ENG vs AUS – 1st Ashes Test Prediction 16 Jun 2023

The highly anticipated clash between cricketing giants, Australia and England known as the Ashes gets underway on Friday. The first match will take place in Birmingham, marking the beginning of a fierce battle between these two formidable teams.

• Australia currently holds the Ashes trophy, having emerged victorious in the 2021-22 series played on their home turf.
• However, when it comes to home advantage, England has been a force to reckon with, as they have not lost a home Ashes series since 2001.
• With the upcoming series being played on English soil, the hosts will be eager to reclaim the coveted trophy after their defeat in Australia during the last encounter in 2021-22.

ENG vs AUS – 1st Ashes Test – Venue Details

Venue: Edgbaston, Birmingham

Date: June 16th 2023

Time: 11:30 (local)

ENG vs AUS – 1st Ashes Test – Team Previews

England

England has been on a roll lately, winning 11 of their last 13 Test Matches and are expected to enter the game with confidence. They will have the support of a vibrant crowd at Edgbaston. Despite not winning the Ashes since 2015, they are determined to break this drought this time on home soil.

The team has had a good run in the World Test Championship cycle, especially their batsmen, who have played exceptionally well. Joe Root, with an average of 53 and 17 Test centuries in England, is expected to perform well and feels at home in this series. He has been in excellent form lately, scoring runs across conditions against different bowling attacks.

The hosts have a world-class attack with Stuart Broad taking the final seamer’s slot, along with Anderson and Robinson set to take the new ball. Moeen Ali’s comeback to Test cricket further strengthens the deep batting line-up, highlighting England’s current approach to Test cricket.

Australia

The Australian cricket team dominated India in the World Test Championship Final at The Oval and are feeling confident heading into their upcoming match at a venue where they previously won during the 2019 Ashes. Captain Pat Cummins has become a hero after leading his team to the WTC victory and winning the Ashes would be another great achievement for him.

The Australian team currently possesses the top three batters in Test cricket, according to the ICC’s latest rankings. Head’s century in the WTC final helped him reach a career-high ranking of No.3, just behind Labuschagne and Smith.

The Australian bowling line-up is equally formidable, with plenty of options to choose from. If Josh Hazlewood plays instead of Scott Boland, then all four bowlers in Australia’s attack will have more than 200 Test wickets, which is a record. Despite this, it will be a difficult decision to make, as Boland has been impressing everyone with his understated performances.

ENG vs AUS – 1st Ashes Test – Probable Playing XI’s

England: B Duckett, Z Crawley, Ollie Pope, J Root, Harry Brook, B Stokes (Cap), JB Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, O Robinson, S Broad, James Anderson

Australia: D Warner, U Khawaja, M Labuschagne, S Smith, T Head, Cam Green, A Carey (wk), Mitch Starc, P Cummins (Cap), Scott Boland, N Lyon

ENG vs AUS – 1st Ashes Test – Pitch Report and Toss Prediction

The pitch in Birmingham is expected to favour the batsmen. While there will be some spin on offer throughout the game, the pitch is not anticipated to significantly deteriorate over the course of the five days. The weather conditions for the start of the Ashes are expected to be ideal. However, there is a slight possibility of rain on day three.

ENG vs AUS – 1st Ashes Test – Win Prediction

Australia look the stronger side on paper and should win this game if they play to their potential but it could be anyone’s game.