Historic! First time since the 19th century: Perth Test breaks century-old records

Australia’s commanding eight-wicket triumph over England in the first Ashes Test in Perth was more than just a dominant win — it rewrote record books, producing three rare feats not seen in over a century, with the match concluding in under two days.

England’s rapid double collapse
England’s batting woes were historic. Across both innings, they faced just 405 deliveries, their shortest combined total in a Test match since 1904. The visitors managed only 172 in the first innings and 164 in the second, marking just the third occasion in their history that a Test side has faced fewer than 410 balls.



Fewest balls faced by England in Tests

• 325 v Australia, Melbourne 1904
• 388 v Australia, Lord’s 1888
• 405 v Australia, Perth 2025*
• 408 v Australia, Sydney 1895
• 446 v West Indies, Edgbaston 1995
• 476 v India, Ahmedabad 2021

The collapse was abrupt and stark, underlining how even in the era of Bazball, England’s batting could crumble with shocking speed.

First Ashes Test to finish inside two days in a century
Perth 2025 became the first Ashes Test in 100 years to finish in less than 48 hours, joining only a handful of historic matches from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The last Ashes game to end this quickly was Nottingham in 1921.

Ashes Tests completed in under two days

• Lord’s 1888
• The Oval 1888
• Manchester 1888
• The Oval 1890
• Nottingham 1921
• Perth 2025*

Shortest Ashes Test by balls bowled in over a century
The match required just 847 deliveries, making it the shortest Ashes contest by balls bowled since the 19th century.

Shortest Ashes Tests (balls bowled)

• 788 Manchester 1888
• 792 Lord’s 1888
• 847 Perth 2025*
• 911 Sydney 1895

Over 113 overs, fast bowlers dominated, claiming 30 wickets for 468 runs. Day one alone saw 19 wickets fall — the most in a single day in modern Ashes history.

Mitchell Starc was the spearhead, taking 10 wickets in the match, including a career-best 7-58 in England’s first innings. On day two, he dismissed Zak Crawley, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes, while Scott Boland’s devastating post-lunch burst — three wickets in 11 balls — reduced England from 65-1 to 88-6. A stubborn 50-run partnership between Gus Atkinson (37) and Brydon Carse (20) was the only resistance before setting a target of 205.

Travis Head’s whirlwind century seals victory
Australia promoted Travis Head to open in Khawaja’s absence, and he produced a counterattacking masterpiece. Head scored 123 off 83 balls, reaching his century in 69 deliveries — the fastest Ashes hundred by an opener. He struck 16 fours and four sixes, dismantling England’s short-ball strategy.

Head fell with just 13 runs remaining, but Marnus Labuschagne (51*) finished the chase in style with a six, ensuring Australia’s eight-wicket victory and setting a new benchmark for rapid Ashes Test finishes.



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