The Ashes day two RECAP: Travis Head turns the tide as Australia surge towards first Test victory after England's late rally

And that’s a wrap from a truly astonishing two-day Test, where Australia smashed England by eight wickets and raced into a 1–0 series lead.

Travis Head’s brutal 123, sped up by his 69-ball century, blew the chase apart after Mitchell Starc’s 10-wicket display.

We’ll be back for the second Test, where the questions for Stokes and England only get louder.

Australia rewrite Test history in Perth, becoming the first side to chase 200 plus quicker than run a ball, blasting England away inside two days.

Michael Vaughan, former England captain, BBC:

It's amateurish if they don't go and play [in a pink-ball game before the second Test]. What damage does it does it do to a player to prepare yourself for a pink-ball game against Mitchell Starc?

The bowlers, even. Look, they've played two games of cricket. They've been out in the field for what, 70 overs?

I can't be so old school to suggest that by playing cricket you might get a little bit better.

Travis Head’s 69-ball century in Perth goes down as the second-fastest Ashes ton ever, only behind Adam Gilchrist’s 59 here in 2006. He moves alongside Aussie greats like Gilchrist, Gilbert Jessop and Joe Darling.

England supporters have been left contemplating how to fill an unexpected spare day in Perth after the first Test finished inside two days.

The West Australian caught up with an England fan, George O’Brien, who flew over from London for a five-day Ashes experience, and is now weighing up a trip to Rottnest Island instead.

He said the abrupt collapse was ‘quite hard to watch’, admitting England were confident at lunch before everything unravelled. Travis Head’s blazing 123 and Starc’s 10-wicket haul sealed the early finish, leaving thousands of travelling fans with time on their hands and a very different holiday plan than expected.

Bad news for England with reports claiming Cummins is optimistic about returning for the second Test in Brisbane.

The injured skipper said he has a ‘half a chance’ after resuming bowling in training, despite being sidelined for four months with a back issue. If fit, his return would be a massive boost for Australia with the series already 1-0.

This was a rare day in modern Ashes history down under as England began it in the ascendancy, but a horror afternoon session ceded the momentum and Australia charged into a series lead before sunset.

Here, Daily Mail Sport assesses the key moments:

Starc's catch and Smith's dismissal: First Test in 60 seconds

RICHARD GIBSON IN PERTH: This was a rare day in modern Ashes history down under as England began it in the ascendancy, but ceded the momentum.

Backed to thrive in Australian conditions, Crawley lasted just 11 balls across two innings in Perth and walked away with a brutal double duck, only the fourth by an England opener in Ashes history.

To be fair to him, it did take a ridiculous catch from Starc to get him out the second time. But that'll be scant consolation right now.

England lasted just 67.3 overs across both innings in Perth, the fewest balls they have faced in a Test match since 1904, as Australia ripped through them in barely two days. A brutal combination of pace, bounce and scoreboard pressure left Stokes’ side constantly scrambling.

Brendon McCullum, England head coach, TNT Sports:

[On England’s collapse after lunch] I thought Boland bowled exceptionally well – he hit the deck hard and his paces were up.

We were on top of him in the first innings so (it was impressive) the way he came back at a pivotal moment: we were 100 ahead and only one down so that was the time for us to start to try and manoevre the game into our favour.

Yes, there are times when we have to throttle down and times when we have to power up. But the basic principle of how we operate as a team is to put pressure on the opposition. And I’ll stress: I thought 200 was a good score until Travis Head played the way he did.

Tuck into Daily Mail Sport's Ashes Breakfast, the second edition on the second day of the much-anticipated tour of Australia, keeping you up to date with all the nuggets you may have missed.

Here, Richard Gibson brings you the latest from behind the scenes at Perth Stadium.

ASHES BREAKFAST: Travelling fans offered perfect hangover remedy

Those travelling supporters indulging in one too many on an intoxicating opening day of the Ashes were offered the perfect hangover remedy on the second morning.

When Joe Root had his off stump knocked back to leave England 76–5, the cameras cut to Stuart Broad and he just froze. No words, no jokes, just a long stare and a slow head shake on Australian TV. Pure Ashes drama.