Ancient Ashes Records Fall as 121-Year-Old Statistic Returns to Haunt England

The 8 wickets win over England in Perth was not just a statement win to open the first Ashes Test, but it caused a statistical earthquake, as it generated three wonders that the world has never witnessed in over a century as the game concluded in less than two maniac days.

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1. The fastest twofold fall of England in 121 years

England spent a total of 405 balls in the two innings, the fewest it had ever spent in a Test match since 1904.

• Fewest balls faced by England in a Test
• 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 batting debacle of England 172 on the first day and 164 on the second day was merely the third occasion when England had run less than 410 balls in a Test. The disintegration was historic just as it was abrupt in an age characterized by Bazball.

2. First Ashes Test to finish within two days in 100 years

Perth 2025 had entered a very small, very long list of Ashes battles won in less than 48 hours - and was the first in a century to win one.

Ashes Tests finishing inside two days

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

They had not seen an Ashes match terminated so soon since Nottingham in 1921. Perth is now the sole two day Ashes Test of our modern times.

3. The fastest bowling in 130 years of Ashes Test by balls

This was the shortest Test strike in Ashes since the 19th century and since 1900.

• Shortest Ashes Tests (by balls bowled)
• 788 Manchester 1888
• 792 Lord’s 1888
• 847 Perth 2025*
• 911 Sydney 1895

The test was so viciously short in case of overs and attrition that there is no Ashes Test in the past 137 years that was so cruelly curtailed.

Fast bowlers take over, then Head changes the script

In the mere 113 overs, speed substituted the action altogether. Forty six eighty-four runs were taken, comprising 19 on the first day alone, the most in a single Ashes day at any rate in the modern era.

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Mitchell Starc was unstoppable, completing his 10 wickets in a match, with a career-best 7-58 in the first innings of England. On day two he started with a beautiful reflex catch that dismissed Zak Crawley before he got rid of Joe Root and Ben Stokes to contribute to wrapping England up at 164.

The post lunch outburst by Scott Boland, three wickets in 11 balls, changed the course of England to 65-1 to 88-6. It was only an intrepid charge of 50 between Gus Atkinson (37) and Brydon Carse (20) that took the target above 200.

Whirlwind victory sealed by Head 69 ball century.

With more than three days remaining, Australia named Travis Head its opening batsman in lieu of the injured Usman Khawaja, to win Set 205. The relocation created an inning that will remain among the great Ashes retaliations.

Head pinned half the balls he struck with, 123 out of 83, the record century of the Ashes, ever, by an opener. He hit 16 fours, 4 sixes to bowshatter England in the short-ball attack and turn the Bazball story around.

He came down short by 13 required, yet Marnus Labuschagne (51) who won the game with a six delivered Australia the victory at 205-2.

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