Live Coverage of First Day of Ashes 2023: England vs Australia Test Match | The Guardian

England are currently on 66-1 in the 13th over, with Crawley on 35 and Pope on 18. Boland manages to swing the ball, but Crawley doesn't take the bait and offers no stroke outside the off stump.

Both sides have taken a step back, which has made the first hour even more intriguing. England haven't hit many boundaries recently, only three in the last nine overs, but they are still milking the bowlers enough to maintain a good strike rate of five runs per over.

However, Crawley manages to smash Boland's last ball through extra cover for four, which brings the total number of boundaries in the last nine overs up to four. This beautiful shot means that it's time for drinks.

In the 12th over, England was on 59-1 with Crawley on 30 and Pope on 17. Lyon bowls a lovely ball, which turns sharply into Crawley, who inside-edges onto his pad. The ball rebounds past off stump and between Carey's legs, and almost catches in his pads. Although he doesn't take an orthodox catch, it showcases his talent.

Brian Withington writes in, lamenting the lack of quirky discussions happening during the OBO. However, play-by-play continues with updates on how the game is progressing.

At the end of the 10th over, England were at 47-1, with Crawley on 22 and Pope on 13. Boland replaces Pat Cummins, but he doesn't do any looseners. Although Crawley crashes the ball through extra cover, Boland hits back with a textbook delivery that straightens and beats the edge. His seam movement skills on the M4 are impressive.

Pope is focussed on not being hemmed in. Hazlewood tries to tempt him into chasing slightly wider deliveries, but Pope has left more balls in this short innings than Ben Duckett has since his recall last year. Pope eventually runs down the track, but is unable to beat midwicket. Hazlewood finishes strongly with a slightly short ball, which Pope back cuts for four. This is Pope's first boundary.

John Dalby reminisces about the first day of the 1997 Ashes series at Edgbaston, which left a lasting impression on him. He recalls watching the match with 20 friends in a halls common room on a portable 20-inch TV. The uproar that followed an Australian collapse was unforgettable, with one friend even missing two wickets while making breakfast.

As the match between England and Australia continues, England's scoreboard has been under reasonable control since the previous wicket. In the fifth over, Crawley and Pope take advantage of a defensive field by working three singles and a two on the leg side. Huw Swanborough notes the surprising pitch, lacking in bounce and almost spongey. He predicts a high scoring draw unless the pitch turns into a dustbowl in the next three days.

In the fourth over, Ollie Pope, England's No. 3 and vice-captain, comes in as the new batter. Si Williams shares his own memory of a memorable Ashes first morning in November 2006, while on a trip to Monkey Mia in NW Australia.

Duckett falls to a good delivery by Hazlewood and Carey takes a fine low catch. England scores three boundaries in the first three overs, with Cummins already adjusting his field. Mike Atherton wonders if Australia is being too defensive due to being spooked. As the febrile atmosphere at the game carries on, Gary Naylor writes that Test cricket does not seem to be in an existential crisis.

Josh Hazlewood takes the new ball in the second over ahead of Scott Boland, who can take the new ball but is better suited as a first-change bowler.

In the first over of play, Hazlewood delivers a loose ball on the pads that Crawley pings through square leg for four. Despite the beautiful timing, Ponting doesn't approve of England's field and thinks they should have a deep square instead of a deep point for Crawley. Later in the over, Crawley hits a wide ball for a single and the deep point comes into action. This tactic was famously used by Michael Vaughan in 2005, helping England win against Australia.

England's Duckett manages to get a single off the tight line from Australia, but they are wise to be cautious as he is known for his skill between backward point and mid off. Philip Sutherland shares his excitement about England's new Test cricket style, which he feels is making the game interesting again. He reminisces about cricket in his school days in Yorkshire and getting a chance to be in Fred Trueman's nets.

Zak Crawley begins the game with a bang, hitting the first ball for a four through extra cover. The thumping hit surprises even Ben Stokes. Cummins's first ball to Zak Crawley is sent down with a deep backward point in the field. SEN Sports 1116 radio is broadcasting the full Ashes commentary, with the team including Adam Collins.

