[VIDEO] Ashes: England vs Australia first Test highlights - Day 1 cricket live scores, blog

It’s the start of a series that the world of Test cricket fans have been waiting for with bated breath as England host Australia in the first Ashes Test from Wednesday. You can follow live scores and a blog of the first day of this game from 8:00pm (AEST).

Since losing the Test series against Pakistan in UAE last year, Australia have been on a roll in all formats. South Africa were brushed away in ODIs, India were beaten 2-0, a tri-series was easily won, the fifth World Cup title was claimed, and despite signs of rust, West Indies were steamrolled in two Tests.

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They enter the Ashes as favourites and showed why they will be difficult opponents when they cruised past both Kent and Essex in their warm-up games.

Ryan Harris’ retirement could have evened things up slightly according to some experts, but it will be interesting to see whether the grass on the Cardiff pitch nullifies that to any extent. Of course, a lot could also depend on whether the curator decides to let that green remain or if he gives it a snip going into the first day of this much-awaited Test.

If Michael Clarke’s pre-match conference is to be believed, we could be looking at Australia going in with a four-pronged seam bowling attack with either Mitchell Marsh or Shane Watson to act as the fifth, change bowler.

Apart from slow over-rates, this could also be an interesting move because the team winning the toss will most likely to field first and hence will be batting fourth in the Test. They might not need that extra spinner.

From an Aussie perspective, if that were to be the case, they will rely on Steven Smith and Adam Voges to fill in with some overs while more vitally, Peter Siddle could get a chance to make the XI after being out for some time. Clarke also implied Siddle had been difficult to face in the nets.

The hosts England have seen a major upheaval since the previous Ashes defeat, but that’s what 5-0 routs to your most bitter rivals end up doing. Kevin Pietersen and ECB proved to be just ingredients in what became a major crisis over the past 18 months or so.

It has also seen England lose two coaches, Andy Flower and Peter Moores and the appointment of Trevor Bayliss as a replacement. This will be Bayliss’ first job as England coach and it couldn’t have been a tougher assignment.

England’s 13 consists of fast bowler Steven Finn and leggie Adil Rashid. While there were talks of the management looking to unleash the attacking option in Rashid for this game, the pitch conditions will come into consideration. It could make more sense for them to play the extra seamer too, and feature Moeen Ali as the spinning option to ensure control on such a surface.

Mark Wood had a decent series against New Zealand and should retain his spot as the third seamer behind Jams Anderson and Stuart Broad while Ben Stokes’ aggressive abilities with both, the bat and the ball, should edge out Finn from the line-up.

Follow the live scores and blog of the first day of this England vs Australia Ashes Test match from 8:00pm (AEST) on Wednesday and post your comments ​in the section ​below.