Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has completed his 100 wickets in the Ashes. Starc has ‘clawed’ in the first innings of the opening match of the ongoing Ashes 2025-26 series against England at the Perth Stadium.

With this, Starc also completed 100 wickets in the Ashes series. Starc has achieved this milestone in 43 innings of 23 matches. Mitchell Starc has overtaken former West Indies fast bowler Curtly Ambrose in terms of most wickets in Test history, who had taken 405 wickets in 98 matches of his Test career.

In this match being played in Perth, England won the toss and decided to bat first. The team was all out for 172 in 32.5 overs. The England team suffered a big blow in the form of Jack Crawley (0) on the sixth ball of the match. The team could not even open its account till that time.

After this, Ollie Pope tried to take control of the team by making a partnership of 33 runs for the second wicket with Ben Duckett, but Duckett was out on 21 runs.

This team had lost three wickets till the score of 39. From here, Ollie Pope along with Harry Brook scored 55 runs in 67 balls for the fourth wicket and took the team closer to the century. Ollie Pope faced 58 balls and scored 46 runs in this innings.

Jamie Smith added 45 runs in 30 balls for the sixth wicket with Brook. Brook contributed 52 runs in this innings, in which he hit one six and five fours. For Australia, Mitchell Starc took 7 wickets for 58 runs, while Brendan Doggett and Cameron Green took 1 wicket each.

The Ashes series between England and Australia has started at the Perth Stadium, in which the start was very disappointing for England. The England team won the toss and decided to bat and lost their wicket on the sixth ball itself. Till that time the account of the visiting team could not even be opened.

Since 2010/11, the England team is playing the Ashes series in Australia for the fifth time. Since then, in its first innings of the series, England has lost its first wicket without opening the account for the third time. During this period, the visiting team could score only 30 runs in five innings.

In the Ashes 2010/11, the England team lost the wicket of Andrew Strauss (0) on the third ball of the first Test match played in Brisbane. England could score only 260 runs in that innings, but made a brilliant comeback in the next innings (517/1) and drew the match.

The first match of Ashes 2013/14 was also played in Brisbane, in which the England team could score only 136 runs in the first innings. In this innings, England lost the wicket of captain Alastair Cook (13) at the score of 28. England lost this match by 381 runs.

England had a poor start in their first innings on the Australia tour in the Ashes 2017/18. The team lost the wicket of Alastair Cook (2) in 2.4 overs. Till that time only 2 runs had been scored in the team’s account. Australia won this match by 10 wickets.

England lost the wicket of Rory Burns (0) on the very first ball of the Ashes 2021/22 series. Till that time the team’s account could not be opened. The England team could score only 147 runs in this innings. Australia won the match by 9 wickets.

In Ashes 2025/26, once again the England team could not even open the account in its first innings of the series. Starc got Jack Crawley (0) caught out on the last ball of the first over of the match.

England’s score

England’s start has been very bad. England has lost four wickets in the first session on the first day. The score is 104 runs.

The prestigious Ashes series between England and Australia has started from Friday. England won the toss and decided to bat at Perth Stadium. With this match, Brendan Doggett and Jake Weatherald are making their international debut for Australia.

Brendan Doggett and Jake Weatherald are 31-31 years old. The last time this happened was in March 1946, when the Australian team fielded two debutants aged 30+ in the same Test. This match was played against New Zealand.

Steve Smith is commanding the Australian team in this ongoing match in Perth. Usman Khawaja has been given a chance in the team. Travis Head, Cameron Head, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon can be seen strengthening the host team.

With this match, fast bowler Brendan Doggett has got a chance to debut at the international level, because Josh Hazlewood is not playing in this match due to a hamstring injury.

Brendan Doggett has played 50 first class matches in his career, in which he took 190 wickets at an average of 26.46. At the same time, he has taken 26 wickets in 17 List-A matches.

On the other hand, Jake Weatherald has entered this match as an opening batsman, who has scored 5,322 runs in his 77 first class matches at an average of 37.47, which includes 13 centuries and 26 half-centuries. In 51 List A matches, this left-handed batsman has scored 1,602 runs at an average of 33.37.

Under the captaincy of Ben Stokes, the visiting England team has entered this historic match in the presence of Joe Root, Jack Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joffra Archer and Mark Wood.

Australia’s playing eleven: Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Brendon Doggett, Scott Boland.

England’s playing eleven: Ben Duckett, Jack Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood.

