Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
michael vaughn He believes England’s fast bowling cartel has already “opened the scars” on Australia’s batsmen after a thrilling performance on the first day of the Ashes series in Perth.
England The skipper was grateful for his five-pronged pace attack after being bowled out for 172. ben stokes Leading with five wickets for 23 runs Australia It closed at 123 for nine on a spicy pitch.
Brayden Carse also took some wickets jofra archerWho shared an electric new-ball spell with the luckless Gus Atkinson, while Steve Smith landed a few blows on his elbow and a furious Mark Wood clattered Cameron Green on the helmet.
Vaughan, the 2005 Ashes-winning captain, was impressed enough to suggest that Australia might already be considering changes to their batting line-up after thoroughly working out the hierarchy.
“You need bowlers to get you out of trouble and England had an attack today, where all five fast bowlers bowled with skill, pace and they were intimidating,” Vaughan said on BBC’s Test Match Special.
“You saw how the top order was blown away by this attack. When you’re a tailender and you’re watching someone who is incredibly talented like Cameron Green hit the edge of the wicket… I wouldn’t want to face this attack on this pitch.
“I saw a lot of wounds with the way England bowled to the Australian batsmen. Australia held on, they were really on the ropes. England opened one or two little cracks.
“If I was an Australian selector looking at the way Australia batted against that kind of attack, I would say, ‘Oh dear’ and sometimes you have to react quickly.”
Mitchell Starc took a career-best seven wickets for 58 runs and dismissed Jack Crawley in the first over to start the day with 19 wickets – the most on the first day of an Ashes Test since 1909.
But the left-handed batsman, who has excelled in the absence of Australia’s injured captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, has had to share the top role with Stokes, who was playing for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury in July.
Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook told TNT Sports: “For England to win this series, (Stokes) has to be close to being man of the series – he is that important.
“He balances the team, he performs well when other people are struggling. He is fantastic. For him to get into the series today, make an impact, he will feel much better.
“The best thing about today is that England know they can hurt Australia’s top order, even if they don’t win this game – and they are in a position to do that – in the next four games, they can really hurt Australia.”
Justin Langer, who was Australia coach when Stokes scored an unforgettable 135 to lead England to a one-wicket win in the 2019 Headingley Ashes Test, also praised the touring captain.
“He’s a freak. If I had one player in the world, (it would be) Stokes,” he told TNT.
“I just love how fit and strong he is. For a captain to come out with that presence and do what he does, he gave me the worst day of my cricket career and I think he’s just a brilliant cricketer.”