If the two pace bowlers are picked in Perth, it will be the first time Australia have named two indigenous players in the same Test team

Head decided that was the perfect moment to inform Doggett that Josh Hazlewood had injured his hamstring in Sydney and that he'd "better get ready for the first Test in Perth". "He was winding me up a bit," Doggett told reporters in Perth on Monday. "It's not really what I needed at the time."

Perth is set to be the stage for a near 150-year cricket first on Friday as Australia take on bitter enemies England in the opening Ashes Test.

Australia head into the Ashes with an ageing Dad#39;s Army group of players and concerns about a lack of depth to follow in their footsteps, but chief selector George Bailey is adamant the team#39;s veteran core still has what it takes.

(Reuters) -After spending years carving out a name for himself in Australian domestic cricket, qualified carpenter Brendan Doggett is now eyeing a second life as a test bowler and a dream debut in the Ashes.

Skipper Ben Stokes has defended England's lack of warm-up matches ahead of the first Ashes cricket test against Australia in Perth beginning next week.

If he makes his debut, Brendan Doggett will become just the third Indigenous man after Jason Gillespie and Scott Boland to play Test cricket for Australia

James Anderson believes England head into the Ashes as underdogs despite agreeing with former new-ball partner Stuart Broad that Australia are at their “weakest” for the last 15 years. Broad, now making a career as a television pundit, reckons the current Australia side is their worst since the 2010/11 series which England won 3-1.

Joe Root has received a tabloid reception ahead of the Ashes series opener in Perth, where a local newspaper called him “Average Joe.”