England face Australia in the first Test of the five-match Ashes series starting at Edgbaston on Friday. Australia are aiming to retain the urn, while England hope to win the Ashes for the first time since 2015.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
AFP Sport looks at three key battles that will help decide the series.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Broad v Warner<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n As two of the most outspoken and combative players in recent Ashes history, England pace bowler Stuart Broad and Australia opener David Warner will be at the centre of the drama.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Broad taunted Australia in the build-up to the series by saying he regarded England's 4-0 defeat "Down Under" in 2021\/22 as a "void series" because of the strict coronavirus restrictions in place for his team.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The 36-year-old, with 582 Test wickets, remains one of England's key bowlers and will expect to back up his fighting talk with match-winning deeds.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Broad has dismissed Warner 14 times in 26 Tests, but the pugnacious batsman is desperate to end his poor form by frustrating England's Ashes ambitions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Like Broad, Warner is no stranger to Ashes controversy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n In 2013, he punched England's Joe Root in the face in a Birmingham bar, later describing his behaviour as "inexcusable".<\/p>\r\n\r\n Warner, 36, was handed a year-long ban in 2018 for his role in a ball-tampering scandal related to a Test against South Africa but he has rebuilt his career and now has 25 Test centuries to his name.<\/p>\r\n\r\n However, he goes into the series with just one hundred in his past 34 Test innings as he prepares to lock horns with the bowler he regards as a "world-class competitor".<\/p>\r\n\r\n Broad relishes the "great battle" with Warner just as much, admitting: "I've had to work really hard to expose any kind of chink in his armour because he's been so dangerous."<\/p>\r\n\r\n Australia ready for 'Bazball'?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n After 11 victories in their past 13 Tests, England will be confident their aggressive "Bazball" game plan can end Australia's reign as Ashes holders.<\/p>\r\n\r\n England have been revitalised since Test captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum demanded their side bat with a fearless, fast-scoring approach.<\/p>\r\n\r\n But Australia will not be easily intimidated after warming up for the Ashes by beating India convincingly in last week's World Test Championship final on English soil at The Oval.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The visitors possess a quality pace attack featuring skipper Pat Cummins, veteran Mitchell Starc and late bloomer Scott Boland, who tormented England with six wickets in 21 balls in the Melbourne Test in 2021.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Cummins's battle-hardened side believe they have the weapons to subdue the England barrage.<\/p>\r\n\r\n "I said it initially when Bazball started that I'm intrigued to see how it goes against our bowlers," said Australia batting star Steve Smith.<\/p>\r\n\r\n "They've obviously done well against some other attacks, but they haven't come up against us yet. So we'll see."<\/p>\r\n\r\n Spin can turn the tide<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n Thirty years after Shane Warne's "ball of the century" set the tone for a further decade of Australian Ashes dominance, spin bowling remains a vital component for the tourists.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Off-spinner Nathan Lyon sits eighth on the list of all-time Test wicket takers with 487 dismissals.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The 35-year-old took five wickets in Australia's WTC final victory against India.<\/p>\r\n\r\n While Lyon gives Australia an impressive slow-bowling option, England's spin department has been thrown into disarray by Jack Leach's injury.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Leach will miss the Ashes after suffering a lower-back stress fracture during the recent Test win against Ireland.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Despite retiring from Test cricket in 2021, Moeen Ali was hand-picked by England captain Ben Stokes to replace Leach.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The 35-year-old, who has an underwhelming record against Australia, took 195 Test wickets before opting to focus on the shorter forms of the game.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Persuading Moeen to return to the cauldron of the Ashes is a bold gamble by Stokes, who ignored the claims of youngsters Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks.<\/p>\r\n\r\n