The Ashes series is considered to be the most exciting series of Test cricket. Cricket lovers around the world wait for the series to be held once in two years between Australia and England. The next edition (2025-26) of this series, which is being played since 1882-83, is starting from 21 November in Perth. Before starting the series, let us take a look at Ashes 2005. After losing 8 consecutive Ashes, England stopped Australia’s victory chariot by registering victory on their own soil in 2005.

Sometimes England and sometimes Australia have been defeating each other in the Ashes. Often both countries prevail over the other on their own soil. The Ashes 1986–87 was played in Australia. England had won 2-1 in this series. This victory of England on Australian soil was bold and memorable. But after this series, Australia made it impossible for England to win the Ashes. Whether the series was in Australia or England, Australia remained the winner.

Australia defeated England in the Ashes series 8 consecutive times in 1989, 1990-91, 1993, 1994-95, 1997, 1998-99, 2001, 2002-03. England was looking for a captain and team that could win back the Ashes and restore its lost prestige. This opportunity came in the Ashes 2005.

In 2005, Australia under the captaincy of Ricky Ponting reached England for a 5-Test series. England, under the captaincy of Michael Vaughan, was desperate to get the Ashes title back on their soil. But in the first Test played at Lord’s, Australia won by 239 runs. After this defeat, once again England was in danger of losing the series.

In the second test, England made a strong comeback and leveled the series 1-1 by defeating Australia by 2 runs in a thrilling match played in Birmingham. The third match played in Manchester was a draw.

England took a 2-1 lead in the series by winning the fourth Test played in Nottingham by 3 wickets. The fifth Test played at The Oval was a draw and with this England won the series 2-1.

Andrew Flintoff emerged as a hero with ball and bat in the series for England. Flintoff scored 402 runs and took 24 wickets. For England, Kevin Pietersen scored 473 runs and opener Marcus Trescothick scored 431 runs. Andrew Strauss played a big role in the historic victory by scoring 393 runs and captain Miles Vaughan scored 326 runs. Australia’s Shane Warne and Andrew Flintoff, who took 40 wickets, were the players of the series.

Test cricket’s most exciting series, the Ashes, is starting in Perth from 21st November. The top players of both England and Australia will perform well and try their best to win the series for their team. England captain Ben Stokes can create a unique record in the upcoming Ashes.

The first Ashes series was played in 1882-83. After this, this prestigious series is organized every two years. The record of hitting most sixes in the history of Ashes is in the name of current England captain Ben Stokes. Ben Stokes has scored 1,562 runs in 45 innings of 24 Test matches between 2013 and 2023, scoring 4 centuries and 8 half-centuries. During this period, he has hit 39 sixes with his bat. No batsman from England or Australia has hit so many sixes in the history of the Ashes. If Stokes is able to hit 11 more sixes in the next series of 5 Test matches, then he will become the first batsman to hit 50 sixes in the history of Ashes.

In terms of hitting the most sixes in the Ashes, after Stokes is England’s Kevin Pietersen (24 sixes). Steve Smith (21 sixes) and Ian Botham (20 sixes) are at third and fourth place respectively.

The England team came to Australia for the last time in 2021-22. Australia won the 5 test match series 4-0. The last series was played in England in 2023. The series was drawn 2-2. England last won the Ashes in 2015. England won the series 3-2 at home. After 10 years, England will try to become champion once again on Australian soil. England last defeated Australia in the 2010–11 series in Australia.

The Ashes Series 2025-26: Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has argued that England’s baseball approach was specifically designed to win the Ashes in Australia. The Ashes series between the two countries is going to start from 21st November. Ricky Ponting told ‘7News’ that England’s aggressive style under the leadership of coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes has always been focused on mastering Australian conditions.

Ponting gave statement on baseball

Ricky Ponting said, “England is a team that has been together for the last two years (after the 2023 Ashes). They are preparing for the Ashes. I know Brendon very well, baseball was designed just for this one series. Forget whatever happened in the last two years. It was all about putting together a team and a style of play that could win Test matches in Australia. England have won Test matches in Australia in the last 25 years. They have done this only four times, they have to win at least three matches in this series, so I am curious to see how they play.

What will be England’s plan in the Ashes?

The 2023 Ashes began with a signal of England’s intent. Australia had deployed a deep backward point for the initial overs at Edgbaston, but despite this, Jack Crawley hit a four over cover. Ponting hopes that England will continue this aggressive approach throughout the summer. He said, “I don’t think they will change. I have seen them a lot in the last two years. I know they will play the same way. Ben Duckett and Jack Crawley will play the same way they have always played. If they can do that, England will win the toss and elect to bowl and will be confident of scoring more runs in the fourth innings than the opposition did in the first innings.”

