After surrendering to Peter Siddle for 215, James Anderson and Steven Finn took two wickets each to restrict Australia to 75/4 at stumps, 140 runs behind.
22:30 (IST): WICKET - Chris Rogers lbw James Anderson. Rogers reviews the decision. Hawk-eye says the ball would have clipped leg stump. Australia reeling at 53/4 in 14.3 overs.
22:25 (IST): Chris Rogers and Steven Smith, two players who are not guaranteed a spot in the playing XI, have been handed that task of steadying the ship. Australia 41/3 in 13 overs.
22:15 (IST): News coming in from the England dressing room is that Stuart Broad has been taken for a scan. Broad was struck on the shoulder by James Pattinson while batting. Big blow for England if Broad can't bowl in the match.
22:08 (IST): With the wicket of Clarke, James Anderson has gone past Fred Trueman and is now England's third highest Test wicket-taker of all time.
21:55 (IST): WICKET - What a beauty! Michael Clarke is bowled by James Anderson. An in-swinger and Clarke fails to read the line. Off-stump knocked down and Australia are reeling at 22/3.
21:50 (IST): And to think that Finn almost wasn't selected for this match. He just about nudged ahead of Tim Bresnan and Graham Onions in the bowling pecking order.
21:44 (IST): Almost a hat-trick for Finn as the ball goes past the Michael Clarke's bat. Close but no cigar!
21:39 (IST): WICKET - Finn on a hat-trick, Ed Cowan goes first ball. A carbon-copy of Watson's dismissal, outside-edge to Graeme Swann at second slip.
21:38 (IST): WICKET - Shane Watson (13) caught in the slips. attempts a drive off Steven Finn and gets an outside-edge. Joe Root gobbles it up at third slip.
21:27 (IST): Left-hand bat Chris Rogers has played just one Test in his career so far. The 35-year-old played in Australia's defeat to India in Perth in 2008, but could manage just 19 runs.
21:20 (IST): Shane Watson and Chris Rogers open the batting for Australia. James Anderson to bowl; he must be loving the overcast conditions at Trent Bridge. Watson and Australia off the mark with a flick off his pads.
21:12 (IST): END OF INNINGS - England are bowled out for 215. Pattinson wraps up Swann to finish with figures of 3/69. Peter Siddle, however, was the star of the show picking up 5/50 as he rattled the English middle-order. Australia have drawn first blood in the Ashes series, but England will bank on James Anderson and overcast conditions to peg the Aussies back.
21:02 (IST): WICKET - Steven Finn falls first ball, caught Haddin. Mitchell Starc on a hat-trick but James Anderson lets it through to the keeper; England are collapsing.
20:58 (IST): WICKET - Bairstow makes a mess of his stumps! Full by Mitchell Starc on off-stump and Bairstow plays across the line, cleaned up.
20:55 (IST): WICKET - Pattinson wins the battle with Broad. After being struck by the left-handed for two boundaries, Pattinson cramps Broad up with a short ball. It's top-edged and the bowler takes the return catch.
20:47 (IST): Meanwhile Ricky Ponting is batting for Surrey in his final match in first-class cricket. The Aussies however aren't doing too badly without their former skipper.
20:44 (IST): Players back out for the final session on Day 1. Pattinson and Starc bowling in tandom. Pattinson testing Stuart Broad with some short stuff and a few words as well. Broad responds with a driven boundary, 200 comes up in the 55th over.
20:25 (IST): As England plan their final session on Day 1, a lot of responsibility will fall on Ashes debutant Jonny Bairstow who's batting on 32. For Australia, Siddle will hope for 'more of the same' but the other bowlers need to contain as well.
20:14 (IST): END OF SECOND SESSION - It's tea with England at 185/6. Australia have had the better of this session, with Peter Siddle picking all four wickets that fell. After an even first session, the visitors have dominated the mid-session at Trent Bridge. Siddle heads into the shed a happy man, with figures of 5/50 in 14 overs. England scored 87 runs in that session, but the departures of Matt Prior and Ian Bell, who were looking set, has left their tail exposed.
20:07 (IST): Siddle raises the ball to the crowd after his five-for. You wouldn't begrudge him the celebration. Remember Siddle went for 27 runs in his first four overs. Safe to say he has come back strong.
