Ashes 2019: 1st Test Preview – The grand old rivalry returns
The oldest rivalry in world cricket will be reignited with the added spice of the commencement of World Test Championship. England and Australia will battle it out for the old urn in the opening Test of the 2019 Ashes at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
The upcoming series has been touted to become of the most closely contested series in years. Both sides have their own sets of flaws. The attention will also be on Steve Smith and David Warner, who will make a return to Test cricket. The sort of reception which they are afforded by the English fans will certainly be interesting to watch. With so many variables at play, the opening Test will play a massive role in setting the tone of the series. Let the action begin!
Match Info
England vs Australia, 1st Ashes Test
Edgbaston, Birmingham (3.30 pm IST)
Head-to-Head
Played – 330
England wins – 106
Australia wins – 134
Drawn – 90
At Edgbaston, the hosts enjoy a clear edge over the visitors. The two sides have faced-off 14 times at the venue, with England winning 6 and only losing 3 matches. 5 matches have ended as a draw. Australia last won at Edgbaston in 2001.
Also Read: A brief look at the history of the Ashes
Team News
England
For England, the buildup to the Ashes has been dominated by the talk of an unstable top order. The Three Lions have pinned a lot of hopes on the attacking intent of Jason Roy, who should open the batting with Rory Burns. Joe Root is also set to bat at No.3, moving up the order with Joe Denly slotted to bat at 4. In the bowling department, all eyes will be on the fitness of spearhead James Anderson. There is also a lot of speculation on whether Jofra Archer will be handed a debut in the opening Test.
Australia
Coach Justin Langer has confirmed that incumbent No.3 batsman Usman Khawaja is fit to play in the series opener. He also confirmed that James Pattinson would play as one of the three seamers along with Pat Cummins. This leaves a three-way battle for the slot of the third seamer. Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle and Josh Hazlewood will all be in contention to get the nod. Early reports have stated that Siddle is all set to play due to his ability to bowl long spells. Cameron Bancroft should also pip Marcus Harris to open the batting alongside David Warner.
Key Players
Ben Stokes (England): After a sensational World Cup campaign, all eyes will be on Ben Stokes to continue his blistering form. The all-rounder will be key to England’s hopes, batting in the middle order while also acting as the fifth bowler in the side. A fit and firing Ben Stokes lends great balance to the lineup. His aggressive intent will also be key in order to put the hosts on the front foot.
Cameron Bancroft (Australia): Bancroft is set to get the nod ahead of Harris to open the batting alongside Warner. The opener will make a return to international cricket after a ban for his involvement in sandpaper gate. Enjoying a rich vein of form in county cricket, Bancroft looked accomplished in the warmup game between Australia and Australia A. He stroked a solid 93 on a spicy pitch, which has convinced the management to include him in the series opener.
Probable XI
England: R Burns, J Roy, J Root (C), J Denly, B Stokes, J Bairstow(WK), J Buttler, M Ali, C Woakes, S Broad, J Anderson
Australia: D Warner, C Bancroft, U Khawaja, S Smith, M Labuschagne, M Wade, T Paine (C & WK), P Cummins, P Siddle, N Lyon, J Pattinson
