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The first ball of the Ashes is just hours away and cricket fans are already lining up in Perth.
Optus Stadium chief executive Mike McKenna said he was expecting a record-breaking crowd over the weekend.
Steve Smith looks on in the nets ahead of the first Ashes Test.Credit: Getty Images
“This crowd should get to somewhere around 180,000 to 190,000 if we get a good four days of cricket,” he said.
“It’s very exciting, it’s a huge event. No matter where you go around the country, an Ashes Test match draws the biggest crowd so it’s not surprising that this is our biggest crowd, probably for an event in WA’s history.
“It will be a great atmosphere every day and we can’t wait.”
The build-up has been massive, with the whole country behind the event, McKenna said.
Australia’s acting captain Steve Smith said the Ashes were the “pinnacle for an Australian or an English cricketer”.
“There’s going to be plenty of viewers on TV, both here and back in England as well,” he said.
“So hopefully we can put on a really good show and entertain plenty of people.”
Opener Jake Weatherald will join paceman Brendan Doggett in debuting for Australia when the first Test starts.
And wiped 4-0 the last time they travelled to Australia, England are a vastly different prospect to the burnt-out team that arrived four years ago towards the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
England captain Ben Stokes is confident his team will not be daunted by playing in Australia.
“They’ve all proven themselves on the biggest stage, that they can win games of cricket for England,” Stokes said.
“They can change a game in the blink of an eye.”
