Ashes begins, first battle at Gabba

Brisbane, November  22

New-look Australia will bank on their pace attack terrifying England once again when two unfamiliar line-ups open hostilities for the Ashes, the oldest prize in Test cricket, in Brisbane tomorrow.

Australia’s surprise selections raised plenty of eyebrows but they will hope their pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins can replicate Mitchell Johnson’s devastating bowling at the Gabba ground in 2013.

England also have an untested batting line-up and their campaign to retain the Ashes urn was dealt a major blow when star all-rounder Ben Stokes was suspended pending investigations into a brawl outside a nightclub.

The build-up to the biennial series, which dates back to the 19th century, has been traditionally feisty, with opener David Warner saying he regarded facing England as “war” and several Australian players reminding the tourists of their treatment by Johnson four years ago.

The firebrand left-armer set the tone for the 2013-2014 Ashes with his ferocious fast bowling to take nine wickets at the Gabba as the Australians inflicted a crushing 381-run defeat, triggering a 5-0 series rout.

The Starc-led pace trio have never bowled together in a Test but they stack up favourably with Australia’s greatest pace combinations, with their combined career strike rates better than their gloried predecessors.

Australia have a formidable record at Brisbane’s intimidating ‘Gabbatoir’ where they have not lost a Test match since 1988, and where England are winless in 31 years. — AFP

Team records

Biggest win by runs: England beat Australia by 675 runs at Brisbane in 1928

Biggest win by an innings: England beat Australia by an innings and 579 runs at the Oval in 1938

Biggest win by wickets: Australia have won five tests by the maximum 10-wicket margin, England have completed the feat three times

Highest innings score: England made 903 for 7 declared in the first innings at the Oval in 1938

Highest partnership: Australia’s Bill Ponsford and Donald Bradman put on 451 for the second wicket at the Oval in 1934.

Individual records

Batting

Most runs in a series: Donald Bradman (Australia) scored 974 runs in five Tests in the 1930 series in England

Highest scores 

England: Len Hutton scored 364 at the Oval in 1938

Australia: Bradman scored 334 at Leeds in 1930

Bowling

Best bowling (innings): England: Jim Laker took 10 for 53 at Manchester in 1956

Australia: Arthur Mailey took nine for 121 at Melbourne in 1921

Best bowling (match)

England: Laker took 19 for 90 at Manchester in 1956

Australia: Bob Massie took 16 for 137 on debut at Lord’s in 1972

Most wickets in a series: Laker took 46 wickets in five Tests in the 1956 series in England