Starc takes five to leaves England reeling in first Ashes test

PERTH :Australia's pace spearhead Mitchell Starc recorded his 17th five-wicket haul on Friday and sent England's batting unit into disarray on day one of the first Ashes test at Perth Stadium.

Leading the attack superbly in the absence of captain Pat Cummins and stalwart Josh Hazlewood, Starc recorded figures of 5-54, his fifth Ashes "five-fer", midway through the second session as he helped reduce England to 168-7.

The 35-year-old fast bowler got Australia's Ashes defence off to the perfect start in the first over of the day, dismissing Zak Crawley for a duck.

He followed up by trapping Ben Duckett lbw for 21 and having Joe Root caught for a duck. Ben Stokes departed for six, clean-bowled by a 141 kph inswinger before Gus Atkinson was swallowed up in the slips cordon for one.