Ashes LIVE: England suffer against Australia as Mitchell Starc sends clear message
# Ashes LIVE: England Struggle Against Australia as Mitchell Starc Delivers Bold Performance
## England faces a tough challenge from Australia in the first Ashes test
Express Sport reports on the latest developments from Australia prior to the opening Ashes test match, where England is contending with a formidable Australian team led by Mitchell Starc. Starc has impressed with his early bowling, raising concerns for the English side, particularly regarding their captain Joe Root.
In the initial stages of the match, Starc's skill was on full display, leading former England captain Michael Vaughan to comment, "Starc is bowling beautifully. It's just gone across Joe Root, there was a bit of nip. England's best player has to go." This statement underscores the difficulty England faces as they try to establish themselves in the series.
The current betting landscape reflects a lack of confidence in the English team, with insights from Freeth revealing that "Our Ashes ante-post book which has been open since the Oval in 2023, shows the hosts maintaining their dominance at home with 88% of stakes being placed on Australia to win the series outright compared to just 10% on England." This stark disparity highlights the prevailing sentiment among cricket fans and analysts regarding the series outcome.
As the tension builds for this iconic cricket rivalry, all eyes remain on Australia's performance, and Starc's impactful bowling.