The Ashes

Image source, Getty Images

Mitchell Johnson says "alarm bells" are ringing for Australia's ageing team after Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were ruled out of the first Ashes Test.

Captain Cummins, 32, has a back injury and fellow pace bowler Hazlewood, 34, has a hamstring problem.

From Australia's likely XI for Friday's first Test in Perth, only all-rounder Cameron Green is under the age of 30.

"When your leaders are all in their mid-to-late 30s and have heavy workloads banked, the odds eventually turn on you," former Australia pace bowler Johnson wrote in the West Australian newspaper.

"While losing Pat Cummins to injury was already a blow, one injury to a frontline quick is manageable. Losing two out of the big three starts to rewrite the whole script for the Ashes.

"It narrows Australia's margin for error and it forces selectors into decisions they'd hoped they wouldn't have to make this early. It's the sort of scenario that exposes the age profile of the squad.

"The alarm bells are now ringing loud and clear regarding the future. That attack of Lyon, Boland, Starc and Hazlewood are all older than I was when I retired from international cricket."

Jonathan Agnew and Stephan Shemilt round up all the Ashes tour news including details of England's win against the Lions with Ollie Pope again in the runs.

We get an Australian view from ABC Radio reporter Mitch Turner on how England are going, plus his thoughts on the news that seamer Josh Hazlewood will miss the first Test with a hamstring injury.

We also hear from England fast bowler Brydon Carse.

Listen to the full TMS podcast on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Getty Images

Jacob Bethell and Jordan Cox both struck half-centuries for England Lions to set up a run chase for England on the third and final day of the Ashes tour game in Perth.

Bethell's 70 from 80 balls was a much-needed return to form after a poor white-ball tour of New Zealand, but has probably come too late to put him in contention to play in Friday's first Test.

Cox would be a candidate for the Ashes squad if England need batting or wicketkeeping cover on the tour and his 57 was his second half-century of the match.

The Lions declared their second innings on 251-6, leaving England a target of 202 in just over a session.

Ben Duckett was out for a duck, unlucky to get a brutal lifter from Nathan Gilchrist, and Zak Crawley edged Matthew Potts to slip for only three.

Ollie Pope picked up from his first-innings century with 22 not out at tea, while Joe Root has the opportunity for time in the middle on eight.

England reached 33-2 at the interval.

Score updates can be found here (external site)., external

Stephan Shemilt
Chief Cricket Reporter at Lilac Hill

Image source, Getty Images

England spinner Shoaib Bashir struggled on the third and final morning of the Ashes warm-up game against England Lions at Lilac Hill.

The off-spinner, playing for the first time since breaking a finger in the third Test against India in July, was moved from the Lions to the England XI in order to get more overs before the first Test against Australia.

But his nine wicketless overs cost 66 runs, an economy in excess of seven, as the Lions attacked with the intention of setting up a contest later in the day.

The Lions reached 154-2, a lead of 108, with the possibility of declaring to leave England a run chase across the afternoon.

Bashir bowled 12 overs for the Lions on day two, conceding 68 runs for his one wicket.

Ben McKinney made 68, his second half-century of the game for the Lions. Both McKinney and opening partner were dismissed by Brydon Carse, bowling for the first time on the Ashes tour after missing the beginning of this match through illness.

Score updates can be found here (external site)., external

Timothy Abraham
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Former England selector Ed Smith says Jofra Archer's explosive pace has provided captain Ben Stokes with the "firepower" he needs to win back the Ashes.

Archer was brought into the England fold in 2019 during Smith's time as national selector between 2018 and 2021.

Barbados-born Archer played an integral part in England's famous 50-over World Cup win that year and left an impression on the Ashes series that followed.

He endured a torrid period through injury in subsequent years but the 30-year-old has been carefully managed to ensure he was fit for this highly-anticipated series.

"I think everyone who watched Jofra Archer at Lord's on debut against Australia saw how he can influence matches," Smith told BBC Sport.

"England currently have access to pace and firepower which could be very important. So, to see him [Archer] fit at the start of the tour is very exciting.

"You don't need me to remind you of how often extreme pace has influenced a series in Australia."

Smith also said the decision over whether Ollie Pope or Jacob Bethell should bat at number three in the opening Test in Perth is likely to be more complex than is widely thought.

He added: "I wouldn't start with who am I am going to put here, who am I going to put there. I'd start with how do you take 20 wickets? How do achieve an element of superiority?

"My view of cricket selections is a bit different to most people. I don't start with 'who's your three? Who's your five?'

"Rather than individuals, I'm typically more interested in balance and how a team adds up to more than some of its parts. I think that they will be having those [selection] conversations now and then the names will fall out of them."

Stephan Shemilt
Chief Cricket Reporter at Lilac Hill

Image source, Getty Images

Joe Root and Harry Brook failed to spend meaningful time in the middle in England's Ashes warm-up game, but Ollie Pope passed 50 on the second day against England Lions.

Root played a soft hook to be caught at mid-wicket off Matthew Potts for one, while Brook's skittish two suggested a disdain for this tour game.

