Starc takes a career-best 7 wickets as Australia dismisses England for 172 on Day 1 of the Ashes
Perth (AP): Mitchell Starc took a career-best 7-58 as Australia bundled England out for 172 despite losing the toss Friday in the Ashes cricket series opener.
Starc took a wicket in the first over of a test for the 24th time to set the tone, having Zac Crawley caught at slip by Usman Khawaja on the sixth delivery before England had scored a run.
The 35-year-old left-armer snared three wickets in his first five overs, picking up his 100th career wicket, and had England in trouble at 105 for four at lunch on Day 1.
He took four more after the interval, including the key wicket of Ben Stokes, as England lost six wickets for 67 runs after lunch — the last five wickets tumbling for 12 runs to be all out in the second session.
Ben Duckett (21) was punishing an off-rhythm Scott Boland's half-volleys at the other end to keep the runs flowing, punching four boundaries down the ground, before Starc trapped him lbw in the seventh over with a full-length ball.
Duckett reviewed the decision but tracking technology confirmed the umpire's decision and England was 33-2.
Joe Root, the No. 1-ranked test batter but still searching for his first Ashes century in Australia, faced seven balls before he nicked Starc to Marnus Labuschagne at third slip for a duck and England slumped to 39-3.
The key dismissal gave Starc his 100th Ashes wicket, at an average of 26.65, and gave Australia the ascendancy after England won the toss and batted.
A 55-run stand between Ollie Pope (46) and Harry Brook (52) gave England some momentum before allrounder Cameron Green (1-10) struck at the end of his first over of bowling in a test match since 2023.
Green trapped Pope lbw and again England reviewed the decision, which was upheld by the TV umpire using tracking technology.
England's attacking intent kept with the “ Bazball ” method under Brendon McCullum's coaching, aiming to score quickly and make the bowlers wilt.
The team batting first has won all five tests played at Perth Stadium — which replaced the WACA as the Western Australian capital's test venue — and that was a heavy factor in Stokes deciding to go against his preferred option of bowling first and chasing.
The English, trying to win a test in Australia for the first time since 2010-11, opted for an all-pace attack led by Jofra Archer and 35-year-old Mark Wood.
Australia has won 13 and drawn two of its last 15 Ashes tests in Australia.
Regular skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are missing the first test because of injuries, opening the way for Brendan Doggett to make his test debut and become the third Indigenous Australian man to play test cricket.
Doggett bowled alongside Boland, making it the first time two Indigenous Australians have played in the same test lineup. He troubled Pope in his first over and made a vital breakthrough in his sixth to have Brook caught behind, cramped for room and gloving a short-pitch ball down legside.
Doggett also troubled Brydon Carse (6) with short-pitch bowling before getting his wicket, caught in the outfield by Marnus Labuschagne.
Starc, who picked up his fifth five-wicket haul in the Ashes when he had Gus Atkinson caught at slip by Steve Smith, picked off the last two wickets on consecutive balls to remove Jamie Smith (33) and Mark Wood (0).
He'll start the next innings on a hat-trick.
“Nice way to start a series,” Starc said. “There's been a lot made about the (Cummins and Hazlewood) being not here and I guess me being an experienced one, so nice to lead that way.”
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SIT formed to probe second sexual assault case against expelled Cong MLA Mamkootathil
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe a second case of sexual assault against expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, police officials said on Friday.
The SIT will be led by G Poonguzhali, Assistant Inspector General at the Police Headquarters.
The team also includes a DSP rank officer and sub-inspectors, officials added.
The second sexual assault complaint was received by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, which it forwarded to the state police chief.
ALSO READ: Cong expels rape-accused MLA Mamkootathil from party's primary membership
Following this, the Crime Branch registered a case and launched an investigation.
Crime Branch officials said the email complaint contained only the sender's email ID and no other contact details.
As part of the probe, they have sent a reply email requesting that the complainant contact them and provide her statement.
The complainant has alleged that she was sexually assaulted under the false promise of marriage, a Crime Branch official said.
However, details such as the location and date of the alleged incident are not currently available to the police.
The SIT will attempt to trace the sender of the email and record her statement, which is crucial for further investigation, the officer said.
Mamkootathil was expelled from the Congress party on Thursday after a court here rejected his anticipatory bail petition in another rape case.
Police said he is currently absconding, and a manhunt is underway in Kerala and neighbouring states.
