England fast bowler Mark Wood set the tone early on Day 1 of the opening Ashes Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth, unleashing a vicious bouncer that rattled Australian all-rounder Cameron Green. The moment unfolded during Australia’s first innings after England, having won the toss, were dismissed inside two sessions for a modest 172.
Australia’s reply began disastrously. Debutant Jake Weatherald lasted just three balls before departing for a duck, giving England the perfect start. What followed was a collapse that saw Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, and Usman Khawaja all fall cheaply as the hosts stumbled to 31 for 4. Cameron Green walked in at No. 6 amid mounting pressure, and the drama intensified almost immediately.
In the 24th over, Mark Wood bent his back and delivered a fiery short ball clocking over 147 km/h. Green attempted to swerve out of the line, but the delivery climbed sharply and crashed straight into the grille of his helmet. The impact knocked him off balance, nearly causing him to topple onto his stumps. Play was stopped instantly as the Australian physio rushed in for a mandatory concussion test. Although visibly shaken, Green composed himself after a brief break and resumed his innings.
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England’s relentless pace attack continued to dominate after tea. Jofra Archer’s sheer speed accounted for Labuschagne, while Steve Smith, after an unusually scratchy stay, edged one behind. Khawaja too nicked off as the visiting pacers exploited pace and bounce expertly, keeping Australia under constant pressure on a lively Perth surface.
Earlier in the day, England’s batting effort failed to match the intensity of their bowling. The innings began on a shaky note with Zak Crawley edging to slip in the first over. Mitchell Starc, in vintage rhythm, tore through the top order inside the first hour. Despite England slipping early, Harry Brook (52 off 61) and Ollie Pope (46 off 58) mounted a brief recovery with positive stroke play.
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But once Brook fell, England’s innings unravelled quickly. The last five wickets fell for just 12 runs. Joe Root was out for a seven-ball duck, while captain Ben Stokes also departed cheaply. Cameos from Jamie Smith (33 off 22) and Ben Duckett (21) offered some resistance, but it wasn’t enough. Starc finished with an extraordinary 7 for 58, while debutant Brendan Doggett bagged two wickets and Cameron Green chipped in with one.
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Ahead of the series, Mark Wood had openly acknowledged that he wouldn’t be able to play all five Tests. In a video shared by cricket.com.au, he said his participation would depend on how his body responds after each match. Wood emphasised the importance of staying fresh to maintain his pace throughout the series, stating:
“Definitely not all five. We’ll review it after every game. I haven’t played a lot of cricket recently, but I hope to stay fresh enough to keep the speed gun high and do my job in a Test match.”
