Steve Crossman is joined by Mark Ramprakash, Jack Leach and Durham's Australian coach Ryan Campbell to look ahead to the opening Test of the Ashes series that begins on Friday in Perth. They will also be joined by Australian journalist Geoff Lemon.They discuss the challenges of touring in Australia, the importance of the opening ball of the series, as well as the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two sides including; the leadership, spinners, pace attacks, and the Aussie top order.Timecodes:
00:03:43 - expectations of the series
00:12:30 - The importance of the first ball of the Ashes
00:18:12 - Touring Australia and the phoney war
00:23:17 - What should England expect in Perth?
00:33:53 - Ben Stokes
00:45:40 - Australia without Cummins and Hazlewood
00:58:38 - Spinners
01:15:51 - England's pace attack
01:25:20 - Australia's top order
01:30:45 - Joe Root
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1:36:43
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1:36:43
Daily Ashes Quiz: Centuries for nought
Every weekday during the 2025-26 Ashes, comedian and statistician Andy Zaltzman poses new a cricketing conundrum.
It won’t be easy though. You might want to take it away, share in your group chats and challenge your friends.
Andy will reveal the answer the following day.Test Match Special has live commentary on BBC Sounds with a team including Jonathan Agnew, Simon Mann and Jim Maxwell. England's 2005 Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan, legendary Australia seamer Glenn McGrath and ex-England spinners Phil Tufnell and Alex Hartley will be part of the punditry team.
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2:36
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2:36
It's Ashes week in Perth
Eleanor Oldroyd chats to Phil Tufnell and Alex Hartley, plus we have a look around the Perth Stadium as the countdown to the first Test continues.
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27:52
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27:52
Pope on the pod and Aggers in the nets.
Jonathan Agnew and Stephan Shemilt are in Perth where the men’s Ashes begins in just 5 days’ time. Ollie Pope joins us to talk about the pressure of cementing his number three slot and losing the vice captaincy to Harry Brook. Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie discusses the loss of Josh Hazlewood and a possible Ashes debut for Brendan Doggett and Aggers shares memories of previous Perth visits including playing tennis with the England captain and being seconded to bowl at England players in the nets.
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49:08
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49:08
Huge Ashes injury blow for Australia
Jonathan Agnew and Stephan Shemilt round up all the Ashes tour news including details of England’s win against the Lions with Ollie Pope again in the runs, and we get an Australian view from ABC Radio reporter Mitch Turner plus England fast bowler Brydon Carse joins the podcast.
Ireland