The Barmy Army’s pre-Test carnival outside Optus Stadium on November 22, 2025, dissolved into stunned silence as Australia sealed an eight-wicket victory inside two days—the hosts’ first such Ashes rout since 1936. Travis Head’s blistering 116 (95 balls, 9 sixes)—the second-fastest by an Australian in the series—chased 205 in 28.5 overs, capping England’s self-inflicted meltdown from 105-1 at lunch to 205 all out. Ben Stokes’ “Bazball” gamble—aggressive batting to set a target—backfired spectacularly, handing Australia a 1-0 lead and evoking the 5-0 whitewash of 2013-14. With Brisbane’s pink-ball Test looming December 4, England’s must-win mentality faces its sternest test yet, as questions mount over preparation, mindset, and sustainability.
Day Two Snapshot
- Final Scores: Australia 132 & 205/2 (Head 116, Smith 40*; Starc 5-47, Hazlewood 4-35)
- England: 172 & 205 all out (Root 45, Brook 38; Boland 4-29)
- Overs: 67.3 total (shortest aggregate in Australian Test since 1904)
- Man of the Match: Travis Head—116 off 95 (9 sixes)
- Attendance: 41,517 (Day 1 sell-out; Day 2 35,000+)
England’s rapid-fire approach yielded runs but reckless shots; Australia’s composure turned the tide.
The Unraveling: From Lunchtime Command to Afternoon Chaos
Lunch Day 2: England 105-1 (Duckett 45, Pope 32)—205 target seemed stiff on lively Perth pitch (average first-innings 312). Australia bowled out for 132 Day 1 (Stokes 4-32).
Post-lunch: Collapse. Root edged Hazlewood (45); Brook lbw Starc (38)—10/81 from 105-1.
Starc’s 5-47; Hazlewood 4-35. Crawley 4 (96 Test runs @30.22 as opener—worst among peers).
Stokes: “Rapid, aggressive—set tone. But failed from dominance. 2-0 Brisbane? Bounce back.”
Borthwick: “Positions of strength lost—learn, adapt.”
Vaughan: “Bazball polarizing—backs-to-wall admirable, but win from ahead? Not yet.”
Head’s innings: 95 balls, 9 sixes—second-fastest Australian Ashes 100 (behind Gilchrist 2006, 57 balls). Khawaja 61; Smith 40*.
Starc: “England aggressive—we punished.”
Bazball’s Achilles Heel: Aggressive Gamble Backfires
Stokes’ philosophy—fearless run-scoring to pressure—shone Day 1 (172 in 32.5 overs, shortest first Ashes innings in Australia for 123 years). But Day 2: Reckless drives outside off on bouncy track (0.92m average).
False shots: 35% (highest since CricViz tracking). Stumps threat: Low—channel mastery.
Broad: “Plan for Smith? None—yet Perth worked. But batting? Self-sabotage.”
2010-11 echo: Transitional Australia. Now: Cummins/Hazlewood out Perth—cracks exploited.
Stokes: “Conviction in method—three years work; odd discard after one.”
Australia’s Masterclass: Head’s Heroics, Smith’s Steady
Head’s 116: 95 balls, 9 sixes—turned opener into rout. Khawaja 61; Smith 40* (unfazed post-Panesar jibe).
Boland 4-29; Hazlewood 4-35. Smith: “Plan worked—bounce exploited. England aggressive; we punished.”
McDonald: “Day-night Brisbane? Our domain.”
Australia: 1-0 up; Cummins Brisbane return.
Road to Recovery: Brisbane Pink-Ball Pivot?
No Canberra warm-up—England rests Brisbane; one lights session.
Same XI? Likely—Crawley backed despite poor returns (96 innings @30.22—worst opener peers).
Stokes: “Bazball good—thrilling. But win from dominance? Learn fast.”
Barmy Army: Camfield pub solace—largest southern hemisphere.
Series: 5 Tests, November 21-January 8. England: 9-win streak snapped.
Verdict: Self-Inflicted Shocker – Bazball’s Biggest Test
Perth’s two-day rout—worst since 1921—exposes England’s stubborn streak: Heroes from behind, failures from ahead.
Stokes’ pace dazzled Day 1; batting gamble backfired.
Brisbane December 4: Day-night dominance Australia’s. Rebound? Method or makeover?
Urn’s fate: Hanging—Bazball tested.
