Birmingham: England won the toss and opted to bat first against Australia at Edgbaston Friday in the opening match of eagerly awaited Ashes 2023 which both teams hope will be a showcase for test cricket.
England captain Ben Stokes chose to bat on what appears a good batting wicket in hot and sunny conditions. Australia captain Pat Cummins said he would have also batted.
England, which had already named its lineup, has won 12 of its last 17 tests with its attacking and carefree “Bazball” approach under Stokes and coach Brendon (“Baz”) McCullum.
Australia went for Josh Hazelwood at the expense of pacer Mitchell Starc. Seamer Scott Boland, who impressed recently against India, keeps his place in attack along with Cummins and veteran spinner Nathan Lyon, who has taken 487 test wickets. Australia is set to give “Bazball” its toughest test yet.
Moeen Ali is playing his first test match in nearly two years after an injury to England’s premier spinner Jack Leach. Edgbaston is Ali’s home ground with Warwickshire.
Australia has not won an Ashes series in England since 2001 but enters the game as the newly crowned world test champion after beating India on Sunday. It hammered England 4-0 in the last Ashes series in 2021-22, meaning the visitors only need to draw the best-of-five contest to keep cricket’s famed urn.
Australia’s lineup includes the top three-ranked test batters in Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith and Travis Head.
Lineups:
England: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson, James Anderson.
Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (captain), Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood.
AP