Travis Head and Ben Duckett were involved in a fiery exchange during drinks break of the first day of the opening Ashes 2025/26 Test.
Ben Duckett and Travis Head’s fiery exchange
On a day that moved at a breathtaking speed, a total of 19 wickets fell, the most on any day of an Ashes Test since 1950. With emotions running high, the pair of left-hand bats, Duckett and Head, had a go at each other during the Australian innings.
The hosts were then struggling at 53-4 in 24 overs when the duo were spotted giving the other a mouthful, the gist of which are anyone’s guess. Ricky Ponting, calling the game for Channel 7, provided an insight into the exchange, saying the duo had an “ongoing feud”, and that “every time one of them leaves the ball in Test cricket, the other one says something to him.”
Head could only hang around for 16 more deliveries before becoming England captain Ben Stokes’ first victim of the day. Stokes went on to complete a five-for later in the day.
Mitchell Starc leads with career-best figures, but England hit back in style in Perth
Mitchell Starc and co. ran through the English batting order, who had themselves to blame as much as anyone else, to restrict them to 172 in just 32.5 overs. But Australia were first hit by a fiery spell of fast bowling from Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson, and partly by Usman Khawaja’s temporary absence as Steve Smith was exposed to the new ball.
Though Atkinson didn’t pick up a wicket, he was as clinical as others, hitting the right lengths and leaving Smith at sea. Brydon Carse, who got Smith and Khawaja, and Stokes, who picked up the last five Australian wickets to fall on the day, then joined the party to reduce the hosts to 123-9 by stumps.
1st Test, Australia vs England
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An intriguing day of Test cricket awaits in Perth with Australia still behind by 49 runs.
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