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Technology

Tom Wiggins

England vs Australia live stream: watch the 1st Test of the 2023 Ashes free online

Australia England Ashes Test (Event) United States Aus The Ashes Willow TV 9Now ExpressVPN

Sam Billings of England takes the catch during the last Ashes series between Australia and England.

Watch England vs Australia Ashes Series first test live stream

Every Test of this summer's Ashes series, including this first one from Edgbaston, will be free to stream on 9Now in Australia. It will also be free on Spark Sport in New Zealand. Use a VPN to access that free coverage from anywhere, if you happen to be on the road. In the UK, Sky Sports will have full coverage of the First Test, while cricket fans in the US can tune in via Willow TV. England vs Australia will be broadcast live in India on Sony Liv. Full details of how to watch The Ashes 2023 First Test just below.

US: Willow TV
UK: Sky Sports
AUS: 9Now (free live stream)
IND: Sony Liv
NZ: Spark
Watch any stream with ExpressVPN

England vs Australia Ashes 2023: First Test preview

The first of five 2023 Ashes Tests gets underway today at Edgbaston in Birmingham – and the home side will be keen to get off to a winning start.

England haven't won an Ashes series since 2015, but under Brendon McCullum and talismanic captain Ben Stokes the home side have become a batting force to be reckoned with. England have won 11 of their 13 opening Test matches since they adopted 'Bazball', but they're yet to face a bowling attack as potent as Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Can they build confidence here with an opening Test victory?

Australia could only manage a draw last time they visited Blighty for the Ashes in 2019, but they arrive in Birmingham as the newly crowned World Test champions. India, their opponents in the final at The Oval last week, started the last day needing nothing short of a miracle, but Australia's bowlers despatched them in a single session in which they only managed to score 70 runs. That gave Andrew McDonald's side the victory by 209 runs, with a performance that left no doubt over which team deserved to win. Can England bring them back down to earth at Edgbaston?

Read on to find out how you can watch every ball of the Ashes 1st Test with an England vs Australia live stream from wherever you are in the world.

Ashes 2023 First Test free live stream in Australia

The great news for cricket fans in Australia is that they can they can watch every Test of the 2023 Ashes – including the opener from Edgbaston – FREE on 9Now. It's free to sign up – all you need is an Aussie postcode (e.g. 2000).

The match is due to get underway at 8pm AEST on Friday, 16th June 2023. Nine’s Wide World of Sports will begin broadcasting from 7.30pm AEST.

Going to be outside Oz during the 2023 Ashes? Simply use a VPN to access 9Now from overseas, without being blocked. We recommend ExpressVPN as it comes with a 30-day, risk-free money-back guarantee.

Watch England vs Australia First Test live stream from overseas using a VPN

Most live sports coverage is location-sensitive. So, you won't be able to access your usual service when travelling away from home. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a small but powerful app that lets you select your preferred location and quickly unblock any 2023 Ashes First Test live stream – including those free options.

ExpressVPN is our pick of the best VPN services. It's affordable, fast and easy to use. Try it risk-free for 30 days and see for yourself.

How to use a VPN

Using a VPN is incredibly simple:

1. Install the VPN of your choice. ExpressVPN is the one we recommend.

2. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access. For the 1st Test between England and Australia, you may wish to choose 'Australia' for 9Now.

3. Then head over to 9Now on your browser or device and enjoy the free England vs Australia live stream.

If, for whatever reason, you can't get it working, do remember that you have the comfort of a 30-day money back guarantee with ExpressVPN. You could also try NordVPN, which also comes with a 30-day money back guarantee, and Surfshark which offers 24 hour assistance.

England vs Australia First Test live stream in the UK

Sky Sports has the rights to broadcast every ball of The Ashes 2023, starting with the 1st Test live from Birmingham.

Don't have Sky? Check out today's best Sky TV deals.

Don't forget: Aussies visiting the UK can watch the action free on 9now thanks to ExpressVPN.

England vs Australia First Test live stream in USA and Canada

Willow TV has the rights to air The Ashes in the States, including Friday's First Test, but there's plenty of options for those who want to see an England vs Australia live stream without cable.

Each game of the summer series is set to start at 6am ET / 3am PT.

You can stream Willow TV via Sling, the popular cable replacement service. It costs just $5 to add Willow TV to your Sling subscription for the first month ($10 a month after).

Don't have Sling? New users get 50 percent off their first month ...

England vs Australia First Test live stream in India

Sony Sports Network has the rights to broadcast the 2023 Ashes series in its entirety, including the 1st Test – England vs Australia – from Edgbaston.

That also means streaming service Sony Liv will be showing the action. You'll need a premium subscription to watch The Ashes live, which costs Rs 999 for a year, Rs 699 for six months, or Rs 299 per month. There's also a mobile-only plan that costs Rs 599 per year.

Play is set to begin at 3.30pm IST for all five Tests.

Sony Six LIV only available within India but you can access your account from anywhere using a VPN. We recommend ExpressVPN because it comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.