Live Cricket Update – AUS vs ENG 1st Test – Live Report – Huge anticipation as Ashes series begins

Ben Stokes and Steven Smith pose for the shutterbugs•Getty Images

It’s finally here. After all the talk in the build-up, day one of the Ashes is about to get underway in Perth. The pitch has plenty of grass but it looks firm underneath. Should be very good for batting on day two. The weather is glorious today but there are some showers in the predictions for the weekend. Huge crowd expected. The members is already filling up. It will be a record crowd at this venue for Test cricket. Well over 50,000 expected.

In team news, Mark Wood is marking his run so England are set to play an all seam attack and Shoaib Bashir misses out. This is Nathan Lyon’s favourite Test ground in Australia. He’s the leading wicket taker here with 29 wickets at 20.86.

Australia will hand out two new caps today to Brendan Doggett and Jake Weatherald. The cap presentation is not far away.