In the year 1882, the Australian team went on a tour of England, where in the Test played at the Oval, England had to face defeat by a close margin of 7 runs. The very next day, the British newspaper ‘Sporting Times’ published a fake ‘condolence’ regarding English cricket, which read, “In affectionate memory of the English cricketer, who died at the Oval on the 29th August 1882. Deeply condoled by a large group of bereaved friends and acquaintances. May his soul rest in peace. Please note that the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.”

In fact, the British weekly newspaper had used the term ‘The Ashes’ on England’s defeat at the hands of Australia. With this ‘condolence message’ the word ‘Ashes’ was used for the first time in cricket history. This concept attracted the attention of sports lovers.

After a few weeks, the English team left for the Australian tour under the captaincy of Ivo Bly. The team’s objective was to avenge the previous defeat. Captain Bly resolved that he was going to Australia to take back the Ashes.

The England team played three tests on this tour. During this period, Bly and his team’s amateur players also took part in many social matches.

This series was to start from 30th December. The first match was to be played in Melbourne, before which, on Christmas Eve, at the Rupertswood estate outside Melbourne, Bly was given a small clay urn as a symbol of the Ashes he had traveled to Australia to retrieve. However, Bly considered it a personal gift. On this tour, England won the series 2-1.

It is believed that the women of Melbourne had burnt Bells and filled his ashes in this urn.

At this occasion Bly met Florence Murphy, a classmate of Lady Janet Clarke, owner of the Rupertswood estate and governess to the Clarke family. In 1884, Bly married Florence Murphy.

After some time, Bly returned to England taking this urn with him. This urn remained kept at Bly’s house for about 43 years. After Bly’s death, Florence handed over this urn to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), since then it has been kept in the MCC Museum at Lord’s.

When the Australian and English teams desired to compete for an actual trophy in the 1990s, the MCC, in consultation with the England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia (CA), commissioned the vase-shaped Waterford Crystal Trophy.

The trophy was first presented to Australian captain Mark Taylor when the Australian team won the Test series against England in 1998–99, and since then the Ashes trophy has been awarded to the winning captain at the end of each Test series between Australia and England.

Most Runs In The Ashes Series History: The Ashes Series 2025/26 of 5 Test matches between Australia and England is starting from 21st November, the first match of which will be played at Perth Stadium. The last match of the series will be held on 4 January 2026 at Sydney Cricket Ground. In this series, Australian batsman Steve Smith has a chance to become the second batsman to score the most runs in the Ashes series by surpassing England’s Jack Hobbs. Smith is now only 219 runs behind Hobbs. Here we are going to tell you who are the top-5 batsmen who scored the most runs in the Ashes series?

Top 5 batsmen who scored the most runs in the Ashes

1. Sir Donald Bradman (Australia)

Australia’s great batsman Sir Donald Bradman is at number one in the list of top-5 batsmen who have scored the most runs in the Ashes series. Bradman scored 5028 runs in 37 Test matches against England in the Ashes at an excellent average of 89.78. Which includes 19 centuries and 12 half-centuries. Apart from Bradman, no batsman from Australia or England has been able to touch the figure of 4000 runs. At the same time, the records of most runs, most centuries and best average in the Ashes are also in the name of Bradman.

2. Jack Hobbs (England)

England’s legendary batsman Jack Hobbs is second in the list of batsmen who have scored the most runs in the Ashes series and is the only English batsman in this list. Hobbs played 41 Test matches against Australia in the Ashes, in which he scored 3636 runs at an average of 54.26 with the help of 12 centuries and 15 half-centuries. Apart from Hobbs, no other English batsman has been able to score more centuries in the Ashes.

3. Steve Smith (Australia)

Australia’s star batsman Steve Smith is at third place in the list of batsmen who have scored the most runs in the Ashes series. Smith has played 37 Test matches in the Ashes so far, in which he has scored 3417 runs at an excellent average of 56.01 with the help of 12 centuries and 13 half-centuries.

4. Alan Border (Australia)

Former Australian batsman Allan Border is at fourth place in the list of batsmen who have scored the most runs in the Ashes series. Border scored 3222 runs in 42 Test matches in the Ashes at an average of 55.55. Which includes 7 centuries and 19 half-centuries.

5. Steve Waugh (Australia)

Former Australian captain Steve Waugh is at fifth position in the list of batsmen who have scored the most runs in the Ashes series. Steve played 45 Test matches in the Ashes, in which he scored 3173 runs at an excellent average of 58.75 and has 10 centuries and 14 half-centuries to his name.