Why you should get up early and watch the first Ashes Test between old rivals Australia and England on TNT Sports
Updated 19/11/2025 at 12:17 GMT
The 2025/26 Ashes between hosts Australia and old rivals England is on the horizon, and you can watch and stream all the action live on TNT Sports and discovery+. The first Test begins in Perth on November 21, with coverage starting at 01:30 GMT and play at 2:20 GMT. An early alarm will be well worth it if the match delivers the first day drama and excitement of Ashes openers of years gone by.
Swann issues Ashes mindset advice for Bashir
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The wait is almost over with the 2025/26 NRMA Insurance men's Ashes series getting underway in Perth on November 21.
The time difference will leave England fans with early alarms to face with play starting at 02:20 GMT on day one of the first Test. Coverage will begin at 01:30 GMT, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
If previous series are anything to go by, you will not want to miss any of the action as there is always early drama when England and Australia go head-to-head.
We have been taking a look back at some of the most memorable moments from the first day of Ashes series of years gone by.
Crawley cracks Cummins for four
The build-up to the 2023 Ashes had been dominated by the question of whether England’s attacking ‘Bazball’ style could stand up in the intensity of a five-match Ashes series against Australia.
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As the series got underway at Edgbaston, visiting captain Pat Cummins sprinted in to deliver the first ball - which Zak Crawley met with an aggressive, thumping drive through extra cover to put four runs on the board.
Crawley’s bat produced the sound of the perfect cricket shot as England captain Ben Stokes was left open-mouthed on the balcony as he watched his team make the perfect start.
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Zak Crawley
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England set the tone with bodyline bowling
In 2023, England’s aggressive play with the bat made the headlines but in 1932, the venom with which they bowled garnered the threat of a trade boycott from Australia due to "unsportsmanlike" behaviour.
Harold Larwood, who spearheaded a bruising new technique of aiming the ball directly at his opponents, took 10 wickets in the first Test.
Douglas Jardine’s side went on to win the opener in Sydney by 10 wickets after going into the final innings needing only a single run.
It became known as the ‘bodyline tour’ but the tactic has since been outlawed.
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Harold Larwood
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Starc warning for England
Mitchell Starc ensured England knew exactly the danger that was in store for the 2021 Ashes series as he took the wicket of Rory Burns with the very first ball of the first Test at the Gabba.
Joe Root also fell for a duck, leaving England 11-3 on an excruciating first day which saw them all out for just 147 runs.
Australia went on to win the series 4-0.
‘We’re gonna have a bowl’ - Hussain’s gaff at the Gabba
After winning the toss on the first day of the first Test at the Gabba in 2002, Nasser Hussain put England in to bowl, saying the grass and moisture of the wicket would give his bowling attack a good chance to disrupt the Australians.
It backfired in a major way as the hosts ended day one on 364-2 after Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting put on a huge partnership of 272 runs.
Hayden ended the day on 186 not out, while Pointing hit 123 before he was bowled out by Ashley Giles.
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Nasser Hussain
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Slater demolishes fragile England
England arrived at the Gabba in 1994 low on confidence and with injury and illness starting to weave its way through the squad.
Michael Slater could smell blood and took advantage of the fragility of the visitors.
With Devon Malcolm ruled out with chicken pox, Phillip DeFreitas opened the bowling. The first ball of the series was delivered wide and short, which Slater pounced upon to strike the ball to the cover boundary.
Slater went on to rack up an incredible first day score of 176 runs.
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Michael Slater
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Harmison’s shaky start
Steve Harmison has since claimed that his wayward start to the 2006/07 Ashes series "didn’t set the tone" for the whitewash that was to follow… but it cannot have helped.
Australia won the toss and chose to bat first, with England captain Andrew Flintoff handing the ball to Harmison for the first over.
He charged in to deliver the opening ball of the first Test to Justin Langer at the Gabba, but his effort flew wildly wide to second slip.
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Steve Bucknor
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Harmison roughs up Langer and Ponting
Eighteen months before his notorious wide at the Gabba, Harmison had Australian opener Langer on the ropes from the off.
The first ball of the series at Lord’s just missed Langer’s off stump, while the second thudded into the batter’s elbow.
Harmison also crashed the ball into the helmet of Ricky Ponting, which forced the Australian to have stitches after the grille of his helmet cut his cheek.
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Ricky Ponting
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