46 h. ago India beat England by 336 runs in second men’s cricket Test, day five – live reaction

Akash Deep takes six second-innings wicketsSign up for The Spin newsletter | Email TahaNothing is happening so I’m going to grab a coffee. In the meantime, here’s Geoff Lemon with the latest from Australia’s tour of the Caribbean.The rain has eased so the groundstaff are getting to work. It’s still spitting and there’s been no discussion of a potential start time. Could be at least an hour – the outfield looks sodden. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago England avert disaster as Sophia Dunkley and Lauren Filer find a way to keep India series alive

England (171/9) beat India (166/5) by five runs: The hosts secured a narrow win to avoid series defeat at the Oval

Events

4 d. ago “We’ll find another way”: England assistant coach believes they can turn around the second Test against India

Jeetan Patel claims England can overcome adversity and find a way to beat India in the second Test at Edgbaston

Politics

4 d. ago England v India: second men’s cricket Test, day three – live

Updates from the third day at Edgbaston, 11am BST startHow day two unfolded | Sign up for The Spin newsletterAli Martin England in Deep trrouble after Gill’s 269Andy Bull India bat England into submissionSimon Burnton England still believe they can win“Where’s your brain? Where’s your brain?!” Ferris Bueller’s exasperated enquiry of his best friend Cameron Frye has been regularly repeated by England fans in the Bazball era. When England chased 371 at Headingley with almost serene efficiency, it was described as “Bazball with brains” and the narrative moved on to whether England’s top seven was the best in the world. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Jamie Smith says calculated way England beat India shows how far they have come

The way in which England overhauled 371 at Headingley to go 1-0 up in the five-Test series was dubbed by Michael Vaughan as “Bazball with brains”.

Politics

9 d. ago England fall to heaviest T20 defeat as Mandhana century sparks India rout

1st T20i: India 210-5 beat England 113 by 97 runsDefeat is first of Edwards-Sciver-Brunt eraEngland’s one-sided series against West Indies last month was merely a dress rehearsal: India were always going to be the main event. And so the curtain finally went up on the Charlotte Edwards-Nat Sciver-Brunt era for a Trent Bridge Saturday matinee.The audience, though, went home disappointed after witnessing an England performance akin to The Play That Goes Wrong – bowled out for 113 inside 15 overs, to give India a 97-run win, England’s heaviest T20 international defeat in terms of runs. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Ben Duckett leads Headingley heroics as England beat India by five wickets in first Test

Hosts complete a brilliant chase on day five at gloomy Headingley to seal victory in first Test

Politics

1 week ago England v India: first men’s cricket Test, day five set for thrilling finish – live

Updates from the final day at Headingley, 11am BST startCounty cricket live – follow the action with Tanya AldredSign up for The Spin newsletter | And drop Taha a mailHere come our teams. Bring it on!“A fantastic final day in store,” reckons Krishnamoorthy V. “While all the attention shall be on Bumrah (rightly so), I have a feeling that it is Ravindra Jadeja who is going to be the matchwinner, should India win this match. A Root century is going to be inevitable whether England wins it or loses it.” Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Michael Vaughan pinpoints how England can beat India in five

Former Test, ODI and IT20 captain Michael Vaughan spoke on a new podcast

Politics

3 w. ago South Africa win World Test Championship after completing stunning comeback against Australia – as it happened

Aiden Markram scores 136 runs as South Africa defeat Australia by five wickets at Lord’s to lift the World Test Championship title60th over: South Africa 218-3 (Markram 106, Stubbs 0) So it is Tristan Stubbs to the middle. Starts at the non-striker’s end, but immediately gets strike as Markram guides a single. Lots of pressure on Stubbs, more a white-ball player but one of huge talent, who Shukri Conrad has backed in this team. Small target, plenty of time, and in a short-form game he might knock off these last 64 runs in five overs. But this is different. Hit on the pad early, Hazlewood appealing but it’s going down leg. Two slips and a gully, but the second slip is Webster and the gully is Green, so effectively four slips and two gullies. Cover, mid off, mid on, midwicket up closer. Deep point and deep backward square saving boundaries. Stubbs defends his first five balls.59th over: South Africa 217-3 (Markram 105) Oh, there it is! The first tremor? South Africa’s captain battled ...

