England seek a 'double' as Australia eye history

Ashes kicks off World Test Championship today

FE Team | Published: July 31, 2019 23:35:26

BIRMINGHAM (United Kingdom), July 31 (Agencies): Riding with confidence after their victorious World Cup campaign, England will aim to make a good start in their effort to regain the urn when they take on Australia in the first Ashes Test beginning Thursday at Edgbaston. The excitement level will be doubled in the Birmingham Test as it also marks the start of the ICC World Test Championship which will see a world champion in the longest format of the game in July 2021.
England return to 'Fortress Edgbaston' for the first Test against Australia on Thursday looking to round off an already memorable season by completing a World Cup and Ashes double.
If the World Cup remains the pinnacle of the 50-over game, for England and Australia there's nothing quite like a renewal of Test cricket's oldest rivalry.
But now there's arguably more at stake for both sides than the series result.
For England, a home season billed as the most important in a generation started brilliantly with their impressive run to a first men's World Cup title.
Building on that groundswell of support is a key part of the England and Wales Cricket Board's post-tournament strategy. Regaining the Ashes represents an ideal chance to keep those new followers on board, even if none of the five Tests are on free-to-air television.
For Australia, an Ashes series win under the dignified leadership of Tim Paine would help draw a line under the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa that led to long bans for former captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.
All three batsmen are likely to feature at Edgbaston, with Bancroft set to hear the same booing that greeted Smith and Warner during the World Cup.
Australia have not won an Ashes in England for 19 years, with their batsmen struggling against the heavily stitched Dukes ball on pitches that offer seam movement.
Yet the first Test will be Australia's opening first-class match of the tour, although the likes of Bancroft, who has been captaining English county side Durham, have recent experience of local conditions.
The way an England side featuring several World Cup stars were dismissed for just 85 by Ireland at Lord's last week before winning the first Test between the countries tells its own story of ongoing top-order woes.
England captain Joe Root plans to move back to number three to help shore up a top order featuring novice Surrey openers Rory Burns and Jason Roy.
Australia have not won at Edgbaston in any format since 2001, a run that includes their recent World Cup semi-final loss to England, when Roy made a sparkling 85.
England, by contrast, have won their last 11 internationals at the raucous Birmingham ground.
Squads: England: Rory Burns, Jason Roy, Joe Root (capt), Joe Denly, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow (wkt), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
Australia: Tim Paine (c & wk), Cameron Bancroft, Patrick Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner