PERTH: Australia took nine wickets in the second session of day two at Perth Stadium on Saturday to bowl England out for 164 at tea, leaving the hosts needing 205 runs to secure victory in the first Ashes test.
Returning from the lunch break at 59-1, England gave seamer Scott Boland (4-33) his first breakthrough when opener Ben Duckett was caught in the slips for 28.
The 36-year-old claimed two more in his next over, with Ollie Pope left punching his bat in frustration after being caught behind on 33 and Harry Brook trudging off for a three-ball duck having nicked to Usman Khawaja at first slip.
The loudest roar of the day came when Joe Root chopped-on Mitchell Starc (3-55) from well outside off-stump to depart for eight.
Not even the support of the “Barmy Army” could lift the tourists, as Starc celebrated his first match-haul of 10 wickets in an Ashes test with a bouncy delivery that Ben Stokes, on two, could only get as far as Steve Smith at second slip
A pain-staking caught-behind review, where Jamie Smith was adjudged to have feathered debutant Brendan Doggett (3-51), saw the exit of England’s last recognised batsman for 15 as the home side pressed their advantage.
Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse put together a valuable 50-run partnership at the tail but Boland closed out the innings by having Atkinson caught in the deep for 37.
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