'How far cricket has fallen': Ugly Ashes moment divides fans

Australian openers David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were greeted with a chorus of boos and and chants of “cheats” in a hostile start to the Ashes series against England.

Warner and Bancroft - the two protagonists from the ‘sandpapergate’ scandal that rocked Australian cricket - faced a cauldron at Edgbaston after Aussie skipper Tim Paine won the toss and chose to bat in the first Test against England.

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Australia coach Justin Langer spoke before the match about the likely reception the Aussie's would receive from parochial England fans and backed the least experienced member of the banned trio, Cameron Bancroft, to cope with it.

"We know what the reception is going to be. There's nothing we can do about it. We don't know (how he will cope) actually, but we'll find out.

"He's (Bancroft) a good kid and as tough as anyone you could meet. To endure the scrutiny of the past 14 months, especially the first part of it, I think he's had a pretty good dress rehearsal."

The first real test for Bancroft and his opening partner Warner came when the pair trotted out to the middle together, with chants of “cheat” heard among the chorus of boos.

Although fully expected, cricket fans had differing views about the reception on social media.

Warner was roundly booed not long after taking the crease as England struck first blood.

The opener didn't even bother to review after being trapped in front LBW by Stuart Broad for just two runs.

However, the opener's decision was called into question when ball-tracking replays showed the delivery was missing the left-hander's leg stump.

Broad then removed Bancroft for eight after the Aussie edged one to the slips.

Once again, the crowd voiced their disapproval of the batsman as he made his way back to the pavilion.

Bancroft's departure paved the way for the third and final member of 'sandpapergate' Steve Smith to enter the fray.

Australia's horror start worsened when Usman Khawaja was on the wrong end of a successful DRS call from England after initially being given not out, despite appeals for caught behind.

Hot spot indicated that the Aussie batsman got the faintest of edges on a Chris Woakes delivery that Jonny Bairstow snaffled in the slips cauldon.

Paine’s decision to bat first an easy one

The Aussie skipper won the toss and immediately signalled Australia's intention to bat first.

Paine made mention of the "hard and dry" Edgbaston pitch and was confident his side's top order could benefit from the conditions.

Among the six changes the Aussies made to their starting XI were veteran quick Peter Siddle, who was given the nod ahead of regular opening bowling pair, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

"We just think he's a class performer here," Paine said about Siddle.

When quizzed about Starc and Hazlewood's omissions after the toss, Paine conceded it was "difficult to leave them out".

The captain did stress that both bowlers would play a role throughout the rest of the five-Test series.

Bancroft was confirmed as the man to open the batting alongside David Warner, while Matthew Wade's mountain of recent runs saw him named after Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith and Travis Head in Australia's batting order.

Australia hold the Ashes but have not won a Test series away to England since 2001.

Australia: David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Matthew Wade, Tim Paine (capt & wk), Pat Cummins, James Pattinson, Nathan Lyon, Peter Siddle.

England: Jason Roy, Rory Burns, Joe Root (capt), Joe Denly, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, 11 James Anderson