1st day, 23:28 pm
Day 1 comes to an end.
Day's play over. England finish the first day at 343 for 7.
Moeen Ali not out at 26, Stuart Broad on 0
1st day, 23:15 pm
JC Buttler is out at 27. He had survived a huge LBW appeal barely a delivery before. But then offered a simple catch to MItchell Johnson at mid on.
C Johnson B Hazelwood
1st day, 9:00 pm
OUT!!
Gary Ballance was out LBW for a 149-ball 61 with eight boundaries. Root and Ballance added 153 for the fourth wicket.
Big appeal!
Australia almost get their man as they appeal against Joe Root for a lbw. The umpire gives it a not-out but Australia opt for the review, and it suggests that Root played the delivery on his front foot, and also the ball had pitched outside leg. So, a good decision by the umpire. England are 139-3, with Root on 68 and Ballance on 41.
1st day, 6:45pm
England on-course for comeback!
England have recovered after the early loss of wickets, with Joe Root going steady on 46 and Gary Ballance on 38. The pair have put on a 70 run partnership for the 4th wicket.
1st day, 6:22pm
Second session starts!
Lunch is over and the second session has begun. England look okay after the loss of 3 early wickets. Joe Root has been aggressive since he's come on, scoring 36 in 27 deliveries. Meanwhile, Gary Ballance is providing him with all the support, he's on 30 off 63 deliveries. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood continue their spell.
1st day, 5:50pm
Lunch time!
Its lunch and England are 88-3 after 23 overs. Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon have picked one wicket each.
1st day, 5:34pm
Root's putting on a show!
Joe Root has taken it to the Aussie bowling attack, scoring 36 off 26 deliveries. England going steady at 80-3, after the fall of 3 early wickets.
1st day, 4:59pm
OUT!!
What a delivery! Starc gets Bell lbw with a wonderful inswinging delivery. England in big trouble, 43-3.
1st day, 4:52pm
OUT!!
Nathan Lyon gets his man! Alastair Cook tries to knick the ball to thrid-man, but could'nt get it past Brad Haddin who took a great reflex catch. England struggling at 42-2.
1st day, 4:45pm
Spinner Nathan Lyon has been bought into the attack by Australia. England are holding steady at the moment at 42-1, with Cook on 20 and Ballance on 16.
England are now slowly tyring to recover from the loss of Lyth's wicket. Captain Cook seems to have no problem against the pace of the Aussie bowlers, but Ballance looks to be struggling against Johnson's pace and swing. England are 29-1 after 8 overs.
OUT!!
Adam Lyth falls to a peach of a delivery by Josh Hazlewood. Lyth knicked the ball to Micheal Clarke who caught him out at 3rd slip. England are 7-1, with Alastair Cook and Gary Ballance now at the crease.
Its Alastair Cook and Adam Lyth opening for England, while Mitchell Starc is to open the bowling for the Aussies.
The national anthems are done and the umpires have come out!
England have won the toss and Alastair Cook has elected to bat first.
Welcome to the LIVE coverage of the first Ashes test match between England and Australia. The match starts at 3.30pm IST.
The 2015 Ashes series between England and Australia is about to start, with the first test taking place at Cardiff's Sophia Gardens from 8-12 July. England will be looking to avenge the 5-0 whitewash they suffered down under in the last Ashes series, while the Aussies will be hoping to taste victory on English soil for the first time in 14 years.
If you had asked back in March about England's chances, you would not have found many people willing to back Alistair Cook's men. After suffering a humiliating 5-0 whitewash in the 2013-14 Ashes series, England's woeful test form carried over into their ODI side, being knocked out of the Cricket World Cup at the group stages. Adding into that Kevin Pietersen's messy exit from the side and the controversial dropping of Cook as one day captain, England's cricket team appeared at an all time low.
Despite being the current holders of the urn, there has also been criticism in some quarters against Australia's ageing squad. Former Aussie fast bowler Jason Gillespie referred to Michael Clarke's men as "Dad's army", due to the presence of 37-year-old duo Chris Rogers and Brad Haddin.
There are some tired bodies in there. Normally an Ashes series represents an opportunity, however for the veterans to rouse themselves for one last hurrah. And that may well be the case, especially for Brad Haddin who has had some great results here with the bat.
Meanwhile, Twitter has been abuzz with talk about the match.
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