Summary

Live Reporting

by Mike Peter

  1. Eng 0-0

    Solidly defended by Zak Crawley. Phew. No drama here.

  2. Here comes Mitchell Starc, bowling to Zak Crawley.

    First ball...

  3. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

    This is a very unique start to a Test match, the guitarists are still going and they're showing us no inclination of stopping.

  4. Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Two

    England can't just go wafting around here.

  5. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

    The atmosphere here is electric.

  6. Righty-ho, it's time for the first Test of the 2025-26 Ashes to get under way.

    Remember, Ben Stokes won the toss and put England in to bat. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett are making their way to the middle.

    Mitchell Starc, you presume, will have the new ball in his hand.

    Time to vote - thumbs up for an England win, thumbs down for Australia (I don't have an option for a draw sadly - but neither does Bazball...).

  7. 'The Ashes is here - now is the time for heroes'

    Steve Smith and Ben Stokes shake hands at the tossGetty Images

    So, this is it. A lap of Australia for the right to lift the smallest trophy in sport. Another chapter in the canon of Ashes cricket in this country.

    Don Bradman and Bodyline, Steve Waugh's Sydney hundred and Warne's 700th wicket. Steve Harmison's wide and sprinkler dances.

    For England, 16 men have the chance to match the greats that have conquered this country. Alastair Cook, Wally Hammond and Herbert Sutcliffe. Sydney Barnes, Larwood and Tyson.

    And Stokes. The opportunity to become only the sixth England skipper in 80 years to leave Australia with the urn. Two of the other five have been knighted.

    The time for talking is over. Now is the time for heroes.

    You can read more from Stephan Shemilt here.

  8. Stephan Shemilt
    BBC Sport chief cricket reporter in Perth

    There's a ferris wheel, inflatables, men on stilts. Thousands of people are streaming in from the train station.

    There are England fans taking selfies, marking the trip of a lifetime.

    There are legends everywhere you look.

    This stadium, a spaceship dropped on the bank of the Swan River, is absolutely magnificent.

    This is cricket's Disneyworld.

  9. Former England captain Alastair Cook and former Australia opener Justin Langer have brought the trophy out to the middle.

    They're followed out by the two teams.

    The first ball is creeping ever closer!

    But first, the anthems...

  10. Highlights on BBC iPlayer

    BBC iPlayer

    Shortly after the end of the day’s play, Alex Hartley will present the TMS Ashes Debrief on BBC iPlayer alongside members of the TMS team and special guests.

    Full highlights of all of the action, plus reaction from the players and analysis from the TMS team, will be available from 5pm each day on BBC iPlayer.

  11. The drama and psychology of Ashes first balls

    Matthew Henry
    BBC Sport journalist

    Burns out first ball of Ashes

    The first ball of the Ashes is so much more than one delivery.

    It is a stomach-churning two or three seconds of theatre, when all of that pre-series talk comes to an end.

    "To set the tone of the whole series would be really cool," said England bowler Gus Atkinson when asked about the prospect this week.

    "I know there have been a few special moments of first balls in the Ashes. The chance to add to that would be cool."

    As Atkinson says, the opening delivery has produced some of the iconic Ashes moments - ones that appeared to set the narrative or at least be convenient to look back upon in hindsight.

    You can read our rundown of first-ball stories here.

  12. Get Involved

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    If you're following along with us, firstly, well done for surviving the first early alarm of the season!

    Secondly, please do get in touch to let us know your thoughts on today's play (or anything else for that matter!).

    Just remember to pop your name at the end of your message.

  13. How's stat?!

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    Cricviz analyst

    Good omen for England at the start of this Ashes. In the five previous Test matches at the Perth Stadium, the captain winning the toss has elected to bat first on all five occasions and they've gone on to win each of those games, and by a considerable victory margin too.

    • Tim Paine (Australia) v India, 2018 - Won by 146 runs
    • Paine (Aus) v New Zealand, 2019 - Won by 296 runs
    • Pat Cummins (Aus) v West Indies, 2022 - Won by 164 runs
    • Cummins (Aus) v Pakistan, 2023 - Won by 360 runs
    • Jasprit Bumrah (India) v Australia, 2024 - Won by 295 runs

  14. England down under…

    Only five men have captained England to an Ashes series win in Australia since the end of World War Two: Len Hutton (1954-55), Ray Illingworth (1970-71), Mike Brearley (1978-79), Mike Gatting (1986-87), and Andrew Strauss (2010-11).

