England suffered a heavy defeat in the first Ashes Test in Perth, and the quick finish could result in a major financial loss for Cricket Australia (CA). The match at Optus Stadium ended inside two days. It lasted only 847 balls, making it the third-shortest Ashes Test in history. CA is now staring at a loss of more than $3 million in ticket revenue because play on days three and four was wiped out.
A Brutal Ashes Test Match on a Spicy Pitch
The pitch offered a lot of help to the bowlers from the start. A total of 19 wickets fell on the opening day. Another 13 wickets fell on Day 2. Australia chased a target of 205 runs in just 28.2 overs. Travis Head led the way with a stunning innings of 123 off 83 balls. His aggressive knock helped Australia record the fastest chase of more than 200 runs in Test history, with a run rate of over six.
England’s batting was the biggest disappointment. They were bowled out for just 32.5 overs in the first innings. The second innings lasted only 34.4 overs. England faced only 67.3 overs across both innings. Their errors were repeated again and again. Batters played away from the body, left gaps between bat and pad, and tried to hit balls they should have left. Fans were frustrated watching the same mistakes lead to another collapse.
The early finish has created financial trouble for Cricket Australia. According to AAP, the board could lose more than $3 million because there was no cricket on days three and four. Ahead of the Test match, CA chief executive Todd Greenberg spoke about the challenges of preparing a pitch. He said curators try to balance many things.
“There are competing demands in Australian cricket and I understand that. There’s the performance demands and what might suit the teams best. There are commercial returns, which are really important,” he said.
The attention now moves to The Gabba in Brisbane. Australia lead the five-match series 1-0. England captain Ben Stokes and his team will look to respond strongly. They need to fix their batting quickly if they want to stay alive in the Ashes. The second Test will be a crucial moment for England’s hopes in the series.
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