43 h. ago Joe Root backs Harry Brook to do ‘wonderful things’ as England captain

Brook shared an 81-run stand with Root to help guide England towards a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka.

Politics

43 h. ago ‘He’s taken his punishment’: Root lauds Brook after England’s win in Sri Lanka

Joe Root also praises Brendon McCullum’s coachingSri Lanka win was Brook’s first ODI win abroad as captainJoe Root has lavished praise on Harry Brook and Brendon McCullum after the pair celebrated their first one-day international victory abroad while in charge of England’s white-ball teams.Root’s 75 was the guiding hand in England’s five-wicket win against Sri Lanka on Saturday, ending a losing streak away from home that began in November 2024. McCullum began his reign as all-format head coach two months later in India before Brook ascended to the limited-overs captaincy in April. Both have been scrutinised in recent weeks: McCullum’s future has been questioned after England’s defeat in the Ashes while Brook has apologised for clashing with a nightclub bouncer on the eve of the third ODI against New Zealand at the start of the winter. Continue reading...

Politics

60 h. ago Harry Brook happy as Joe Root and England put Sri Lanka in a spin

The tourists levelled the one-day series.

Politics

61 h. ago Root and Rashid steer England past Sri Lanka in second ODI to end barren run

2nd ODI: Sri Lanka 219; England 223-5. Eng win five wktsRoot scores 75 as England end away losing streak in ODIsIt has been a rough few years for England’s 50-over side, but the glow of their World Cup victory has not completely disappeared. Joe Root and Adil Rashid, both part of the 2019 class, were the protagonists of the second one-day international against Sri Lanka, setting up a five-wicket victory to level the series.Rashid led the England attack on another turner, taking two for 34 as Harry Brook used a national ODI record 40.3 overs of spin, limiting Sri Lanka to 219. It was still a serious challenge, particularly in a must-win game for the tourists, their winless run away from home in ODIs having stretched to 11 on Thursday. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Harry Brook happy to ‘get back to day job’ despite England defeat

Sri Lanka won the first one-day international by 19 runs in Colombo.

Politics

4 d. ago England fall short as Harry Brook fails to fire in opening ODI defeat by Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka (271-6) beat England (252 all out) by 19 runsKusal Mendis’s unbeaten knock of 93 proves vitalAfter a year in the job, it was on: a first one-day international victory away from home for Brendon McCullum as England’s head coach, a touch of joy in a troubling winter. With Ben Duckett and Joe Root hitting watchful half-centuries, the base was set on a turner, chasing a target of 272.But the discontent continued as 129 for one turned into 164 for six, Sri Lanka’s spinners ripping everything apart under lights in the first of three ODIs. The left-armer Dunith Wellalage combined his 12-ball 25 with two wickets in the collapse as the hosts, chasing their eighth consecutive ODI series win at home, triumphed by 19 runs. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago English cricket remains a metaphor for the country as travelling circus rolls on | Jonathan Liew

As Brendon McCullum and Rob Key limp on, perhaps it is worth retracing the steps that brought us hereThere will be consequences. There must be consequences. Perhaps there have already been consequences. Harry Brook is very sorry for getting punched by a bouncer in New Zealand. Rob Key is very sorry for overseeing an Ashes tour that in retrospect could probably have been an email. Brendon McCullum is not sorry, but has promised to “look at things over the next little while”, which is basically the same as an apology, so fine.In the meantime, the travelling circus of English cricket rolls on. There is a white-ball series in Sri Lanka starting on Thursday morning, for which – consequences, remember – McCullum remains as coach, Key remains as managing director and Brook remains as captain. In addition Zak Crawley returns to open the batting in the 50-over team, a fitting reward for not playing a single 50-over game in the whole of 2024 or 2025. Nature heals. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago From Ashes hangover to subcontinental scars as England bid to rewrite history

Harry Brook’s side begin Sri Lanka ODI series in poor form but confidence is needed ahead of crucial winter periodA subcontinental World Cup to close an Ashes winter? History tells us this does not end well for England. In 2014 a whitewash in Australia was followed by a group-stage exit at the World T20 with a 45-run defeat to the Netherlands in Chattogram. In 2011 the 50-over side – largely made up of Test regulars – was brutalised by Kevin O’Brien in Bengaluru before exiting with a 10-wicket quarter-final loss to Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Vic Marks, writing for the Observer, wondered beforehand if England had “anything left to give” after so many months on the road.And so to the Premadasa again, 15 years on, this time without the goodwill of a recent series victory in Australia. The first one-day international against Sri Lanka will begin just two weeks after Alex Carey struck the winning runs at the SCG, and open the second half of England’s winter, with thre...

