A staggering 20 wickets fell on the opening day after England chose to bowl first, with Australia dismissed for 152. The visitors fared little better, collapsing to 110 in reply and conceding a 42-run deficit. The frenetic pace of the match continued into day two, as England skittled Australia for 132 in their second innings, leaving themselves a target of 175 to claim their first victory of the series.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The sheer volume of dismissals marked a rare moment in Australian cricket, with day one witnessing 20 wickets falling for the first time in 74 years in a Test played in the country.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Vaughan voiced his frustration on social media, writing on X, \"This pitch is a joke .. This is selling the game short .. The players \/ Broadcasters and more importantly the fans .. 26 wickets in 98 overs !!!!! #Ashes.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He is not alone in his criticism. Former England batter Kevin Pietersen had earlier highlighted what he sees as a double standard, noting that pitches that attract spin-friendly conditions are often questioned, while seam-dominated surfaces escape similar scrutiny.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIndia always gets hammered when wickets fall like crazy on day 1 of a Test and so I hope that Australia gets the same scrutiny! Fair is fair!\u201d Pietersen wrote on X on Friday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He is not alone in his criticism. Former England batter Kevin Pietersen had earlier highlighted what he sees as a double standard, noting that pitches that attract spin-friendly conditions are often questioned, while seam-dominated surfaces escape similar scrutiny.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier, Australia\u2019s second innings wrapped up shortly after lunch, with Travis Head\u2019s 46 the lone resistance as Carse finished with figures of 4 for 34.<\/p>\r\n\r\n