This fan came from Germany to watch day three of the Ashes in Perth. Then Head came to the crease

3 months ago 17

When Bruce and Alex Earle arrived in Perth on Saturday, they didn’t expect the carnage that unfolded at Optus Stadium.

The father and son, who live in different hemispheres, had arranged to buy tickets to day three of the opening Ashes Test between Australia and England. Bruce, a former first-grade cricketer, is based in Sydney, while Alex had travelled from Germany for the match, and to see family in Australia.

It was their perfect idea of a bit of father-son bonding, watching Australia take a 1-0 series lead.

When they arrived in Perth around lunchtime, England held a 99-run lead with nine wickets in hand, and the match seemed destined to go well into Sunday.

The pair parked themselves at a pub near the ground and settled in for an entree to their much-anticipated day at the cricket. They ended up watching an Ashes Test disappear before their eyes.

What followed on Saturday afternoon was one of the most dramatic collapses and counterpunches in modern Ashes history. Mitchell Starc took his third Test 10-wicket haul, before Travis Head spearheaded the chase with a blistering 69-ball century to ensure the match ended inside two extraordinary days.

Father and son Bruce (left) and Alex Earle went to Perth for the first Test, but there was no cricket on day three.

The pair did, however, manage to watch some WBBL action across the Swan River on Saturday night, with the Perth Scorchers defeating the Adelaide Strikers in a last-over thriller.

“I’ll be heading back to Germany without a ball of Test cricket being seen,” Alex said. “We probably spent our refund at the pub last night. We did watch the win, so that was calculated into the number of beers we were buying last night as Heady was batting.

“To watch Australia win at an Irish pub about five minutes from Optus Stadium, being Sydney boys, was weird. We could see the stadium from the window of the pub.”

They were far from alone. More than 40,000 people who held tickets for Sunday – many interstate and international travellers – woke to a blank itinerary and a scramble for golf tee times, Rottnest Island ferries or another visit to the pub.

Travis Head with Steve Smith after his Perth masterpiece.

Cricket Australia lost an estimated $4 million in ticket revenue due to the early finish. For those who only bought tickets for day three, the late flight west suddenly felt like a gamble gone wrong.

It was just the second two-day Test on Australian shores since 1931. The other took place in 2022 at the Gabba when Australia beat South Africa.

CA could take a major hit throughout the summer if Tests continue to finish early.

“It didn’t feel like we were watching Test cricket,” Earle snr said. “It was two days of mayhem. It’s a good story to tell.

Travis Head turned the first Test, and the series, on their head.

“Happy for Australia, but disappointed as cricket supporters. It’s extraordinary that a Test can finish in two days. It really took us by surprise. We thought we were safe with day three tickets.

“We were just watching it happen in front of our eyes. Even with Australia chasing 205, we still thought there might be 100 to get on day three. You’re happy it’s happening as an Aussie, but we thought, ‘jeez, slow down’.

“The game has changed a bit. I’m a traditionalist. We’ll probably aim for day two from here.”

Alex Earle can’t watch as Australia win the first Ashes Test in Perth.

Sydney fan Harry Magriplis, who plays for the “Lagermen Cricket Club″⁣, and his mates found themselves in the same unwanted predicament after assuming the match would comfortably roll into Sunday.

“Test cricket is dead,” Magriplis said.

“We went to the cricket nets and heard the scores on the radio and thought it’s not looking good. We’re happy but sad. We hoped [Marnus] Labuschagne would open instead of Head so he would bat slower. Head went off.

“We don’t want the refund. We wanted to go. From the guys who came from Sydney, morale is pretty low given it was $700 plane tickets. What do you do?

“I think we’re going to do a pub crawl or play golf. Most of the golf is booked out though.

“We thought about the Adelaide Test, but only day three was available. We’re like, ‘Nah, not doing that’. I have tickets for day four in Sydney and I honestly don’t think I’ll be able to go.”

Most of Australia’s cricketers got flights out of Perth on Sunday before the second Test in Brisbane, starting on December 4, while England’s players reportedly planned to go to the beach.