The Ashes 2025-26: Joe Root and teammates hit the golf course after losing first Ashes Test inside two days

Where better to spend what should have been the fourth day of the first Ashes Test than to duck out for yet another round of golf?

After Australia made short work of the Poms, the English batters led by Joe Root, were back out on the links trying to shorten their handicap.

And while 20,000 English fans who traveled halfway around the world to watch them had to find something to do on a stormy Sunday in Perth the English foursome spent the day at Joondalup Country Club for a bonus round of golf.

And while there was no Barmy Army to cheer them on or Aussie fans to jeer them, there was a vivid reminder of their failures to put any runs on the board and give their bowlers a chance on Saturday.

Root, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope and Will Jacks were met at the final green by a family of ducks, which brazenly paraded their ducklings in front of the quartet.

While Optus Stadium sat empty 30 kilometres away, the local kangaroos were on hand to lend the English a crowd, before getting bored and hopping away.

It was likely the wildlife that waddled along enviously, though, with Crawley and Root having collected three ducks between them as England had their pants pulled down inside six sessions of the first Ashes Test to go 1-0 down in the series.

The solemn group teed off early on Monday, as they attempt to right the ship ahead of the second Test, which will be played with a pink ball, in Brisbane on December 4.

Root, who has previously captained his country in red-ball cricket, looked a leader among the group while Crawley, who recorded a Perth pair after falling to Mitchell Starc in the first over of both innings, appeared to be having a much better time with the stationary golf ball.

Despite the unwanted reminders of their failure, the quartet nailed the final hole after strong drives off the tee, with Pope holding the flag before the group headed to the clubhouse.

One fan driving past got a message in as the English cricketers finished off, shouting “Onya Bazball!”

While some of England’s squad were out golfing, fast bowler Jofra Archer joined the hordes of restless England fans in finding new activities, spending his afternoon at an aquarium in Perth’s north.

Archer and spinner Shoaib Bashir were spotted leaving the attraction, unamused when they saw the waiting reporters. They headed straight for their car and drove off, with Archer in the driver’s seat.

The reaction will ring a bell with many of the team’s fans, some of whom experienced the indignity of watching a second England team get beaten out at Lilac Hill Park.

The English Lions were given a touch-up by the Cricket Australia XI, with WA’s Josh Inglis hitting an unbeaten century, and the mood was summed up well by former Essex fast bowler and tour guide, Don Topley.

“It’s rather sad for the thousands who have come across,” he said.

The 61-year-old former County quick, who also coached Zimbabwe from 1990 to 1992, said he had been scrambling to keep his group of 16 cricket tourists occupied.

“My group is not getting any cricket, so we thought we’d take the cricket to them,” he said.

“A few have gone to Freo, a few are here with me at Lilac Hill, last night we got David Boon to speak to the group, and he was just fantastic.

“There is plenty for us to do, and I’ve got to say the infrastructure here in Perth is first class – it’s clean, the road network and public transport are amazing, it’s been an absolute pleasure to be in this city.

“I just wish we had more Test cricket.”

Fans Kev Bayliss, Bruce Munro and David Addington revealed they had spent Sunday at King’s Park and would take in the idyllic surrounds of Rottnest on Tuesday as they attempted to keep spirits high for the remainder of the five-Test series.

“After two days of exciting but disappointing cricket, we now need to fill the days up, so we have come down here to watch the boys,” said Bayliss, 45, an HR manager from Lincolnshire in England’s East Midlands.

“Yesterday was Kings Park, lovely, and we have Rottnest Island tomorrow.”

Munro, 60, a retired teacher from East Ham in London, had also travelled for the first Test only and will return on Thursday.

“We will have a bit of a wander around Fremantle tomorrow,” he said.

It all comes after England went unsighted on Sunday as they licked their wounds, having given up a winning position at lunch on the second day to lose the match by eight wickets as Travis Head blazed the second-fastest Ashes century on record.

Meanwhile, most of the Australians left the state grinners, with little but a few extra days of rest and relaxation on their minds.