Perth, Nov 21 : Nineteen wickets fell on a chaotic opening day of the first Ashes Test at Perth Stadium, where fast bowlers from both sides wreaked havoc on a bouncy surface to leave the match dramatically in the balance.

By stumps, Australia were shellshocked at 123/9, still trailing England by 49 runs, after captain Ben Stokes tore through the middle and lower order with a sensational 5-23 from six overs, building on ferocious bursts from Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse. The collapse mirrored the 2024â??25 Border-Gavaskar opener at the same venue, where 17 wickets fell on Day 1.

Earlier on Friday, Australian spearhead Mitchell Starc produced a career-best Ashes spell, ripping out England for 172 in 32.5 overs with stunning figures of 7-58. His brutality came before a record crowd of 51,531, while Harry Brookâ??s counterattacking half-century (52) lit up Englandâ??s innings as they rattled along at 5.24 runs per over. No visiting team has been bowled out quicker in a first innings of a Test in Australia since 1932.

Starc removed Zak Crawley for a sixth-ball duck, then trapped Ben Duckett lbw for 21 before squaring up Joe Root for a seventh-ball duck, leaving England reeling at 39/3.

Brook, unbothered, launched a blistering assault â?? charging Australiaâ??s quicks, cracking an 89m six, and adding 55 with Ollie Pope before Cameron Green nailed Pope lbw for 46. But Starc and debutant Brendan Doggett (2-27) then triggered a collapse of 5-12 in 19 balls, with Brook falling for a 61-ball 52.

England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith clattered 33 off 22 before holing out, becoming Starcâ??s seventh victim.

With Usman Khawaja unable to open because of back spasms, Marnus Labuschagne partnered with debutant Jake Weatherald â?? but the innings imploded immediately.

Archer dismissed Weatherald for a second-ball duck on review, then removed Labuschagne for 9, the ball ricocheting off his elbow into stumps. Carse struck twice, removing Steve Smith (17) and Khawaja (2), before Stokes entered and dismantled the innings.

Stokes dismissed Travis Head (21), Green (24), Starc (12), Carey (26), and Boland (0) in a devastating burst, leaving Nathan Lyon (3 not out) and Doggett (0 not out) at the close.

Doggett and Weatherald received their baggy greens as Australiaâ??s 472nd and 473rd menâ??s Test cricketers. England fielded an all-pace attack with Shoaib Bashir left out. The 19 wickets made it the most dismissals on Day 1 of an Ashes Test since 1909, setting up a gripping second day in Perth.

Brief scores: England 172 in 32.5 overs (Harry Brook 52, Ollie Pope 46; Mitchell Starc 7-58, Brendan Doggett 2-27) lead Australia 123/9 in 39 overs (Alex Carey 26, Cameron Green 24; Ben Stokes 5-23, Jofra Archer 2-11) by 49 runs.

/IANS