Cricket in Perth ain’t what it used to be. The Ashes opener is the first Test match against England to be held at the 62,000-seater Optus Stadium, as opposed to the beloved old “Waca”.

The old ground was only partially developed, and the most vociferous Australia fans had been sitting on “The Hill” and offering their own brand of hospitality to England fielders there since the 1970s.

Bosses at the Optus have tried to recreate some of that atmosphere by sacrificing a couple of hundred grey plastic seats for a small “West Test Hill” section inside the new ground – but the Aussies fans won’t need grass under their feet to let England know what they think of them.

“Fielding on the boundary, you’re isolated, you’re on your own and the Australian crowd are like a pack of wolves. It’s not bant

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