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New Delhi: Australia defeated England by seven wickets in the first Ashes Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth on November 22. The hosts took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series as the game was finished in just two days.
Travis Head notched up a brilliant century, and a reckless Bazball approach from the visitors ended the game late on the second day in Perth. A record 101,514 fans attended the Test match at Optus Stadium, with 51,531 on Friday, and then 49,983 on Saturday. It surpassed the record set for 96,463 last year when India defeated Australia in four days. The third day of the opening Ashes Test was also almost sold out.
After the match, Travis Head said that he feels sorry for the fans who couldn't come tomorrow, as it was a full house again. "I did it in Brisbane a few years ago too, and this one feels just as good. Yesterday wasn’t a great day for us, today was a bit rocky at times… so to come away with a win like this, inside two days, is massive. I almost feel sorry for the 60,000 people who bought tickets for tomorrow," Head said.
Just weeks after predicting a record year, Cricket Australia might lose a multi-million dollar from the two-day Ashes opener. According to an ESPNcricinfo report, CA are set to lose more than AU$3 million from ticket revenue for days three and four of the match.
Cricket Australia's chief executive, Todd Green, joked before Saturday's play that the Test match might not make it to the third day.
"It's difficult for a number of different groups. Our broadcasters first of all. Certainly us, on ticket sales and our partners and sponsors. There's a big economic impact on this series," Greenberg told SEN.
CA announced a loss of AU$11.3 million at the annual general meeting last month. The loss happened in the 2024-25 summer, when India toured Down Under for a five-match Test series.
