Australia vs England – 1st Test Preview & Best Tips
The Ashes return to Australia with a blockbuster opener at Perth Stadium, where England’s Bazball revolution faces its toughest and most unforgiving examination.
The conditions in Western Australia provides steep bounce, raw pace and relentless carry and is historically the least hospitable in world cricket for touring teams, and England arrive with zero players who have ever played a Test at the venue. Australia, despite missing Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, remain built for these decks, stacked with experience, depth and local knowledge.
Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and debutant Brendan Doggett form a potent and varied pace trio, with Nathan Lyon looming as the breaker of Bazball ambition. With the bat, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne enter in strong touch and historically thrive in Perth’s conditions.
England’s aggression may land early blows, but sustaining it across five days against Australia’s discipline is another matter entirely. All signs point to an Australian-dominated opener.
Tip 1: Australia to Win the Match
Australia enter Perth with a dominant home Ashes record, having won every Test against England on Australian soil since 2011. Even with Cummins and Hazlewood absent, their attack remains perfectly suited to the venue.
Starc’s speed, Boland’s precision, Lyon’s control and Doggett’s point-of-difference give them weapons in every session. England’s Bazball approach, which is devastating on flat English or subcontinental decks, has yet to prove itself on fast, long-boundary Australian wickets that punish miscues and reward discipline.
With no English player in the current XI having played a Test at Perth, unfamiliarity compounds their difficulty. Australia’s top order, meanwhile, is proven in these conditions.
Given the historical imbalance and tactical mismatch, the hosts deserve strong favouritism.
Tip 2: Steve Smith to Score 50+ Runs (1st Innings)
Perth might be the most Smith-friendly venue outside Adelaide. His technique against bounce, calmness under pressure and impeccable judgement around off stump make him England’s biggest problem once again.
Smith arrives in excellent touch after a strong domestic lead-in and historically punishes England more than any other opponent. The Bazball attack thrives on chaos and short bursts, but Smith’s method neutralises that by flattening tempo and absorbing pressure.
Without Stuart Broad, England also lose their most effective Smith-specific matchup. Perth’s consistent bounce further amplifies his strengths: he leaves well, drives beautifully on the up, and rarely nicks off early. A first-innings half-century feels highly attainable.
Tip 3: Brendan Doggett 2+ Wickets on Debut (1st Innings)
Ashes history in Australia is full of unexpected bowling heroes like Scott Boland, Stuart Clark, Jackson Bird and Brendan Doggett fits the mould perfectly.
He enters the Test in outstanding first-class form with 48 wickets in his last 10 matches and brings sharp bounce and awkward seam movement ideally suited to the Optus Stadium surface. England notably struggle against new or unfamiliar bowlers, especially those who hit the hard length.
Doggett’s ability to extract steep lift at high pace will test an England top order that has rarely faced these conditions. England’s aggressive batting style amplifies his wicket-taking potential, particularly early in the match before the pitch settles.
