NEW DELHI: England hit back in emphatic fashion, bowling Australia out for just 132 in the first innings on the second day of the opening Ashes Test in Perth on Saturday. The visitors had taken an invaluable 40-run lead after being dismissed for 172 on Friday.

It took England only 6.2 overs on Friday to claim the final Australian wicket, with Brydon Carse removing Nathan Lyon, who was brilliantly caught by Ben Duckett at gully.

Leading the charge for England was none other than captain Ben Stokes, who produced a brilliant spell of bowling, taking 5 wickets for just 23 runs. His figures not only powered England to a dominant position but also etched his name among the best bowling performances by English captains in Ashes Tests in Australia.

Stokes' 5/23 ranks as the best by an England captain on Australian soil, surpassing legendary figures such as Gubby Allen, who took 5/36 in Brisbane in 1936, and Johnny Douglas, who claimed 5/46 in Melbourne back in 1912.

Freddie Brown's 5/49 in Melbourne (1951) and Bob Willis' 5/66 in Brisbane (1982) round out the elite list of England skippers who have achieved five-wicket hauls in Australia.

Stokes' remarkable spell not only showcased his all-round prowess but also demonstrated his ability to lead from the front, providing a major boost for England in the ongoing Ashes series.

Australia's first-innings total of 132 marked their second-lowest score in home Ashes Tests this century, behind only the infamous 98 all out at the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne in 2010/11.

It was also a rare low-scoring scenario for both sides, with the last instance of both teams being dismissed for under 200 in the first innings of an Ashes Test in Australia occurring at the Gabba in 1990/91, when England made 194 and Australia 152.