Stuart Broad has been given the green light to terrorise David Warner in the Ashes once more right from the off.
Broad has been named in the first Test team at Edgbaston ahead of Mark Wood, who will be kept on ice to fire up at the Aussies with his extra pace later in the series.
It was the only real decision Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum had to make this week with 36-year-old Broad getting the nod to try and continue the hold he had over Warner from 2019 when he got him seven times out of ten bowling around the wicket.
James Anderson and Ollie Robinson are both named after getting over their injury niggles, while Moeen Ali picks up his 65th cap at his home ground, just a couple of days after picking up his OBE from Windsor Castle.
The batting lineup is as expected with skipper Stokes slated to bat at six and with new father Jonny Bairstow now settled back in at seven.
England missed a trick on the last Ashes tour by leaving Broad out at the start in Brisbane and Warner got into the series with 94 in a nine wicket win. This time Broad’s ultra competitive character, almost designed specifically for Ashes cricket, can come to the fore in the very first match alongside Anderson and Robinson.
Speaking last week, Broad was unsure whether his Ashes cricket would begin at Edgbaston or later in the series, but he was certain that his competitive juices would be flowing whenever he did.
Broad said: “I told Stokesy that I felt the best rhythm all season on the first day against Ireland which is just a great place to be. I play really well at all of the Ashes grounds and I love playing against Australia. I’m happy to try and strike whenever I get the chance.
“I think ultimately as a team we’re going to need every bowler, and we’re going to need to take 100 wickets to win the Ashes starting with Edgbaston.
“And it will be great to continue my battle with David Warner. We’ve had some great matches in the past and this will be just as competitive. I think we are both very competitive and that brings the best out of each other. I had to study him to try and have the success I did last time, and he’s got hold of me a few times too.”
ENGLAND TEAM TO PLAY FIRST LV= INSURANCE ASHES TEST
Duckett, Crawley, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes (c), Bairstow (wk), Moeen, Broad, Robinson, Anderson
