Australia’s left-arm pace spearhead Mitchell Starc delivered a blistering opening spell as the Ashes 2025-26 got underway at Perth Stadium on Friday. England, opting to bat first under captain Ben Stokes, endured a nightmare start and stumbled to 105/4 by lunch, with Starc ripping through the top order in a fiery new-ball burst.
Starc struck three times in his first five overs, setting the tone for an explosive start to the iconic series.
The carnage began in the very first over of the Ashes, when Zak Crawley edged to Usman Khawaja at first slip off the sixth ball, departing for a six-ball duck.
Starc returned in his fourth over to trap Ben Duckett LBW, with DRS confirming the dismissal via three reds, leaving England rattled at 33/2 in 6.4 overs.
The pressure intensified when Joe Root, greeted with loud applause, survived only seven balls before edging to Marnus Labuschagne at third slip. With that, Starc claimed his third scalp of the morning and pushed England deeper into trouble.
The Perth Test marked the fourth time Starc has bowled the first over of an Ashes Test — the most by any bowler in history. He previously shared the record with Jack Gregory and Dennis Lillee, who each opened the Ashes three times.
Starc also became the first bowler in Ashes history to take a wicket in the first over of an Ashes series more than once.
He famously bowled Rory Burns with the first ball of the 2021 Ashes in Brisbane — and has now repeated the feat by dismissing Zak Crawley in Perth.
Bowlers Who Took Wickets in the First Over of an Ashes Series
Ernie McCormick (AUS), 1936, Brisbane – Stan Worthington, 1st ball
Trevor Bailey (ENG), 1950, Brisbane – Jack Moroney, 4th ball
Gary Cosier (AUS), 1978, Brisbane – Run out, 5th ball
Ben Hilfenhaus (AUS), 2010, Brisbane – Andrew Strauss, 3rd ball
Mitchell Starc (AUS), 2021, Brisbane – Rory Burns, 1st ball
Mitchell Starc (AUS), 2025, Perth – Zak Crawley, 6th ball
Starc Reaches 100 Ashes Wickets
With the dismissal of Joe Root, Starc also crossed another major milestone — he became the 21st bowler in history and the 13th Australian to claim 100 wickets in Ashes Tests.
The milestone cements Starc’s place among the most impactful Ashes performers of the modern era.
