Ashes 2025 live: Australia v England score and updates with visitors in trouble after Ollie Pope dismissed

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Ashes 2025 live: Australia v England score and updates with visitors in trouble after Ollie Pope dismissed

Ben Stokes’ side face Australia in Perth to kick off the Ashes down under, with the visitors winning the toss on Friday

Kieran JacksonFriday 21 November 2025 04:15 GMTCommentsMitchell Starc celebrates dismissing Zak Crawley for a duck (Getty Images)

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England face Australia in the first Ashes Test in Perth in a legacy-defining series for Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.

Stokes’ side are aiming to become the first England team to win the Ashes away from home since 2010/11 but the first step is to win a match. The previous three tours have all ended without England winning a game but there is an opportunity for the tourists to strike first in Perth.

Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, and fellow fast bowler Josh Hazlewood have been ruled out of the game through injury meaning Mitchell Starc leads the attack with Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett also in the XI. Doggett is one of two Australian debutants as Jake Weatherald is set to open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja.

For England, the biggest decision for Stokes and McCullum is whether they select an all pace attack which would include both Mark Wood and Jofra Archer or whether one of the seamers sits out in favour of off-spinner Shoaib Bashir.

Follow the latest score and updates live with The Independent’s live Ashes blog:

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• Australia face England in first Test in Perth
• WICKET Root nicks to slip without scoring (England 39-3)
• WICKET! Duckett falls for 21 off Starc (England 33-2)
• WICKET! Crawley gone for a duck in opening over (England 0-1)
• England WON the toss and elected to BAT - Wood picked over Bashir

England 94-4 (Overs 20)

Starc is back into the attack.

Australia going in for the kill here just before lunch! Harry Brook will be on strike...

Kieran Jackson21 November 2025 04:10

WICKET! England 94-4 (Pope 46)

Ollie Pope departs for 46!

Cameron Green strikes with the final ball of the over! Pope is trapped lbw on his leg-stump.

Given out on-field, Pope reviews and does not get away with it - with umpires call on the leg-stump falling in Australia’s favour!

Bit of a commentator’s curse from me, as the Aussies strike back! In comes Ben Stokes...

(Getty Images)Kieran Jackson21 November 2025 04:09

England 94-3 (Overs 19.5)

Ollie Pope has, by far, been England’s standout performer and he brings up a 50 partnership with Brook via a lovely shot down the ground for four. He then clips to the leg-side for three.

Now just four off a half-century is Pope. England recovering nicely here...

Kieran Jackson21 November 2025 04:06

England 84-3 (Overs 19)

Pope and Brook look comfortable early on against Lyon, with plenty of gaps in the field as they pluck a few 2s and 1s.

Six from the over. And another bowling change: this time it’s Cameron Green.

Pope 38; Brook 19.

Kieran Jackson21 November 2025 04:03

England 78-3 (Overs 18)

Doggett concedes just a single from the over, as the run-rate slows a smidge.

And here comes spin-bowling master Nathan Lyon...

Kieran Jackson21 November 2025 03:59

England 77-3 (Overs 17)

A front-foot no ball from Boland looks to be the early run of the over, until Brook looks for a single which isn’t there!

Labuschagne misses the run-out opportunity and the overthrow means England do get their single.

Steady, Harry...

(Getty Images)(Getty Images)Kieran Jackson21 November 2025 03:54

England 75-3 (Overs 16)

Both Pope and Brook looking to play positively here, despite the precarious score, but just a few singles off the bowling of Doggett.

When will Nathan Lyon or Cameron Green enter the fray, I wonder?

Pope 36*; Brook 13*

Kieran Jackson21 November 2025 03:48

England 71-3 (Overs 15)

Beauty of a stroke down the ground from Brook, smashing a half-volley down the ground off Boland.

He’s busy at the crease is the England No 5!

Pope 34*; Brook 12*

Kieran Jackson21 November 2025 03:43

England 66-3 (Overs 14)

Pope moves into the 30s with a lovely half-volley through mid-wicket for four runs and then crashes a shot through the off-side for two. It’s a big, slow outfield out there...

Some nice lines from Doggett on debut, but no breakthrough yet.

Kieran Jackson21 November 2025 03:39

England 60-3 (Overs 13)

Four dots before Pope finds the gap down the ground, scampering home for three runs. He moves on to 27...

Brook blocks to finish off the over.

(Getty Images)Kieran Jackson21 November 2025 03:35Newer1 / 8Older

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AshesPerthEngland cricketAustralia CricketBen StokesPat CumminsJosh Hazlewood

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