Nineteen wickets fell on the opening day of the 2025/26 Ashes series, as England collapsed to 172 all out before blasting through Australia to leave them 123-9 at stumps. Katya Witney ranks were it sits among the most bonkers first days of an Ashes series this century.
Despite the misery of the start after Zak Crawley nicked off six balls into the series and their last five wickets fell within 19 balls, England began day two leading by 49 and one wicket away from completing a remarkable bowling performance. But the wickets themselves – more than on any opening Ashes day for 116 years – were only half the lunacy. Calamitous dismissals, Usman Khawaja unable to open – and then being pushed down to No.4 – thanks to a poorly timed break off the field, and the full range of emotions Ashes series’ bring already unleashed.
With that in mind, we’ve ranked the opening days of every Ashes series this century, from the ones which actually followed the path to sanity, to those that were completely unhinged. The criteria for madness ranking was defined by unpredictability, on-field delirium, and off-field depravity.
14. Cardiff, 2009
Day one: England 336-7
For a Test match so synonymous with its nail-biting finish, its opening day was tame. Andrew Strauss won the toss, padded up and serenely left Mitchell Johnson (pre Moustache) through the first over. Every England batter reached double figures, although none followed through. Both teams felt their way into the series, sizing each other up. This was proper, sensible Test cricket – the sort that should make you turn your nose up at McCullum’s bunch of renegades.
13. Brisbane, 2006
Day one: Australia 346-3
One of Australia’s great Gabba steamrollerings. Only three wickets fell across the whole day, and 346 runs were scored. England’s rag-tag bunch, already fragmented from 2005, were prey for Australia’s vengeful old guard. Ponting’s hundred came off 136 balls (Harry Brook, do your worst), and Australia were going at 4.5 an over before lunch. The only real madness besides England’s slumped despair was Steve Harmison’s infamous series opener, which didn’t hit the cut strip. He bowled just 12 balls with the new ball that day, but returned for some largely uneventful overs later – normality well and truly restored.
12. Brisbane, 2017
Day one: England 196-4
From the 4-0 hand signs on the SCG outfield at the end of the series – England’s first day was surprisingly competent. They weren’t favoured when the series began, and labelled as “no-hopers” by Matthew Hayden – although thankfully he made no promise of public nakedness. Cook nicked off early, but James Vince and Mark Stoneman were unlikely pillars. It wasn’t to last though, Nathan Lyon slid those great glass doors shut on Vince’s surely glorious Test future as he successfully shied at the stumps. England ended the day on 196-4, and it wouldn’t get much better for the rest of the series.
11. Brisbane 2013/14
Day one: Australia 273-8
England’s Ashes defence ended in ignominy, but began OK. Back when Mitchell Johnson was still a benign, wayward seamer, Stuart Broad, or a '27-year-old medium-pace bowler, as the Courier-Mail insisted on calling him after his refusal to walk earlier in the year, ripped through Australia on the opening day of one of the only series England have been expected to win Down Under this century. He took five wickets, including Rogers in his third over, and would add a sixth on day two, seemingly setting England on the right course to follow the script which had been written, to continue their Ashes dominance. He walked into the press conference with a newspaper tucked under his arm. Maybe the madness is in the context – nobody bosses Australia at the Gabba, least of all England. Normal service resumed the following day.
ALSO READ: Ranking England’s last 15 Ashes Tests in Australia from least to most devastating
10. Nottingham, 2013
Day one: England 215, Australia 75-4
Fourteen wickets fell in the 2013 series opener at Trent Bridge, as two high-class swinger bowlers zipped through. Peter Siddle continued his habit of starting Ashes series’ with a bang, taking five-for after conceding 27 runs in his first four overs. After England had been castled for 215, Anderson produced a pearl to get rid of an underfire Michael Clarke for a six-ball duck. England lost their last four wickets for two runs in 14 balls, but set up a classic finish later in the game by keeping Australia 75-4 at the end of the day. The game would get madder, with Agar's 98, Bell's hundred basically entirely through third man, Broad 'nicking it to slip', and a thrilling finish.
9. Brisbane, 2021
Day one: England 147
One ball was all it took. But perhaps the haunted flashbacks of Rory Burns leg stump castling out of the ground first ball obscure the full extent of the madness of 2021. Not only were England 0-1 – just clip it away Rory – they were 11-2, 11-3, 29-4, 60-5 and eventually 147 all out. The predictability of Australia’s demolition job – and a bit of rain – dulled the chaos, and this would have ranked higher if it wasn’t so easy.
