how you felt at the. At the halfway stage of the day.

I mean, it's been an extraordinary day's cricket.

Yeah. Unbelievable day. Am I holding it?

I'll hold it here.

There you go.

That one.

Yeah. Unbelievable day. Look, 19 wickets in a day that obviously doesn't happen very often, but that spell from Stokesie, you know, in the. In the last session, has put us in a good position going into tomorrow.

What was the conversation when England were.

All out at 172?

Yeah, look, he kept it very simple. We had 50 minutes before tea, and I thought the way that Joffre and Gus started was exactly what we spoke about as a group, and then we continued it as a group of five seamers throughout that last session. So, yeah, again, Stokes, he said, you know, let's. Let's smash the wicket hard and let's get as much as we can out the wickets.

This feels like it's been England's game.

Plan for the last couple of years.

Building up to this series, this battery of fast bowlers. What is the conversation? You say, Stokes, he says, go in, bowl hard, bowl quick. Is it as simple as that?

I think I've said before, the group of six or seven seamers that we have in our squad, we all complement each other, we all have different skills and different attributes, and I think that will stand us in good stead, you know, going throughout the series.

A word on Ben Stokes. He's an extraordinary athlete.

Yeah, unbelievable. You know, he's the way he's trained over the last three, four months to get to this position and for him to be fit and firing, you know, today he reaps his rewards, and his character and resilience is something that this team looks up to and tries to be like.

There's been a lot of talk about.

The importance of a good start to the series for England. That spell of bowling and the way that you've performed in Australia's first innings.

Might be so, so crucial to the series.

Look, it's. It's put us in a. In a good position after the way our first innings went, and, you know, I don't think much will change, you know, throughout the game. We're going to rotate our five seamers and, you know, try and get as much as we can out that wicket.

You don't seem to be able to.

Take the smile from your face. It looked fun out there.

It was unbelievable. You know, the atmosphere throughout the day, even from walking into the ground this morning. You're almost going into a bit of the unknown. But, yeah, the stadium and the crowd was awesome. It was great to see so many English fans as well and looking forward to tomorrow.

Is there an acceptance, just as a little bit of a negative point, that England did fall away too cheaply?

I think we can reflect as a batting group. You know, even some of the guys that did get starts and runs today, they played in a positive manner. So that's something that we can look forward to or look towards in our second innings. Yeah.

Ash's cricket hits differently, doesn't it?

It's unbelievable. Awesome. Awesome first day experience and, yeah, looking forward to tomorrow.

Well played today.

Enjoy it.

Rest up well. Thank you very much indeed.

Brydon cast here on the boundary edge.

With England having fought back and Australia at the close of play, 9 for 123.

Henry Moran with Brydon cast, who had a. I mean, odd sort of day, didn't he was hit on the helmet, caught a deep square leg, came back with a. A couple of wickets. Glenn McGr is here to give us the Australian perspective. What you've been listening to, Michael and Jonathan.

Yeah.

Glenn, what did you make of it?

I. It's sort of so similar to last year against India. Same. Nearly the same thing happened. Australia bowled India out and then basically nearly got bowled out for themselves and themselves. And then India batted well in that second innings and the game was taken away. So we'll see what happens. You know, I think a few things that are disappointing. You know, Scotty Bowen, the way he bowled today, probably would have expected more out of him. I know with Cummins and Start and Hazel out the team, it does change how England will view the Australian team. Mitchell Stark stepped up and bowled incredibly well, so that's a positive. I think Brendan Doggett, the way he started. So you still have to look at the positives. You know, Jake Wetherald, we haven't really got to see him two balls. That's why it can go. Usman and Khawaja, I think, is a big concern. I'm not sure how he's going to score runs against pace. He goes well against spin. He's not a spring chicken anymore. He's 39 next month. So, yeah, it's that top order of Australia that's been a concern. But, yeah, you know, you think. If you think the position that England's in. Imagine if they bowled first, knock the England over, knocked Australia over and there's two or three down for and they've got a lead. What would they prefer, which position would they prefer to be in? So, you know, I think hopefully Australia learned a few things there. I think the way they bowled to Brooke, I think was wrong. When he first came in, I would have just gone hard at him straight away. I would have put guys back and just bowled short at him and, and just see what he's prepared to. So I wonder if they've learned anything from that. But yeah, it was three guys, it was Brooke, Pope and Smith that really scored the majority of the runs and for Australia a couple starts but never really looked in. So this pitch out there, I think normally day two, it gets a bit quicker. So it's going to be interesting to see how Australia bowled tomorrow. You know, one wicket, I don't think there's going to be too many runs scored. I think go out there and try to score some quick runs, who knows what's going to happen. But the way Australia bowl in their second innings and then they really have to knuckle down and somehow find a way to score some runs and get that scoreboard ticking over better than they had early on.

