The Ashes

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Cameron Green returned to bowling and fellow Australia all-rounder Beau Webster took five wickets as the tussle for a place in the hosts' Ashes XI continued in the Sheffield Shield.

Green bowled two four-over spells and returned figures of 1-18 in Western Australia's four-day match against Queensland in Perth.

The 26-year-old, who took WA's first wicket by nicking off opener Angus Lovell on 11, is in Australia's squad to play England but the uncertainty around his fitness - he had not bowled since an initial comeback in early October after back surgery last year - has left questions around Australia's XI.

If not fit, Green could play as a specialist batter at number three which would mean Marnus Labuschagne moves up to open and Webster retains his place at number six.

But Webster strengthened his case to play regardless of Green's form by taking 5-50 on day two of Tasmania's match against South Australia.

He failed again with the bat, however, later being dismissed for eight after making 13 in the first innings.

Elsewhere, Marnus Labuschagne continued his good form with 50 from 87 balls against Green's Western Australia.

Uncapped opener Jake Weatherald followed his 23 in the first innings for Tasmania with 30 in the second while Steve Smith scored 57 as New South Wales struggled against Victoria.

Smith was the only batter to make more than 16. Australia seamer Scott Boland took 2-27 for Victoria.

Timothy Abraham
BBC Sport journalist

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Australia batter Steve Smith has been warned to expect Bodyline bowling from England's pace attack in the forthcoming Ashes.

Former Australia opener Simon Katich has predicted England coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes will deploy an approach akin to the controversial tactics to unsettle the 36-year-old.

Smith has scored 3,417 runs in 37 Tests against England at an average of 56.01, including 12 centuries and is seen as a pivotal player for Australia.

"They [Stokes and McCullum] will have seen what the New Zealand did to Steve Smith a few years ago so successfully in Australia," Katich told BBC Radio 5 Live's Ashes preview show.

"I would be surprised if that wasn't the same plan. As soon as Steve Smith came to the crease there were fielders scattered everywhere. I hate to use the word 'Bodyline' but that's exactly what it was, really."

In the 2019 Ashes, England fast bowler Jofra Archer hit Smith on the helmet with a 92mph bouncer during the Lord's Test, which resulted in Marnus Labuschagne becoming Test cricket's first concussion substitute.

Smith subsequently missed the next Test at Headingley through concussion.

"Neil Wagner executed it [for New Zealand] and went hard from the word go. Albeit not the same pace as England have got up their sleeves," added Katich, who played 56 Tests and 45 one-day internationals for Australia.

"I'd be very surprised if that doesn't hit Steve Smith and maybe other Australian batters who are later in the careers in the next few weeks."

England won the Ashes in Australia in 1932-33 under the captaincy of Douglas Jardine using bowling tactics which targeted a batter's body with short-pitched deliveries known as fast leg theory but coined as Bodyline.

The approach led to ill feeling between England and Australia and prompted a change to the laws.

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Australia's batters will not be scared by England's pace attack in the Ashes, according to Mitchell Johnson.

England have assembled their fastest group of bowlers for a generation as they aim to win a series in Australia for the first time since 2010-11.

Jofra Archer and Mark Wood will spearhead the pace attack, with Archer famed for hitting Steve Smith with a delivery so ferocious in 2019, it forced the Australia skipper off the field with concussion.

However, ex-fast bowler Johnson says Smith - and Australia - will not be fazed by Archer's return after years of battling injury.

"Since that match, Archer's debut more than six years ago, he has barely played Test cricket - 14 more games in fact and just two Tests in the past four years," wrote Johnson in The West Australian., external

"The way he is spoken about it sounds like he's played a hundred.

"Archer has been out of the game for a long time with injuries, and while his highlight reel looks great, consistency is what matters in Test cricket.

"Their [England's] Ashes hopes rest on whether Wood and Archer can stay fit, stay fast, and stay relentless across five brutal Tests in Australian conditions.