20:02 (IST): WICKET - Peter Siddle gets a five-for, Matt Prior caught at point for a solitary run. Characteristically aggressive stroke by Prior, who finds Phil Hughes with an uppish drive.
19:52 (IST): WICKET - Peter Siddle continues with his relentless attack as Ian Bell (25) becomes his latest victim. The batsman offered an outside edge to Shane Watson at first slip. This despite looking rock solid for most part of his innings.
19:50 (IST): Ian Bell and Johnny Bairstow fightback against the Australians. Complete 50-run partnership off 68 deliveries.
19:24 (IST): Did you know? In five of six Tests played by England in 2013, none of the top-four have managed a half-century. Johnny Bairstow is playing with Ian Bell right now.
19:00 (IST): Trott has never scored a fifty at the Trent Bridge. His wicket means his wait will continue. That he wanted to smash the stumps after being bowled shows how frustrated he was at having tried to drive a wide delivery, only to chop it back onto the stumps.
18:56 (IST): WICKET - Peter Siddle is on fire! He claims his third as Jonathan Trott misses out on his half-century by 2 runs - stumps left in tatters in his wake.
18:23 (IST): Ian Bell has made his way to the middle and is now batting with Trott. INTERESTING FACTOID - Bell needs just 75 to become the 14th England batsman with 6,000 Test runs!
18:17 (IST): WICKET - Kevin Pietersen - playing away from his body - edges Peter Siddle and Michael Clarke makes no mistake at 2nd slip. So, KP's return brings him just 14 runs off 23 deliveries with three boundaries.
18:14 (IST): Shane Watson starts proceedings for Australia in the second session of play. Seems like a clear intent on extracting maximum advantage of the seaming conditions at Trent Bridge.
17:49 (IST): The big question then. Are the hosts the better of the two sides after the opening session's play? Under cloudy conditions, the ball has surely swung but at 98/2, England have gone at a decent pace. Can too many loose deliveries - 18 boundaries and an average of 3.76 an over - be blamed? Write in your views in the comments section below...
17:34 (IST): END OF 1st SESSION - England break for lunch at 98/2. It has been a fascinating contest between bat and ball so far. While Australian pacers have managed to find swing and seam - two wickets as clear evidence, the hosts have also played well and have shown good application. Trott has looked very solid and has been brisk in his 47 ball 37. He will resume the second session with Kevin Pietersen (10 off 20). For Australia, Pattinson and Siddle claimed a wicket apiece.
17:28 (IST): Trott seems hungry and has fulfilled his batting appetite with eight boundaries so far. His strike-rate has been close to 80! Lunch not too far now though.
17:11 (IST): WICKET - It's all about a single beauty of a delivery and that has exactly what has negated an expensive first four overs for Siddle. He bowls a fullish delivery which swings late to leave the stumps behind Joe Root (30) in tatters.
17:07 (IST): Peter Siddle has been quite expensive for Australia. His first four overs have cost 27 runs. The other pacer in Pattinson has claimed a wicket but Trott and Root appear to be getting comfortable against him as well.
17: 03 (IST): Did you know? Aussies upheld their own tradition before the start of today's match when former cricketer Glenn McGrath handed Agar his international cap. Read more about it here.
16.49 (IST): Ashton Agar is the youngest specialist spinner to debut for Australia in a Test in 106 years.
15.26 (IST): The players coming on to the field. Visibly high numbers in support for both teams as there is a huge cheer as the England openers Alastair Cook and Joe Root walk out.
15.05 (IST): Michael Clarke says at the toss, "I would have batted, but don't mind bowling as it's a bit overcast." On Agar he ecpresses is confidence and says, "It may be a surprise to some, but not to use. He's bowled really well and England have a lot of right-handers."
12.56 (IST): England are on the verge of winning a hat-trick of Ashes series. They won the 2009 edition at home before beating Australia Down Under in 2010-11 which was their first series win on Australian soil after 24 years.
12.21 (IST): In what was arguably the most contested Ashes series till date, the 2005 edition which England won 2-1, Trent Bridge saw England scrape home by 3 wickets having been set a target of 129 in the fourth innings. That victory gave them the lead in the series having lost the first game at Lord's. Australia had to win the last game but only managed to draw it and England got back the Urn after 18 years.
