‘Not possible’ – Ashes conspiracy immediately rejected after images of first Test wicket emerge

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The Ashes conspiracy theories are already underway. The 2025 edition begins in the early hours of Friday morning UK time, with England looking to win back the urn for the first time since 2015. England cricket legend Darren Gough hits back at Ben Stokes after brutal dig ahead of the Ashes The 61,000 capacity Optus Stadium in Perth has the honour of staging the first Test. However, in the lead up to the curtain raiser, the state of the pitch has become a huge talking point. Vaughans notion dismissed Former England captain Michael Vaughan has speculated whether the wicket could be made more dry and thus become more conducive to spin in the hours leading up to the first Test. I just wonder if Australia will now attempt to make a dry track to make sure Lyon is hugely in the game, Vaughan said on X. And that would be a situation well suited to Australian spinner Nathan Lyon on a pitch that saw 17 wickets fall on the first day against India last year. Australia are pinning their hopes on Lyon with Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood both ruled out of the first Test through injury. But Perth Stadium curator Isaac McDonald has refuted Vaughan’s suggestions and has given his assurances that the pitch will have its usual pace and bounce rather than low and slow. “There has been absolutely no directives from anyone ever, which has been the case throughout cricket for a long time and, well forever. That just doesn’t happen,” McDonald said. “Low and slow? I think it’s just not possible. The West Test is pace and bounce, and that’s what we’re going to stick to.” While McDonald may have given his guarantees over the condition of the pitch, Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc claims that there is no real way of judging the pitch until the match begins. “We’ve had five different wickets here, as I said,” said Starc who recently admitted he would have preferred to have played the first Test in Brisbane. “We have had a flat wicket, a pretty slow, flat wicket against the West Indies one year. The first Test here was one where it cracked up and played a bit like the WACA used to. Last year, obviously, we saw the wickets on the first day and then it got pretty flat. 3 Vaughan has suggested the pitch could be cultivated to elevate the spin of Lyon 3 England are preparing for Fridays first Test at the Perth Stadium Credit: AFP “So you can look at trends and you can look at what’s happened, but in the end, you have got to play what’s in front of you and adapt to that.” Pitch challenges The Perth stadium has had its difficulties of late owing to wetter than usual spring weather in the region while other events including WWE’s Crown Jewel event and a Metallica concert have recently taken place there. However, McDonald revealed the wicket has been in place for the last month and is very much intact despite the recent events that have taken place. “Look, this forecast has been hit and miss. The temperatures have been varying by a few degrees here and there every day,” McDonald said. “So taking lessons learned from last year, we started our prep a day earlier and we are still sticking with our guns with pace and bounce, and really trusting ourselves to get our moisture and firmness right to present a really good, competitive cricket wicket. “You look historically at every Test through both venues here in the West and pace and bounce is a mainstay and that’s not going to change anytime soon.” 3 Ben Stokes will lead Englands charge in Fridays first Test Credit: Getty The Perth opener will be followed by a day-night Test at the Gabba in Brisbane. The Ashes then moves on to Adelaide Oval before the two side take to the pitch at the MCG in Melbourne on Boxing Day. The series concludes at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 4.,