BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — It's the game before the games, the chatter for the Ashes.
And well-known former protagonists from Australia and England have started the verbal jousting that comes with one of the oldest sporting rivalries in the world.
Ex-Australia opening batter David Warner raised the level this week when he said the Australians were competing to win the Ashes, while England would be playing for a “moral victory” for its so-called Bazball approach to test cricket.
Warner predicted a 4-0 win for Australia — expecting the weather inevitably to play some part in a draw along the way — although suggested England could win one test if Australia skipper Pat Cummins is ruled out through injury.
Stuart Broad, a longtime pace spearhead for England, upped the ante by declaring Australia’s squad will be the worst to wear the baggy green since 2010-11.
“It’s probably the worst Australian team since 2010 when England last won, and it’s the best English team since 2010,” Broad told a BBC podcast. “It’s actually not an opinion, it’s fact.
“So those things match up to the fact it’s going to be a brilliant Ashes series.”
That assessment hit where it hurts for the Aussies, being the last series where Australia lost an Ashes match on home soil.
In fact, that was Australia's only Ashes series loss at home since it reclaimed the urn in England in 1989. And the home record since is 13 wins, two draws, no defeats in tests.
The Australians have held the Ashes since 2017, retaining the old urn with series wins at home and drawn series in England.
The 2025-26 five-test series starts Nov. 21 in Perth, Western Australia.
Broad, who was part of the squad that won here in 2010-11, and also the squads that lost here three times since, highlighted uncertainty over the composition of Australia's batting top-order, as well as the fitness concerns over Cummins as areas to exploit for England.
“When have we ever, since 2010, been discussing who is going to bat No. 1, 2, 3, 6, 8 and who is going to be the spare bowler for Australia?” Broad said. "You’re always go in there going: ‘well,the Aussies, they’re really strong. They’ve just got the same bowlers, the same team’.
In the 2010-11 series, Broad said, Australia was trying to replacing greats Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer, and didn't have a front-line spinner.
“They changed the seamers all the time, and they had a bit of a mixed match of batters," Broad said. "So I don’t think anyone could argue that it’s their weakest team since 2010.”
England's stocks have been lifted with the return of paceman Jofra Archer, the return to fitness of Mark Wood and Joe Root entering the series as the No. 1 test batter in the world, albeit having never posted a century in Australia.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
FILE - Australia's captain Pat Cummins walks of the field, bowled by West Indies' Alzarri Joseph, on day three of the third Test cricket match at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan, File)
COLOGNE, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 17, 2025--
TRU Simulation + Training Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, and an affiliate of Textron Aviation Inc. and Bell Textron Inc. today announced its Bell 525 Full Flight Simulator (FFS) located at the Bell Training Academy received Interim Level C qualification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Bell Textron Inc. has designed and will manufacture the Bell 525 helicopter. By achieving this milestone, pilots can earn more flight hours on the Bell 525 platform ahead of the rotorcraft’s expected FAA type certification.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251117520706/en/
“The accuracy and realism of our Flight Simulation Devices play a crucial role in ensuring that pilots can effectively translate their training into real-world scenarios,” said Jerry Messaris, vice president and general manager, TRU Simulation. “This qualification achievement ensures pilots can practice their skills in a controlled environment as the 525 program continues to progress.”
The simulator is outfitted with high-fidelity visual systems, realistic cockpit environments and advanced motion platforms, all of which combine to create a training experience that closely mirrors actual flight conditions. Designed to provide pilots with an immersive and highly realistic training experience, it accurately replicates the performance and handling characteristics of Bell's 525 helicopters. Utilizing cutting-edge technology, TRU Simulation ensures that pilots can sharpen their skills and enhance their readiness for real-world operations.
About TRU Simulation
TRU Simulation + Training Inc., a Textron Inc. company and an affiliate of Textron Aviation Inc. and Bell Textron Inc. is a leading provider of high-fidelity training devices and full-motion simulators for the aviation industry. With a strong commitment to excellence and innovation, TRU Simulation has been at the forefront of flight simulation technology for over a decade. Our customized simulator solutions empower pilots to navigate the skies confidently, while our state-of-the-art technology ensures safe and realistic training experiences. For more information, visit www.TRUSimulation.com.
About Bell
Thinking above and beyond is what we do. For more than 80 years, we’ve been reimagining the experience of flight – and where it can take us.
We are pioneers. We were the first to break the sound barrier and to certify a commercial helicopter. We were aboard NASA’s first lunar mission and brought advanced tiltrotor systems to market. Today, we’re defining the future of on-demand mobility.
Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas – as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., – we have strategic locations around the globe. And with nearly one quarter of our workforce having served, helping our military achieve their missions is a passion of ours.
Above all, our breakthrough innovations deliver exceptional experiences to our customers. Efficiently. Reliably. And always, with safety at the forefront.
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, and Textron Systems. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.
Certain statements in this press release may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
TRU Simulation’s Bell 525 Flight Simulator receives FAA Interim Level C qualification