Aussie skipper Michael Clarke has said that he has no issues being the underdog side and is confident that Australia shall not be affected by the tag.
Clarke suggested that while the two teams would come hard at each other, he expected the series to be played in the right spirit, irrespective of the results.
"It's very special to play in England as an Australian Test cricketer. The tag of favourites doesn't have any impact on either team," said Clarke. "I've said for a while we come here as underdogs - that hasn't affected our preparation and it won't affect our performance. We know it will be a tough series but the boys are up for it."
Firm favourites England take on underdogs Australia in the first Test of the 2013 Ashes series at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. Catch all the updates here
23:20 (IST): The first hour on Day 2 is expected to be tough for Steven Smith (38*) and Phil Hughes (7*). If they can survive initial pace hostilities, Australia can hope to surpass England's first innings total. The hosts, on the other hand, will hope that Stuart Broad is fit as the rivalry resumes between England and Australia on Thursday.
23:20 (IST): "Despite losing a few wickets, it was a good all-round day for us," says Peter Siddle.
23:15 (IST): After electing to bat Alastair Cook and his men were blown away by a Peter Siddle special. He took 5/50 as England were bundled out for 215. In reponse James Anderson and Steven Finn removed the top four Australia batsmen in overcast conditions as Australia ended Day 1 at 75/4, trailing by 140 runs. With bright sunshine expected on days 2 and 3, the pitch is expected to ease out into a batting paradise.
23:05 (IST): Peter Siddle bagged the bragging rights on Day 1 with his eighth five-wicket haul in Tests - his fourth against England.
23:00 (IST): STUMPS, Day 1 - Australia end Day 1 at 75/4 in 21 overs, 140 runs behind England (215 all out) in the first innings.
22:50 (IST): James Anderson bowled 9 overs on the trot and was given a rest for a couple of overs. He's back in the attack though. Remember, England are a bowler short with Stuart Broad undergoing scans for a shoulder injury. Australia 73/4 in 20 overs, 142 runs behind England.
22:40 (IST): Phillip Hughes, who has come into bat at No.6, is the youngest batsman to hit two centuries in
Test cricket - both against South Africa in the same Durban Test in 2009.23:20 (IST): "Despite losing a few wickets, it was a good all-round day for us," says Peter Siddle.23:15 (IST): After electing to bat Alastair Cook and his men were blown away by a Peter Siddle special. He took 5/50 as England were bundled out for 215. In reponse James Anderson and Steven Finn removed the top four Australia batsmen in overcast conditions as Australia ended Day 1 at 75/4, trailing by 140 runs. With bright sunshine expected on days 2 and 3, the pitch is expected to ease out into a batting paradise.
23:05 (IST): Peter Siddle bagged the bragging rights on Day 1 with his eighth five-wicket haul in Tests - his fourth against England.
23:00 (IST): STUMPS, Day 1 - Australia end Day 1 at 75/4 in 21 overs, 140 runs behind England (215 all out) in the first innings.
22:50 (IST): James Anderson bowled 9 overs on the trot and was given a rest for a couple of overs. He's back in the attack though. Remember, England are a bowler short with Stuart Broad undergoing scans for a shoulder injury. Australia 73/4 in 20 overs, 142 runs behind England.
22:40 (IST): Phillip Hughes, who has come into bat at No.6, is the youngest batsman to hit two centuries in
22:30 (IST): WICKET - Chris Rogers lbw James Anderson. Rogers reviews the decision. Hawk-eye says the ball would have clipped leg stump. Australia reeling at 53/4 in 14.3 overs.22:25 (IST): Chris Rogers and Steven Smith, two players who are not guaranteed a spot in the playing XI, have been handed that task of steadying the ship. Australia 41/3 in 13 overs.
22:15 (IST): News coming in from the England dressing room is that Stuart Broad has been taken for a scan. Broad was struck on the shoulder by James Pattinson while batting. Big blow for England if Broad can't bowl in the match.
22:08 (IST): With the wicket of Clarke, James Anderson has gone past Fred Trueman and is now England's third highest Test wicket-taker of all time.
21:55 (IST): WICKET - What a beauty! Michael Clarke is bowled by James Anderson. An in-swinger and Clarke fails to read the line. Off-stump knocked down and Australia are reeling at 22/3.
