The Ashes Recap: Australia claim 1-0 lead after remarkable turnaround in Perth

England captain Ben Stokes is now employing a strategy which appears to be built around the hope Travis Head or Jake Weatherald will make an error.

Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith is cutting a lonely figure behind the stumps, with a number of fielders positioned on the leg side boundary as their seamers bowl bouncers.

Head is proving unafraid to take the game on, smashing his third six over fine leg before producing a late cut which rocketed to the boundary.

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A quite remarkable top edge has brought up a half-century partnership between Australia’s makeshift opening pair of Travis Head and Jake Weatherald.

Head’s wild swipe off the newly-introduced Brydon Carse looked set to find Ben Duckett at fly slip but instead carried into the crowd for his second six.

Earlier, Mark Wood was introduced into the attack but Weatherald promptly used the extra pace on the ball to deftly guide a boundary through the off side.

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Travis Head is now rolling, uppercutting an Atkinson short ball over the cordon for Australia’s first six of the Test match before flaying through the off side for another boundary.

The 39-run stand between Head (26) and Jake Weatherald (13) is the highest opening partnership of the Test match.

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Injured Australian captain Pat Cummins has played down any injury concerns over Nathan Lyon, who spent much of his side’s second bowling innings oiff the field after copping a blow while batting this morning.

Cummins said Lyon would have been able to bowl if required.

“He had a pretty impressive, big cherry (on his hip). He showed everyone,” Cummins told Fox Cricket.

“It was rock hard as well, he was making sure everyone touched it.

“He was pretty sore, but he was able to come on and bowl (if required).”

Australia’s new opening combination have given their side a much better start to their second innings than they had in their first.

Both 11 not out, Travis Head and Jake Weatherald have left judiciously and been happy to capitalise when England’s Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson have strayed on to their pads or erred fuller in length.

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England thought they had the first wicket of their innings, but one look from the third umpire proved otherwise.

Jake Weatherald was given out caught behind off the bowling of Jofra Archer but referred immediately and was proven correct when the replay showed the ball had instead hit his thigh pad.

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Jake Weatherald has his first Test runs!

After enduring nine scoreless deliveries while on a pair, the left-hander was able to work Jofra Archer into the leg side for three to open his account at the level.

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If Australia win this game, it will largely be down to the spearhead of their bowling attack.

Without his long time running mates Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc managed to notch the fourth-best Test bowling figures in a Perth Ashes Test with his 10-wicket haul.

BEST MATCH BOWLING FIGURES IN A PERTH ASHES TEST

11-157: Craig McDermott (Aus), 1991

11-176: Ian Botham (Eng), 1979

10-122: Rodney Hogg (Aus), 1978

10-113: Mitchell Starc (Aus), 2025

9-82: Mitchell Johnson (Aus), 2010

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Meanwhile, Jake Weatherald is still waiting for his first run at Test level after facing out a maiden from Gus Atkinson in the second over.

Interestingly, England are operating with two gully fielders against the left-hander, suggesting they believe he is liable to be caught slashing through the off side.

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Travis Head has tucked Jofra Archer off his hip from the final ball of the first over to get Australia’s run chase away.

The England express quick appears to be working on a clear plan to Head with the hopes of having him caught in the leg side, as he was in the first innings.

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