England vs Australia Squads, 1st Test Match Details, Live Cricket Score

England vs Australia Squads, 1st Test Match Details, Live Cricket Score

England vs Australia Squads, 1st Test Match Details, Live Cricket Score, Ind vs nz live score, uc cricket live score, eng vs aus test, vivo ipl 2019, eng vs aus test 2019, live cricket, england a vs australia a test live score, eng vs aus test, eng vs aus match 2019, uc cricket live score, ind vs nz live score, pak vs leicestershire live score, aus eng 2019

The choice of Edgbaston to host the opening Test of the Ashes series for the first time since 2001 is a deliberate ploy.

Not only is it the most hostile and raucous English ground, but England's record against Australia in Birmingham is formidable. They have only lost three of the 14 Tests between the two teams at the ground and only one in the last 26 years. Across all formats, England are on an eight-game unbeaten run in Birmingham stretching back to 2001. Even if Tim Paine said there were 15 other grounds in the world more hostile than Edgbaston and the Hollies Stand after a long day on the sauce, there is no doubt that England feel confident here. No wonder the ECB chose this as the opening venue.

That 2001 series, which Australia won 4-1, was the last time England have been defeated in a home Ashes series. The famous 2005 victory achieved by Michael Vaughan's team has been complemented by three more triumphs since and although England surrendered the Ashes meekly in Australia 18 months ago, their recent record in English conditions should give them confidence that they can regain them.

They are, however, taking on an Australian team who look better equipped to deal with the conditions than any touring squad since Steve Waugh, part of the coaching staff for this trip, brought his 2001 party to the UK. This current group of players and coaching staff have good experience of English conditions and the bowling attack has the all-round skills to exploit the movement which should be forthcoming from the Dukes ball. If there remain question marks over the batting, the return of David Warner and Steve Smith is a significant boost.

England know how to win in their home conditions, of course. They are unbeaten in their last ten Test series at home and, like the tourists, have a bowling attack which is ideally suited to exploiting conditions, particularly now that James Anderson is fit for action. The squad inclusions of Jofra Archer, Olly Stone with Mark Wood likely to be considered later in the series add a cutting edge missing when the sides last met in Australia.

If the current inclement weather persists, it is going to be a treacherous time for the batsmen on both sides. Although Joe Root made it clear after last week's Test against Ireland at Lord's that he did not want surfaces which offered more to the bowlers than the batsmen, as has been the trend in English Test surfaces for the previous two home summers. It has provided for entertaining cricket but it will be interesting to see whether the groundsmen heed his wish. The atmospherics are out of everyone's control and if there is cloud and moisture around, the Dukes ball will move.

England's batting, as underlined by another two collapses against Ireland, remains fragile and unsettled. Root's move up to number three, pushing Joe Denly down to four, is the latest reshuffle of the pack in search of a solid formula. The arrival of Pat Cummins and the rest of Australia's fine bowling attack is not ideal timing for a batting line-up still trying to establish itself. The likes of Jason Roy, Rory Burns and Denly will be tested like they have never been tested before.

"I think it's a very exciting top order," said Root. "I want Jason to go out and play in his own way, naturally he has the ability to put any bowler under pressure at any time. I think that's very exciting. I think the most important thing is to keep things very simple and focused, and continually work hard to get those good partnerships.

"I think it's important to spread the experience out and it gives me an opportunity to lead from the front as well," he added of his move to number three. "I also feel I'm in a place where I've got my head around the captaincy and my batting and I'm able to separate the two. It's an opportunity for me to make an impact at the top of the order."

A good start will be vital. In the last four Ashes series, whoever has won the opening Test has gone on to win the series and each time it has been the home team who emerged on top in the first match. Australia might not have a better chance of bucking that trend, however. Their preparation has been solid; a number of their players were on the 'A' tour to England earlier this summer and all of the squad had a red-ball hit out last week. England, by contrast, are still on a World Cup come down and a number of key players have not played first-class cricket since the last Test in West Indies in March.

"It means a hell of a lot," said Tim Paine, Australia's captain about the Ashes rivalry. "Every time you play Test cricket against England it is a real honour to be out there representing your country and there's no doubt the history of the Ashes takes that to another level. Everyone is excited, it's a huge opportunity to come to England and do something even some of our great teams haven't to do in the last 20 years. We've got some self-belief we can do it."

When: Thursday August 1, 2019, 11:00 Local, 15:30 IST

Where: Edgbaston, Birmingham

What to expect: The forecast for the first two days of the game has improved with sunny spells expected rather than the heavy rain which was originally predicted. Rain may arrive on the third and fourth days but, as with all English weather forecasts, that could change another four times before then. The pitch, under covers for most of the early part of the week, has a brown tinge to it. The rain around Birmingham will ensure there is some moisture for the faster bowlers to exploit and it might take some spin as the game wears on.

Team News

England:

Root named his side a day early and confirmed that Archer will miss out for the hosts in a bid to get him absolutely right after the side injury he suffered during the World Cup. As such, Chris Woakes will be the third seamer on his home ground alongside James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Moeen Ali will occupy the sole spinner role. Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler return at numbers five and six after being rested for the match against Ireland with Jonny Bairstow moving back down to seven.

Confirmed XI: Jason Roy, Rory Burns, Joe Root (c), Joe Denly, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson

Australia:

Unlike England, Australia will name their team only at the toss with the make-up of the bowling attack still to be settled. However, it looks as if the skill and consistency of Peter Siddle might trump the all out pace of Mitchell Starc and see him get the nod alongside Pat Cummins and James Pattinson. On the batting front, Cameron Bancroft could partner David Warner at the top of the order while Matthew Wade is likely to bat at number six rather than the all-rounder, Mitch Marsh.

Possible XI: David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Tim Paine (c&wk), Pat Cummins, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon

What they said:

"It's huge. It's a great opportunity. Cricket in this country is probably at an all-time high, it's got interest it probably hasn't had for a long time and we've got an opportunity as a team to make this summer a very memorable one. That's exciting, to be involved and have that carrot in front of us is a great motivator for the whole squad." - Joe Root on attempting to do the World Cup-Ashes double

"We know we've got our plans individually and it's about us going out there on Thursday and executing those skills. If we do that it doesn't matter if we're playing at Edgbaston, the Gabba or the moon. We think our best cricket is good enough and the Edgbaston pitch and Edgbaston crowd and grandstand, or whatever it is, won't play a part in deciding this Test match." - Tim Paine is unconcerned about the Edgbaston effect.

Teams:

Australia (From): David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Marnus Labuschagne, Tim Paine(w/c), James Pattinson, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Josh Hazlewood, Marcus Harris, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser

England (From): Rory Burns, Jason Roy, Joe Root(c), Joe Denly, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow(w), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Sam Curran, Olly Stone, Jofra Archer