Australia crushed England by eight wickets in the opening Ashes Test at Perth Stadium, sealing the contest in under two days and delivering a statement performance to kick off the 2025–26 series. The match, packed with dramatic collapses and a blistering run chase, became the first Ashes Test in more than a century — since 1921 — to finish inside two days. Travis Head stole the show with a whirlwind century, while England’s batting failures became the biggest talking point in cricket circles.
England’s collapse makes Michael Vaughan’s prediction age poorly
Ahead of Day 2, former England captain Michael Vaughan had confidently predicted that Ben Stokes’ spirited fightback on the opening day would set the stage for England to control the match. Stokes’ late strikes had indeed swung momentum back in England’s favour, prompting Vaughan to write on X (formerly Twitter): “Was that the most dramatic first day of all time? I think it was… What’s Day 2 going to bring… My prediction is for England to bat the day and have full control by the end.”
Instead, England imploded in stunning fashion. Despite carrying a 40-run lead into their second innings, Stokes’ men lasted just a session and a half on Day 2, skittled for 164 as Australia’s pacers relentlessly attacked the stumps. The visitors failed to string together partnerships, and their middle order was dismantled before it could settle.
Travis Head’s fireworks seal the chase in emphatic style
Faced with a modest target of 205, Australia wasted little time asserting their dominance. Head unleashed a counterattacking masterclass, hammering 123 off just 83 deliveries — an innings filled with clean hitting and supreme confidence. His century set the tone for a swift chase as Australia romped home with eight wickets in hand.
Marnus Labuschagne offered stability at the other end, finishing unbeaten with a composed half-century. The pair ensured that England, who had hoped to push the chase deep into the final session, were left with no opportunity to fight back.
Ravichandran Ashwin teases Vaughan after England’s defeat
As the match concluded dramatically ahead of schedule, social media was quick to react — and one of the sharpest responses came from Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Seeing Vaughan’s bold prediction age disastrously, Ashwin posted a cheeky dig aimed at the former England skipper.
Quoting Vaughan’s claim that England would have ‘full control’ by the end of Day 2, Ashwin wrote on X: “‘Full control’ full of doubts🤓”
“Full control” full of doubts🤓 https://t.co/8I6auktBxc
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) November 22, 2025
The light-hearted jab immediately went viral among fans, many of whom delighted in the contrast between Vaughan’s confidence and the reality of England’s collapse.
