English legend Michael Vaughan has declared The West Australian his “new favourite paper” and says this newspaper’s viral coverage has helped put a rocket under the blockbuster Ashes series.

The West has made waves in recent weeks, particularly amongst the Barmy Army, for its front and back pages that have taken aim at the tourists since they touched down in Perth.

However, the former England captain was all for it and said it was helping build the hype ahead of the first ball at Perth Stadium on Friday.

Don’t miss your FREE 56-page glossy Ashes series guide magazine in Friday’s The West Australian

“I reckon it’s fantastic, it’s all a bit of fun, isn’t it?” he told The West Australian.

“We went through the front pages one by one and had a bit of a laugh.”

Earlier, Vaughan sat down wi

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