VIDEO SHOWS: AUSTRALIAN STAND-IN CRICKET CAPTAIN STEVE SMITH AND ENGLISH CRICKET CAPTAIN BEN STOKES HOLDING REPLICA ASHES URN TROPHY / SOUNDBITES FROM SMITH AND STOKES / AUSTRALIAN TEAM TRAINING RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: PERTH, AUSTRALIA (NOVEMBER 20, 2025) (AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION - Broadcast: No use Australia. Digital: No use Australia / .com.au internet sites / any internet site of any Australia based media organisations or mobile platforms / Australian NVO clients / smh.com.au / news.com.au) 1. VARIOUS OF AUSTRALIAN CRICKET STAND-IN CAPTAIN STEVE SMITH (LEFT) AND ENGLISH CRICKET CAPTAIN BEN STOKES (RIGHT) HOLDING ASHES URN REPLICA TROPHY AND POSING FOR MEDIA 2. VARIOUS OF TROPHY 3. SMITH AND STOKES POSING FOR MEDIA NEXT TO TROPHY 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLISH CRICKET CAPTAIN, BEN STOKES, SAYING: “The record of England over the history of Ashes series in Australia isn’t great. But you know we’ve got an opportunity here over the next two and a half months to sort of right our own history. We’ve obviously come here with a goal and that goal is to get on that plane, mid January, returning to England, being Ashes winners. But we know it’s going to be very, very tough. It’s going to be hard because beating Australia in Australia is not an easy thing.” 5. WHITE FLASH 6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLISH CRICKET CAPTAIN, BEN STOKES, SAYING: “It’s been a big buildup as always, every Ashes series is, whether it’s in England or Australia. But yeah it’s great, something that when you’re a kid you look at and go, ‘I’d love to be there one day’. So yeah, now we’re here on the day before, day one of what’s going to be a pretty tough and gruelling two and a half months. 7. WHITE FLASH 8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ENGLISH CRICKET CAPTAIN, BEN STOKES, SAYING: “Yeah there’s no doubt that we as players know how excited everyone is for this series. And we know we’ve got quite a few English fans coming over – the Balmy Army they go everywhere we go. But we know we’ve got a lot of people coming out here to support us. So definitely over the past couple of days, even when we got some time off, we try and get out and about, there’s a lot of English people here. So yeah, really looking forward to what kind of reception we’re going to get tomorrow.” 9. SMITH AND STOKES SHAKING HANDS ON FIELD 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN CRICKET STAND-IN CAPTAIN, STEVE SMITH, SAYING: "Yeah, injuries happen in sport, particularly in cricket with fast bowlers. You know they put a lot of stress through their bodies. So, yeah, unfortunate obviously that those two are out, but I think an exciting opportunity for Scotty and for Brendan Doggett, who is going to make his debut." 11. AUSTRALIAN CRICKETER TRAVIS HEAD BATTING AT PRACTICE 12. SMITH BATTING AT PRACTICE 13. AUSTRALIAN CRICKETER ALEX CAREY BATTING AT PRACTICE 14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN CRICKET STAND-IN CAPTAIN, STEVE SMITH, SAYING: “You know he’s (Jake Weatherald) been selected for his performances over the last 18 months in particular. He’s batted exceptionally well at the top of the order for Tasmania and hopefully he can bring that to the test arena. I’m really excited for him, he’s worked hard for a long period of time. I think he's going to complement Uzzy (Usman Khawaja) pretty well up top." 15. VARIOUS OF AUSTRALIAN CRICKETER JAKE WEATHERALD 16. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN CRICKET STAND-IN CAPTAIN, STEVE SMITH, SAYING: “I think he’s (Ben Stokes) done a terrific job with England over the last couple of years. You know the style they play suits them, led by him and Baz (Brendon McCullum) obviously. So look he’s done a great job and potentially someone that you don’t want to get too riled up. He’s had a few performances against us where’s he’s you know either taken the game away for us or from us or clawed it back. So you know he’s a quality performer whether its bat, ball or in the field, he’s always in the game and giving 110%. So hopefully we can keep him quiet this series.” 17. HEAD 18. SMITH 19. AUSTRALIAN CRICKET MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE 20. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN CRICKET STAND-IN CAPTAIN, STEVE SMITH, SAYING: "The ashes is the pinnacle, I suppose, for an Australian or an English cricketer. So, you know, we're super excited to get the series started. As we said before, the first three days are sold out, which is outstanding. I'm sure there's going to be plenty of viewers on TV, both here and back in England as well. So hopefully we can put on a really good show and entertain plenty of people." 21. AUSTRALIAN CRICKET TEAM AT TRAINING STORY: Opening batter Jake Weatherald and pace bowler Brendan Doggett will make their test debuts for Australia in the first Ashes test against England in Perth on Friday (November 21). Steve Smith, standing in as captain for the injured Pat Cummins, named the team in his eve-of-match press conference at Perth Stadium on Thursday (November 20), ending months of speculation about the opening partnership. Weatherald's inclusion to open the batting with Usman Khawaja combined with Cameron Green's recovery from injury meant no place in the team for seven-test all-rounder Beau Webster. Doggett will stand in for the injured Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland, as expected, replaces Cummins in a weakened pace attack that also features stalwart left-arm quick Mitchell Starc. England have not won a first Ashes test in Australia in nearly 40 years, nor beaten the hosts in Perth since 1978. But with Australia missing front-line quicks Cummins and Hazlewood, Ben Stokes’ side are eyeing a golden opportunity heading to strike the first blow in the five-test series. (Production: James Redmayne) (The article has been published through a syndicated feed. 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