The Ashes live stream: How to watch England vs Australia 1st Test free online today
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With England thriving under the leadership of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum you’ll want to watch the Ashes 2023 live streams to see if the home side can get off to the perfect start in the first Test against Australia. Will England's 'Bazball' philosophy leave the Aussies on a sticky wicket? We're about to find out – the 1st Test starts at 6am ET today. The weather is a sunny 73°F.
Read on and we'll show you how to watch The Ashes 2023 from anywhere with a VPN, and potentially for FREE.
The Ashes live stream: 1st Test TV schedule
Date: Friday (June 16) – Tuesday (June 20)
Time: 11 a.m. BST / 8 p.m. ACT / 3.30 p.m IST / 6 a.m EST / 3 a.m. PST
► Australia — 9Now (FREE)
► U.S. — Willow TV / Sling
► U.K. — Sky / Now
► India — Sony Liv
► Watch anywhere — try ExpressVPN 100% risk free
It’s been 17 months since England’s disastrous tour of Australia when they failed to win a single match. But on the eve of the Ashes 2023, there is renewed hope thanks in large to a massive overhaul that has led to a change in mindset, mood and results. Since Brendon McCullum became Test coach and Ben Stokes was appointed captain, England have won 11 of 13 Tests, playing an ultra-aggressive brand of cricket that has been dubbed 'Bazball.'
Hugely exciting to watch, England secured a 3-0 win in Pakistan, became the first team to score 500 on the opening day of a Test and struck 22 centuries in 2022. Confidence is high, but Australia present a serious challenge. Led by aggressive fast bowler Pat Cummins, the Baggy Greens recently won the World Test Championship final with a crushing victory over India and are now the No. 1 Test nation in the world.
Boasting a formidable attack of Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon, Australia’s bowlers will be confident of thwarting an aggressive England batting line-up. The visitors can also rely on a remarkable middle order, with Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith providing a solid base thanks to their patience and ability to amass a huge amount of runs, while Travis Head love to be aggressive and recently fired a 106-ball century against India.
Who will secure the famous urn? Here's how to watch every ball of the Ashes first test online as England vs Australia gets underway in Birmingham, England, today.
Free Ashes 2023 1st Test live stream
FREE Ashes 2023 live stream
Ashes fans in Australia can watch all five Tests for FREE on Channel 9 and the 9Now streaming service, which is compatible with most smart devices.
But what if you're based in Australia but aren't at home to catch The Ashes live stream? Maybe you're on holiday and don't want to spend money on pay TV in another country, when you'd usually be able to watch for free at home?
Don't worry — you can watch it via a VPN instead. We'll show you how to do that below.
The Ashes 2023 live streams around the world
How to watch Ashes 2023 1st Test live streams from anywhere
It's only natural that you might want to watch a free Ashes live stream from your home country, but what if you're travelling overseas when the cricket is on?
Look no further than a VPN, or virtual private network. A VPN makes it look as if you're surfing the web from your home country, rather than the one you're in. That means you can access the streaming services you already pay for, from anywhere on Earth. Or anywhere that has an internet connection, at least.
They're totally legal, inexpensive and easy to use. We've tested lots of the best VPN services and our favorite right now is ExpressVPN. It's fast, works on loads of devices and even offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Safety, speed and simplicity combine to make ExpressVPN our favorite VPN service. It's also compatible with loads of devices and there's a 30-day money-back guarantee if you want to try it out.View Deal
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Download and install a VPN - as we say, our top choice is ExpressVPN.
2. Connect to the appropriate server location - open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate location, eg: 'Australia' for 9Now.
3. Go to the broadcaster's stream - head to your home broadcaster's site or app and watch as if you were at home - 9Now for Aussies abroad.
How to watch Ashes 2023 1st Test live streams in the UK
The 2023 Ashes are being shown on Sky Sports and its dedicated Sky Sports Cricket channel in the UK. All five Tests are scheduled to start at 11am BST.
Sky Sports subscribers can watch the cricket on the go on mobile devices via the Sky Go streaming service, which has dedicated apps for iOS, iPadOS and Android devices, along with Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
If you want to sign up, you can check out our dedicated guide to Sky TV deals and packages for today's best prices.
