Test Match Special - The Ashes: England roar back on extraordinary opening day

Episode Date: November 21, 2025

Reaction from a breathless first day of the first Ashes Test in Perth.Simon Mann is alongside former England captain Michael Vaughan, legendary Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath, and the BBC’s Chief Cricket Commentator Jonathan Agnew for reaction to an incredible first day of the 2025/26 Ashes. We also hear from Brydon Carse and the recovering Australia Test captain Pat Cummns – plus a stat attack from Andy Zaltzman.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. The Dakar Rally is the ultimate off-road challenge. Perfect for the ultimate defender. The high-performance Defender Octa, 626 horsepower twin turbo V8 engine and intelligent 6D dynamics air suspension. Learn more at landrover.ca. You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. woods there with his open stance stark runs in towards him and he swings at this he's getting 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 A Boland and Boland is edging to slip. Take a low down. They are going to consult the two umpires. Is that five for Ben Stokes? England is celebrating. They think they've 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 bowed 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 casts, five wickets for Stokes and three catches for cast off Stokes' bowl, so Australia up against it at the close of this first day

123 for nine I've got Michael Vaughn here I've got Jonathan Agnew here well how do you act 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 kind of action but pretty much from the first over today it's all been intense Zach Crowley with that big drive, I guess that's the Zach Crawley way of getting out. Start was magnificent for Australia. Harry Brooke dancing down and getting off the mark with a dance down to Mitchell Stark,

who was bowling 145 kilometres 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. You know, the bas-ball way was quite good at times where Jamie Smith and Harry Brooke 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 and 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-paced 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? You've picked the best bowlers, don't you? I mean, it's clear.

England's bowlers rescued England. I mean, they've been magnificent. They really have, and I think Australia had themselves a bit to blame. They've got absolutely no impetus in their innings at all. They just struggled all the way through to score anything, and we can point the finger a bit at Bowers' 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 whole Australia, but England's bowling was magnificent. It absolutely was. Archer from that far end,

right from the start. I thought Atkinson's first spell, I know he didn't get a wicket, but he again proved, I think he's going to be dangerous on this tour. He bowls that lovely length that you had to bowl a little bit full of anything in Australia and he just he gets it up there

and he nibbles the ball around cast a massive heart just runs in runs in and then Stokes picking up five foot 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 is a bit of a both of him who'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 I think Batson play the man rather sometimes rather than playing the ball so he's got a really good fife for there but that is down to the bowlers today because that was a bit of a shambles

towards the end of that England innings five for 12 all sorts of flailing shots and really poor just silly shot selection really and the bowlers have pulled them out of the mire so what's par on this pitch then what's a par score I actually think when England were 160 for five

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 we'll have to wait and see but I don't think par's 350 I think 252 cent is about

reasonable with the way that England bowed I think England got more movement out of this pitch and they got more umph out the surface with the way the England ball I 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 Quarge 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 Martin Slavishane 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.

It does look old school, isn't it? I mean, they compare it to England and the way they've been playing. To bat like that is an old-fashioned way, and it looks old-fashioned now. It's attritional against, you know, reckless at times, but there's somewhere in the middle,

and I'll watch, you know, Steve Smith is a great player. And when I watch down and see that Steve Smith struggling, I think, before he can have been on the bowling well, because he is a great play. and he is looking to score. But if I was England looking at Usman Quadra at the top,

Weatherald at the top, Martin's Labershain in the top three, I would be absolutely delighted. Go back to the start of the day's play. How surprised were you that when England won the toss that they batted? Well, 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 to look at this morning. Okay, it's got the history, you know that. But you just think that Ben Stokes, for the record for bowling first and with five sewers in the side would have gone to bowl first

so I must admit I think there's on with toughers in here we sort of picked up us off the floor we just assumed I was delighted 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 and a bit is going to do quite a lot as we've seen but it's the right decision to get the bat in hand and you know

I think England sometimes feel if they get the the ball in hand early you can make a bit of impact and if you have a bad first you could always come back if you have a bad session with the bat you know you can sometimes lose a test match that's their theory but um i've seen enough cricket here that and i was actually downstairs uh doing interviews and uh we thought that england were going to bowl so harry brook was going to do the interview a batter was going to do the interview because they were about to do it and so they were surprised as well didn't have a clue he went oh

oh oh so he ran in and suddenly had to interview mark wood uh so we interviewed a bowler because they were batting, but it was the right call. Yes, it was. It really was the right call. And 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 the series. 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. There's one that Cameron Green got straight in the face, really, from Mark Woodhouse. And 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 worked out a few tactics. And there were some good tactics from England with 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 on 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 him. and that they'll take forward to the secondings. 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 1-0 down in Australia

and there was a big outcry and they won the Series 3-1. I get a sense that that outcry is going to come and it might be one that stays this time. The likes of Kauai, I'm looking at Usman Kauai. It's been fantastic. He's 39 in a few weeks' time and he's facing this attack bowling that quickly. I mean, I won't want to face his attack on this.

this kind of pitch when I was 30 playing in my pomp. 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 think they're in trouble with him. I've already brought in Jake Wetherall to open at the age of 31, which is kind of unusual. He's a very small sample size today.

