AUS Vs ENG, Ashes Carnage: Australia Humiliate England In Rare 2-Day Finish - A Look Back At 19th Century Stats

Australia defeated England by eight wickets in the first Test to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match Ashes 2025-26 series. The Aussies completed a chase of a 205-run target in just 28.2 overs in Perth on Saturday. The win was shaped by Mitchell Starc's devastating pace bowling and Travis Head's blistering century in the fourth innings.

And it has now entered the record books as only the sixth Ashes Test to conclude inside two days, and the first in more than a century, in 104 years to be precise. The last time it happened was at Nottingham in May 1921, when Australia defeated England by 10 wickets.

Before that, two-day finishes in Ashes were clustered in the late 19th century: 1. Lord's in July 1888 saw Australia win by 61 runs; 2. The Oval in August 1888 produced an innings‑and‑137‑run victory for England; 3. Manchester later that same month ended with England winning by an innings and 21 runs; and 4. August 1890 Oval Test was decided by two wickets, in England's favour.

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Amid pitch talks and scrutiny on batting, this Australia vs England at Perth Stadium will be remembered as one statistical anomaly that defied logic.

Australia Vs England, Ashes 2025-26 1st Test Recap

The Ashes 2025-26 opener began with England captain Ben Stokes winning the toss and opting to bat first. But the visitors came short against left-arm fast bowler Starc, who claimed 7 for 58. Their 172 was built around Harry Brook's 52 and Ollie Pope's 46, but the collapse left them fighting to save the match.

Australia's reply was equally fragile, however. They were dismissed for 132, with Stokes taking 5 for 23 and Brydon Carse adding three wickets after Jofra Archer's early breakthroughs. Wicketkeeper Alex Carey top-scored with 26. England thus took a slender lead of 40, but they squandered the advantage in a game which was already moving at an unusual pace. As many as 19 wickets tumbled on Day 1.

Day 2 saw England bid to set a defendable target, but Starc did the damage again. He removed Crawley for a pair and claimed the wickets of Root and Stokes to finish with 10 wickets in the match. Scott Boland returned with four wickets, while debutant Brendan Doggett chipped in with three.

Gus Atkinson's 37 and Brydon Carse's 20 provided late resistance, but the batting unit never settled against a fired-up Aussie attack. England's second innings eventually ended at 164, leaving Australia a chase of 205, a steep target considering the manner in which the two bitter rivals had traded wicket for wicket until then.

Then, in one defining passage play, Travis Head, promoted to open, launched a ferocious assault. The left-handed batter slammed 123 off 83 balls with 16 fours and four sixes, reaching the century in 69. His no-holds-barred knock erased any doubts about the chase. Marnus Labuschagne played a fluent 51 not out to ensure Australia achieved the target in just 28.2 overs.

Head's innings was being hailed as one of the most destructive in Ashes history, turning a tense chase into a walk in the park, while Starc took home the Player of the Match award.

England's Tour Of Australia 2025-26: What Next?

The second Test at Brisbane's iconic Gabba, a day-night affair, starts on December 4. It will be followed by matches in Adelaide (from December 17), Melbourne (Boxing Day Test, from December 26), and Sydney (New Year's Test, from January 4 next year).

The five-match series is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle. Australia lead the table, ahead of holders South Africa. Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, England, Bangladesh, the West Indies and New Zealand are the other teams.