21:50 (IST): And to think that Finn almost wasn't selected for this match. He just about nudged ahead of Tim Bresnan and Graham Onions in the bowling pecking order.21:44 (IST): Almost a hat-trick for Finn as the ball goes past the Michael Clarke's bat. Close but no cigar!
21:39 (IST): WICKET - Finn on a hat-trick, Ed Cowan goes first ball. A carbon-copy of Watson's dismissal, outside-edge to Graeme Swann at second slip.
21:38 (IST): WICKET - Shane Watson (13) caught in the slips. attempts a drive off Steven Finn and gets an outside-edge. Joe Root gobbles it up at third slip.
21:27 (IST): Left-hand bat Chris Rogers has played just one Test in his career so far. The 35-year-old played in Australia's defeat to India in Perth in 2008, but could manage just 19 runs.
21:20 (IST): Shane Watson and Chris Rogers open the batting for Australia. James Anderson to bowl; he must be loving the overcast conditions at Trent Bridge. Watson and Australia off the mark with a flick off his pads.
21:12 (IST): END OF INNINGS - England are bowled out for 215. Pattinson wraps up Swann to finish with figures of 3/69. Peter Siddle, however, was the star of the show picking up 5/50 as he rattled the English middle-order. Australia have drawn first blood in the Ashes series, but England will bank on James Anderson and overcast conditions to peg the Aussies back.21:02 (IST): WICKET - Steven Finn falls first ball, caught Haddin. Mitchell Starc on a hat-trick but James Anderson lets it through to the keeper; England are collapsing.
20:58 (IST): WICKET - Bairstow makes a mess of his stumps! Full by Mitchell Starc on off-stump and Bairstow plays across the line, cleaned up.
20:55 (IST): WICKET - Pattinson wins the battle with Broad. After being struck by the left-handed for two boundaries, Pattinson cramps Broad up with a short ball. It's top-edged and the bowler takes the return catch.
20:47 (IST): Meanwhile Ricky Ponting is batting for Surrey in his final match in first-class cricket. The Aussies however aren't doing too badly without their former skipper.
20:44 (IST): Players back out for the final session on Day 1. Pattinson and Starc bowling in tandom. Pattinson testing Stuart Broad with some short stuff and a few words as well. Broad responds with a driven boundary, 200 comes up in the 55th over.
20:25 (IST): As England plan their final session on Day 1, a lot of responsibility will fall on Ashes debutant Jonny Bairstow who's batting on 32. For Australia, Siddle will hope for 'more of the same' but the other bowlers need to contain as well.20:14 (IST): END OF SECOND SESSION - It's tea with England at 185/6. Australia have had the better of this session, with Peter Siddle picking all four wickets that fell. After an even first session, the visitors have dominated the mid-session at Trent Bridge. Siddle heads into the shed a happy man, with figures of 5/50 in 14 overs. England scored 87 runs in that session, but the departures of Matt Prior and Ian Bell, who were looking set, has left their tail exposed.
20:07 (IST): Siddle raises the ball to the crowd after his five-for. You wouldn't begrudge him the celebration. Remember Siddle went for 27 runs in his first four overs. Safe to say he has come back strong.
20:02 (IST): WICKET - Peter Siddle gets a five-for, Matt Prior caught at point for a solitary run. Characteristically aggressive stroke by Prior, who finds Phil Hughes with an uppish drive.
19:52 (IST): WICKET - Peter Siddle continues with his relentless attack as Ian Bell (25) becomes his latest victim. The batsman offered an outside edge to Shane Watson at first slip. This despite looking rock solid for most part of his innings.
19:50 (IST): Ian Bell and Johnny Bairstow fightback against the Australians. Complete 50-run partnership off 68 deliveries.
19:24 (IST): Did you know? In five of six Tests played by England in 2013, none of the top-four have managed a half-century. Johnny Bairstow is playing with Ian Bell right now.
19:00 (IST): Trott has never scored a fifty at the Trent Bridge. His wicket means his wait will continue. That he wanted to smash the stumps after being bowled shows how frustrated he was at having tried to drive a wide delivery, only to chop it back onto the stumps.
18:56 (IST): WICKET - Peter Siddle is on fire! He claims his third as Jonathan Trott misses out on his half-century by 2 runs - stumps left in tatters in his wake.18:23 (IST): Ian Bell has made his way to the middle and is now batting with Trott. INTERESTING FACTOID - Bell needs just 75 to become the 14th England batsman with 6,000 Test runs!
