{"id":2977,"date":"2025-11-22T08:25:41","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T08:25:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesofpakistan.tv\/index.php\/2025\/11\/22\/duckett-pope-put-england-in-charge-of-ashes-opener\/"},"modified":"2025-11-22T08:25:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T08:25:41","slug":"duckett-pope-put-england-in-charge-of-ashes-opener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesofpakistan.tv\/index.php\/2025\/11\/22\/duckett-pope-put-england-in-charge-of-ashes-opener\/","title":{"rendered":"Duckett, Pope put England in charge of Ashes opener"},"content":{"rendered":"


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England’s Ben Duckett in action during the first Ashes Test on November 22, 2025. \u2014 Reuters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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  • Duckett, Pope add 59 to stretch England\u2019s lead in Perth.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • England reach 59-1 at lunch, lead Australia by 99 runs.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Australia bowled out for 132 after resuming on 123-9.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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    Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope shared in a defiant 59-run stand to stretch England’s lead and put them in firm control on day two of the first Ashes Test in Perth on Saturday after dismissing Australia for 132.<\/p>\n

    The visitors were 59-1 at lunch, leading by 99, with Duckett on 28 and Pope not out 24, digging in after the irrepressible Mitchell Starc again pounced in the first over.<\/p>\n

    The veteran Australian consigned Zak Crawley to a pair with a stunning caught-and-bowled at full stretch, diving to his left in an incredible feat of athleticism.<\/p>\n

    Starc, who claimed a career-best 7-58 in the first innings, has now taken a wicket in the opening over of a Test 25 times.<\/p>\n

    An explosive opening day of searing pace saw an astonishing 19 wickets tumble.<\/p>\n

    Australia resumed on a paltry 123-9 and added just nine runs before Nathan Lyon was removed by Brydon Carse for four, with the quick ending with 3-45.<\/p>\n

    But inspirational skipper Ben Stokes was the star of the show, claiming 5-23 off just 36 balls, giving England a golden opportunity to win a Test in Australia for the first time since the 2010-11 series.<\/p>\n

    It culminated a stunning comeback after they were all out for 172 at the hands of a marauding Starc.<\/p>\n

    Australia were banking on the 35-year-old to emulate his exploits in the second innings in the absence of injured strike bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.<\/p>\n

    He whipped the sold-out Perth Stadium crowd into a frenzy when he removed Crawley, but that was as good as it got for the hosts.<\/p>\n

    Duckett and Pope settled in, exploiting some uncharacteristically loose bowling from Scott Boland in particular to keep the scoreboard ticking over.<\/p>\n

    Joe Root is due in next, but in a scare he appeared to hurt his left ankle while playing football in a warm-up session before the game got under way.<\/p>\n

    Root was out for a duck in the first innings as he hunts an elusive first Test century in Australia.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n