Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc produced a brilliant match-winning performance in the first Ashes Test of the 2025–26 series at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Playing on November 22, Starc bagged a superb 10-wicket haul across both innings, helping Australia recover after conceding a first-innings lead to England.
The veteran pacer led from the front and turned the momentum completely in Australia’s favour with his accuracy, movement, and relentless pressure. England had started strongly in the second innings but quickly lost control after the lunch break.
Starc struck multiple times, including the key wickets of Joe Root and Ben Stokes, both of whom he dismissed in each innings. That double blow left England reeling and gave Australia the perfect opening to fight back in the Ashes series opener.
Starc Shines in Second Innings
Starc’s milestone came early in England’s second innings. On the fourth ball of the 25th over, he removed England captain Ben Stokes for just two runs. Stokes tried to defend a delivery pitched in the channel outside off stump, but the ball swung late and caught the outside edge.
Steve Smith, placed at second slip, made no mistake as he completed a clean catch. With this dismissal, Starc completed a fantastic 10-wicket match haul, celebrating the achievement with his teammates while lifting the ball toward the Perth crowd.
This was the 11th time in Test cricket that Starc had dismissed Stokes, a matchup that has consistently worked in Australia’s favour. Stokes’ early exit further deepened England’s troubles as they slipped to 88/6.
Bowling from one end with aggressive intent, Starc continued to threaten every batter who walked in. His control over swing and seam played a major role in England’s collapse on a pitch that offered just enough movement for disciplined fast bowling.
Joe Root Falls to Starc in Both Innings of the Test
Starc’s dominance was equally evident against England’s premier batter, Joe Root. On Day 3, Root attempted a drive on a full delivery outside off stump, only for the ball to take the inside edge and crash into the stumps.
This wicket gave Starc his ninth of the match. Remarkably, it was also the 10th time the Australian left-armer had dismissed Root in Test cricket. Root’s struggles against Starc have been a long-running theme, with the English batter scoring 349 Test runs off 639 balls against him at an average below 35.
Starc had already dismissed him for a duck in the first innings, completing a memorable bowling display against one of the world’s best batters. England never recovered from losing Root and Stokes cheaply, and their middle order crumbled under pressure from Starc and the rest of the Australian bowling attack.
Starc Makes Ashes History With Rare Bowling Achievement
Starc had already set the tone in the first innings, where he ripped through England’s batting lineup with incredible figures of 7 for 58 in just 12.5 overs. Returning in the second innings, he added three more wickets to complete a stunning 10-fer in the Ashes opener.
With this achievement, Starc became the 25th Australian to take 10 wickets in a home Ashes Test. More importantly, he became the first Australian fast bowler to take a 10-wicket haul on home soil since Craig McDermott at the WACA in 1991.
No Australian bowler had taken 10 in an Ashes Test—home or away—since Shane Warne did so at The Oval in 2005. England’s batting collapse, marked by a series of poor shot selections, allowed Australia to grab momentum during the afternoon session.