18:17 (IST): WICKET - Kevin Pietersen - playing away from his body - edges Peter Siddle and Michael Clarke makes no mistake at 2nd slip. So, KP's return brings him just 14 runs off 23 deliveries with three boundaries.18:14 (IST): Shane Watson starts proceedings for Australia in the second session of play. Seems like a clear intent on extracting maximum advantage of the seaming conditions at Trent Bridge.
17:49 (IST): The big question then. Are the hosts the better of the two sides after the opening session's play? Under cloudy conditions, the ball has surely swung but at 98/2, England have gone at a decent pace. Can too many loose deliveries - 18 boundaries and an average of 3.76 an over - be blamed? Write in your views in the comments section below...
17:34 (IST): END OF 1st SESSION - England break for lunch at 98/2. It has been a fascinating contest between bat and ball so far. While Australian pacers have managed to find swing and seam - two wickets as clear evidence, the hosts have also played well and have shown good application. Trott has looked very solid and has been brisk in his 47 ball 37. He will resume the second session with Kevin Pietersen (10 off 20). For Australia, Pattinson and Siddle claimed a wicket apiece.
17:28 (IST): Trott seems hungry and has fulfilled his batting appetite with eight boundaries so far. His strike-rate has been close to 80! Lunch not too far now though.
17:11 (IST): WICKET - It's all about a single beauty of a delivery and that has exactly what has negated an expensive first four overs for Siddle. He bowls a fullish delivery which swings late to leave the stumps behind Joe Root (30) in tatters.
17:07 (IST): Peter Siddle has been quite expensive for Australia. His first four overs have cost 27 runs. The other pacer in Pattinson has claimed a wicket but Trott and Root appear to be getting comfortable against him as well.
17: 03 (IST): Did you know? Aussies upheld their own tradition before the start of today's match when former cricketer Glenn McGrath handed Agar his international cap. Read more about it here.
16.49 (IST): Ashton Agar is the youngest specialist spinner to debut for Australia in a Test in 106 years.
16.45 (IST): Ashton Agar bowls his first over in Test cricket. Gets a bit of flight in the air.
16.40 (IST): Joe Root and Jonathan Trott slowly build a partnership as they look to rebuild after losing Cook early on. England poised at 50/1 in 15 overs.
16.26 (IST): Jonathan Trott made his Test debut against Australia in 2009 and scored a hundred to announce himself on the international scene.
16.21 (IST): Jonathan Trott looking confident as he hits a good shot through covers off Pattinson. Stands tall and punches it past the fielder.
16.10 (IST): WICKET - James Pattinson strikes! Alastair Cook edges one to Brad Haddin and Australia have the wicket they want. England are 27/1 in 9 overs.
16.06 (IST): The lights have come on at Trent Bridge. Conditions however are not murky though there is some cloud cover.
16.02 (IST): England have won their last four Tests at Trent Bridge in a convincing manner and the last 9 Tests at the ground have managed to end in a result.
15.48 (IST): Some late movement for Starc as he tries to swing the ball back into Alastair Cook. Cook safely negotiates the deliveries.
15.39 (IST): A hint of swing for Mitchell Starc in the second over as England get off the blocks with their first boundary by Cook to reach 6/0.
15.29 (IST): James Pattinson starts the proceedings for Australia and bowls a wide short bouncer to Alastair Cook which the England skipper easily avoids.
15.26 (IST): The players coming on to the field. Visibly high numbers in support for both teams as there is a huge cheer as the England openers Alastair Cook and Joe Root walk out.
15.24 (IST): Glenn Maxwell actively backing Australia on Twitter. " C'mon Aussies!!! Ashes time!!! Congrats to Ash Agar!!! Amazing moment for him to debut in an Ashes series!!! #gowellmate!! #ashes #aussies!!" he tweets.
15.18 (IST): The weather is slightly cloudy as it is expected to be in England at this time of the year.
15.15 (IST): Anthems are over. It is time for the teams to warm-up in their respective dressing rooms as they gear up to the first ball to be bowled in 15 minutes.
15.11 (IST): The teams line up on the field for their respective national anthems. First up it's Australia's Advance Australia Fair followed by England's God Save the Queen.