That was part of the problem, wasn't it? They never got going really.

No, no. And I think with Usman not coming out, the whole issue is the opening, who's going to open the innings? You know, we don't want Labochain up there. He's got to come in, you know, batting three and then Smith four and that soon as Usman's not out there, it throws another sprinter in the works and then, okay, Manus is out there and then all of a sudden it's, it's a bit of a shambles.

So what do you make of a five man attack, Glenn? Five man pace attack on a pitch like this?

Fair enough. You know, if it's, if it's turning track then, you know, we'll wait and see what happens. But you know, you look at that great West Indie side of the late 70s, early 80s, they really didn't have a spinner, did they? They didn't need to with, you know, you've got Marshall holding, Roberts, Garner, Croft, you know those guys, it's. Yeah, it's, it's unbelievable. And this attack that England have at the moment is quality. But the two, I guess question marks is around Archer and Wood. How much bowling and matches do they have in them and how are they going to sort of, you know, play them this series. So there's a few things there. But, you know, England will be very happy with the way things have gone today. Without a doubt.

And also, I mean, there's a lot of talk about Hazelwood.

Yeah.

Not possibly be able to play in the series at all. And that. That would be a real problem again for us.

Yeah, that's. That's weird. I don't know where that come from. I think I thought he just went off with a bit of a. Yeah, a bit of a tight hamstring and now he's could be out for the whole series. You know, they. Pat Cummins needs to come back. I don't know how he's going as well. So there's a lot of issues there for Australia at the moment. Bowling attack, but also it's that top order again.

Well, let's hear from Pat Cummins. He's not playing in this test match. I mean, the feeling is that he's going to be ready for the next game in Brisbane. He's been sharing his reflections on the day with Corbin Middlemass, Darren Lehman and Tom Moody from the ABC team.

Bit happening out there today. Yeah, it feels like it was about four days worth. I think it lived up to the hype, you know. Day one of the Ashes series, 19 wickets. I didn't see that coming, but yeah, it was good fun to watch. Wish I was out there, but enjoyed it.

Is the pitch doing plenty or did you not bat well enough?

I think it's doing enough. I don't think it's probably warranted. 19 wickets in a day. I think there's a bit of good batting.

Sorry.

Good bowling at times. Some of the batters probably wish they had another chance at some of their shots. I think it's a pretty good wicket.

Is it better than last year?

Yeah. I mean, yeah, it's always hard to know because I wasn't playing out there, but the ball got soft. So I think maybe a little bit harder than last year.

Everyone's lips. How's the back feeling?

Pretty good.

Yeah.

Had a good few weeks of bowling. Had two good bowls out here. I'll have another bowl in the next couple days and pulling out well, so that's kind of the aim. Have another few sessions, pull up well and have a crack at Brisbane, hopefully.

I think I saw you having a hit and some point during the day as well. You managed to sneak out to the the nets with bat in hand.

Yeah.

It's a long day. If you just sit down and watch have nothing else.

So that killed 20 minutes just on.

The, the performance with the ball. So obviously you're, you're part of a future hall of fame trio alongside Josh Hazelwood and Mitch Stark and yeah, there's only one of them playing in this match. And Mitchell Stark without his two running mates goes out there and takes career best figures of 7 for 58. What did you see from your good mate Mitch Stark today?

I don't think he needs anyone else at the moment. He, I think his last test match he was 6 for 9 as well. So he's on a bit of a hot streak. He was fantastic. Right on the money from the first ball. Rhythm looked great. He's had great prep and yeah, just every time he gave him the ball he created something. So really happy for him.

And Brendan Doggett Debou looked, looked quite comfortable. His first ball was unbelievable in test screen. Yeah, could have got a wig but he looked quite good.

Absolutely. Yeah, he settled right in. I thought that first spell was amazing and then use some good bounce at the end. So no, I thought a great first day from, from Brennan. Yeah, looks settled, Big nerves, big stage but didn't seem to phase him.

Pat Cumins with us on grandstand at stumps. Australia 9 for 123. Still trailing the test by 49 runs. So Australia's turned about seemingly on top. England losing the last five wickets for just 12. All of a sudden you turn around and Usman Kaja is not eligible to open the batting given the time that he missed on field. What happened with Uzi today?

Uzi had some back spasms. Yeah. In the field. So he came off and was going to be the treatment. Some heat in it, stretching kind of on and off and yeah, he got on the wrong side of the timings. A few quick ones at the end kind of meant that he couldn't bat. So I think he missed it by a few minutes.

So did he have pack issues leading into the Test match? We know obviously he's at an advanced stage. He missed a shield game with what was an adductor injury. Is this a new injury?

Just hard hitting questions there.

Wow. Geez.

No, he was all fine. Yeah, 100% fit.

100% fit but not eligible to open the batting. So is he okay now?

