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Wickets tumbled on day one of the first Test of the Ashes in Perth, with bowlers dominating the day.
In total 19 wickets fell for just 295 runs with Australia’s Mitchell Starc and England‘s Ben Stokes both bagging five wicket hauls. Starc ended England’s innings with figures of seven for 58.
But how does his stellar effort compare to the best ever spells in Ashes history? Let’s take a look.
1. Jim Laker: 10 for 54
- Old Trafford, July 1956
The undisputed pinnacle of Ashes bowling. Jim Laker’s 10 for 54 in Australia’s second innings at Old Trafford remains the only occasion in history that a bowler has taken all 10 wickets in an innings in an Ashes match.
On a turning surface tailor-made for his craft, off break bowler Laker delivered an exhibition of precision, drift and sharp turn. Australia had no answer. His spell decimated them in just 51.2 overs, sealing a place in folklore.
To this day, when a bowler produces a dominant Ashes performance, it is inevitably measured against Laker’s perfect ten.
2. Jim Laker: 9 for 37
- Old Trafford, July 1956
Laker’s stunning ten wickets in an innings came in a game where he had already delivered an astoundingly dominant display – in Australia’s first innings he took 9 for 37 as Ian Johnson’s Australia were rolled for 84 in reply to England’s first innings score of 459.
The only wicket he missed was claimed by Tony Lock, who grabbed the scalp of Jim Burke, the third Australian wicket to fall. Parsing the two spells together underscores Laker’s control and menace.
His match figures of 19 for 90 remain the greatest in Test cricket, an achievement that no bowler has seriously threatened in the nearly seven decades since.
Read more: Joe Root is an Australian Ashes century away from cricket immortality
3. Arthur Mailey: 9 for 121
- MCG, February 1921
While Mailey’s analysis appears expensive by modern standards, context is everything. The leg spinner delivered his 9 for 121 across 47 overs on a flat MCG surface in the age of uncovered pitches and grind-it-out batting.
His haul included the prized wicket of Jack Hobbs. Mailey was an artist as much as a bowler, known for his drift and loop. This spell was the highlight of his career and a rare moment of joy for Australia in a series otherwise dominated by England.
4. Stuart Broad: 8 for 15
- Trent Bridge, August 2015
The spell that defined a modern Ashes era. Stuart Broad walked out on the morning of the fourth Test at Trent Bridge under a thick sky and in the absence of James Anderson.
What followed was one of the most devastating opening spells ever delivered in Test cricket. Broad scythed through Australia with movement, accuracy and ruthless discipline.
Within 111 balls, Australia were 60 all out and the Ashes were effectively sealed. Broad’s 8 for 15 remains one of the great Ashes demolitions, remarkable not just for the wickets but for the sheer disbelief it induced.
5. Frank Laver: 8 for 31
- Old Trafford, July 1909
Frank Laver’s figures of 8 for 31 may have come more than a century ago, but they retain a special place in Ashes history. The Australian medium pacer exploited a worn Old Trafford pitch with relentless accuracy and subtle movement.
England were routed for 121, and Laver’s spell proved decisive in setting up Australia’s eventual victory.
Though he is less celebrated than some of the giants of Ashes folklore, Laver’s mastery on that day makes his performance one of the most efficient bowling displays the rivalry has seen.
Laver was an accomplished sportsman; he also represented Australia at baseball and was a relative of iconic tennis player Rod Laver.
6. George Lohmann: 8 for 35
- SCG, February 1887
George Lohmann’s brilliance was built on immaculate control and a wicked ability to move the ball off the seam. His 8 for 35 at the SCG came at the dawn of Test cricket, yet the quality shines through the dusty records.
Lohmann dismantled Australia in just 33 overs, guiding England to a series winning position. His average of 10.75 across 35 Test wickets in Ashes contests speaks to his prodigious talent. This spell was arguably his finest hour.
7. Glenn McGrath: 8 for 38
- Lord’s, June 1997
If Starc’s destroyer act in Perth had a spiritual ancestor, it might be Glenn McGrath at Lord’s in 1997. On a pitch offering just enough movement, McGrath exploited English uncertainties with relentless line and length.
His 8 for 38 remains his best Test return and stands as one of the great fast bowling spells at the Home of Cricket. It was a performance that announced his arrival as Australia’s long-term pace spearhead and set the tone for more than a decade of Ashes dominance.
8. Mitchell Starc: 7 for 58
- Perth, November 2025
Stepping up to lead the attack in the absence of both Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood, Starc ripped through England’s batting with fire and menace on a track that offered the quicks plenty.
The performance of Starc, who claimed five of the first seven wickets that fell, comes in at 8th on the list of all-time best Ashes figures.
Read next: Test cricket’s century count: England primed to increase lead over Australia
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