2 w. ago The Spin | The men’s Test cricket team of the year: from Travis Head to Jasprit Bumrah

Our selection panel’s votes have been counted to reveal the best men’s Test side from the last 12 monthsSharpen your pencils and swallow your marmalade on toast before you read on, everyone, it’s time for the Guardian’s annual men’s Test XI of the year (here’s the women’s team from last week). This year’s 13-person selection panel included Ali Martin, Vic Marks, Tim de Lisle, Adam Collins, Rob Smyth, Jonathan Liew, Tanya Aldred, Taha Hashim, Daniel Gallan, Emma John, Simon Burnton and James Wallace. Everyone taking part picked and submitted their own XI in the days after Australia’s victory in the third Ashes Test at Adelaide (statistics are from 1 January 2025 up to and including this match). When the votes were added up, Earth’s combined side to play Mars looked like this:Travis Head: 759 runs at an average of 42. Votes (out of 13): 10The E and the D in the end of England’s Ashes chances. The series took an early turn when Head volunteered to open the batting in the fourth innings...

Politics

2 w. ago Spin bowling on the back foot with pace dominating quickfire Ashes

Nathan Lyon has been the only specialist spinner on show with touring tweaker Shoaib Bashir sidelined by England Disappointment can be found in all corners of this Ashes series. England’s victory came too late. Australia may have secured the urn again but Glenn McGrath’s usual prediction didn’t hold. It’s been a serious letdown for the neutral, never mind that a 3-2 scoreline is still in the offing. This was meant to be the one where England had a shot, where the Sydney finale would actually have something on the line beyond World Test Championship points.Instead we’ve had 13 days of play out of 20, star quicks from both sides missing hefty chunks or all of it and stern-faced discussions about how much grass was left on the “G”. It’s fallen well short as a spectacle. Part of that lies in the absence of the slow stuff, a lack of high-quality spin ruining the show. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago England's win to cost Australia MILLIONS as repercussions of rapid Ashes victory emerge

England ended their long wait win for a Test victory on Australian soil as Ben Stokes' side wrapped up victory inside two days with thousands of fans in line for refunds

Economics

3 w. ago ‘Finally we’ve won one’: Stokes delighted by Ashes Test win but pitch was ‘not ideal’

England captain and Joe Root revel in rarest of victories‘Narrative that we haven’t won goes back to zero now’Ben Stokes shared a hug with Joe Root and spoke of an “awesome feeling” after watching his England side claw back some respectability on this failed Ashes tour with a rollercoaster two-day victory in Melbourne.Of the England squad, none had felt the pain of an 18-match winless streak more than the captain and his predecessor. Stokes had played in 13 Tests here without ever tasting a victory, while for Root the number was 17. With both men aged 34, this tour may well have been their last chance. Continue reading...

Economics

3 w. ago England hold nerve to break Ashes drought in Australia with Boxing Day Test victory

Fourth Test, day 2: Australia 152 & 132, lose to England, 110 & 178-6Tourists charge to four-wicket win inside two days at MCGStop press. Hold the back page. Drag out the dusty bunting and book three more nights in Noosa. England have won a Test in Australia for the first time in nearly 15 years, chasing down 175 runs in Melbourne to win by four wickets and ensure this Ashes series defeat will not end as an Ashes whitewash.Granted it was not a live victory, England simply dragging the scoreline back to 3-1 and doing so courtesy of a two-day heist on a pitch that made batting a lottery. But given the ordeal of this tour, and that grim run of 18 Tests without a victory on Australian soil, it was not insignificant either. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago England survive MCG mayhem to break Ashes drought in Australia with fourth Test victory

Fourth Test, day 2: Australia 152 & 132, lose to England, 110 & 178-6Tourists charge to four-wicket win inside two days at MCGStop press. Hold the back page. Drag out the dusty bunting and book three more nights in Noosa. England’s men have won a Test in Australia for the first time in nearly 15 years, chasing down 175 runs in Melbourne to win by four wickets and prevent an Ashes defeat from becoming a whitewash.Granted it was not a live victory, England merely dragging the scoreline back to 3-1 and doing so courtesy of a two-day heist on a pitch that made batting a lottery. But given the ordeal of this tour, and that grim run of 18 Tests without a win on Australian soil, it was not insignificant either. Though robbed of three days’ play, their supporters could finally crack a smile. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago England break Ashes drought in Australia with victory in Boxing Day Test – live reaction

England chase down 175-run target for four-wicket win Over-by-over updates from Melbourne Cricket GroundTravis Head walks out to bat with his opening partner Scott Boland. Imagine if you had predicted, on the first morning at Perth, that Australia would use four openers in the first four Tests – and that Usman Khawaja would not be among them.“Dear Rob,” writes Robert Wilson. “I’ve got skin in the game as I am trying to arrange an all-night viewing sesh for day (night) three in an unexpectedly swish Aussie backpacker hostel near Stalingrad (in Paris). Logistically, it’s quite a lot of ducks to get in a row and punters fagging all the way in from below-zero Versailles or somesuch only to catch four overs while nursing a lukewarm Newky Brown might have views. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago ‘RIP’: Australian media revels in ‘deeply lamented’ death of Bazball after Ashes woe

Local media gleefully homed in on English pre-series predictions after Australia retained the urn having played just 11 days of cricket The sports sections of Australia’s major mastheads were on Monday largely dedicated to ridiculing pre-series predictions of an England Ashes victory, and announcing the end of the tourists’ now-compromised attacking philosophy.“Bazball is dead”, asserted the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, quoting former Australian opener Simon Katich. The West Australian newspaper fully committed to the theme, mocking up a pronouncement of Bazball’s passing on ye olde parchment, “deeply lamented by Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, but basically no one else”. Continue reading...

Events

4 w. ago Ben Stokes makes England captaincy decision after brutal Ashes defeat

England captain Ben Stokes addressed the media after Australia secured victory in Adelaide to wrap up victory in their home Ashes series with two tests to spare

Politics

4 w. ago England lose Jamie Smith as Australia close in on Ashes victory

At lunch England were 309 for seven, with Will Jacks 38 not out from 120 balls and Brydon Carse in support.

Politics

4 w. ago England require Ashes miracle but avoid further humiliation as Australia on verge of victory

England were left on 207 for 6, needing a 228-run miracle on day five in Adelaide, while Australia require four more wickets to seal a 3-0 lead

Politics

4 w. ago Australia close on Ashes victory over England on day four of third Test – live reaction

Australia are four wickets away from retaining the urn after Nathan Lyon strikes late at Adelaide Oval68th over: Australia 276-4 (Head 142, Carey 57) Carse’s first ball is short and wide and thumped to the boundary by Carey. A diving stop by Smith saves any further blushes and that’s all Australia can milk from the over.67th over: Australia 272-4 (Head 142, Carey 53) Stokes has the ball. Hair swept back and regal. Running in to the strains of the Barmy Army’s Jerusalem. On the ball. Just one single from it. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Ben Duckett falls before lunch as Australia progress towards Ashes victory

The tourists were left chasing a world record 435 to avoid going 3-0 down in just 10 days of cricket.

Events