England was bowled out twice in two days, and losing the first Ashes Test in Perth may cost Cricket Australia (CA) $3 million. The Test match at Optus Stadium lasted only 847 balls, making it the third-shortest Ashes Test in history.
On Day 1, 19 wickets fell, while Day 2 saw 13 wickets taken on the spicy track. Australia chased down a 205-run target in 28.2 overs, thanks to Travis Head’s scorching hit of 123 off 83 balls. The hosts became the first team to reach a 200-plus target with a run rate of more than six.
England’s batsmen were knocked out in 32.5 overs in the first innings and 34.4 in the second.
They failed to learn from their mistakes in the first innings, and their proclivity for putting bat on ball eventually contributed to their demise. England batted for a total of 67.3 overs in two innings.
The manner in which some of the batters were removed has left England fans upset. The batting fiasco was caused by attempting to play on the up, leaving a space between bat and pad, and a variety of other blatant blunders.
The game’s conclusion in two days means that Cricket Australia (CA) will lose more than $3 million in ticket income, having lost play on days three and four, according to AAP. Before the Test match, CA CEO Todd Greenberg stated that there are ‘competing needs’ while preparing a pitch for a battle. However, he assured spectators that the curators had complete control over the pitch.
“There are competing demands in Australian cricket and I understand that. There’s the performance demands and what might suit the teams best. There are commercial returns, which are really important,” he said.
The action will now shift to The Gabba in Brisbane for the second Test. Having conceded a 0-1 lead in the five-match series, Ben Stokes‘ men will look to fight back in the River City.
India
