Ashes 2025 live: Australia v England score and updates from eagerly-awaited first Test in Perth – The Independent

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Ben Stokes’ side face Australia in Perth to kick off the Ashes down under, with a major call on Mark Wood and Shoaib Bashir expected at the toss
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England face Australia in the first Ashes Test in Perth in a legacy-defining series for Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
Stokes’ side are aiming to become the first England team to win the Ashes away from home since 2010/11 but the first step is to win a match. The previous three tours have all ended without England winning a game but there is an opportunity for the tourists to strike first in Perth.
Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, and fellow fast bowler Josh Hazlewood have been ruled out of the game through injury meaning Mitchell Starc leads the attack with Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett also in the XI. Doggett is one of two Australian debutants as Jake Weatherald is set to open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja.
For England, the biggest decision for Stokes and McCullum is whether they select an all pace attack which would include both Mark Wood and Jofra Archer or whether one of the seamers sits out in favour of off-spinner Shoaib Bashir.
Follow the latest score and updates live with The Independent’s live Ashes blog:
Damian Martyn, a cricketing legend in Australia, has given his thoughts on how he sees this series playing out.
Speaking to Joe Fortune ahead of the first Test’s commencement, Martyn predicted the hosts to triumph 3-1.
“I’m going to go 3-1 to Australia. There will probably be a draw or a washout or something and I do think England can win a Test,” Martyn said.
“But, look but Australia has an advantage, there is no doubt about that. Just look at the record they have playing at home. England haven’t managed to win a Test here since 2011.
“I suppose it’s such a long time now that it’s completely different players and I don’t think Stokes and McCullum will lack confidence, but you have to start well.
“You have to start well in Perth because you then have to go to the Gabba in the second Test, which is a very dicey wicket to play on. It’s quick and dangerous. If you’re not in a good spot, it can suss you out.
“But the first Test and even the first day is going to be big. If England lose the first Test or say it’s a draw, it’s still about them setting the tone, not just for themselves, but to the crowd, for the supporters, the media and the opposition. They can make a statement and say ‘This is the way we’re going to do things’ and everyone will take note.”
All the noise coming out of the Australian camp surrounds injured duo Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, severely depleting the home bowling stocks.
Scott Boland and uncapped Brendan Doggett are expected to replace the injured duo who boast 604 Test wickets between them.
And Mitchell Starc is confident the team can cope without their talismen.
“Sadly, injuries and fast bowling happen,” the 35-year-old Starc 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 as well.”
Jimmy Anderson believes that the first Test match in Perth may be the only game in which Jofra Archer and Mark Wood play together with England resting and rotating the pair throughout the series.
He explained: “I think if you’re going to play them together, potentially the first Test at Perth, where it’s fast and bouncy, you want to get off to a good start in the series so hit them straight away with proper pace.
“After that I imagine they’ll try and play one of them, and rest and recover the other.”
Anderson added that Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse will need to bowl consistently throughout the series if England stand a chance of winning.
“That leaves space for Brydon Carse or Gus Atkinson. They’re still quick enough, but they’ve got skill as well, and probably a bit more control than the others,” Anderson continued.
“They’re going to have a big part. If England are going to win this series, or have a chance, then the bowling attack has got to be relentlessly good.”
England pace bowler Gus Atkinson is set to get his first experience of an Ashes series when the action gets going.
The 27-year-old has made a fine start to his test career before injury kept him off the pitch.
He’s fully fit and firing ahead of the series though and is looking forward to what should be an ‘exciting’ affair.
“It means a lot,” Atkinson told BBC Sport when asked how it felt ot play in the Ashes.
“Growing up the 2005 Ashes was the main thing for me. Ever since it’s been a dream to play in an Ashes series.
“To get the opportunity is very exciting.”
England’s squad features five seamers including captain Ben Stokes with Shoaib Bashir as the spin option.
Will Stokes and Brendan McCullum punt for an all seam attack in the first test?
“[The possibility is] very exciting,” explained Gus Atkinson.
“We hear about these pitches in Australia with pace and bounce, so to come out here is really nice knowing as a fast bowler you can make major contributions.
“We’re all very excited. There is a lot a of pace in our attack. I’m probably a bit slower than a few of the others.
“It’s to hold that control, look to take wickets and keep the batters under pressure.”
In comparison to Australia, England have a fairly settled squad and team.
The big decision that Brendan McCullum and Ben Stokes need to make is whether to pick a frontline spinner or not.
Perth is typically quick and bouncy so it isn’t out of the realms of possibility that England elect for an all seam attack.
England’s 12 man squad for the first Test is:
Zak Crawley
Ben Duckett
Ollie Pope
Joe Root
Harry Brook
Ben Stokes (c)
Jamie Smith (wk)
Gus Atkinson
Brydon Carse
Jofra Archer
Mark Wood
Shoaib Bashir
With the injuries to Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, Australia have been forced into a new look bowling attack.
Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon are old hats and Scott Boland has pedigree but Brendan Doggett is making his Test debut in Perth.
Boland and Doggett are both indigenous Australians and when they take to the field it’ll be the first time an Australian cricket team have had two players of that ancestry playing in the same team.
Australia have announced the 11 players who will take to the field for the first Test match of the series.
Those are:
Usman Khawaja
Jake Weatherald
Marnus Labuschagne
Steve Smith (c)
Travis Head
Cameron Green
Alex Carey (wk)
Mitchell Starc
Nathan Lyon
Scott Boland
Brendan Doggett
England have not won an Ashes series for a decade and they have not win a single Test match in Australia since 2010/11.
But there is optimism that this time might be different, as Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum take their exciting brand of ‘Bazball’ into contest.
The series will begin Perth rather than Brisbane, where The Gabba has hosted every opening Ashes Test for more than 40 years, and England may be relieved – their record at The Gabba is poor, without a win there since 1986.
Instead the Ashes will start in a new venue as Perth’s 60,000-seater Optus (Perth) Stadium takes over from the much smaller, older Waca ground that has traditionally played host.
Perth is hosting the first Test of the tour but, as usual, it’ll be a long trip for England with the series lasting into the New Year.
Here’s how the schedule for the whole series looks:
Ashes 2025-26 schedule
First Test, Optus Stadium in Perth: 21-25 November (UK start time: 2.20am GMT)
Second Test, Gabba in Brisbane: 4-8 December (4.30am)
Third Test, Adelaide Oval in Adelaide: 17-21 December (12am)
Fourth Test, MCG in Melbourne: 26-30 December (11.30pm, 25 December)
Fifth Test, SCG in Sydney: 4-8 January (11.30pm, 3 January)
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