Ashes 2025: Michael Vaughan praises England’s pace attack after day one in Perth

England’s average bowling speed of 87.6mph was the fastest ever and they combined speed with skill.

In the first 25 overs of their innings, Australia were pulled into misfires from more than 40% of the deliveries they faced.

Since this data was collected (2006), this is the fifth highest percentage of misfires drawn by any bowling team in Test cricket in the first 25 overs of an innings.

Stokes then took over with five wickets in just 36 balls – the fifth fastest England bowler to reach five wickets in an innings.

“There was some great bowling – there’s quite a bit of movement and sharp bounce on that Perth pitch,” Vaughan added.

“You need bowlers to get you out of trouble and all five bowlers bowled with skill and pace and were fearsome.

“You can scare a team very early in the series. There was some good tactics by England and tactical maneuvers that they will take forward into the second innings and beyond.

“When England were 160-5, I thought about going and getting 250 because I’ve seen enough cricket here to know that 250 is a good first-innings score here.

“This pitch may flatten a little and the cracks may reach, but the average is not 350.”