"The Australian top order won't be fearful of the Wood-Archer combination. Respectful, yes, but not afraid."

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Mitchell Starc prepared for the Ashes by taking four wickets for New South Wales but opener Jake Weatherald was out cheaply as he tries to secure a place Australia's XI.

Weatherald, 30, was given his first Australia call-up last week but was out for 23 on day one of Tasmania's Sheffield Shield match against South Australia.

The left-hander and Usman Khawaja are the only openers in Australia's squad for the first Test against England in Perth but Australia could yet promote Marnus Labuschagne from his preferred position of number three.

Other than Khawaja, all of Australia's Test squad are playing in the Sheffield Shield this week to prepare for the first Test, which begins on 21 November.

Starc, bowling with the red ball for the first time since July, took 4-91 against Victoria at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

He was joined in the NSW attack by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who claimed 2-65, and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood, who took 0-54 in 18 overs.

Steve Smith is captaining the home side while seamer Scott Boland is in the Victoria XI.

All-rounder Beau Webster was out for 13 when alongside Weatherald for Tasmania but he did later dismiss Australia team-mate Travis Head for nine.

Brendan Doggett, one of Australia's supporting quicks to Starc, Hazlewood, Boland and injured captain Pat Cummins, took 5-66 for South Australia.

All-rounder Cameron Green is expected to bowl for Western Australia in their match against Queensland starting on Tuesday as he tries to prove his fitness.

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Australia Test hopeful Jake Weatherald says being sledged by England fans in the Barmy Army would be "one of the greatest moments of my life".

The 31-year-old has been included in Australia's squad for the first Test after an impressive 18 months in the Sheffield Shield.

The left-hander averages 41.33 in three matches this season, having finished last season as the top run-scorer and with an average of 50.33.

Asked by ABC how he would handle the pressure of a series that could be fiery, Weatherald said: "I don't really know, to be fair. I can be pretty reserved at times, but I can be pretty fiery as well.

"It'd be funny. I'm sure if someone starts saying stuff to me, I probably can't hold myself back, but at the same time, I'm not going to go out looking for it.

"I'll just take it on for what it is and every moment is going to be a cool experience.

"Being sledged by the Barmy Army would be one of the greatest moments of my life."

Chief selector George Bailey stopped short of confirming Weatherald would make his debut in Perth, but told the Tasmania batter the day after his 31st birthday.

"It was awesome. It was the best present I've had in a long time," said Weatherald.

"It's probably not as glamorous as what you'd probably make it out to be when you're a kid, but at the same time, like, it's no less momentous at the time.

"I didn't call my dad because he's notorious for telling everyone and at the time, the squad hadn't been announced. I knew if I called him, half of Australia would know before the team was announced, so I left that.

"My mum was in Japan with my stepdad, so that was pretty safe and my wife is pretty good at keeping secrets. It was good."

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The Australian media trying to provoke England captain Ben Stokes could backfire on the home side in the Ashes, says former fast bowler Steven Finn.

The West Australian Newspaper called Stokes "Cocky Captain Complainer" after the all-rounder arrived in Perth this week before the series starts on 21 November.

Finn, who was part of the last England side to win an Ashes series down under in 2010-11, told the PA news agency: "Ben Stokes thrives when he has a point to prove.

"There are players you really don't want to provoke because it makes them even better and even more determined. He falls into that category."

England have not won a Test in Australia since that 3-1 victory in 2010-11, with scores of 5-0, 4-0 and 4-0 in the three tours since.

However, Finn says the leadership of Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum will not be "timid or meek" as England seek to regain the urn for the first time since 2015.

He added: "You have be wary because the Australian press want to trip you up and find chinks in your armour, but if you're sensible and respectful I don't see any reason you can't embrace the challenge of playing cricket out there.

"Australians respect people who win. If you puff your chest out like we did in 2010-11 and push back, it can turn the other way.

"By the time we'd bowled them out for 98 on Boxing Day, they really turned on Australia and it almost felt like they were supporting us.