Dave Adams shares his love for the first day of the Ashes and how it serves as a personal fossil record of where he was during past series. Dan Catton writes in from Evercreech, where pre-Ashes excitement is only subdued by the thought of impassable roads during Mr Eavis's gathering.

This is my first year living close to Glastonbury during the festival. I haven’t really noticed it yet, apart from all the people wearing bucket hats on my TV.

Moeen Ali speaks

'I've got the freedom to play how I want'Moeen Ali says he's excited to be back 😍

“My concern with Hazlewood is fitness,” says Robert Speed. “He hasn’t been able to get through a Test match unscathed for a while now. I would have stuck with Starc instead.”

Yeah I can understand that, though Green (and Lyon) give you enough insurance I think. The conditions, and the potential for reverse swing, is another reason why I thought they might play Starc.

“First, let’s get one thing straight,” says Matt Dony. “The bucket hat has never not been fashionable. (Possibly the Welsh football fan in me talking…). Second, English cricket has often gone in cycles, focussed on Ashes series. What if the whole Bazball thing has actually been a fantastic ploy to confuse the Australians? Really playing the long game? What if Crawley and Ducket come out and put on an obdurate 37-0 in the morning session? Admittedly, it’s not likely, but it would mess incredibly with Australian heads.”

You do realise only two 1.5 overs will be possible in the morning session because of an unexpected storm?

What do you think of Hazlewood over Starc? I suspect England would have preferred to face Starc, simply because he is more hittable. Hazlewood’s Test economy rate is 2.71, Starc’s 3.32. It probably comes down to that.

Ian Ward’s last question to Pat Cummins is simple. “England will come at you, is that okay?” Cummins smiles broadly. “Ah, I think so. Yeah.”

“Tough call on Mitchy,” says Pat Cummins, “I thought he was really impressive last week. The squad mentality… it’s a good problem to have. Managing the bowlers and conditions will be important.”

England Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes (c), Bairstow (wk), Ali, Broad, Robinson, Anderson.

Australia Warner, Khawaja, Labuschagne, Smith, Head, Green, Carey (wk), Cummins (c), Lyon, Hazlewood, Boland.

We’ve been informed it’s the 56th over instead 🙏

“Looks a really good cricket wicket,” says Ben Stokes. “Good toss to win, now we’ve gotta put some runs on the board.”

Pat Cummins says he would have batted as well.

England have won the toss and choose to bat first 🏏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🗣️ 'Now we've got to go and put some runs on the board!'

“Morning Rob,” says Dom Besley, though it’s anything but in his part of the world. “9:15pm in New Zealand and the family are in bed. I’m getting ready to pull an all-nighter. My first energy drink is open and the coffee machine is ready. When my four-year-old wakes, I’m likely to be as bouncing off the walls as he is.

“I’ve not been this excited for an Ashes since 2005. I’m really looking forward to seeing how England’s aggression fares against this Australian attack and how the plan goes if they find themselves in a spot of bother.”

If in doubt, go even harder. I don’t know if it will work, but I’m 99.94 per cent sure England won’t change their approach.

“Mornin’ from a chilly Southern Highlands NSW,” writes Jon Greig. “Despite wishes to the contrary... Can see Eng being three down within an hour... or, Oz 90 for one at lunch. Forever optimistic. Ahem.”

Ricky Ponting on Steve Smith

Hopefully this isn’t geoblocked in Australia.

'He's not finished yet either!' Michael Atherton and Ricky Ponting discuss what makes Steve Smith stand out 🌟 

'We're all about the here and now' Ben Stokes talks leadership with Athers and Morg 😤

Here’s Geoff Lemon on David Warner, the great survivor who wants to land one last haymaker on England. If the pitches are generally flat, I fancy him to have a good series.

“Regarding whether England were better than India in 2005: worth remembering that England went to India a few months later and held them to 1-1. Though that was admittedly after the 0-2 drubbing in Pakistan, so maybe England were actually behind Pakistan, not India.”

Ah but Pakistan were Pakistan: they hadn’t won a series for two years before beating India. For reference, these were the rankings at the start of the English summer: 1 Aus 2 Daylight 3 Eng 4 Ind 5 Pak.