Politics

5 d. ago From Ashes hangover to subcontinental scars as England aim to rewrite history

Harry Brook’s side begin Sri Lanka ODI series in poor form but confidence is needed ahead of crucial winter periodA subcontinental World Cup to close an Ashes winter? History tells us this does not end well for England. In 2014 a whitewash in Australia was followed by a group-stage exit at the World T20 with a 45-run defeat to the Netherlands in Chattogram. In 2011 the 50-over side – largely made up of Test regulars – were brutalised by Kevin O’Brien in Bengaluru before exiting with a 10-wicket quarter-final loss to Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Vic Marks, writing for the Observer, wondered beforehand if England had “anything left to give” after so many months on the road.And so to the Premadasa again, 15 years on, this time without the goodwill of a recent series victory in Australia. The first one-day international against Sri Lanka will begin just two weeks after Alex Carey struck the winning runs at the SCG, and open the second half of England’s winter, wit...

Politics

5 d. ago As their midwinter slump goes on, what exactly is going wrong at Manchester City? | Jamie Jackson

Manchester City have issues with injury and form, and need their big players to step up and turn the ship aroundAt Bodø/Glimt, in a first Champions League outing since 1 October, the 29-year-old appeared what he is: a player still recovering after 18 months out with a serious knee injury and several related setbacks. This was only a third start since his latest return began with the second 45 minutes of the goalless draw at Sunderland on New Year’s Day. Last week Rodri declared he was “ready to go” and said: “I’m really happy to be on the pitch every single day.” Yet in Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Manchester United he was a one-paced, non-factor unable to do what he did with ease pre-anterior cruciate ligament rupture: run midfield and so the contest. In Tuesday’s 3-1 humbling in Norway the Spaniard was the same, and two moments tell the tale of his form. First Jens Petter Hauge left him a statue before registering a memorable long-range strike for Bodø’s third goal; thencame the two yel...

Politics

5 d. ago England captain Harry Brook breaks silence on 'terrible mistake' after bouncer incident

Harry Brook has spoken out after he following an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand

Events

5 d. ago England captain Harry Brook calls nightclub incident a 'terrible mistake'

The 26-year-old was fined and warned, and accepts he is lucky to still be skipper

Events

5 d. ago Harry Brook admits he is lucky to still be England captain after ‘terrible mistake’

Brook was involved in an altercation outside a nightclub the night before a one-day international in New Zealand

Events

6 d. ago Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed train with England in Sri Lanka after visa delays

The spin duo took to the field in Colombo for the first of two training sessions before the first ODI on Thursday.

Politics

7 d. ago England’s Sri Lanka tour takes on added significance after troubled Ashes series

The tourists will be under more scrutiny than they might have expected following a bruising 4-1 defeat Down Under.

Events

8 d. ago England cricketers slapped with World Cup curfew after boozy Ashes antics

England's shambolic tours of New Zealand and Australia over the winter were dogged by reports of excessive drinking and the ECB has responded ahead of the T20 World Cup

Politics

8 d. ago England's boozy cricketers are slapped with a CURFEW for Sri Lanka tour and T20 World Cup after Harry Brook's clash with a nightclub bouncer and controversial Noosa trip

Although there will be no formal notification of rules, Daily Mail Sport understands they will be reminded of their responsibilities as international sportsmen upon arrival in Colombo.

Society

2 w. ago Brendon McCullum holds talks on England future and ‘keen to carry on’

The head coach’s position is under scrutiny as the ECB reviews a dismal Ashes defeat.

Politics

2 w. ago Brendon McCullum keen to carry on with England but wants to ‘steer the ship’

Head coach defends methods and leadership after AshesTeam culture likely to be main focus of ECB reviewAt the end of a sorry Ashes loss capped off by news of Harry Brook’s involvement in a late-night incident two months earlier, Brendon McCullum set out his position as England head coach: if his wings are clipped and his ethos compromised then “maybe there is someone better” to do the role.The caveat is key here. McCullum is keen to continue and having held talks with Richard Thompson and Richard Gould, chair and chief executive respectively of the England and Wales Cricket Board, he appears set to – at least for the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka that begins in less than a fortnight. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago England star Harry Brook hit by bouncer during drunken night out says he's 'deeply sorry'

England cricket star Harry Brook has apologised after being fined £30,000 by the ECB following a drunken night out on the eve of The Ashes

Events