    Ben Stokes has called on his side to “create history” and if he can start with a win in Perth, it’ll be a promising sign. England haven’t won a men's Test match in Australia since that memorable series in 2010-11.

    Here's a reminder of the series results this century:

    • 2002-03 - Australia won 4-1
    • 2006-07 - Australia won 5-0
    • 2010-11 - England won 3-1
    • 2013-14 - Australia won 5-0
    • 2017-18 - Australia won 4-0
    • 2021-22 - Australia won 4-0

  15. Ashes schedule

    I’m sure you already mapped out your sleep schedule but here’s a reminder of what we have to look forward to over the next couple of months…

    • First Test: 21-25 November (02:20 GMT), Perth
    • Second Test: 4-8 December (04:00 GMT), Brisbane
    • Third Test: 16-20 December (23:30 GMT), Adelaide
    • Fourth Test: 25-29 December (23:30 GMT), Melbourne
    • Fifth Test: 3-7 January (23:30 GMT), Sydney

  16. Listen live!

    BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    The Test Match Special team are in Australia, providing ball-by-ball coverage of all five Test matches on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.

    Click the ‘listen live’ button at the top of this page or head to BBC Sounds.

  17. Australia captain Steve Smith: "I would've had a bat as well. Hopefully it seams all over the place now. I think the cracks will come into play, they always do. If we get the ball in the right areas, there'll be something there."

    On missing Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood with the ball: "Big losses but we've got to deal with what we've got. Scott Boland has done outstanding every opportunity he's had. Brendan Doggett has been outstanding in Sheffield Shield for years and deserves an opportunity."

  18. England captain Ben Stokes: "We're going to have a bat. We'll try and get some runs on the board and see where we are at the end of the day.

    "It's been a long build-up as always. We're finally here. We can't wait to get going. We've got a clear goal of what we want to achieve in Australia and it starts today.

    "[Mark Wood]'s had a bit of time out with injury. He's worked incredibly hard. He's raring to go out here as are Jofra and the rest of the boys."

  19. Analysis: Who is Australia debutant Brendan Doggett?

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    Cricviz analyst

    Scott Boland, left, and Brendan Doggett, right, are the first pair of indigenous men to play in the same Australia teamGetty Images

    Scott Boland, left, and Brendan Doggett, right, are the first pair of indigenous men to play in the same Australia team

    Brendan Doggett will become the 472nd player to debut for Australia in Tests when he features in the opening Ashes Test at Perth Stadium on Friday.

    Doggett gets his opportunity after regularly being part of the Test set-up in recent times: first when India toured Australia last year, and as a reserve player in the squad for the World Test Championship final against South Africa in June.

    The right-arm fast-medium bowler made his first-class debut in October 2017 and has since played 50 matches, taking 190 wickets at a healthy average of 26.5.

    He made his first-class debut for Queensland, featuring in four Sheffield Shield seasons, before moving to South Australia at the start of the 2021-22 season.

    Since moving to South Australia, his numbers have improved with 110 wickets at an average of 24.5 compared to his 56 wickets at 30.8 playing for Queensland.

    Doggett's recent form for South Australia has played a big part in his inclusion in the Test set-up.

    In Sheffield Shield matches since the start of the 2023-24 season, he has taken 78 wickets in 15 matches at 21.7 and with a strike-rate of 38.1.

    Of the 18 bowlers with 50+ wickets in the Sheffield Shield in this timeline, only Scott Boland (37.5) has a better strike-rate than Doggett.

    The majority of the England players in the touring Ashes squad haven't faced Doggett in any form of professional cricket.

    Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue have previously faced him on one occasion each, the former in a Big Bash League (BBL) game in January 2025 and the latter in an England Lions v Australia A first-class match a month later.

    In matches featuring Doggett with ball-tracking data in our database, albeit all from T20s in the (BBL), he has operated generally in the 84-86mph range.

    In the BBL, he's got a good record bowling slightly short of a good length, averaging 20 at a strike-rate of 15 with deliveries in the 8-9m range.

    On this Perth Stadium pitch with the extra pace and bounce, it'll be interesting to see Doggett's returns with the red ball.

  20. Bashir misses out as England go with pace

    No surprises from England, who have opted for a five-man pace attack. Spinner Shoaib Bashir misses out.

    You can read more about England's pace evolution here.

    For Australia, Marnus Labuschagne has been recalled at number three after returning to form in the Sheffield Shield.

    Jake Weatherald makes his debut at the top of the order while Brendan Doggett is the new face in the bowling attack.