The 2025/26 Ashes Series in Australia is set to take place over the next seven weeks as England and Australia go head-to-head for one of cricket's biggest prizes.
The series is one of the most hotly anticipated in living memory after the drama of the 2023 series in England, which eventually finished 2-2.
The first test is often so important in an Ashes Series, particularly for the travelling side, so the upcoming test match in Perth is one that many England fans consider a must-not-lose fixture.
Ahead of the first ball being bowled in Perth in the early hours of Friday morning, check out our first test tips below.
The Ashes first test tips: Three selections to consider
England to win the first test (6/4)
The stars are aligning for England ahead of this first test in Perth, and they are unlikely to have a better chance of winning a test match on this tour than they do this week.
Two of Australia's best three fast bowlers, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, are both ruled out through injury. Meanwhile, Mark Wood has been passed first for Brendan McCullum's side in a huge boost to their chances of taking 20 wickets across the five days.
The wicket at Perth is hard, fast and bouncy, so the bowling attacks here should be more important than the batting lineups. Having Archer and Wood fit to play together is unlikely to happen again this winter, so England are going to have to throw everything at the hosts this week.
On the batting front, Zak Crawley should be ready-made for these conditions, given his height, while Ollie Pope hit a century in England's warm-up match. Those two men are the only iffy picks in the top and middle order, but they should be okay in Perth.
Ben Duckett to score at least 100 runs in the test match (5/2)
Ben Duckett has established himself as one of the best all-format batsmen in world cricket this year, and there is no reason to believe he won't be anything other than brilliant this winter in Australia.
Although his form tailed off slightly at the back-end of the English summer, he has had a nice rest since The Hundred and looked in great nick during England's warm-up match last week, scoring 92 runs in 97 balls against the Lions.
Duckett is averaging more than 60 runs per innings in test matches this year, and if he plays to that, then he will comfortably clear the 100-run mark this week. The aforementioned injuries to Aussie bowlers should help his cause, too.
Harry Brook to hit a six in the test match (4/7)
The two most entertaining batsmen across both teams, Harry Brook and Travis Head, both bat at number five for their respective countries, and both men have the potential to flip test matches on their heads.
This is Brook's first test series in Australia, but based on how he has fared on other away trips for England, he doesn't have anything to worry about.
He averages 80 away from England, compared to 43 at home, and his six-hitting is far better abroad, too. Across his 19 test innings away from home, Brook has hit 31 sixes. Meanwhile, in England, he has hit just 16 sixes in 31 innings.
The Ashes first test tips: Treble
- England to win
- Ben Ducket to score at least 100 runs
- Harry Brook to hit a six
- 13/1 @ BoyleSports
Andy is tipster who has been calling Golf tournaments for several years across many different platforms. He has covered all tournaments from the Asian Tour to the Masters. He's also a keen football fan and is an expert on European football.
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