Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has joked that battle lines will be drawn with the old enemy on Friday as the first Ashes Test gets underway against England in Perth.

The Prime Minister has been in Western Australia’s South West this week but was asked on Thursday about the hotly anticipated Test series and his thoughts on how it would unfold.

His answer was appropriately patriotic, expressing his hopes of England being whitewashed 5-0, extending Australia’s grip on the Ashes urn towards a decade.

“When battle lines are drawn on Friday, then I will certainly be hoping that it’s a 5-0 result in Australia’s (favour),” Albanese said.

“And I wish Steven Smith and all of the team all the very best.”

Smith will lead Australia in the first Test, with skipper Pat Cummins having bee

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