Ashes foes face unknown on Cardiff pitch

CARDIFF: England host Australia in the first Ashes test starting on Wednesday without any of the obvious benefits of home advantage in a new venue with a relaid outfield.

Cardiff was controversially awarded the first test of the series with the traditional venues of Trent Bridge in Nottingham and Old Trafford in Manchester missing out. It will be the first test match staged in Wales.

England's Andrew Strauss, captaining for the first time in an Ashes series, told reporters after his team's warmup match against Warwickshire that his players were "walking into the unknown".