England fight back! How will the Aussies respond on Day 2?

It is a day of absolute carnage at Perth as 19 wickets fall for just 295 runs on an opening day that leaves the Australian side "rattled" and "well behind the game." Hosts Steven O’Keefe and Moises Henriques break down a frantic day of Test cricket, where England's aggressive tactics and "fiery quick cartel" of bowlers seize control.

Starc’s lone hand

The day starts brightly for the hosts as Mitchell Starc produces a masterclass in wobble-seam bowling, tearing through the England lineup to finish with 7 for 58. Henriques praises Starc's evolution, noting that he has developed a "new lease on his bowling" by moving away from traditional swing. "Whenever we needed a wicket he came on he cracked the game open again," Henriques says, though he warns that the workload on Starc is already mounting with 13 overs under his belt.

Boland’s "warning signs"

Despite Starc's brilliance, the supporting cast struggles to contain a scoring rate that O’Keefe describes as "bazballing it." Scott Boland, usually the model of consistency, finishes with none for 60, a performance O’Keefe calls "the difference in the wrong way for the team." Henriques observes that Boland may be "searching a bit too hard" and pitching too full to an English side that is "happy to take the game on."

Australia "rattled" by air speed

The response from the Australian batters is swift and brutal. Jofra Archer and the English pace attack target the hosts with sustained short-pitched bowling, leaving the top order looking physically and mentally uncomfortable. "The Australian batting lineup as a whole is rattled," O’Keefe declares. "They’re rattled by this speed, they’re rattled by back-to-back consistent fast bowlers." He points to "unusual dismissals" for Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne as proof that the pace is disrupting their usual composure.

The Ben Stokes masterclass

While the "air speed" of Archer does the initial damage, it is England captain Ben Stokes who provides the finishing blow with a sensational 5 for 23. O’Keefe notes that Stokes has become England's "best bowler" over the last 18 months, describing him as the "partnership breaker" who mixes his lengths perfectly to dismantle the Australian middle order. "Ben Stokes wow five for 23 unbelievable bowling performance off the back of some really good fast bowling," O’Keefe adds.

A grim outlook for Day 2

Looking ahead to the second day, Henriques expresses deep concern for the Australian bowlers, who must now back up immediately on a wicket that typically flattens out. "Australia are well behind the game now," he warns. "If we don’t get early wickets tomorrow with the new ball I think things could get ugly very quickly for us." O’Keefe agrees, suggesting that England are "vindicated" in their approach and are poised to pull further ahead if the Australian attack cannot find a way to counter-punch.

Watch the full episode on Fanatics TV.