How to watch The Ashes: Australia vs England 1st Test live stream and channel guide
How to watch Australia vs England in the first Ashes test. The Ashes moves to a new channel for the winter test series Down Under. Here’s how to watch the cricket live on TV and online.
Australia vs England in The Ashes. The most iconic cricket series of all is back for the 2021/2022 series, as Joe Root’s team travel to the Southern Hemisphere for the latest instalment of the rivalry, which was first contested in 1877.
England go into the first test as underdogs for the first test at The Gabba and, indeed, the series as a whole. England fell to a humbling 4-1 series defeat on their last visit Down Under in 2017/2018, while a drawn series on English soil in 2019 meant the Aussies retained the urn and will defend it in this series.
The first test is often a tone setter in this series and it’s sure to have Brits staying up through the night in order to enjoy one of the most famous sporting events in the calendar.
Australia vs England start time
The first delivery will be bowled at midnight on Tuesday 7th December/Wednesday 8th December. The first test is being played at The Gabba, which is the colloquial name for the Brisbane Cricket Ground.
There’s likely to be a crowd of 42,000 on hand cheering on the Aussies. Covid restrictions make it unlikely the usually-well-traveled Barmy Army will be out in force for this series.
How to watch Australia vs England
BT Sport has the rights to The Ashes series, which might be a blow to those who’re used to watching the cricket via Sky Sports’ excellent coverage. Coverage of the series starts an hour before play gets underway on BT Sport 1. You can tune in from 11pm UK time for the build-up.
You’ll be able to watch live on television and via the BT Sport mobile and smart TV apps, as well as the BT Sport website.
If you don’t have a subscription through your TV provider, you can sign up for a no-strings monthly pass online. BT charges £25 a month to sign up and you can find all the details here. If you’re an existing BT Broadband customer, it’s easy to add BT Sport to your subscription. EE Mobile customers can add BT Sport for £20 a month.
Watch safely with a VPN
When you’re watching content online, it’s a good idea to boost your privacy by using a VPN to mask your IP address from would-be wrongdoers. You can read our guide to the best VPNs before streaming The Ashes games.