Ashes foes face off at Festival of Cricket

A big week in Western Australian cricket gets underway long before the first ball of the Magellan Ashes third Test, with the 2017 Festival of Cricket in Perth on Tuesday.

This year's event will have a distinctly Ashes feel to it, with Glenn McGrath turning out for his second appearance at the Festival to take the new ball against former England captain Michael Vaughan.

Vaughan was at the non-striker's end when McGrath claimed his 500th Test wicket at Lord's in the 2005 Ashes, and soon became victim 502 as Pidgeon ran riot again at the Home of Cricket in the famous series.

And the Australian legend has given the former England captain plenty of trouble over the years – six dismissals in seven Tests attest to that, and only Sri Lanka spinner Muthiah Muralidaran has dismissed Vaughan more.

With anticipation high to see legends of the game in action once more, the match will be streamed live on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app for free.

The Festival of Cricket has fast become one of Western Australia's most anticipated annual cricket events and another huge crowd is expected for this year's event, with limited tickets remaining for the clash at the Aquinas College Ground in Perth.

McGrath will be joined in the Australia Legends team by pace bowling colleague Michael Kasprowicz and Simon Katich, also veterans of that famous 2005 series.

Vaughan will be joined in the All Stars team by a host of past England Tests stars, as well as former England coach Andy Flower.

Former Australia Test players and current NSW Blues squad members Ed Cowan and Trent Copland will line up for the Aussies, while local hero Adam Voges will be looking to fine tune for another tilt at the Big Bash with the Perth Scorchers when he strides to the crease.

Previous events have been highlights of the cricket calendar – the previous four events have all been sold out – and featured the likes of home-town hero Adam Gilchrist.

"The Festival of Cricket presents the public and corporates with a unique opportunity to not only watch a high-quality T20 match in a relaxed, social environment, but also to mix and mingle with many current and past greats of the game," Gilchrist has previously said of the event.

This year's event is held at a new venue, the University of Western Australia Sports Park in Mt Claremont, with the T20 match starting at 2.30pm WST.

Australia Legends XI: Travis Birt, Michael Kasprowicz, Adam Voges, Trent Copeland, Glenn McGrath, Ed Cowan, Mark Cosgrove, Simon Katich, Matthew Pavlich. Two TBC

All Stars XI: Michael Vaughan, Gladstone Small, Andy Flower, Adam Hollioake, Jon Lewis, Peter Such, Bruce French, Alan Mullally, James Allenby. Two TBC

The Festival of Cricket will be live streamed on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app for free. Tickets are available from $30 for adults and $20 for children, and can be purchased here.