68 h. ago Former England players criticise Ben Stokes’ captaincy and Bazball ‘cult’ after Ashes thrashing by Australia

England arrived in Perth in November with big ambitions of a rare Ashes win on Australian soil but were outplayed for most of the five Test matches and leave empty handed

Sport

2 d. ago England’s Ashes player ratings: Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope flop in 4

England toiled to another Ashes humiliation at the hands of Australia

Sport

2 d. ago England’s Ashes player ratings: Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue shine amid heavy defeat by Australia

England toiled to another Ashes humiliation at the hands of Australia

Sport

6 d. ago The Ashes: Fifth Test state of play and weather warning as England halted vs Australia

England are looking to battle back in The Ashes to avoid a thrashing at the hands of Australia, with the fifth test offering that chance, even if the retention of the urn is gone.

Events

8 d. ago Ben Stokes calls for players to put team first as England seek Sydney win

A 3-2 series loss is the best the tourists can hope to salvage at the SCG.

Sport

8 d. ago Sydney’s tradition of goodbyes coincides with Bazball reckoning

England have a final chance to salvage something from tour but must accept Ashes defeat was self-inflicted and changes, however limited, must be madeAs well as being a bucket list venue for players and supporters, the Sydney Cricket Ground has a reputation in England as the ground of the one-cap wonders. This is based on Mason Crane, Scott Borthwick and Boyd Rankin getting a go at the end of recent Ashes tours, rather than anything more historically substantial.If anything, as the traditional scene for the final Test of the Australian summer, the SCG is more like the Oval – the ground where careers often come to an end. And on Friday, surrounded by his family and with a fair bit to get off his chest, Usman Khawaja confirmed the final instalment of this Ashes series, starting on Sunday, will be his international farewell. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Confused England not helping Jacob Bethell to flourish on bewildering Ashes tour | Mark Ramprakash

Batter has been thrown in at the deep end at No 3 and if the selectors have faith in a young player they should be doing everything to help them succeedThere used to be a saying in county cricket: a quick game’s a good game. You’d hear it from the old pros who sensed a poor wicket or a downpour, because it meant they would get more time off. Well, England and Australia have certainly adhered to that saying.There’s another one you hear a lot in cricket these days: there’s a ball with your name on it. It frees batters up, takes the pressure off, and allows them to run down the wicket, to play scoops and ramps, in the belief that they have to be proactive because there’s a good ball round the corner. Modern batters don’t want to trust their defence and, if the world’s best players have that mindset – you hear it a lot from this England setup – you’re going to get a lot of unnecessary dismissals, leading to accelerated matches. That’s what we saw in the fourth Test, exacerbated by an un...

Politics

1 week ago Five things England must do to make it two Ashes Test wins in a row in Sydney

Ben Stokes could take a leaf out of Keira Knightley’s book, Carse and Tongue can hurt Australia again and Crawley must dig inKeira Knightley may not spring immediately to mind as a source of inspiration for Ben Stokes’ captaincy but her tactics for dealing with the paparazzi at the height of her fame recalled some of Stokes’ early forays with the armband. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Joe Root insists players fully committed to England management

Head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key both face questions.

Sport

2 w. ago Stokes calls for ‘empathy’ for England players and pledges support for Duckett

Archer ruled out for rest of series with side strainPope dropped for MCG Test with Bethell and Atkinson inBen Stokes has called for the public and the media to show “empathy” towards his embattled England players. It comes as their Ashes campaign threatens to fully unravel in response to a guaranteed series defeat and allegations of excessive drinking during a mid-tour break in Noosa.Sitting 3-0 down going into the Boxing Day Test, England have been hit by reports that their downtime in between the defeats in Brisbane and Adelaide was akin to a “stag do”. The emergence of footage appearing to show Ben Duckett drunk and slurring his words on a night out has heightened things. Continue reading...

Sport

2 w. ago England launch investigation into Ashes 'stag do' and booze claims

England's players enjoyed a mid-series break in Noosa after going 2-0 down in the Ashes and it's been claimed that the trip became a glorified stag do, angering fans

Events

2 w. ago Rob Key to investigate England’s ‘stag do’ drinking habits after Noosa mid

England team director has ‘no issue’ with trip after second TestBut tourists will investigate claims some players spent six days drinkingRob Key has defended England’s mid-tour break in Noosa but confirmed he will look into reports that excessive drinking by players in between the second and third Ashes Tests turned it into a “glorified stag do”.Sitting 3-0 to Australia, the Ashes having gone, team director Key has followed head coach Brendon McCullum in stating that his future now rests in the hands of senior figures at the England and Wales Cricket Board. Continue reading...

Events

2 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

2 w. ago New dawn and new regime for England as Ashes humiliation sparks end for Bazball

England reined in their usual no-holds-barred approach in Adelaide but while Ben Stokes’ captaincy may survive, the philosophy of Bazball will not

Politics

3 w. ago Strictly Come Dancing final live: Karen Carney wins the Glitterball as Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman bow out

The former England player beat Amber Davies and George Clarke in the grand final

Transport

3 w. ago Australia on cusp of Ashes triumph as Nathan Lyon dulls England’s glimmer of hope

Third Test, D4: Australia 371 & 349; England 286 & 207-6Spinner strikes late as tourists briefly threaten record run chaseThere was a time when England players threw around phrases like “the more the better”, such was their confidence in the chase. But tasked with knocking off a world record 435 runs to stop Australia winning this Ashes series at the earliest opportunity, one suspects similar words were not uttered on Saturday.Instead, having picked up six cheap wickets first thing to set up this unlikely five-session challenge, it was first about seeing where they could get to by stumps. The upshot was 206 for six from 63 overs which, while progress of sorts on this malfunctioning tour, means Australia will go into the final day of this third Test within touching distance of an unassailable 3-0 lead. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Australia on verge of Ashes triumph as Lyon dulls England’s glimmer of hope

Third Test, D4: Australia 371 & 349; England 286 & 207-6Lyon strikes after tourists briefly threaten record chaseThere was a time when England players threw around phrases like “the more the better”, such was their confidence in the chase. But tasked with knocking off a world-record 435 runs to stop Australia winning this Ashes series at the earliest opportunity, one suspects similar words were not uttered on Saturday.Instead, having picked up six cheap wickets first thing to set up this unlikely five-session challenge, it was first about seeing where they could get to by stumps. The upshot was 206 for six from 63 overs which, while progress of sorts on this malfunctioning tour, means Australia will go into the final day of this third Test within touching distance of an unassailable 3-0 lead. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Cole Palmer's new girlfriend revealed as England player goes incognito on festive date at Winter Wonderland with beauty specialist who looks just like his ex Connie Grace

Cole went incognito in a balaclava and a hoodie for their romantic evening, at London's Hyde Park.

Sport

3 w. ago Cole Palmer's new girlfriend revealed as England player enjoys a festive date at Winter Wonderland with beauty specialist who looks just like his ex Connie Grace

Cole went incognito in a balaclava and a hoodie for their romantic evening, at London's Hyde Park.

Sport

3 w. ago Waste of Jacks’ talent speaks volumes for England’s bodged Ashes planning | Barney Ronay

The highly talented England player is simply being used for when either the batting or bowling goes wrongFor anyone still curious about the exact role of Will Jacks in this England Test team, the key is probably to see him as a kind of a tell, a set of entrails, a weather vane on the state of the game.The first rule of Jacks goes like this. If you can see Will Jacks on your TV screen, it’s bad. If Will Jacks is bowling when you wake up something has gone wrong. If Will Jacks is batting something has also probably gone wrong. Continue reading...

Politics