15.09 (IST): The teams for the first Test are as follows:
Australia (Playing XI): Shane Watson, Chris Rogers, Ed Cowan, Michael Clarke(c), Phillip Hughes, Steven Smith, Brad Haddin(w), Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Agar
England (Playing XI): Alastair Cook(c), Joe Root, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Jonathan Bairstow, Matt Prior(w), Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Steven Finn, James Anderson
Australia (Playing XI): Shane Watson, Chris Rogers, Ed Cowan, Michael Clarke(c), Phillip Hughes, Steven Smith, Brad Haddin(w), Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Agar
England (Playing XI): Alastair Cook(c), Joe Root, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Jonathan Bairstow, Matt Prior(w), Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Steven Finn, James Anderson
15.05 (IST): Michael Clarke says at the toss, "I would have batted, but don't mind bowling as it's a bit overcast." On Agar he ecpresses is confidence and says, "It may be a surprise to some, but not to use. He's bowled really well and England have a lot of right-handers."
15.02 (IST):England skipper Alastair Cook wins and opts to bat first. Joe Root is to open the innings with him. Michael Clarke says he would have batted first but is happy to bowl. Toss Report
14.57 (IST): Ashton Agar is the new kid on the block for Australia. He's played just 10 first class games and is making his debut today at Trent Bridge. Read Who is Ashton Agar?
14.52 (IST): - Ian Botham is of the opinion that since both skippers are in their infancy as captains, these 5 matches will be very crucial.
14.10 (IST): There has been a late inclusion in Australia's team. Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar has been included in place of Nathan Lyon.
14.07 (IST): Chris Read, the Nottinghamshire captain and former England keeper, has warned that traditional swing and seam has been less prominent this summer on the wicket at Trent Bridge. A high first innings score is expected and bowlers will get swing on this wicket based on Read's diagnosis.
13.50 (IST): Steve Smith has been included in the playing eleven according to reports in the Australian media. The team for the first Test is as follows:
Shane Watson, Chris Rogers, Ed Cowan, Michael Clarke, Phil Hughes, Steve Smith, Brad Haddin, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon.
Shane Watson, Chris Rogers, Ed Cowan, Michael Clarke, Phil Hughes, Steve Smith, Brad Haddin, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon.
12.56 (IST): England are on the verge of winning a hat-trick of Ashes series. They won the 2009 edition at home before beating Australia Down Under in 2010-11 which was their first series win on Australian soil after 24 years.
12.48 (IST): Trent Bridge staged its first Test in 1899. It used to be the shared home of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club and Notts County Football Club, but when the football and cricket seasons were considered to have become too overlapped, the football club moved a couple of hundred yards away to Meadow Lane.
12.32 (IST): The onus of this series rests with the men in charge. Both Clarke and Cook know that their respective countries will stand behind them and those playing under them shall look to their captains for inspiration.
12.21 (IST): In what was arguably the most contested Ashes series till date, the 2005 edition which England won 2-1, Trent Bridge saw England scrape home by 3 wickets having been set a target of 129 in the fourth innings. That victory gave them the lead in the series having lost the first game at Lord's. Australia had to win the last game but only managed to draw it and England got back the Urn after 18 years.
12.16 (IST): There have been several instances that have made the Ashes series memorable. A look at the top five moments in Ashes history.
12.06 (IST): Australia have not won a Test series in England since 2001. The last time they triumphed on English soil was when they won 4-1 under Steve Waugh.
England take on Australia in the first Test of the 2013 Ashes series at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. The Aussies come as underdogs but if history is anything to go by, nothing can be taken for granted in such an epic clash.
Aussie skipper Michael Clarke has said that he has no issues being the underdog side and is confident that Australia shall not be affected by the tag.Clarke suggested that while the two teams would come hard at each other, he expected the series to be played in the right spirit, irrespective of the results.
"It's very special to play in England as an Australian Test cricketer. The tag of favourites doesn't have any impact on either team," said Clarke. "I've said for a while we come here as underdogs - that hasn't affected our preparation and it won't affect our performance. We know it will be a tough series but the boys are up for it."
Both captains Alastair Cook and Michael Clarke have opted to keep the hype down ahead of the series and don't want the the awe of an Ashes series getting the better of the players.
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