Australia 2025

Day Four - First test. Opus Arena Perth. Day One

To say I am excited about attending my first Ashes test in Australia is somewhat of an understatement. A lot of other people are likewise enthused especially as we have our best opportunity for years. We haven't won a test in Australia for 15 years and they have a weakened side with Cummins and Hazlewood out First Day Scorecard. We have our best bowling attack for years in Wood and Archer - both who can bowl over 90+ MPH. Atkinson looks a decent propsect as well. We have a five man pace attack with Carse and Stokes as well for the first time in decades. We are all optimistic.

The shuttle train to the stadium is rammed but only four stops so we disembark and follow the crowd and I must admit being quite emotional - it's taken me 45 years to get here.

The new stadium is fantastic and having cleared security, we find our seats in Tier 5 - in the gods really but we have a great view even if we can only just about see the ball. The Barmy Army strike up Jerusalem after the National Anthems and the Aboriginal welcome.

England win the toss and elect to bat which is what I expected as it's a drop-in pitch and likely to play up in the fourth innings. This is against Stoke's usual pattern as he likes to chase a score. However, history here seems to favour batting first.

As usual, Crawley is first out having faced mere 6 balls - a walking wicket Brian calls him and that just about sums him up. Starc, the leading Aussie bowler takes 7 wickets and we are all out for 172 with Brook the only player to make over 50 and Root out for a duck. The roar of the Aussie crowd is deafening. Pope made a skittish 46 and Smith 33 which should have been more.

In Australia's first innings, we bowl superbly and bowl them out for 132 - a lead of 50. Stokes, inspired even in the heat, took 5 but Archer was brilliant getting 2 wickets for just 11 runs - both of them the openers!

At the end of Day 1 we have taken 9 Aussie wickets and we are all quite elated - we can taste victory! However, 19 wickets in one day is not great for many reasons not least the longeviety of the game. A crowd of 51,000 and us head back to the train station and the Aussies are quite quiet for a change.

On the way back, we find a most unsatisfactory Korean restuarant and then head to the Belgian bar to mull over the days play.

For the first time on this trip, I sleep really well.