England Fight Back — Stokes Leads the Charge

England Fight Back — Stokes Leads the Charge

 England, after winning the toss, chose to bat but were skittled for 172 in just ~32.5 overs. Only Harry Brook (52) and Ollie Pope (46) offered resistance; the rest of the batting crumbled under Mitchell Starc’s pace. Mitchell Starc ran through the England lineup with a career-best 7/58. After England’s own collapse, they bounced back strongly with the ball. Ben Stokes, England’s captain, bowled a fiery spell: 6 overs, 1 maiden, 23 runs, 5 wickets (5/23). His wickets came at crucial times — he removed key batters including Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, and Scott Boland. His spell helped reduce Australia to 123/9 by stumps, still trailing by 49 runs. A wild 19 wickets fell on Day 1 — a remarkable number, making it one of the most chaotic opening days in Ashes Test history. According to Opta data, this is the most wickets ever on the opening day of the first Test in an Ashes series.

Historic Feat for Stokes 

With this performance, Stokes became the first England captain in 43 years to take a five-wicket haul in the Ashes. It was his sixth five-for in Test cricket, and arguably one of his most match-defining spells given the context. 

England’s first innings was poor, but their bowlers (especially Stokes, along with Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse) clawed them back into a very strong position. Australia, despite a flying start with the bat, ended Day 1 in serious trouble — 9 down, still behind, and with momentum fully with England. Stokes’ spell not only brought wickets, but also a psychological edge — showing his leadership and experience in big moments.