England captain Ben Stokes led by example on a day that will be remembered for its drama and excitement, as he masterminded an impressive five-wicket haul to leave Australia reeling at the close of play on the first Ashes Test in Perth.
Stokes was instrumental in England's remarkable turnaround, which saw them trail by 49 runs with only one wicket to spare. The home side had looked on course for a dominant day after posting a strong 338/6 in their first innings, but Stokes and his team worked tirelessly behind the scenes to engineer a dramatic turnaround.
With Australia struggling at 89 all out, England's tailenders held firm, and eventually, it was Stokes who took centre stage. The all-rounder claimed 5/44 off 12 overs, his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket, as England closed on 239/9 to trail by a mere 49 runs.
Stokes' performance was marked by his trademark grit and determination, as he worked tirelessly alongside his teammates to craft a winning strategy. His partnership with Moeen Ali proved particularly crucial, as the two batsmen added crucial runs and kept Australia's bowlers at bay.
As the day drew to a close, England's players were jubilant, knowing they had set themselves up for an exciting battle ahead. With their tailenders firing on all cylinders and Stokes' leadership proving decisive, it looks like England are well-placed to take the first Ashes Test.
The question now is whether Australia can stage a remarkable recovery in what promises to be an action-packed second day at Perth Stadium. One thing is certain - this has been a day that will go down in history as one of the most dramatic and thrilling in Ashes history.
Stokes was instrumental in England's remarkable turnaround, which saw them trail by 49 runs with only one wicket to spare. The home side had looked on course for a dominant day after posting a strong 338/6 in their first innings, but Stokes and his team worked tirelessly behind the scenes to engineer a dramatic turnaround.
With Australia struggling at 89 all out, England's tailenders held firm, and eventually, it was Stokes who took centre stage. The all-rounder claimed 5/44 off 12 overs, his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket, as England closed on 239/9 to trail by a mere 49 runs.
Stokes' performance was marked by his trademark grit and determination, as he worked tirelessly alongside his teammates to craft a winning strategy. His partnership with Moeen Ali proved particularly crucial, as the two batsmen added crucial runs and kept Australia's bowlers at bay.
As the day drew to a close, England's players were jubilant, knowing they had set themselves up for an exciting battle ahead. With their tailenders firing on all cylinders and Stokes' leadership proving decisive, it looks like England are well-placed to take the first Ashes Test.
The question now is whether Australia can stage a remarkable recovery in what promises to be an action-packed second day at Perth Stadium. One thing is certain - this has been a day that will go down in history as one of the most dramatic and thrilling in Ashes history.
. A single day turnaround like that? It's just too convenient. I mean, I've seen some crazy comebacks in cricket before, but this one feels like a script from a Hollywood blockbuster 
. Don't get me wrong, Ben Stokes is an incredible player and all that, but I think the real story here is how England managed to script their own fairy tale 
. And what about the Aussie bowlers? How did they not put up more of a fight? It's just too easy for England to take control like that 
. Can't wait to see if Australia can mount a comeback on day two... but I'm not holding my breath 
.
And don't even get me started on the cameras – who needs 10 different angles of a bloke hitting a ball when you've got good ol' human eyesight, right? 
I'm still trying to process everything that happened today! Ben Stokes is literally a superhero 
, and his 5-wicket haul was insane 
. The way he worked with Moeen Ali was genius 
. I mean, who knew our tailenders had it in them? 
It's been ages since we've seen an Ashes match go down to the wire like this. Australia might have to pull out all the stops tomorrow, but I think England are looking good 
. Bring on day two! 
. The way England came back from being 49 runs behind is just mind-blowing 
. Now, Australia gotta step up their game and make this second day count 
England's win was totally 
genius out there, leading his team to an epic comeback 
. I'm so stoked for him, this 5/44 haul will be etched in my memory forever 
. His partnership with Moeen Ali was 
unbreakable, they worked like a well-oiled machine 
! England's tailenders came through in the clutch, holding their nerve 
. The drama and excitement were electric 
️
Ben Stokes was pure class out there, I mean who needs a big score when you can take 5 wickets for 44 runs?! 
OMG, that was insane! Ben Stokes is literally a superhero 
, keeping those Aussie bowlers at bay. And that last wicket was just pure drama 
Can Australia even respond to this kind of momentum? Let's see how they try! 
️
can australia bounce back tho? 
what a turn of events for england, trailin by 49 runs and then they just turned it around on australia like that's how u do it 
, they were so comfy! Anyway, back to cricket... have you ever noticed how some cricketers can just take over a match like Ben Stokes did today? Like, he's just completely in his zone, and the opposition doesn't stand a chance 
338/6 seems so easy now lol 5 wickets in test cricket for him? that's insane! 
i'm hyped for the second day already 
. The Aussie team's on the back foot now, but they've got one day to stage a revival... it's gonna be a wild ride 
. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings 