England have fired back from being rattled by Australia star Mitchell Starc's career-best spell as the most wickets fell on the opening day of an Ashes Test in 116 years.
The battle for the urn began with a frenetic masterclass of fast bowling, on both sides, as Australia crashed to 9-123 at stumps on day one of the series in Perth.
Despite Starc's 7-58 dismantling England for 172 in only 33 overs, Australia still trail by 49 runs after being rocked by express quick Jofra Archer and captain Ben Stokes.
Only veteran spinner Nathan Lyon and debutant Brendan Doggett remain in England's way of a handy first-innings lead.
The 19 wickets to fall were the most on the first day of an Ashes Test since 20 tumbled at Old Trafford in 1909.
"We often sit here and say it's the wicket, or it's the batting, but I think both teams bowled really well," Starc said.
"We know how England want to approach the game, being aggressive, and that creates opportunities.
"We bowled quite well, even in a period there where it felt like it was Helter Skelter."
Archer (2-11) consistently pushed 150km/h, rattling Australia's brittle top order in similar fashion to the 2019 Ashes.
His flawless first seven overs swung momentum back towards the tourists in a way English teams haven't done in Australia during the last 15 years.
Stokes then ripped through the middle and lower order in a stunning six-over spell late in the day for the sixth five-wicket haul of his Test career.
Archer steamed in to dismiss Jake Weatherald for a second-ball duck, Australia's debutant opener falling over in the process of being trapped lbw.
Weatherald opened with the recalled Marnus Labuschagne, after Usman Khawaja was off the field "stretching" for too long to be allowed to bat immediately after England's innings ended.
Smith (17) then had to bat at No.3, with Weatherald's instant dismissal meaning regular opener Khawaja (2) had to wait to come in at No.4 after he had battle back spasms.
Australia's innings capitulated from there, losing 3-13 in 18 balls to fall to 4-31.
Cameron Green (24) and Travis Head (21) briefly steadied the hosts, before England captain Ben Stokes (5-23) ran riot.
England took confidence out of last year's Perth Test when India made just 150 on day one, before reducing Australia to 7-67 before stumps to go on and comfortably win the match.
"An unbelievable day of Test cricket," England quick Brydon Carse said.
"The way that Gus (Atkinson) and Jofra started was phenomenal, and we carried that into the afternoon session."
Bazball's debut innings in Australia was no match for Starc's lethal pace and movement as he starred in the absence of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
England continued to attack and play aggressive shots, even as wickets regularly tumbled and Starc was bowling superbly.
The tourists collapsed twice in their innings - first to 3-39, then lost 5-17 in 18 balls to finish.
For the second-straight time, Starc made a famous start to an Ashes series, striking in the first over to send England into a familiar spin.
Four years after his iconic first-ball dismissal of Rory Burns at the Gabba, Australia's left-arm spearhead finished the opening over of this series with the wicket of Zak Crawley (0).
Starc wasn't done there, claiming Crawley's opening partner Ben Duckett (21), and most importantly, star batter Joe Root (0) before drinks.
A Perth record crowd of 43,591 - later getting up to 51,531 - was already in the stadium to see Starc claim a wicket in the first over of a Test for the 24th time.
His figures surpassed his previous best of 6-9, which came in the last Test he played back in July against West Indies.
Doggett and Weatherald are on international debut, making it the first time Australia have blooded two debutants in the same Test since January 2019.
