Summary

Live Reporting

by Elizabeth Botcherby

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

    That's the best timed stroke we've seen so far. England can just breathe a little now.

  2. Eng 16-1

    That will settle a few jitters! Ben Duckett guides Scott Boland through mid-on and away for four - the first boundary of the series.

    Two balls later, he shoulders arms. That's two leaves inside four overs from the opener.

    Never fear, he's back to his usual self for the final ball of the over, this time driving through mid-off for four.

    All of England's runs have come off Boland's bowling.

  3. Get Involved

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

    Death, taxes and England losing a wicket in the first over in Australia.

    Anonymous

  4. Eng 6-1

    Mitchell Starc, bowling in the mid to high-80s in this opening burst, has started with back-to-back maidens.

  5. How's stat?!

    Andy Zaltzman
    Test Match Special statistician

    That's the third best start in an Ashes series that England have had in Australia the past five tours.

  6. Eng 6-1

    Oh deary me, this has been a nervy start from England. Ollie Pope edges towards the slips but it drops just short of Australia captain Steve Smith.

    Bowler Mitchell Starc is sat on the floor. He requires a new shoe.

  7. How's stat?!

    Srinivas Vijaykumar
    Cricviz analyst

    Mitchell Starc strikes again in the first over of an innings. Starc now has 24 wickets in the first over of an innings, more than any bowler since his Test debut.

    Most wickets in the first over of the innings (since Starc's debut):

    • Mitchell Starc - 24
    • James Anderson - 19
    • Kemar Roach - 10
    • Stuart Broad, Trent Boult and Tim Southee - all 9

  8. Eng 6-1

    Scott Boland opens with an absolute beauty - he's getting the ball to nip around!

    Ben Duckett drops the ball into the covers and dashes through for a single - England are on the board - and Ollie Pope also gets off the mark, running three off a big old edge.

    Six off the over.

  9. Scott Boland will share the new ball.

    Ollie Pope has joined Ben Duckett in the middle.

  10. Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Two

    Decent bit of bowling from Starc, there's that bounce for you. It was a good length but it just climbed on Crawley. No foot movement really, feet straight down the pitch, bit of a waft really.

    We've been talking about it, at least we've gone five balls without an incident.

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

    Crawley's caught! Caught at first slip, he rips off his helmet, he's out for a duck.

    Loose drive outside the off stump, that's exactly the place we said he scores runs but he loses them as well.

  12. wicket

    WICKET

    Crawley c Khawaja b Starc 0 (Eng 0-1)

    Khawaja takes catch at first slip to dismiss Crawley for a duck in first over

    What was I saying about no drama?!

    Earlier in the over, Zak Crawley had gone for a big heave of a drive, missed, and the ball had whistled through to wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

    And the opener didn't read the warning signs, going for another drive and edging to the slips, where Usman Khawaja pouches the catch at the second attempt. Mitchell Starc has a wicket in the first over.

    Oh that sinking feeling...

  13. Eng 0-0

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

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

    First ball...

  15. 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.

  16. Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Two

    England can't just go wafting around here.

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

    The atmosphere here is electric.

  18. 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...).

  19. '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.

  20. 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.