With England and Australia facing off in the first Test of the Ashes, the longest rivalry in Test cricket is returning to enthrall cricket fans. Beginning on June 16, the Edgbaston will host the widely awaited red-ball match.
Since New Zealand icon Brendon McCullum took over their coaching duties last year and Ben Stokes was named their new Test captain, England has been in outstanding form in the longest format. The pair ushered forth a new era by adopting an aggressive style of Test cricket known as “Bazball.”
England successfully opened their home summer by defeating Ireland in a single Test. The goal for Ben Stokes and company is to maintain their winning streak and have a successful Ashes debut. After winning the World Test Championship (WTC), Australia will enter the Ashes with a lot of confidence. In the Ultimate Test, the Pat Cummins-led team put up a commanding display, outperforming India in every area and ultimately prevailing by a comfortable margin of 209 runs. Australia, which hasn’t won the Ashes series in England since 2001, will be anxious to do so.
Report on the Pitch: The wicket at Edgbaston is renowned for providing a level surface. While hitters will need to take additional precautions in the opening session, seamers will relish bowling with the new ball. The expectation is for hitters to make a solid connection after the pitch has been cracked. The first Ashes Test is anticipated to be a tight contest given the characteristics of the Edgbaston track.
Report on the weather: The first two days of the first Ashes test, which starts on June 16, are predicted to be generally clear in Birmingham. However, the last three days might be ruined by a few light rains. The humidity is expected to range from 37 to 65 percent, and the temperature will be between 14 and 26 degrees Celsius. First Ashes Test: England vs. Australia Probable XIs:
Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Ben Stokes (captain), Harry Brook, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, and Ollie Robinson comprise the probable starting lineup for England.
David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Nathan Lyon, and Scott Boland make up Australia’s probable eleven.
