England’s Ashes campaign began with a punch to the gut in Perth, and Mark Wood admits the defeat will sting for days. Australia’s two-day demolition, powered by Travis Head’s blistering 123, left England’s dressing room shaken and unusually silent. But Wood, speaking candidly after his return from knee surgery, believes this setback must ignite a response rather than trigger panic.
Head’s counterpunch innings flipped the match within a session. England had led by 105 runs with nine wickets in hand and controlled the flow of the game for long stretches. Yet Australia capitalised on every loose moment, and England’s attack — so disciplined and incisive in the first innings — found themselves suddenly powerless as the momentum flipped violently. Head’s takedown reflected the old Mike Tyson line: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” England walked out with a plan. Australia tore it up.
The aftermath was a day of introspection. England’s players stayed indoors and avoided public spaces, not only to escape jubilant Australian fans but also to process the collapse of their team. Wood, who bowled with sharp pace in his first competitive outing in nine months, admitted the defeat felt raw. But he urged the squad to stick together, absorb the hurt, and prepare for a long series with four Tests still remaining.
A Defeat That Stung, But Not One That Ends a Series
Wood stressed that England cannot afford to let one bad match overshadow the bigger picture. “We know this is one of five,” he said on the For The Love Of Cricket podcast with Stuart Broad. “Of course it hurts. And it should hurt. But there were things we did well in this game, and those things matter. We’ve been hit pretty hard in round one, but we have four more rounds to throw something back.”
The honesty was refreshing. England knew they carried momentum for much of the match, yet crumbled when Australia landed counterpunches. That inconsistency — brilliance followed by breakdown — has defined several recent overseas campaigns.
Wood recognised this and pointed out that the dressing room must strike a balance between frustration and clarity, rather than falling into the trap of emotional reaction.
The Players Feel the Hurt, But Wood Insists on Staying United
Following the defeat, England’s squad largely kept to their rooms. Perth’s buzzing streets were filled with celebrating Australians and disappointed English fans who suddenly had two empty days to fill. The players, Wood said, needed quiet. “When you have a loss like that, you want to stick together. Emotions are raw for everyone — fans, families, us. There’s nothing you can say that suddenly makes it feel better. It hurts, and it should.”
He joked that he even considered renting a camper van and driving cross-country to Brisbane — a four-day haul — just to clear his mind. Locals quickly talked him out of it. Instead, he will join the squad on Wednesday’s flight to Queensland, where the challenge of a day-night Test at the Gabba awaits.
England’s Attack Still Believes They Can Take 20 Wickets
Despite the bruising second innings, Wood was adamant that England’s bowling group showed enough in the first innings to feel encouraged. Australia were skittled for 132 — a scoreline that should have defined the match. Wood highlighted the strong individual performances: Brydon Carse’s relentless spells, Atkinson’s movement despite going wicketless, and Jofra Archer’s explosive opening bursts.
“I definitely feel we’ve got 20 wickets in us,” Wood insisted. “The side is designed for these conditions. In day-night Tests, when it nips around under lights, our pace can make life twice as hard.” The attack, he believes, is not far off. Consistency, not ability, is the missing piece.
Australia’s Confidence Rises — But England Still Have Time and Firepower
Australia will enter the next Test full of belief. Winning in two days, Head’s destructive innings, and a bruised England batting order give them the early psychological edge. But Wood dismissed the idea that this first result defines the series. “One guy has played a particularly outstanding innings. That’s what changed the game,” he said. “But we have four matches left. It’s up to us to fight fire with fire.”
The message was clear: England have been rattled, they have been hit hard, but they are not done. The Ashes, as Wood emphasised, is a five-match war. Australia landed the first punch. England now need to decide how they respond — whether they stay on the ropes or step forward swinging.
Mark Wood Urges England to “Hit Back” After Stinging Two-Day Defeat in Perth
Mark Wood has called on England to regroup quickly after their crushing two-day defeat to Australia in the opening Ashes Test in Perth, insisting the team still has four matches to respond. Australia’s victory, powered by Travis Head’s explosive 123, flipped the contest on its head and exposed England’s inability to capitalise on a commanding position.
England had led by 105 runs with nine wickets in hand but collapsed under sustained pressure in the second innings. Head’s counterattack stunned an England attack that had been superb earlier in the match, bowling Australia out for just 132. The dramatic turnaround left the visitors reeling and forced them into a quiet day of reflection around their hotel as Perth buzzed with celebrating Australian fans.
Wood, returning to Test cricket after knee surgery, said the loss “will hurt for a few days” but stressed that England must stay united. Speaking on Stuart Broad’s For The Love Of Cricket podcast, he said, “We’ve been hit hard in round one, but this is one of five. We did good things, too. Now we need to take them forward and throw some back.”
The fast bowler admitted he briefly considered driving from Perth to Brisbane — a four-day journey — just to clear his head before being convinced otherwise. Instead, England’s squad will fly out together as they shift focus to the day-night Test at the Gabba.
Despite going wicketless, Wood bowled with real pace and believes England’s attack remains capable of taking 20 wickets. He praised Brydon Carse’s aggression, Gus Atkinson’s movement, and Jofra Archer’s impressive early spells. “As a group we can take confidence. Under lights, if it zips around at pace, it becomes doubly difficult for batters,” he said.
Australia, meanwhile, will head to Brisbane with momentum and rising belief. But Wood insists England are far from finished: “It’s up to us to fight fire with fire. We’ve been punched, but we’ll punch back.”
