How do you even begin to measure the ineptitude of England’s batting here? Perhaps it is the fact that they bowled Australia out for 132 and yet still contrived to lose by eight wickets in two days. Or that Alastair Cook faced more balls in making his Brisbane double century in 2010 than the entire team did across two innings of this pulverising in Perth.

Ben Stokes has given England a first-innings advantage in the opening Ashes test against Australia. Stokes won the toss Friday but England was skittled for 172 as Australian pace bowler Mitchell Starc took a career-best 7-58.

Australian and UK media batter England after Ben Stokes tourists crumble to humiliating two-day defeat in first Ashes Test; visitors go from Bazball-brilliant to boiled lollies while Sir Geoffrey Boyc

England’s disappearing act in Perth was branded “an affront to Test cricket,’’ so poor it made one correspondent feel ill.

Here’s how to watch the 1st Test match on TV and live stream. The Sporting News takes you through all the information you need to follow the game.

Former England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott took centre stage and lambasted the England side for their horrid performance against Australia in the first Ashes 2025-26 Test at the Perth Stadium that ended in two days.

The Perth Test match between Australia and England saw history being created with an unprecedented feat occurring that has not happened over the 148-year-old history of Test cricket before, in which 2608 matches have been played.

Australia might have to change a winning combination for the second Ashes cricket test after Travis Head's impressive opening performance and the possible return of skipper Pat Cummins.

England have come under scrutiny for their approach to Test cricket after the capitulation. Find out more here.

So it is vital to be fair. Sky Sports has set a very high bar for live cricket coverage, so its decision to withdraw from the race for overseas rights is a source of massive disappointment for those of us who paid our subscriptions mainly to watch England’s cricketers in action.