Ashes 1st Test: Scorching Starc leads from front, England on backfoot with four wickets down (Day 1, Lunch)

Perth [Australia], November 21 (ANI): A scorching six-over burst from pacer Mitchell Starc left England three down, while the half-century stand between Ollie Pope and Harry Brook ended just before lunch, concluding the first session of day one of the first Ashes Test at Perth's Optus Stadium in Australia's favour.

At the end of the first session, England was 105/4, with Harry Brook (28*) and Ben Stokes (4*) unbeaten.

England opted to bat first, and they found themselves on the back foot in the first over itself, with a fiery Mitchell Starc removing Zak Crawley on the final ball of the over for a duck. Crawley attempted a drive, but the ball found the edge of his bat and travelled to Usman Khawaja at slips. England was 0/1.

Scott Boland started his spell with the new ball, beating Ben Duckett on the first delivery pitched outside off, but Duckett and Ollie Pope collected three runs each to give England some runs on the board. The duo remained watchful against Starc.

But in the third over, Duckett released some pressure with a boundary through mid-on to start off the over and another crisp stroke through mid-off to end it. The left-handers upped the attack, collecting a boundary each against Starc and Boland, further taking England to 30 in six overs.

Starc trapped Duckett leg-before-wicket plumb, ending a 33-run stand and removing a dangerous Duckett for a 20-ball 21, with four boundaries. England was 33/2 in 6.4 overs.

Starc left England in massive trouble as a seaming delivery caught the edge of Joe Root's bat and flew straight to Marnus Labuschagne at slips. Root's first innings on English soil this Ashes turned out to be a seven-ball duck. England was 39/3 in 8.5 overs, with the left-arm pacer completing a century of Ashes wickets and removing their fearsome top order.

Brendan Doggett's first over saw him test Pope with some troublesome deliveries.

Pope continued to attack with positive intent, hitting Starc for a four over the slip cordon after being given some width, taking his side to the 50-run mark in 11 overs. Boland and Doggett conceded a boundary each against both as the partnership kept marching on.

A lovely on-drive down the ground by Pope, on a delivery by Cameron Green, helped Pope-Brook complete their 50-run stand in 64 balls.

The partnership came to an end as even a review could not save Pope, who became the victim of an unfortunate umpire's call for leg-before wicket. Pope was gone for 46 in 58 balls, with four boundaries. Green got his first wicket. England was 94/4 in 20 overs.

Brook charged Starc and hit him for a four over extra cover, delivering a massive statement of his intent. 100 runs were up for Australia in 22.1 overs.

Brook and skipper Ben Stokes ended the session without any further loss of wickets.

Brief Scores: England: 105/4 (Ollie Pope 46, Harry Brook 28*, Mitchell Starc 3/24) vs Australia. (ANI)

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