AUSTRALIA VS. ENGLAND: ASHES 2021/22, 1st TEST | MATCH PREDICTION AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
The oldest cricket rivalry is all set to resume as hosts Australia take on arch-rivals England in the 1st Test of The Ashes in Brisbane from Wednesday morning.
Australia come into this series with an ordinary show in their last Test series against India. They lost the series 2-1 and will be under pressure to begin well in the Ashes. Australia have a good record at the Gabba and dominated games in the past, having lost just once in 32 years. Expect them to start the series on a positive note.
On the other hand, England were the second-best side when they played against India earlier in the year. The team had managed to draw the last home Ashes series 2-2 in 2019. England have not won a Test Match in Australia on the last two tours, having lost 5-0 and 4-0. Add to that, a poor record at Brisbane, where they last won 43 years ago in 1978.
Match Details
- Match: Australia vs. England, 1st Test
- Venue: The Gabba, Brisbane
- Date & Time: Dec. 8, 2021, at 5:30 AM IST/10 AM Local
Probable Playing XI
Australia
Marcus Harris, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (WK), Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
England
Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (C), Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler (WK), Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson, Jack Leach, Mark Wood
Weather Report
Brisbane is expected to have cloudy conditions on all days of the match, with thunderstorms predicted on the first two days. The temperature will be around 29 degrees during the game.
Pitch Report
The surface at the Gabba has been a lively one that assists pacers throughout the Test match. It will have a lot of bounce and carry. However, batters can score big runs if they do stay at the crease for some time. The average first-innings score during the last five Tests played on this ground was 297.
Toss
Usually, the Gabba is at its best to bat on days 2 and 3. The team that batted first on this surface have lost the last 4 games. Both the captains will have this on their minds at the toss and the one winning it is likely to opt to bowl first. A first-innings score of around 300 runs can be pretty competitive on this ground.
Top Fantasy Picks
Wicketkeeper
- Alex Carey will be excited to make his Test debut for Australia in the first Ashes Test. He has good experience in white-ball cricket and has scored plenty of runs in the current domestic season. Moreover, his catching skills behind the stumps will be crucial too.
Batter
- Joe Root is the highest run scorer in the Test format this year. The English skipper has scored 1455 runs in 13 matches at an average of 63.26, including 6 centuries. He has a good Ashes record with 1694 runs in 24 matches at an average of 40.33.
All-rounder
- Ben Stokes will arguably be one of the key players for England in this series. He is back in the England squad after taking a break due to mental health issues. Against Australia, he has scored 921 runs and taken 34 wickets in 14 Test matches.
Bowler
- Pat Cummins is currently the No.1 Test bowler and was the leading wicket taker of the 2019 Ashes, He took 29 wickets in five Tests at an average of 19.62. He is more than capable with the bat in the lower order.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeeper: Alex Carey
- Batters: Steven Smith, Joe Root, Rory Burns
- All-rounders: Cameron Green, Chris Woakes, Ben Stokes, Marnus Labuschagne
- Bowlers: Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Ollie Robinson
- Captain: Marnus Labuschagne/Pat Cummins
- Vice Captain: Ben Stokes/Joe Root
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your fantasy dream team and play all the upcoming matches of the Ashes. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.
Download your favorite fantasy app and select your own team, Howzat!
