In a historic first in Test cricket history spanning 148 years, the opening partnership in a recent Ashes Test match at Perth failed to score a single run in all of the first three innings of the match. Both England and Australia experienced zero-run opening stands early in their innings, with the first wicket falling before the score was opened each time.
England vs Australia Ashes 2025
In the first Ashes Test of the 2025/26 series at Perth, England and Australia experienced a unique and unwanted record where the opening partnership in three consecutive innings ended with zero runs scored, a “three zero run opening stand.” England’s opener Zak Crawley was dismissed for a duck in the first innings by Mitchell Starc in the very first over. In Australia’s second innings, debutant Jack Weatherald was also out for zero in the first over, followed again in England’s third innings by Zak Crawley being dismissed without scoring. This marked the first time in Test cricket history that the opening partnership failed to score any runs across three continuous innings in a match. Mitchell Starc played a significant role in this, taking key wickets in all three innings and achieving a 10-wicket haul in the match.
Also Read: Mitchell Starc First Aussie Pacer This Century with Ten-Wicket Haul in Ashes
Match Summary
Australia won the match emphatically by eight wickets inside two days. England started reasonably but collapsed dramatically, losing 5 wickets for 23 runs in one stretch. Despite a spirited counterattack from lower-order England players Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse, the resistance ended when Australian bowlers Boland and Doggett wrapped up the tail.
This result puts Australia 1-0 up in the 2025-26 Ashes series.
