AUS vs ENG: The Ashes series began with a significant moment in Australian cricket history, even before a ball was bowled. Although England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and decided to bat first in Perth, it was Australia that claimed the spotlight by fielding two Indigenous cricketers in a Test match for the very first time.
Pacers Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett took the field together, marking an unprecedented milestone in the sport’s national narrative.
Until Doggett’s inclusion, only four Indigenous players had ever represented Australia in Test cricket: the late Faith Coulthard, fast bowler Jason Gillespie, multi-format star Ashleigh Gardner, and Boland himself. Friday’s game therefore stood as a symbolic step forward for inclusivity and recognition in the Australian setup.
Australia’s Indigenous sporting legacy extends well beyond the current national team. Champions such as three-time Grand Slam winner Ashleigh Barty, allrounder Dan Christian, former quicks Albert Henry and Ian King, seamers Josh Lalor, Michael Mainhardt, Ken Vowles, and top-order batter D’Arcy Short form part of a proud list of athletes who have elevated Australian sport across generations.
The roots of Indigenous involvement in cricket go back nearly two centuries. Historical accounts suggest participation as early as 1795 in Sydney, with growing activity recorded in Tasmania during the 1830s. One of the earliest documented matches featuring Indigenous players took place in February 1854, when three cricketers from the Poonindie community turned out in a fixture at St Peter’s College in Adelaide. Their presence helped lay the foundations for a long, though uneven, journey toward wider representation.
For the Ashes opener, Australia named a 12-man squad but opted for an all-seam attack, overlooking off-spinner Shoaib Bashir and choosing Brydon Carse instead. Stokes, after winning the toss, had no hesitation in opting to bat first on what was expected to be a lively Perth surface.
At the time of writing this article, England were batting at 79/3 with Ollie Pope and Harry Brook at the crease.
AUS vs ENG Playing XIs
Australia (Playing XI): Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith(c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(w), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett, Scott Boland.
England (Playing XI): Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes(c), Jamie Smith(w), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood.