First time since 19th century: Ancient records tumble in Ashes as 121-year-old ghost returns to haunt England
Australia's eight-wicket victory over England in Perth marked the shortest Ashes Test in 137 years, concluding in just two days.
Australia’s eight-wicket victory over England in Perth was more than a statement win to open the first Ashes Test — it produced a statistical earthquake, delivering three feats not seen in more than a century as the match finished inside two chaotic days.
1. England’s quickest double collapse in 121 years
England’s two innings lasted a combined 405 balls, their shortest total in a Test match since 1904.
Fewest balls faced by England in a Test
325 v Australia, Melbourne 1904
388 v Australia, Lord’s 1888
405 v Australia, Perth 2025*
408 v Australia, Sydney 1895
446 v West Indies, Edgbaston 1995
476 v India, Ahmedabad 2021
England’s batting implosion — 172 on day one and 164 on day two — marked only the third time in their history that they have faced fewer than 410 balls in a Test. In an era defined by Bazball, the collapse was as sudden as it was historic.
2. First Ashes Test to end inside two days in 100 years
Perth 2025 joined a tiny, ancient list of Ashes clashes completed in under 48 hours — and became the first in a century to do so.
Ashes Tests finishing inside two days
Lord’s 1888
The Oval 1888
Manchester 1888
The Oval 1890
Nottingham 1921
Perth 2025*
Not since Nottingham in 1921 had an Ashes contest ended so rapidly. Perth now stands alone as the only two-day Ashes Test of the modern era.
3. The shortest Ashes Test by balls bowled in 130 years
With only 847 deliveries required to settle the match, this was the shortest Ashes Test since the 19th century and the shortest since 1900.
Shortest Ashes Tests (by balls bowled)
788 Manchester 1888
792 Lord’s 1888
847 Perth 2025*
911 Sydney 1895
In terms of overs and attrition, no Ashes Test in the last 137 years has been so brutally brief.
Fast bowlers dominate — then Head rewrites the script
Across just 113 overs, pace completely dictated proceedings. Thirty wickets fell for 468 runs, including 19 on day one alone — the most in a single Ashes day in the modern era.
Mitchell Starc was irresistible, finishing with 10 wickets for the match, including a career-best 7-58 in England’s first innings. On day two he opened with a stunning reflex catch to dismiss Zak Crawley, then removed Joe Root and Ben Stokes to help bundle England out for 164.
Scott Boland’s post-lunch burst — three wickets in 11 balls — flipped England from 65-1 to 88-6. Only a spirited stand of 50 between Gus Atkinson (37) and Brydon Carse (20) pushed the target above 200.
Head’s 69-ball century seals whirlwind victory
Set 205 to win with more than three days left, Australia promoted Travis Head to open in place of the injured Usman Khawaja. The move produced an innings that will sit among the great Ashes counterattacks.
Head hammered 123 from 83 balls, reaching his hundred in 69 deliveries, the fastest Ashes century by an opener. He struck 16 fours and 4 sixes, overwhelming England’s short-ball assault and reversing the Bazball narrative.
He fell with only 13 needed, but Marnus Labuschagne (51*), who sealed the win with a six, ensured Australia completed the chase at 205-2.
