ENG vs AUS 1st Ashes Test, Today Match prediction: The Blockbuster Ashes 2023 is set to get underway with the first Test to be played on June 16 at Edgbaston in Birmingham. England's Bazball will be up against newly crowned Test champions Australia as the stakes go high in the world of cricket. Two cricket giants and two greatest rivals will have a crack at each other over the period of a month and a half in a much-anticipated Test series. Let's see how these two can go about their business in the opening Test.
Revitalized England look to break jinx
One and a half year ago, Australia was the same team that broke the back of English cricket with a thumping 4-0 win in the 2021-22 Ashes at home. But the England cricket team has come a long way from that humiliating loss and have thrashed oppositions like anything. They made a change to their captaincy and along with Brendon McCullum as the head coach, have been a team to beat in the format. England have won their last 11 of the 13 Test matches under the partnership of Ben Stokes and McCullum and have beaten almost everyone that has come their way.
But Australia is a different team. The Aussies are the recently crowned World Test Champions and are ready to take on the Bazball approach. After Australia's WTC Final win, former captain Steve Smith had stated that it would be difficult for England to go with the same approach against us and they are yet to do it against us. For England it will be a fight to break the 8-year-jinx as they have not been able to win an Ashes series since 2015.
Pitch and weather
The surface at Egdbaston is a good one for both batters and the bowlers. While, there is good bounce on the 22 yards, the bowl does move in the English conditions. Of the 54 Tests played at the venue, 29 have been won by England, while the visiting teams have won just 10 matches.
The weather is expected to stay very warm during the initial few days of this contest. This was a scorching week in England. But there are chances of rain interrupting the proceedings from Sunday onwards.
Best batter Prediction: Steve Smith can be a batter to watch out for. He is in very good form and enjoys batting against England. He is the leading run-scorer among active cricketers in this Test rivalry with 3044 runs to his name at an average of 59.68.
Best bowler Prediction: Stuart Broad can be a bowler to watch out for. Broad has good record against Australia and particularly against David Warner. He dismissed Warner 7 times in the previous Ashes.
Match Winner Prediction: Australia