Politics

3 w. ago South Africa win World Test Championship after completing stunning comeback against Australia – live reaction

South Africa chasing a target of 282 to win at Lord’sRead the latest edition of The Spin | And email James60th over: South Africa 218-3 (Markram 106, Stubbs 0) So it is Tristan Stubbs to the middle. Starts at the non-striker’s end, but immediately gets strike as Markram guides a single. Lots of pressure on Stubbs, more a white-ball player but one of huge talent, who Shukri Conrad has backed in this team. Small target, plenty of time, and in a short-form game he might knock off these last 64 runs in five overs. But this is different. Hit on the pad early, Hazlewood appealing but it’s going down leg. Two slips and a gully, but the second slip is Webster and the gully is Green, so effectively four slips and two gullies. Cover, mid off, mid on, midwicket up closer. Deep point and deep backward square saving boundaries. Stubbs defends his first five balls.59th over: South Africa 217-3 (Markram 105) Oh, there it is! The first tremor? South Africa’s captain battled through the pain yesterd...

Politics

3 w. ago South Africa v Australia: World Test Championship final cricket, day four – live

South Africa chasing a target of 282 to win at Lord’sPlay starts at 10.30am BST / 11.30am SAST / 7.30pm AESTRead the latest edition of The Spin | And email GeoffWho’s nervous? I’m nervous, on their behalf. The batters in next will have spent the evening telling themselves that they’re relaxed, but I’m sure there are thoughts flittering around, mostly that they would all really like to not be required. Australia need to turn that screw right away to have a chance.Then there was Andy Bull, who pondered the slips and the turn of fate that saw Steve Smith’s horrible hand injury. Continue reading...

Sport

3 w. ago South Africa v Australia: World Test Championship final cricket, day three – live

Updates from the third day of the WTC final at Lord’sRead the latest edition of The Spin | And email GeoffThis is mine, with the Australian perspective on Pat Cummins’ remarkable day, and what influence a certain member of the nouveau landed gentry might have had.Here’s Simon Burnton with the press conference reporting, where David ‘Bedding In’ Bedingham is upbeat about knocking off the Aussies. Continue reading...

Sport

3 w. ago South Africa v Australia: World Test Championship final cricket, day two – live

Updates from the second day of the WTC final at Lord’sRead the latest edition of The Spin | And mail GeoffHello from London. The day dawns sunny here, though who knows which way it will turn – Lord’s atmospherics are often a game of snakes and ladders. So too can be Test cricket, as South Africa found yesterday: racing up the ladder of the Australian top order, sliding back thanks to Steve Smith, ascending again to bowl them out for 212, then having a serious slip of four wickets before stumps.They didn’t fall all the way back to the bottom, but they will if David Bedingham and the captain Temba Bavuma go quickly this morning. Rung by rung it will need to be for the South Africans, at 43 for 4. Continue reading...

Sport

3 w. ago South Africa v Australia: World Test Championship final cricket, day one – live

Updates from the first day of the WTC decider at Lord’sPlay starts 10.30am BST / 7.30pm AEST / 11.30am SASTSign up to The Spin newsletter | And email MartinSimon Reader has been in touch with a reminder that South Africa are up against it at Lord’s though perhaps found an early win with the toss falling their way.“By my count the Proteas are fielding three players who featured in Temba Bavuma’s last outing at Lords (2017)? That saw Rabada at his finest BMT at Lords is always a tough grasp with the Proteas already notorious for absence here, this is going to be a tough ask.” Continue reading...

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