8. Cardiff, 2015
Day one: England 343-7
A rollicking, see-sawing first day. England were 43-3 before Root came to the crease and edged his second ball behind to Brad Haddin, who dropped it. Root went on to score a match-defining century, with Gary Ballance and Stokes providing support. England could have been 43-4. Instead, they ended the day on 343-7 with honours near enough even and with a young team having shown the Aussies they could compete.
7. Edgbaston, 2019
Day one: Australia 284, England 10-0
One of the great Ashes hundreds from Steve Smith. As the yellow bits of sandpaper were waved from the Hollies’ Stand, he found the perfect riposte. It wasn't until Peter Siddle joined him that he found a proper partner in his resistance, and by then Australia were 122-8. Siddle's 44 helped Australia climb to 210, and then 74 more with last man Nathan Lyon (12*). Smith's 144 made sure Australia just stayed alive in a Test they went on to win by 251 runs. Although some of that could be attributed to James Anderson’s calf popping just after the morning rendition of Jerusalem had subsided. It was gentle chaos, structured around a genius innings.
6. Brisbane, 2010
Day one: England 260, Australia 25-0
Another first over job, Siddle’s birthday hat-trick, and a desperate attempt to stave off the madness. England’s plan to reign in the opening chaos which followed them down under lasted all of six minutes. They dragged themselves to 260, and Australia were 25-0 by stumps. It would get better.
5. Brisbane, 2002
Day one: Australia 364-2
Poor Nasser. It was as much the surface level confidence of his decision at the toss as anything else. The only one of his bowlers who managed to back him up and make an early breakthrough was stretchered off shortly after and ruled out of the series. England were left at the mercy of Matthew Hayden in his pomp, and a series of drops in the field made the jeers of the Brisbane crowd all the louder.
4. Edgbaston, 2001
Day one: England 294, Australia 133-2
Marcus Trescothick managed to last one more ball than Rory Burns would 20 years later, and England made it to 106-2 at Lunch. So far, so good. They then imploded against Warne and McGrath, as was standard. Andy Caddick then leathered them both for a 49 from No.11, which in itself should have had England’s bowling attack looking at the pitch and gulping. Michael Slater finished the day unbeaten on 76 off 78 balls, Australia on 132-2. After the Tea break alone, 235 runs were scored at just under sevens.
3. Lord’s, 2005
Day one: Australia 190, England 92-7
After the torment of reliving miserable Ashes opening overs for England, I raise you Harmison leathering Justin Langer. Just for the mythology, and the cathartic comfort of turning the table on your long-time bully. For the first time in 18 years, England went toe-to-toe with Australia. Ponting was bloodied as England’s pace attack snarled. It didn’t quite go to plan thereafter. England were seven down by the end of the day, McGrath was on the rampage, and they would lose the Test comfortably. However, the course had been set during what for England fans was a scarcely believable opening day.
2. Edgbaston, 2023
Day one: England 393-8 dec, Australia 14-0
The madness had set in before the first ball went down. Those who stayed up for it could still hear that flying stump from 2021. You could feel it as the crowd came through the gates, as they fidgeted through the national anthems and could barely look as Pat Cummins ran in. The crack that followed, however, wasn’t resin being snapped in two, but the willow of Zak Crawley’s middle. England Bazballed throughout the day at fives, Crawley grinned at the replay of an edge the umpire hadn’t picked up. Root reverse-scooped with a clear conscience, and Moeen Ali was back. It was all so innocent.
It couldn’t last, though. The tables were turned once again, but this time by England’s own making. Stokes threw a firework into the mix with a late in the day declaration, one that ultimately cost England the Test or, if you’re so inclined, the series.
1. Perth, 2025
Day one: England 172, Australia 123-9
And now this. The most wickets to fall in a day in an Ashes since 1909, and the most emotionally exhausting of the lot. “The biggest series in all our lives” lasted six balls before Crawley nicked off. Root was gone for a duck, it all came crashing down as laptop screens were slammed shut in disgust back home. That was before England’s last five wickets fell in 19 deliveries.
Then, the whiplash. Archer was back and breathing fire, missing person signs were almost at the printers for Usman Khawaja when he didn’t step out to open. Jake Weatherald was flat on his front, and Stokes, veins bulging and muscles flexing, ripped through. The day always should have been Australia’s, and yet it wasn’t. Unbearable chaos, overwhelming twists, enough to sustain the madness of setting 2am alarms again for the next day, for the unmissable next chapter.
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