What to Expect From The Ashes 2023: Teams, Fixtures, Venues
The Ashes, one of cricket's most prestigious and fiercely contested rivalries, is set to ignite once again as England takes on Australia in the highly anticipated 2023 series.
With both teams eager to claim victory and the urn, fans can expect a thrilling display of cricketing excellence.
Can’t wait for the upcoming tournament? Well, you’re in luck because, in this article, we’ll provide you with all the details you need to know about the teams, fixtures, and venues for The Ashes 2023.
More About The Ashes as a Competition
The Ashes is one of the most prestigious and highly anticipated cricket series in the world. It is a historic rivalry between England and Australia that dates back to 1882.
The name "Ashes" originated from a satirical obituary published in a British newspaper, suggesting that English cricket had died and "the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia."
Since then, the series has been played for the symbolic urn that is believed to contain the ashes of English cricket.
The Ashes is a Test cricket series, which means it consists of five matches played over several weeks.
Each match is played over five days, and the team that wins the most matches in the series claims the Ashes urn. In the event of a draw in the series, the team holding the Ashes retains the urn.
Over the years, The Ashes have witnessed legendary players who have etched their names in cricketing folklore.
From the likes of Don Bradman, Ian Botham, and Shane Warne to Alastair Cook, Ricky Ponting, and Andrew Flintoff, the series has showcased some of the greatest talents the sport has ever seen.
The Ashes 2023 Teams and Squad Selections
For the first two Ashes Tests as well as the World Test Championship against India, Australia has already named its squad.
The squad includes captain Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vice-captain), Mitchell Starc, and David Warner.
England, on the other hand, have also announced their squad for the first two Ashes Tests.
The squad is led by captain Ben Stokes and includes players like Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, and Mark Wood.
Fixtures and Venues
The Ashes 2023 series will consist of five Test matches. The first Test will be held at Edgbaston in Birmingham from June 16 to June 20 and the second Test will take place at Lord's in London from June 28 to July 2.
Meanwhile, the third Test will be held at Headingley in Leeds from July 6 to July 10, and the fourth will take place at Old Trafford in Manchester from July 19 to July 23.
After all that, the final Test of the series will be held at The Oval in London from July 27 to July 31.
Match Start Times and TV Coverage
All five Tests will be day matches, with play scheduled to start at 11 am BST and continue until 6 pm, with the possibility of extending play until 6.30 pm to complete 90 overs. Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event will exclusively broadcast all five matches live in the UK.
BBC2 will air a highlights package after each day's play and a show called "Today at the Test" at 7 pm. Radio coverage will be available on BBC 5 Live Sports Extra and the BBC Sounds app, with Jonathan Agnew leading the commentary team.
Prediction and Expectations
With England's aggressive tactics, Australia's strong bowling attack, and the home advantage, all five Tests are expected to produce a result. So, it’s no surprise, that if you’ll check The Ashes betting odds 2023, chances are, Australia will be the favorite this year.
England has a superior record in the past five home series against Australia, winning four and drawing one. Considering England's recent form and their refreshing approach to the game, it is predicted that the series will be closely contested, with England winning by a narrow margin of 3-2.
Conclusion
The Ashes 2023 is set to be a thrilling battle between two cricketing powerhouses, England and Australia.
The series promises exciting matches, intense rivalries, and moments that will be etched in cricketing history. With the teams ready to take the field, cricket fans around the world are eagerly counting down the days until the first Test at Edgbaston.
Let the battle for the championship begin!