What, two balls? Two balls, yeah, extremely small. Two cracking balls, by the way. They were, yes. And he played them pretty unconvincingly. But the first ball nipped across him as a left hand of that side. So he gets his head over to office. stump just to kind of cover that

kind of same ball and then Geoffrey ball's an 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 Ingram wouldn't have wanted to see Mitchell Marsh out there opening the batting in the form that he's been in whiteboard cricket home

venue he plays brilliantly against the bouncing ball against the paces England would have been delighted to see Usman Coager Jake Weatherald and Manus Labashane well Mitch Marsh is thanks Sheppertield cricket again which might be an indication that we could see him at the top of the order later in the suit. Just say one thing, Simon, what is crucial, and it's obvious, but it's crucial,

is that England give their bowlers a rest tomorrow. They bat, and they've got to, they've come in there. I know the overs aren't high, you know, nine, nine, five, ten for casts, but it's more than just the number of overs you bowl. It's the pressure, it's intensity. 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 had a bat for a day

they've got a bat for a day look the 48 ahead it's not a lot it's not a lot of runs and if they get another 10 let's say 40 in front the way that England batted they come out playing all the shots and they give Australia four or five wickets chasing 250 it might be an easy chase

because the pitch might flatten out 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 James Smith were starting to go you know the bounce the 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. I've 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 saw Stuart Broad next to there with a long face, and everybody, you know, 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, we're honest, part of the excitement of the moment what we're feeling at this very moment

is because they have taken these nine weeks, because England do actually eat by 48, and there's still a hell of a long way to go, and they do have to, they've got a better date. Yeah, they, well, you know, about 6070 hours, you know, that's going to be, you know, another 200, 300, 300. I want those bowlers to get their feet off. Yeah, they do, but there was enough scars that I saw today from the way that Ingleball to the Australian batters that, well, you mentioned Mitchell Marge back, and I wouldn't be surprised if Marsh is in for the next game.

I really wouldn't. I saw it. 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 your tunal down. Cummins 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 ag sometimes you just know

when you're running into what you've kind of got a nice tactic and you've got nice skillsets to bowl to certain players and I reckon England have seen today and you go back to the last last year's series in 23 when Wood joined the party

Chris Wokesbow down the back end of 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 headily 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 have been bowled out for a lot fewer than they've got today. 123. You actually look in the 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 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 work the 82 boundaries into the stand. It's not going to happen. You know, some of those shots today at Trent Bridge at Edgebaston at Headingley, it probably goes into the stands because the boundary sizes in England are so small.

So 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 do you play it? How do I, who's a hopeless baton, like facing short-pitch fast bowling? What am I going to do? I would say, Mitchell Stark's bowling 140 plus.

He can't bowl all the overs. Doggut's not bowling that quickly. Scotty bowling was bowling 1-30. Cameron Green can hardly bowl. So, look, if you're facing England's attack, I would say, get out of the way, because that's intimidate. I didn't think Australia bowed with intimidation.

It didn't look threatening. And when England were getting out, they weren't. They're bowed to their field to it, didn't they? They were both short to their field. There was one ball to cars that hit him. He played it poorly, the short ball,

and then he put one down square-legs strobe. But I don't think this Australian attack's intimidating on this kind of surface. England's is. So I understand 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. So, all right, Jamie Smith, look, if you're down with just the tail end, does 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. Play for him. Yeah, survive. It might have to wear one or two. because Jamie Smith is that good that he could easily get 40, 50 runs

in the next hour. I think they've got to realize that all right, they're ahead, but 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. But they're going to get, don't they?

I mean, this is what they're going to get. Yes, yeah, and the Australian attack will get better. Yes. You know, I looked at Bowling 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 bowl, and I went, oh, hello. It didn't quite have that same. And when Dogget came into the deck, he 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. Middle Stark, seven for fifty two today. was it a 7 for 52's bowling performance from start? He bowled well at the start. I mean, he took it on because he's the only one left of the big three now. It took the big wickets, isn't he? I mean, Crawley, if you were to describe Crawley's thing, 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 to... I reckon some supporters would have been playing Crawley bingo, and I reckon they've got a full-house. Well, they did. I mean, that's just how he gets out, isn't it? But I mean, you know, Joe Root for naught, big wicket that, isn't it? You know, again, you talk about the whole pattern of the series.

