Ashes 2025-26: England’s stuttering Bazball in Perth could cost Cricket Australia $3 million

England getting bowled out twice inside two days and losing the first Ashes Test in Perth could cost Cricket Australia (CA) a whopping $3 million. The Test match at the Optus Stadium lasted only 847 balls, becoming the third-shortest Ashes Test of all time.

19 wickets fell on Day 1, while Day 2 saw 13 wickets being taken on the spicy track. Australia chased down a 205-run target in just 28.2 overs on the back of Travis Head’s blistering knock of 123 off 83 balls. The hosts became the first team to chase down a 200-plus target at a run rate of over six.

Coming to England’s batting, they were bowled out in 32.5 overs in the first innings and 34.4 in the second. They didn’t learn from their mistakes in the first innings, and their penchant for getting bat on ball ultimately led to their downfall. In total, England batted just 67.3 overs across the two innings.

The way some of the batters were dismissed has left the England fans frustrated. Trying to play on the up, leaving a gap between bat and pad, and many more glaring errors led to the batting debacle.

The game being over in two days means that Cricket Australia (CA) are headed for an estimated loss of more than $3 million from ticket revenue, having lost play on days three and four, according to AAP. Ahead of the Test match, CA chief executive Todd Greenberg claimed there are ‘competing demands’ when preparing a pitch for a contest. However, he reassured fans that the curators have total control of the pitch.

“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 action will now shift to The Gabba in Brisbane for the second Test. Having conceded a 0-1 lead in the five-match series, Ben Stokes’ men will look to fight back in the River City.