The news from Perth is that the catalogue of great English calamities in Australia has a brand new entry . For the first time in 104 years an Ashes Test match has been wrapped up inside just two days and England, on the receiving end of an eight-wicket thumping, may already be broken.

Ben Stokes will doubtless push back at that notion, such is his refusal to ever throw in the towel. But as Travis Head cut and carved his way to a breathtaking 69-ball century, vaporising a target of 205 in just 28.2 overs, the psychological blow landed by the hosts felt greater than their 1-0 lead.

Australia were sensational in effecting the turnaround here, Mitchell Starc turning his seven-wicket haul on day one into a 10-wicket Test match and Scott Boland, four for 33, rediscovering his mojo.

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