You know, Ben Stokes, he bowled a loose shot again, but just after lunch here, he got the big wickets, didn't he? And he had to, because there wasn't much support at the other end. I thought he bowled well today. But the others, I mean, Bolin's an interesting one, isn't it? Because obviously, he bowled superbly, and he bowled really well in Australia. his average was 13 before today and there's been a bit of two and fro about Boland

hasn't it? I mean, Mike Otherton saying, you know, England played him pretty well in England last time and took him down and the Australian said, how you wait, mate, until you come to Australia where he bowls really well. I think of his length right today. He was looking for that full length and he just got it too far. Did he just

have an off day? Or are you talking about a bloke who's like 36 now? I would think that if you look back when Scott Boland's played before here, it's been when he's come in for a bowl. 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 Cummings there's no Hazel Wood Stark stood up and he was magnificent he knew

today that Mitchell Stark had to deliver and he's done so and that had extra a 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 Lemp 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 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 bowling will potentially be a handful. But I just saw early signs today that maybe, just maybe he might be just coming towards the end of his kind of bowling career. The TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live.

Bring more gear, carry more passengers, face greater, challenges. Welcome to the world of Defender, with seeding up to eight, ample cargo space and legendary off-road capability. It's built to make the most of every adventure. Learn more at landrover.ca. Australia collectively start with the wickets. I mean, perhaps didn't see enough of the rest, did we? I mean, Cameron Green got wicket in his first over. One for ten. I mean, look at Boland, ten overs for 62. I mean, if you compare Stark,

Actually, I thought Dogger bowed quite nicely. He almost got a wicket with his first ball. He looked quite skiddy. He looked okay. But it was all stark. I mean, 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 does to death.

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 Brook, in the situation that he came out, You go back many generations. If Australia had been, you know, in the position three down for whatever they were, not too many, just got the best player out in Joe Rout for Norton. Harry Rook 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... Brooke, second ball after... Second ball after lunch. Straight a bit. Sashes down the pitch and smash him a six. I 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, oh, when's Harrybrook 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 McCollum used to play it for New Zealand a lot. He used to dance down. The ball used to fly to all parts and 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 bowler's run out going, I've no idea what he's going.

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 defence. He must be a very difficult batter to bowl to. But he plays an immaculate forward defence to the ball he just jumped down to and hit for six over long off. That's the skill. Yeah, that's the skill.

Yeah, exactly. So if you're running up and he goes off with a forward defence, and then the next ball he danced down and wax you over mid-on. I mean, it's difficult to bowl to that style of player. I mean, Australia, I think they lost the lines in length and I think he put them off their lines on them. 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 really unusual, didn't it? Yeah, 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're trying to protect the bowler, weren't they? I mean, you know, you've 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 spinners field, is it? You know, you go three cores and try and get the batter to the top, and Harrybrook may do. But are fascinating to watch him about every time he, you know, there's so many in this era that I love watching. But there's something about Harrybrook. As soon as he walks out of the bat, I kind of just watch. Can I'm always looking to see what he does before he dances down? commentary with you i think simon when he first came out i went he's going to dance down i might

have been jim actually i said he's going to jack he said i'm just trying to look when he will anyway the next ball danced down and hits him for extra courage he was like what is that so it's just the way that he goes about his business is that he's a bit of a freak out for 52 today caught by uh carry off the glove short ball from dog he's 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 england had that uh fight from the bowlers let's hear from one of them now Henry Moran is with Briden Kass thank you very much indeed and yes standing on the boundary edge

Briden Kass who I imagine has a slightly different feeling to how you felt at the halfway stage of the day I mean it's been an extraordinary day's cricket yeah unbelievable day am I holding it oh hold it here there you go that work yeah unbelievable day look 19 wickets in a day that obviously doesn't happen very often but that spell from Stokesy 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 Jopra 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 Stokesy said you know, 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 Stokesy 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's Speller Bowling and the way that you've been. performed in Australia's first innings might be so, so crucial to the series. Look, it's put us 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, 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 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, Bryden Kass here on the boundary edge with England having fought back and Australia at the close of play. Nine for 123.

Henry Moran with Briden Cass who had a hold sore day didn't he was hit on the helmet caught a deep square leg came back with a couple of wickets Glenn McGrath is here to give us the Australian perspective well you've been listening to Michael and Jonathan yeah Glenn what did you make of it 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 Bowling the way he bowled today probably would have expected more out of him.

I know with Cummins and Starr and Hazard out of 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. Jake Wutherald, we haven't really got to see him two balls. It's a way it can go.

Usman and Coagra, 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 the, position that England's in.