I think so. I haven't seen him since he batted obviously, you know, went out there and batted and looks like he's moving okay. So yeah, back spasms I think are a little bit niggly but you can kind of get through them there.

Appeared to be a conversation between Steve Smith and the boundary at one point almost late in the innings, almost signalling Hayusi needs to get back out here. Were people aware of that in the later stages of the innings that we could have an issue here?

Yeah, I think everyone knows the rules again. Yeah, maybe just left a little bit too long and yeah, three wickets in five balls or something obviously cost us.

Good news for his long term health. At least that. That's. You don't anticipate that'll be a problem for him later in the Test?

I don't think so. Yeah, back spasms happen, you know, reason reasonably often and yeah, get some anti inflams and hopefully be right.

Pat Cummins with us on grandstand at stumps. Darren Lehman and Tom Moody alongside myself, Corbin Middlemass with Australia 49 behind in the Test.

Yeah, I was just going to ask.

Pat, you know, obviously you may not.

Have been in the batting meeting, but what was talked about just how to combat this English attack.

They've clearly come with a squad full of high pace.

Was there any particular things that were talked about with regards to dealing with it?

Yeah, you know, everyone does it a little bit differently. You know, all our batters go about it a little bit differently. I think it's getting that balance right between when you feel like you need to absorb a really good spell. You know, they got some high paced guys but they're probably not going to bowl 20, 25 overs in a day. So can you get through those spells? And if not, it's, you know, how do you make it yourself hard to bowl to? How do you try and keep the scoreboard ticking over, especially in these shortened games? I think it's really important you don't.

Get stuck out there, Pat.

Really appreciate your time. Hopefully we see you out there in Brisbane.

Great.

Thanks guys.

Cheers guys.

That's Pat Cummings with the ABC team. So thanks very much to Glenn and Jonathan for the final word or words. We're going to get the numbers. Andy Zaltzman alongside me. So 19 wickets in the day's play. What did you. What took your eye statistically today, Zoltz?

I think it might be a record number of stats on day one of an Ashes series.

Give us, give us the top.

Well, let's start with those, those 19 wickets, that's most wickets on day one of any Ashes Test since 1909 at Old Trafford. I'll have to do a bit of digging around this evening to find out. That's the most on day one of a series, but certainly the most on day one of any Ashes Test since 1909. Mitchell Stark, 7 for 58. The second best figures in Ashes history in the first innings of the first Test. Alex Bedtrad, 7 for 55 for England to open the series in 1953 at Trent Bridge. So Starks the best for Australia in the opening innings of an Ashes series and he's the oldest seamer, according to the CricKViz database, to take a sevenfer in tests since before the First World War. So that's, that's, you know, quite impressive. And he was bowling fast as well. I think it was his second quickest match in the last. Second quickest innings in terms of average speed in the last. The last three years. England speeds their average speed across the innings so far, comparing it with first 40 overs of other innings, the second fastest England have recorded in the CrickViz database. And the one innings quicker than that was back in 2008. The speed readings for men aren't entirely reliable, but certainly their quickest in recent times as an average speed. Their innings, 32.5 overs, the sixth shortest opening innings of an Ashes Test and England's second shortest. The only time they had a Shorter Innings batting first in the first innings of an Ashes Test was back in the 1887. 88 Ashes, which I remember it well. I'm sure you do, Simon. So, yeah, I mean, a really extraordinary day's play. There wasn't, I mean, looking at the ball tracking stats, there was very little swing, the lowest swing recorded in the first two innings of a Test in Australia in the last 10 years, and about an average amount of seam movement for tests in Australia. But like I said, the speed from Stark and England seamers was unusually high. England are set potentially for a first innings lead in Australia in the first Test of the series for the first time since 1990. The last eight Ashes tours, they've been behind on first innings in the first Test by an average of over 200 runs across those eight innings. So this is a rare occurrence and just quickly to finish with Ben Stokes took his fifth wicket with his 36th ball, the last ball of his sixth over, the fifth earliest in a bowler's innings that he's taken five for. In men's Test cricket for England, Stuart Broad holds the record from Trent bridge, took his fifth wicket with his 19th ball in that famous day. In 2015, only one England bowler has ever taken a quicker FIFA in a Test in Australia, and that was Bernard Bosenket, the man credited with inventing the googly that was in 1904 at the SCG. So we've seen a lot of fairly extraordinary things today and a wild and fluctuating day.

Go and put your laptop in the fridge, put it in the bath and come back for the second day. Thanks very much to Andy Zaltz. Well, that's just about it from Perth. What an astonishing opening day to this Ashes series. You can watch highlights clips on the BBC Sport website, an app with a full highlight show on the iplayer every day of the series. Series from 5pm the TMS Ashes debrief with Alex Hartley is on the iplayer each day. And TMS is back on air 2am Saturday morning.

You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 live.

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