"That's the challenge and it feels like something Stokes and McCullum could do."

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Out-of-favour England bowler Ollie Robinson bowled at Australia batter Steve Smith in the nets in Sydney on Thursday, having traveled to Australia to play club cricket.

Robinson, 31, who played the most recent of his 20 Tests in February 2024, was left out of England's Ashes squad but is in Australia for a stint with Sydney University Cricket Club in the Sydney grade cricket competition.

He bowled at Smith and Sam Konstas - the 20-year-old Australia opener overlooked for the first Test - at New South Wales training.

Smith is preparing for the Ashes by playing for New South Wales and scored a century last week on his return to the Sheffield Shield.

While being in Australia would be of some benefit for Robinson were injury to hit England's pace bowling stocks, an England recall appears unlikely.

Robinson, who played in the 2023 Ashes and the 2021-22 tour down under, has lost his central contract and appears to have been discarded by the current management.

A call-up from England's Lions squads, which includes a host of younger pace bowlers, would be more likely if required.

Matthew Henry
BBC Sport Journalist

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Former Australia opener Chris Rogers has backed Jake Weatherald to make his debut in the first Ashes Test but admits the uncertainty around the hosts' top order is a "concern".

Australia named their 15-man squad for the first Test against England on Wednesday with Tasmania opener Weatherald, 31, given a first call-up.

He and Usman Khawaja are the only regular openers picked but Australia may yet promote Marnus Labuschagne from his preferred position of number three to partner 38-year-old Khawaja.

Rogers, who played 25 Tests, featured in three Ashes series and is currently coach of the Victoria state side, told BBC Sport: "I am protective of the opening position as an opener.

"I always like to think it is the hardest role of cricket. I wouldn't mind seeing them go with the proven opener as such."

Much of the uncertainty appears to come from the fitness of all-rounder Cameron Green.

Green has made a tentative return to bowling after back surgery in October 2024 and if he is not fit enough to play a full part then may feature as a specialist batter.

That would likely mean all-rounder Beau Webster bats a six and covers Green's bowling with Green slotting in at number three and Labuschagne pushed up to open.

"I would like to see Jake Weatherald get a chance to see what he is made of," Rogers said.

"I understand they highly value the other players they have got and whether they can fit those players in and move the chess pieces around.

"It is a concern. They would prefer it to be a little bit cleaner.

"No-one has a crystal ball with these things.

"They will be making some very educated guesses. Either way they will be leaving out a good player and that is the luxury they have."

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England captain Ben Stokes was given a typical welcome by the Australian media on his arrival in Perth.

A picture of Stokes in arrivals at the airport was on the front page of the West Australian newspaper, which carried the headline 'Baz Bawl'.

"England's Cocky Captain Complainer, still smarting from crease-gate, lands in Perth early thinking dopey Bazball can take the Ashes," read the caption, referring to the controversial stumping of England's Jonny Bairstow by Australia's Alex Carey during the last Ashes in 2023.

All-rounder Stokes is the latest in a string of arrivals as England gather in Perth to prepare for the first Test on 21 November. England play their sole Ashes warm-up against England Lions at Lilac Hill next week.

Rough treatment towards England teams is nothing new, particularly at the beginning of Ashes tours.

In 2013, the Brisbane Courier Mail famously refused to print the name of England's Stuart Broad after he did not walk for an edge during an Ashes series earlier the same year.

The newspaper called him a "Smug Pommie Cheat".

In the From the Ashes series on BBC Sounds, former England captain Michael Vaughan described how the local media covered a training session in Perth at the beginning of the 2002-03 tour of Australia.

"We arrived in Perth and did a gentle fielding session at the Waca, and it went great," said Vaughan.

"The local newspaper positioned a camera. When you field for an hour and a half, and there's 16 or 17 in the squad, there's bound to be one or two go down.

"Next day on the front of the paper was 'England drop in to town' and pictures of us all dropping a ball."