A match-turning spell from Scott Boland has helped put Australia a 1-0 ahead in the Ashes, with the advantage pressed home by Travis Head's quick-fire century late on Saturday.

The first two Indigenous Australians to play together in nearly 150 years of Test Cricket, Boland and debutant Brendan Doggett combined for nine wickets for the match, seven collectively in England's second dig - the more experienced of the pair leading the second innings tally with 4-33.

Before Head reached triple figures in 69 balls, including 16 boundaries, Boland and Doggett helped restrict the required chase to 205 on another manic day of Test cricket to start the Ashes, taking the bulk of nine English wickets to fall in the middle session.

19 wickets fell on day one - the most in the first day of an Ashes Test in 124 years.

Head (123) and Marnus Labuschagne (51) guided Australia to an eight wicket victory before the close of day two.

England looked to be building what could prove an insurmountable total for the hosts to chase in a contest dominated by the ball before a devastating three wickets inside two overs from Boland kicked off a dramatic second session on Saturday.

Boland added to his knack of taking over in his second innings with the ball taking three wickets in 11 balls straight after lunch.

England had worked their way to 1-65 after Zac Crawley was removed for his second duck of the match by Mitchell Starc.

Boland's rapid removal of Ben Duckett (28), Ollie Pope (33) and Harry Brook (did not score) on return from the main break started what proved the loss of the tourists final nine wickets just inside 100 runs.

Duckett and Pope had looked to settle in and take the game away from the home side before edging off the second opener to Steve Smith in the slips in his seventh over.

A review had earlier saved Duckett when Boland has caught him in front of the stumps.

Pope was gone in the Gulidjan seamer's eighth over after playing a missing a couple, then nicking off to Alex Carey behind the stumps.

Brook exited in similar fashion for the third ball duck to leave England reeling at 4-76.

It was a solid return for Boland in his 15th Test, who had been below his best going at a run a ball over his 10 overs in the opening innings.

The game has flipped on its head AGAIN!#Ashes live blog: https://t.co/9jWa4DVSnt pic.twitter.com/reSrLV0453

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 22, 2025

He had a fourth, caught by Doggett in the deep, to usher in the tea break with England all out for 164.

Australia had fallen 40 runs short of par with their first innings at the start of the day.

"I know it's one of those days where you don't feel great at the crease, but put that behind me last night," Boland told Fox Cricket's coverage after his 4-33.

"I did want to start a bit fuller yesterday with the new ball, but I think I found my length, my natural length, today. And that worked."

For a solid start to his Test career, Doggett had three of his own in England's collapse.

After being forced into Australia short ball tactics with a stacked leg side field attempting to clean up the tail, which cost the hosts a few runs, the Worimi quick broke a 50-run eighth wicket partnership between Brydon Carse and Gus Atkinson - which again threatened to thin their odds at a successful chase.

Doggett clipped Carse's glove carrying through to Carey during a reckless attempt to ramp.

In similar fashion to the first of his Test career on Friday, there was little fanfare for his first when Doggett caught a feather of Jamie Smith's bat - sent up stairs after being given not out on field when Travis Head pushed for another look at it.

Jamie Smith started to walk before coming back after this hotly discussed moment. So what's your call here?#Ashes | #DRSChallenge | @Westpac pic.twitter.com/FpiqM6U6uM

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 22, 2025

Steve Smith held on at mid-wicket side when Jofra Archer mistimed a pull shot off length.

"I'm quite close with Scotty... and to have that Indigenous background with all three of us (including former Test bowler and Kamilaroi man Jason Gillespie), that had a special touch," Doggett told Fox Cricket on Saturday morning of his baggy green presentation the day previous.

"That's something I'm really proud of as well, to be the third Indigenous (man) to wear the baggy green."

Doggett, ultimately having match figures of 5-78 on debut, admitted he was nervous standing at the top of his mark before his first delivery.

"The moment I started running in, I thought 'well, there's no backing out now'. So let's just see what happens. And fortunately my first ball was all right," he said.

"I'm glad the first day is out of the way. It was a pretty wild day of Test cricket - 19 wickets. So hopefully more polls today for the Australians, and winning a Test match."

Starc took 10 wickets for the match.