Two days to go.
England's opening match in Australia starts on the morning of Friday.
Drawing on analysis from CricViz, we look at where the most eagerly-anticipated Ashes series in years could be determined.
It's tough to make runs, isn't it?
Batsmen on both teams of the Ashes rivalry might be wondering why they are even planning to show up.
A lot of the pre-series discussion has focused on the perceived challenge of batting successfully, especially for the opening match on a Perth pitch described as a "green monster".
Regarding playing in Australian conditions, particularly against fast bowling, no country has been more difficult in which to score runs over the last five years.
There are two reasons for this: pitches and balls.
Taken as a collective, the surfaces prepared in Australia have been shown to be the quickest, most bouncy and among the most inconsistent in the world.
Speed and inconsistent bounce are the ideal combination for tough batting.
A long-standing narrative from English cricket paints the Kookaburra ball used in this country as a ineffective weapon for a fast bowler.
A new version of the Kookaburra was introduced six years ago, leading to more seam movement.
Seam bowling is a much bigger weapon than swing in Australian conditions.
After the new ball's introduction, pace bowlers are conceding 25 runs per wicket in Australia.
Test cricket is about solving problems.
When the ball is on top, performances of batters can be the difference, and vice-versa.
If this Ashes be dominated by the ball, a batter could have the chance to be the difference between the two teams.
What's going on with the Australia seamers?
For once, England have arrived in Australia with their fast-bowling unit mostly fit, while the home side are the ones affected by fitness issues.
Skipper Pat Cummins will miss at least the opening match with a back issue, and Josh Hazlewood is on the sidelines for an unknown period because of a hamstring injury.
Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc were first united as a three-pronged attack for the 2017-18 series.
From that point, they have combined to claim 81% of the dismissals taken by Australia pace bowlers in home Tests.
Australia have rarely had to look elsewhere because of the effectiveness and durability of the 'leading trio'.
On the occasions Australia have required support, Scott Boland has been sensational, taking 62 wickets in 14 Tests at an average below 17.
In addition to Boland, other bowlers of the backup squad have performed well.
Neser, Jhye Richardson and James Pattinson all average under 30 in home Tests.
The last time Australia went into a home match without both key bowlers, and were defeated, was in 2012.
The past two times they have played at home without the pair, they have triumphed by a combined 694 runs, featuring a victory against England in the Adelaide Test four years ago.
In infrequent cases Australia have had to look beyond their star fast bowlers, results have not been affected – The tourists should take heed.
Challenging Openings
Recall the time England struggled to identify an opening batsman to partner Alastair Cook?
Cook went through partners faster than Watford change coaches.
No more.
Ever since Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley were united at the England opening slot at the end of 2022, no opening pair in the world has produced more runs together.
The pair's effectiveness as a combination has been a factor in Zak Crawley being backed through some inconsistent times.
The Kent man, who famously struck the first ball of the last Ashes series for a boundary, has also been recognized as having the game for Australia.
His batting average rises when the bowling gets faster.
In comparison, the Australian opening lineup is in a ongoing change, yet to fill the gap left by David Warner.
After Warner's departure at the start of 2024, Usman Khawaja has walked out with five various openers in 15 Tests.
Yet to debut Jake Weatherald looks set to become the sixth in 16 Tests on the opening day, giving Australia an all-left-handed opening combo.
It is not just the opening pair that has posed issues for Australia.
Marnus Labuschagne, Australia's regular number three, was shifted to open for the WTC final, then left out completely.
Domestic form has brought him back, probably returning to number three.
Across seven matches in the current year, the Australian top order have a combined average of 25.37.
Only the top threes of Zimbabwe and West Indies have done worse.
Spin war
For two so evenly-matched teams, there is one area where Australia are unquestionably superior – spin.
Nathan Lyon of Australia, with 562 Test wickets of him, is one of the finest finger-spin bowlers to ever play.
Shoaib Bashir of England is a somewhat successful gamble, looking short of form after a broken finger, while Will Jacks is mainly a batsman.
It makes sense for the home team to want Nathan Lyon at the forefront, but bowling spin has been incredibly hard work in Australia for the past 10 years.
During that period, spinners have averaged nearly 44 in this country, albeit Lyon's statistics holds up well compared to the struggles of visiting tweakers.
Another challenge for Lyon is actually bowling enough overs.
Recall the potency of pace bowling?
It limits Lyon's time with the ball.
During the 2017-18 series here, Lyon was averaging 50 overs per Test.
Last year, in five Tests against India, it was only half as many.
Test matches in Australia are 25% shorter since the new Kookaburra was introduced, meaning Lyon has fewer opportunities to make an impact.
Favorable Conditions?
The English team have a depressing habit of being beaten in an away Ashes before Santa Claus has loaded his sleigh.
The series traditionally started in Brisbane, where they have failed to win since 1986.
Recently, that has been followed by a floodlit Test in Adelaide.
England have one win in seven day-night matches worldwide, while Australia have won 13 out of 14.
Then comes Perth, a city England have played at 14 times since 1970 and won only one time, against a weakened Australia in 1978.
On this tour, the first three stops on the itinerary are the same, only in a different order and under altered conditions.
Perth hosts an series opener for the first time, not at the fabled Waca – scene of many an England humbling – but the shiny new Perth Stadium.
It remains a difficult task, though one the tourists approach with no past burdens.
Brisbane is the venue for the second match, the day-nighter.
The most recent occasion Australia competed in a day-night Test at the Gabba, they were surprised by West Indies.
Likewise, the Aussies are now not used to playing day matches at the usual day-night venue Adelaide Oval.
In the two red-ball matches played in the Adelaide since 2014, Australia lost one, to India, in 2018.
The revised fixture list gives England a fresh attempt at starting an away Ashes well, though with risks.
Australia have won four out of five matches played at Perth Stadium, though the one defeat came in the most recent match – against India the previous year.
Every Test at the new ground has been claimed by the team batting first.
The English often complicate day-night matches, when statistics suggest the pink cricket ball does not perform much differently from its red counterpart.
The challenge in {day-night matches|
