With just a few hours until the phoney war stops and the cricket finally begins, England made their final preparations for the Ashes opener with Australia in Brisbane.
Joe Root’s team acclimatised to conditions at The Gabba, the Brisbane Stadium that hasn’t been at all kind to them down the years, with one final net session on Wednesday.
Captain Root and his Australian counterpart Steve Smith posed with a replica of the Ashes urn as England bid to retain the famous little trophy they won back in 2015.
Joe Root bats during England’s final nets session ahead of Thursday’s first Ashes Test
Alastair Cook gets in some batting practice in the nets at the Gabba in Brisbane on Wednesday
Root’s England side start as firm underdogs in the five-Test series but they remain confident
Fast bowler James Anderson returns the ball during fielding practice at the Gabba
Jake Ball has been selected as the fourth seamer in the England side ahead of Craig Overton
Captains Steve Smith and Joe Root pose with a replica of the famous Ashes urn
The first Test in Brisbane, which gets underway at midnight UK time on Wednesday night, is the first of five over the next two weeks.
The Ashes tour moves from Brisbane to Adelaide next week, before stopping off in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney in the most thrilling series in cricket.
Though England begin as underdogs, Root and his players looked in relaxed and confident mood as they fine-tuned their batting and bowling before the mass ranks of the media.
The teams for the opening Test were also confirmed on Wednesday, with Jake Ball included as the fourth England seamer ahead of his uncapped fellow bowler Craig Overton.
Opening batsman Alastair Cook shares a joke during England’s final nets session
Moeen Ali straps on some additional protection ahead of Wednesday’s net session
The view from the swimming pool at the Gabba as England train ahead of the opening Test
A final chance for the England coaches to issue instructions ahead of the series
Cook plays a shot during the net session in Brisbane as the Ashes countdown continues
It will be 26-year-old Ball’s fourth Test cap, but his first in an Ashes series, and marks the completion of his recovery from a sprained ankle suffered in England’s second warm-up match in Adelaide two weeks ago.
Though Ball did not feature at all in the third and final warm-up match in Townsville, he was declared fit for selection on Monday.
Ball joined James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes in England’s seam attack, with Moeen Ali, who has overcome a side strain in the build-up to the first Test, the one spinner selected.
James Vince padded up and ready to bat as England make their final preparations
Dawid Malan speaks with ECB Director and former Ashes winner Andrew Strauss
The Gabba will be packed to its 40,000-capacity for the eagerly-anticipated first Test
Jake Ball was confirmed in England’s team on Wednesday and will make his Ashes debut
Opening batsman Mark Stoneman gets in some practice ahead of the opening Test
England’s Chris Woakes and Jake Ball take a breather in the hot conditions of Brisbane
Joe Root walks back to the changing rooms after England’s last net session
Root then faced the media to offer his final thoughts before the series gets underway
Moeen is expected to be promoter to No 6 in the batting line-up in the absence of Ben Stokes, who remains at home awaiting news on whether he will be charged by the police for his involvement in a Bristol fracas back in September.
If Moeen is at six, Jonny Bairstow will stay at the traditional keeper’s spot of No7 where England believe he will be better shepherding the tail against the express pace of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins at the Gabba.
While England today named an expected team, Australia have problems ahead of the big day with both David Warner and Shaun March under an injury cloud and Glenn Maxwell called up as cover for both.