Ashes 2025 live score: Zak Crawley dismissed for another duck as England lose early wicket in second innings

Boland continues. He drifts into the pads of Pope who works him through the gap at midwicket for three runs.

Nathan Lyon is off the field after being struck while batting so for now Australia must rely on their seam bowlers.

Duckett takes one with a guided cut to third man.

After the loss of Zak Crawley, England are looking to rebuild.

That’s good. Starc continues and angles a delivery wide of Pope who leans into a drive a takes two runs.

Starc proved in the first innings that he is the dangerman for England but if these two can nullify his threat batting will get easier as the day goes on.

Pope drops the ball into the offside and calls Duckett through for one.

Starc has found more swing in this innings and is drawing a few loose shots out of Duckett.

No further joy for the big Australian though.

It is a definite tactic from England to strike at Scott Boland.

Pope takes three from a stroke into the outfield before Duckett swings hard at the ball and collects a couple.

A thick edge over to third man brings the opener another boundary and England’s lead goes over 50.

Runs! Pope takes a single to get himself off the mark before Starc finds the outside edge of Duckett’s bat.

Fortuitously for the England opener the ball sails wide of the slips and gully and runs away for four to the third man boundary.

Duckett then drives through the gap at cover and collects another couple.

He’s a batter who likes to feel bat on ball so each run he scores will build his confidence – and take some away from Australia.

Boland begins by targeting Duckett’s off stump. He gets a bit of extra bounce and raps the opener on the gloves.

With his second ball he finds the edge of Duckett’s bat but the England man plays it with soft hands the ball lands short of the slips.

Duckett shimmies the ball into the legside and collects a single to get off the mark.

A leg bye brings Duckett back on strike and he advances down the pitch looking to take Boland on and force him off his line. It doesn’t quite work and there’s just the two runs off the over.

That is the worst possible start for England as Zak Crawley is dismissed for his first ever pair in Test cricket.

Scott Boland has the ball in hand for the second over as Ollie Pope comes to the crease.

England need to dig in and see some of the shine off the new ball.

Zak Crawley lasts just five balls as Mitchell Starc has his man again. He pushes forward and is early on his shot only managing to push the ball back towards Starc.

The big bowler leans off to the left and dives towards the ball, clinging onto it one handed and claiming a fine catch to dismiss Crawley for his second duck of the game!

England are one down in the first over of the innings again.

There’s a hint of movement from Starc who is looking to bring the ball back into the pads of the right-handed Crawley.

It’s a bit overcast in Perth today as Starc scrambles the seam to push the ball past Crawley’s off stump as he searches for an edge.

England need to bat long. There’s enough time to bat Australia out of the Test but they must first weather the onslaught of Mitchell Starc.

Zak Crawley faces up to the first delivery and leaves it alone as Starc angles the ball across his body.

England’s second innings is underway as the Barmy Army begins to belt out a rendition of Jerusalem.