Listing England openers with twin ducks in an Ashes Test
What's the story
Opener Zak Crawley recently became the fourth England batter to score a pair of ducks in an Ashes Test. He was dismissed twice by Australia's Mitchell Starc in both innings of the first Test at Perth's Optus Stadium. Interestingly, both dismissals came in the opening over of the England innings. On this note, we list down the England openers with twin ducks in an Ashes Test.
#4
Zak Crawley in Perth, 2025
Crawley was the first man to depart in both England innings of the aforementioned Perth game. The first over of the match saw the opener edging a Starc delivery straight to Usman Khawaja at slips. It was the last ball of the over. In the game's third innings, Starc took a brilliant return catch to end Crawley's five-ball stay. Australia went on to win the game by eight wickets, with the match ending within two days.
#3
Michael Atherton in Melbourne, 1998
The last England opener to suffer this fate was Mike Atherton, who failed to score a single run in the 1998 Ashes affair in Melbourne. One of Atherton's 19 Test dismissals against legendary pacer Glenn McGrath came in the opening over of the match as he bagged a five-ball duck. The opener's second stay could only last nine balls as Damien Fleming disturbed his stumps on this occasion. Despite Atherton's failures, England thrillingly won the affair by 12 runs.
#2
Denis Amiss in Adelaide,1975
Denis Amiss failed to open his account in both innings of the 1975 Ashes affair in Adelaide. He could only last 11 balls in his first outing before Dennis Lillee got the better of him. Amiss's second outing was restricted to just four deliveries as Lillee trapped him once again. The opener's twin failures proved costly as Australia won by 163 runs.
#1
Trevor Bailey in Melbourne, 1959
The first England opener to register this unwanted record was Trevor Bailey He bagged a pair in the 1959 Ashes game in Melbourne. Bailey recorded a golden duck in the game's first innings as Ray Lindwall shattered the stumps. The former's second innings lasted for five balls as Lindwall was his nemesis once again. Australia comfortably won this affair by nine wickets.