After months of build-up, the Ashes are finally here.
Perth Stadium will host the series opener between Australia and England, with the first ball scheduled for 1.20pm AEDT.
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Australia has chosen two debutants for the blockbuster clash — opener Jake Weatherald and seamer Brendan Doggett.
MATCH CENTRE: First Ashes Test live scorecard
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‘NO MERCY’: ASHES ENEMY’S BOLD PREDICTION
Piers Morgan knows what he’s doing.
The controversial British broadcaster has fired one final salvo ahead of the first Ashes Test starting in Perth on Friday.
Morgan, a well-known fan and passionate cricket supporter, predicted England will be the “better team” and have a “better captain” and “better management”.
He also delivered prediction on the series result — and it’s bold.
“The Ashes is upon us,” he wrote on X.
“England has a better team, a better captain, and better management. The Urn is coming home, and I genuinely think we’ll beat Australia either 4-0 or 5-0.
“Good luck @benstokes38 and your team of swashbuckling Bazballers. No mercy – destroy!”
In August, Morgan also challenged legendary seamer Glenn McGrath to a £10,000 charity bet after he predicted an Australian 5-0 series win.
“I bet you £10,000 to charity that it won’t be 5-0, @glennmcgrath11… put your money where your mouth is!” he wrote.
Morgan was also one of the most vocal voices in the wake of Jonny Bairstown’s infamous stumping.
Again on the platform X, he branded Alex Carey’s actions “pathetic”.
“You cannot be serious? Australia, that is pathetic,” he wrote.
“How can you possibly want to win an Ashes Test match like that.”
THE PITCH REPORT
Aussie cricketing legend Mike Hussey has delivered a pitch report only hours out from the first ball of the Ashes opener in Perth.
Hussey is no stranger to West Australian pitches, being born in Perth suburb Mount Lawley and spending his domestic career with WA.
He believes the Perth Stadium pitch is a bat first wicket, however, there could be some demons as the Test rolls on with cracks already beginning to show.
“We’re expecting a beautiful day here in Perth, 28 degrees, few clouds in the sky but no chance of rain,” Hussey said.
“Let’s check out this pitch, it looks like an absolute beauty I have got to say. There’s a nice coverage of grass, a little bit of straw colour, a little bit of green-coloured grass as well.
“It’s quite hard so expect plenty of pace and bounce… but I have also detected already a few little cracks start to open up, and this is before the Test match has even started.
“So expect those to open up even more as the Test match wears on and could make batting tricker as the game progresses.
“If it was up to me, I’d be batting first.”
Mike Hussey delivers his verdict on the pitch.Source: FOX SPORTS
BROAD’S BLUEPRINT TO DISMISS SMITH
It’s one of the biggest questions for England ahead of this Ashes series — how do you dismiss Steve Smith?
Legendary quick Stuart Broad has laid out the blueprint for Ben Stokes’ pace attack, with spearhead quicks Mark Wood and Jofra Archer the key men.
While he labelled Smith a “phenomenal player” he also was of the belied the short ball could test the linchpin of the Aussie top order.
“Mark Wood wobbled him a little bit in Australia in 2021-22, I think,” he wrote for the Telegraph.
“So that sort of real high pace – if they can have Wood or Jofra Archer in the side, you’d want them to come straight on to Steve Smith.The outside edge for him is more in the game than the pad.
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“He doesn’t seem to miss straight balls, but he’s 36 now – things can evolve and change when you get to that sort of age.
‘So it’s always worth trying one on the stumps early to see if he’s not seeing it as well as he used to.”
Marnus Labuschagne, who has earned a Test recall after a scintillating streak of runs, could also be subject to a barrage of deliveries honing in on the stumps.
“Marnus is one of those guys that you’ve got to try and hit his stumps as often as you can in the first 30 balls, and bring the stumps into the play,” Broad wrote.
“So it’s almost a cross against your name if he leaves you, that’s the mindset you have to have as a bowler. If he’s 30 off 30, don’t mind it. But just don’t let him have left 30 out of his first 50 balls.”