Don't fancy being locked into a long, expensive contract? Consider the more flexible streaming option, Now, (formerly Now TV).
To access your usual streaming service from outside the UK, you'll need to download a good VPN, as detailed above.
How to watch Ashes 2023 first Test live streams in Australia
The great news for cricket fans in Australia is that they can they can watch every Test of the 2023 Ashes for FREE on Channel 9.
That also means viewers Down Under can watch all of the action online for free via the 9Now streaming service, which is compatible with most smart devices.
Going to be outside Oz during the 2023 Ashes? Simply use a VPN to access 9Now from overseas, without being blocked. We recommend ExpressVPN as it comes with a 30-day, risk-free money-back guarantee.
How to watch Ashes 2023 first Test live streams in the US
Dedicated cricket streaming service Willow TV is showing the 2023 Ashes series in full in the US and Canada, with each game scheduled to start at 6am ET / 3am PT.
Willow TV is available from a number of cable providers including Dish, Spectrum, Xfinity, Verizon Fios and more.
Not got cable? No worries, as Willow TV is also accessible via OTT provider Sling TV across a range of devices. There are options to pay just for Willow (from $5 a month), or add it to your existing Sling plan. You can check out your options and sign up on its website.
How to watch Ashes 2023 first Test live streams in New Zealand
Spark Sport is showing the first two Tests of the 2023 Ashes in New Zealand. Spark Sport is a subscription service, but because it's set to close down on June 30, its Ashes coverage will be FREE.
Spark Sport is available via web browsers on your PC or Mac, plus Apple and Android mobile devices, Chromecast, Apple TV, selected Samsung, Sony, Panasonic and LG TVs, and select Freeview streamers.
At the time of writing, it isn't clear where cricket fans will be able to watch the remaining Tests, but Sky Sport and free-to-air TVNZ are both believed to be in the frame.
How to watch Ashes 2023 first Test live streams in India
In India, Sony Sports Network has the rights to broadcast the 2023 Ashes series, with play set to begin at 3.30pm IST for all five Tests.
If you'd prefer to watch on an app or website, Sony Liv will be streaming the action. You'll need a premium subscription to watch The Ashes live, which costs Rs 999 for a year, Rs 699 for six months, or Rs 299 per month. There's also a mobile-only plan that costs Rs 599 per year.
Anyone outside of India who wants to watch their home cricket coverage can just pick up a good VPN and follow the instructions above to safely live stream the action.
England 2023 Ashes first Test squad
Ben Stokes (captain),
Moeen Ali
James Anderson
Jonny Bairstow
Stuart Broad
Harry Brook
Zak Crawley
Ben Duckett
Dan Lawrence
Ollie Pope
Matthew Potts
Ollie Robinson
Joe Root
Josh Tongue
Chris Woakes
Mark Wood
Australia 2023 Ashes first Test squad
Pat Cummins (captain)
Scott Boland
Alex Carey
Cameron Green
Marcus Harris
Josh Hazlewood
Travis Head
Josh Inglis
Usman Khawaja
Marnus Labuschagne
Nathan Lyon
Mitchell Marsh
Todd Murphy
Matthew Renshaw
Steve Smith (vice-captain)
Mitchell Starc
David Warner
The Ashes 2023: Full schedule
The Ashes 2023: Full schedule
First Test (Edgbaston)
Friday June 16 - Tuesday June 20 (6 a.m. ET / 11 a.m. BST start)
Second Test (Lord's)
Wednesday June 28 - Sunday July 2 (6 a.m. ET / 11 a.m. BST start)
Third Test (Clean Slate Headingley)
Thursday July 6 - Monday July 10 (6 a.m. ET / 11 a.m. BST start)
Fourth Test (Emirates Old Trafford)
Wednesday July 19 - Sunday July 23 (6 a.m. ET / 11 a.m. BST start)
Fifth Test (The Kia Oval)
Thursday July 27 - Monday July 31 (6 a.m. ET / 11 a.m. BST start)
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