England eye rare Ashes chance against depleted Australia
Cricket - A combination picture shows England's Ben Stokes, a replica Ashes urn and Australia's Steve Smith ahead of the first Ashes test. November 18, 2025. REUTERS
England head into Friday's Ashes opener in Perth with a spring in their step and a golden opportunity to strike the first blow in the five-test series against an Australian team rocked by key injuries.
England have not won a first Ashes test in Australia in nearly 40 years, nor beaten the hosts in Perth since 1978, but their opponents are vulnerable without front-line quicks Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
Not in selectors' darkest nightmares would the home side ever face the first "Bazball" offensive without inspirational captain Cummins and the metronomic Hazlewood.
Steve Smith will be stand-in skipper, while Scott Boland and uncapped Brendan Doggett are expected to replace the injured duo who boast 604 test wickets between them.
Boland was England's nemesis during the 2021/22 series when he made a famous seven-wicket debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, helping Australia retain the urn with two tests in hand.
But England's batters hammered the Victorian quick on home pitches in 2023, setting up an intriguing showdown on a Perth Stadium wicket promising pace and bounce.
England have played white-ball matches at the 60,000-seat venue but it will be their first test after decades of playing - and suffering - at the WACA across the Swan River.
Their last eight tests in Perth have all been defeats, with the most recent setback a bitter innings and 41-run capitulation in 2017 that saw Joe Root's team surrender the urn.
With only Root remaining from that dismal 4-0 series defeat, Perth will be something of a new frontier for Ben Stokes' squad, most of whom have never played a test in Australia.
England seamer Gus Atkinson, one of their many Ashes debutants, said he brought "no scars".
"I do think it's a good thing that a few of us are coming in with not too much experience yet," he told reporters on Wednesday.
GOLDEN DUCK
Getting off to a positive start, if not a victory, will be vital for England's chances of winning back the urn.
They have not won an Ashes in Australia from 1-0 down since Len Hutton's team claimed the 1954/55 series.
England could hardly start any worse than the last series in Australia when Rory Burns was bowled for a golden duck by Mitchell Starc off the first ball at the Gabba.
Skittled for 147 on day one, England lost the test by nine wickets and ended up crashing to another 4-0 series defeat.
Still menacing at 35, left-arm swing merchant Starc will lead the Australian attack again.
"Sadly, injuries and fast bowling happen," he said of Cummins and Hazlewood.
"But (it's) good to see the depth in the squad. We know what Scottie Boland can do. Doggie's (Doggett) coming off a hot streak at the moment."
England's selectors have kept the make-up of their attack under wraps but have options galore.
Fans will clamour for another battle between Jofra Archer and Smith, six years after the paceman floored Australia's master batter in a thrilling debut at Lord's.
If England's sole warmup match last week against the England Lions in Perth is any guide, selectors are seriously weighing a four-prong pace assault.
Fast men Archer, Mark Wood, Atkinson and Josh Tongue all bowled, with Root sending down part-time spin.
Specialist spinner Shoaib Bashir bowled for the Lions.
Intrigue surrounds the makeup of Australia's top order, with Marnus Labuschagne recalled after a return to form in domestic cricket and uncapped opener Jake Weatherald included in place of the discarded Sam Konstas.
With Cameron Green declaring himself fit to bowl after back surgery, the all-rounder may slot into the middle order on his home pitch.
That would squeeze out all-rounder Beau Webster from the XI while paving the way for Weatherald to debut against the new ball and Labuschagne to reclaim his favoured number three slot.