In Brook's first 15 deliveries he twice danced down the pitch and attempted a T20-style scoop at opening bowler Matthew Fisher. From Brook's 16th delivery, he again advanced towards seamer Nathan Gilchrist, ending well outside leg stump as the ball hit the top of off.

The dismissals of Root and Brook were part of an overall slide of four wickets for 16 runs after openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley shared 182.

But Pope put his place in the team for the first Test against Australia beyond doubt with a measured unbeaten 50. Captain Ben Stokes, in his first innings since July, has been patient for an unbeaten 24.

England took tea on 263-4 in response to the Lions' 375, a total corrected by the scorers from 382 on day one.

Fast bowler Mark Wood remains at Lilac Hill and is due to have a scan on his left hamstring later on Friday.

Live score updates can be found here (external site)., external

Stephan Shemilt
Chief Cricket Reporter at Lilac Hill

Image source, Getty Images

England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett piled on the runs on the second morning of the Ashes warm-up against England Lions in Perth.

The pair moved England to 169-0 from only 27 overs in reply to the Lions' 382 all out.

On a run-filled, docile pitch at Lilac Hill, left-hander Duckett reached 83 from 82 balls and Crawley 71 from 87.

Duckett came through a number of alarms early in his innings, all off new-ball bowler Matthew Potts, who is in the Ashes squad but playing for the Lions.

On six, Duckett edged between Ben McKinney at first slip and Jacob Bethell at second, a catch McKinney should have taken. Duckett also slashed Potts through the cordon on 18 and 24.

Duckett could also have been run out on 55, but Will Jacks' throw from the covers missed the stumps at the striker's end.

Shoaib Bashir, England's first-choice Ashes spinner, looked rusty in two overs that cost 11 runs. Fellow off-spinner Jacks, also in the Ashes squad, bowled one over that went for six.

Mark Wood is at the ground and will have a scan on a tight hamstring later on Friday, while fellow fast bowler Brydon Carse has recovered from the illness that prevented him from taking part on Thursday.

Image source, Getty Images

With the Ashes now just eight days away, we have been asking who you think will be the key players on either side.

The Test Match Special team will give their choices next week but here is a selection from BBC Sport readers on social media:

Jon Weedon: Don't laugh but, for me, Zak Crawley. The better the bowling, the better he plays and I have a feeling this is the series he repays the faith shown in him.

Alex Mc: Brydon Carse - tends to like bowling with the kookaburra and could be pretty handy with the bat. Feel like that number eight spot is open now Woakes has retired. Australia will have three number 11s. England could have an advantage by batting deeper.

Steve Lilley: Josh Tongue for England if they're brave enough to play him. He is tailor made for those pitches. All he needed to do was add a bit of consistency from the summer. Perfect, horrible length when he's on it.

Same old same old for Australia, going to be all about getting Smith out or drying him up. I think they'll pack the leg side and bowl at his stumps. Well, that's what I would do...

Mangesh Deore: Always and always Joe Root. Fantastic player, treat to watch. I am an Indian supporter and he has tormented us but you just love the guy! You almost feel happy when does well.. so "want" him to have an impact.

From Australia.. it might just be Josh Hazelwood. That guy is special and might make an impact if stays fit.

Simon Clarke: I think whoever performs better between the two wicketkeepers could be a defining factor in the series. Jamie Smith is immensely talented but looked fatigued towards the end of the India series due to adjusting to keeping for multiple days in multiple tests. Seeing how he copes with the Australian conditions will be interesting.

Capitalising on and decisively taking opportunities when they present themselves, I think will be hugely important.

Image source, Getty Images

Steve Smith believes England may have picked the wrong bowlers for the Ashes, suggesting Australian wickets will be better suited to seam and swing than an all-out pace attack.

The tourists are relying on extreme pace, led by Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, for the five-Test series, with Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue also in the squad.

Almost all of them can deliver spells in excess of 90mph but none are seen as traditional seamers.

Smith, who will captain Australia in the first Test in Perth next week with Pat Cummins injured, said the wickets could better suit bowlers like James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

Smith's assessment came after playing Sheffield Shield matches at the Gabba in Brisbane and Sydney Cricket Ground, where he was in fine touch with the bat

"It's different on the wickets now," Smith said.

"I mean, those sort of nibblers (seamers) can be quite tricky. So they might have got things the wrong way around, if that makes sense, in terms of the pace, from previous years.

"Obviously, they've got those guys at their disposal now. They probably weren't fit and ready, or old enough, maybe, a few years back.

"Sometimes the slower guys are almost harder to play on those wickets where you have to make the pace, but yeah, we'll wait and see, won't we?"

Image source, Getty Images

All-rounder Cameron Green caught the eye with a hard-fought 94 as Australia's cricketers continued their Ashes preparations in the Sheffield Shield.

Green, who could bat at number three in the first Test on 21 November, struck eight fours and a six in his 172-ball knock, which was brought to an end when he was pinned lbw by Queensland's Michael Neser on day three of the four-day match.

The 26-year-old then bowled another eight tidy overs in the field, to go with the eight overs he bowled in Queensland's first innings.

Western Australia have a good chance of victory on the final day, with the visitors closing just 255 runs ahead with two wickets in hand, despite Matthew Renshaw, another Test hopeful, following his first-innings 101 with a half-century.