The star all-rounder, who hadn't played since July due to a shoulder injury, bowled 16 overs across three spells and finished with impressive figures of 6-52. His return is a significant boost for England as they prepare for the Ashes series against Australia, starting on November 21.
Former England pace bowling mainstay Stuart Broad believes the Three Lions have the best shot to stand triumphant in the Ashes for the first time in Australia since 2010-11.
Former England batter Andrew Strauss has advocated for Ollie Pope to beat out the tough competition from Jacob Bethell to retain the number three spot against Australia in the Ashes, scheduled to commence on November 21 in Perth.
Australia suffered a setback ahead of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) opener as all-rounder Sean Abbott was ruled out of the Perth Test due to a hamstring injury, while pacer Josh Hazlewood has been cleared of any major damage after precautionary scans revealed no muscle strain.
Ahead of the Ashes 2025 series against Australia, England captain Ben Stokes praised pacers Jofra Archer and Mark Wood for regaining full rhythm and fitness, saying their pace and energy bring an "X-factor" to the side ahead of the upcoming Test season.
England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick has hailed right-hand batter Joe Root's recent form, saying the former skipper appears to be in complete control of his game and has elevated his batting to another level ahead of the Ashes 2025 series against Australia.
Former England batter and current assistant coach Marcus Trescothick defended the team's limited preparation ahead of the Ashes 2025-26, saying the packed international schedule leaves little room for multiple first-class warm-up games, unlike in the past.
England opening batter Ben Duckett, ahead of the opening Ashes fixture, stated that England's approach during the series will be to understand the match situation better and react accordingly.
Starc struck early, dismissing four of Victoria's top six batsmen, while his Australia teammate Nathan Lyon chipped in with 2-65, removing the other two top-order batsmen.
Ahead of the opening fixture of the Ashes, England seamer Mark Wood is chomping at the bit to get back on the pitch, feeling the excitement of bowling again after a tedious six months of rehab following knee surgery.
Australia has announced its team for the first Test of the 2025-26 Ashes series against England, which is scheduled to start on November 21. Weatherald's inclusion was the biggest surprise as chief selector George Bailey announced the squad on Wednesday.