The Australian press revelled in their side’s stunning victory over England in the opening Test of the Ashes in Perth.
England were in a dominant position at lunch on day two before losing nine wickets in the afternoon session, leaving Australia requiring 205 to win. They reached that target in style with Travis Head scoring 123 runs from just 83 balls to seal an eight-wicket victory.
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And the Australian press were delighted with the outcome.
The West Australian relishes victory
The local Perth paper has been trying to wind up England throughout the build-up to the game, and they revelled in the moment.
“Travball murders Bazball” read the front page headline of the local Sunday Times (previously the West Australian Sunday Times), which also declared the visitors “Pathetic Poms”.
The back page of the same paper also enjoyed the victory, saying: “Pommelled”.
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Sunday Telegraph (no relation, honest) weighs in . . .
Head’s heroics, unsurprisingly, made the front and back pages of the Sunday Telegraph, describing the batsman’s innings as an “opening masterclass”.
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England ‘like lemmings into the trap’
Daniel Brettig of The Age took aim at England’s batsmen, contrasting their approach to how the tourists’ bowling attack – so impressive on day one – has been put together.
“As Brydon Carse put it after day one, the bowling group has been united in the knowledge that it isn’t just speed that will kill Australia, but relentless pressure,” he wrote.
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“By contrast, England’s approach to batting is, for lack of a better term, largely vibes-based.
“But there was wide acknowledgement, both within and outside the England team, that this series would require something greater and more nuanced if [Ben] Stokes was going to join Douglas Jardine and Ray Illingworth as the only England captains to regain the Ashes on Australian soil.
“Having been bailed out so magnificently by their bowlers on the first evening, here was the ideal opportunity to show that evolution. Instead, Ollie Pope, [Harry] Brook and [Joe] Root all jumped like lemmings into the trap of trying to drive in Perth.
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“England’s brand of entertaining Test cricket is compulsively watchable. “Bazball” should share equal billing with Slow Horses for the most entertaining limited series to come out of the UK since Covid.
“But to win the Ashes on Australian soil, it will be necessary for the batsmen to take a few more cues from the bowlers.”
England ‘from brilliant to boiled lollies’
That theme was continued by Louis Cameron, on cricket.com.au
He wrote: “England went from Bazball-brilliant to boiled lollies in under 24 hours as Head’s barnstorming 69-ball ton, the second fastest in Ashes history behind Adam Gilchrist’s 57-ball effort over the Swan River at the WACA Ground almost two decades ago, fired the hosts to an eight-wicket win inside two days.”
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Ben Stokes reacts as England slide to defeat in Perth – Getty Images/Gareth Copley
Australia ‘illustrate truth about England’s approach’
And Fox Sports again highlighted how England’s batting leaves their bowlers exhausted as they get so little rest.
They wrote: “Bazball? This was Travball at its most fearsome and it pricked the pride of England and illustrated a truth of England’s much-debated approach to Test cricket.
“As swiftly as England score, they also force a load on their bowling attack, who rarely get a significant time to rest. And while they were fast and furious on Friday, they did not back up.
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“From being in a position where they could have buried Australia, England ended up on the end of a humiliating defeat against a team without Pat Cummins, without Josh Hazlewood, with [Usman] Khawaja maligned and with Nathan Lyon bruised, battered and barely used.”
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