Cricket Australia Set For Huge Loss As Ashes Opener In Perth Ends In 2 Days
The 2-day conclusion to the Ashes opener in Perth is expected to cost Cricket Australia millions.
Cricket Australia is set to incur a huge loss in revenue after the Ashes 2025-26 opener at Perth ended in just two days. The Perth wicket saw a whopping 19 wickets fall on the first day itself, with Australia's Mitchell Starc bagging 7 of them. On the second day, conditions improved for batting, but England still remained unproductive with the bat. Travis Head's fiery century saw the match conclude inside two days, with the hosts chasing down a target of 205 runs in just 28.2 overs.
The result of such an early conclusion to the match is catastrophic from a financial point of view. According to a report in the Guardian, Australia are staring at a loss of AUD 3 million from the 2-day finish to the Perth Test.
A record attendance of 101,514 was witnessed on the first two days of the match, with 51,531 on Friday and 49,983 on Saturday. A similar turnout was expected on Day 3 and Day 4, but Mitchell Starc and Travis Head ensured that the game saw its conclusion early.
Head even apologised to the fans who had booked their tickets for Sunday but would not get to see cricketing action anymore.
"Feel sorry for the people who can't come tomorrow. I think it was a full house again," he told the Seven Network after the conclusion of the series opener on Saturday.
According to Cricket Australia's refund policy, fans who hold single-day Test tickets for days that are eventually cancelled are entitled to full refunds. The board, hence, would have no other option but to refund those who had already booked Day 3, Day 4 and Day 5 tickets.
Travis Head Exploded, Literally
The highest individual score in three innings before Travis Head strode to the crease in the second innings at Perth was 52, and 30 wickets had tumbled in the one and a half days in an almost incomprehensible start to the five-match series.
Usually a middle-order batter, Head started cautiously and took three runs from the first 14 deliveries he faced. Then he erupted, plundering an England pace attack that had skittled Australia for 132 in the first innings for a century from 69 balls. It was the third-fastest test century by an Australian, and the sixth-fastest by anyone.
He hooked, pulled, ramped, cut and clobbered 16 boundaries and four sixes to all parts of the Perth Stadium for just over two hours before he was out for 123, with Australia just 13 runs from a famous win.
With AP Inputs
Australia Cricket Team
England Cricket Team