We're barmy about Ben!

Stokes stars in sizzling Ashes start

- BY GEOFF MAYNARD

IT certainly beats enduring the freezing temperatures back home.

As most of us were keeping warm beneath our thick duvets, thousands of others were lapping it up in the sun in Perth, Western Australia, yesterday.

The city’s Optus Stadium was taken over by the raucous, travelling Barmy Army of England cricket fans.

And they seemingly took up almost half of the 51,531 capacity stadium for the sunny start to what is expected to be a highly entertaining Ashes series.