Imagine if they bowled first. Knocked Australia over and there's two or three down 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 learnt a few things there. You know, 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 just see what he's prepared to do. So I wonder if they've learnt anything from that. but yeah it was three guys it was brook uh 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 bowed tomorrow um 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 uh labashane 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 sprenner in the works and then okay um manis is out there and then all of a sudden it's uh it's a bit of a shambles so What do you make about five-man attack, Glenn, five-man pace attack? On a pitch like this, fair enough.

You know, if it's a turning track, then, you know, we'll wait and see what happens. But, you know, you look at that great West Indy side of the late 70s, early 80s, they really didn't have a spinner, did they? They didn't need to. With, you know, when you got Marshall, holding, Roberts Garner, Kraft, you know, those guys, it's, yeah, 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, there's a lot of talk about Hazelwood and not possibly be able to play in this series at all. And that would be a real problem again for Australia. Yeah, that's weird.

I don't know where that come from. I thought he just went off with a bit of a tight hamstring, and now he could be out for the whole series. 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 Corbyn Middellmas, Darren Lehman and Tom Moody from the ABC team. A bit happening out there today. Yeah, it feels like it was about four days worth. I think it lived up to the high up, you know, day one of the Ashes series, 19 wickets. I didn't see that coming. But yeah, it was good fun to watch. I wish I was out there, but enjoyed it. Is the pitch doing plenty or did you not that well enough?

I think it's doing enough. I don't think it's probably Warren's 8.9. wickets in today you know I think there's a bit of good batting sorry good bowling at times some you know probably some of the batterers probably wish they had another chance and some of their shots but I think it's I think it's 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 has the back feeling pretty good yeah had a good few weeks of bowling had a good

two good bowls out here I'll have another bowl in the next couple a's 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're having a hit at some point during the day as well you're not to sneak out to 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 performance with the ball so obviously you're you're part of a future Hall of Fame trio alongside Josh Hazerwood and Mitch Stark and yet 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 seven for 58.

What did you see from your good mate, Mitch Stark, today? I don't think he needs anyone else at the moment. I think his last test match he was six for nine 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 had a great prep. And yeah, just every time he gave him the ball,

he created something, so I'm really happy for him. And Brendan Doggett, DeBoo, looked quite comfortable. His first ball was unbelievable when test screen. Yeah. He could have got a wicket, but he looked quite good. Absolutely, yeah. He settled right in. I thought that first spell was amazing and then used some good bounce at the end. So no, I thought it was a great first day from Brennan. Yeah, look settled. Big nerves, big stage, but didn't seem to face him. Pat Cummins with us on Grandstand at Stamps Australia, 9 for 123, still trailing the test by 49 runs.

So Australia's turned to bat seemingly on top, England losing the last five wickets for just 12. All of a sudden he turn around and Husman Kowager is not eligible to open the batting given the time that he missed. on field. What happened with Uzi today? Usi had some back spasms yeah in the field so he came off and it was going to be the treatment some heat in it stretching kind of on and off and yeah got on the wrong side of the time

and a few quick ones at the end kind of meant that he couldn't bat so I mean he missed by a few minutes so did he have a 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

Yeah, 100% fit. 100% fit. It's 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 it looks like he's moving okay. So, yeah, back spasms, I think are a little bit niggly, but you can kind of get through him.

There appeared to be a conversation between Steve Smith and the boundary at one point, almost late in the innings, almost signaling. He usually 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 it costs us. It's good news for his long-term health at least

that 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, reasonably often and, yeah, gets manning flams and hopefully he'd be right. Pat Cummins with us on Grandstandard Stumps, Darren Lehman and Tom Moody alongside myself, Corby, Middlemas, 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. There's any particular things that were talked about with regards to dealing with it? Yeah, you know, everyone does 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've got some high-paced guys, but they're probably not going to bowl 20, 20, five overs in a day so can you get through those spells and and even 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 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 along So 19 wickets in the day's play. 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 the top five or whatever. Let's start with those 19 wickets. That's the 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 if 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 Ash's history in the first innings of the first test. Alec Bedford, 7.55 for England to open the series in 1953 at

Trent Bridge. So Stark's the best for Australia in the opening innings of an Ash's series, and he's the oldest seamer, according to the Crickvis database, to take a seven fur in tests since before the First World War so that's 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 three years

England's 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 Crickvis database and the one innings quicker than that was back in 2008 and the speed readings from then 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, an England's second shortest, the only time they had a shorter innings batting first in the 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, look at the the ball-tracking stage. 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's 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 in the first inning. 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 Broadholds 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 fifer in a test in Australia and that was Bernard Bosenk

the man credited with inventing the Gugley 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 I'll 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 one astonishing opening day to this Ashes series you can watch highlights clips on the BBC Sport website website, an app with a full highlight show on the IPlayer every day of the series from 5pm. The TMS Ashes debrief with Alex Hartley is on the IPlayer each day. And TMS is back on air 2 a.m. Saturday morning.

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