9 h. ago Mark Wood reveals key change in England team from previous disastrous Ashes tour

The fast bowler is set to return to action as England bid to win in Australia for the first time in 15 years

Events

30 h. ago Mark Wood: ‘We’re going to the Ashes with an Australia blueprint to put their batters under pressure’

Fast bowler says England have confidence and belief as he prepares for what could be his final series against the old foe“My dad would be Australia and I’d be England,” Mark Wood says with a wry smile when remembering his first Ashes Tests as a boy in his back garden in Ashington, Northumberland. “I’d try to copy Darren Gough, Andrew Caddick, Matthew Hoggard and, later, Jimmy Anderson, who I’d go on and play with. My dad, who didn’t do the actions so well, had to be Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Shane Warne. He was most proud of his Gillespie but his Warne wasn’t great.”Wood snorts at the idea that his dad, Derek, might have let him win most of those matches. “No, no, no. It was proper cricket. You had to give each other lbw and every time I hit my dad in the leg he’d be going: ‘No, that’s going over’ or ‘That’s down the leg side.’ I was like: ‘Dad, that was plumb.’ I had to get my DRS right.” Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Australia too strong for fading England to seal another Rugby League Ashes win

England 4-14 Australia: The Kangaroos pulled away int he second half to wrap up a 2-0 series victory in front of a packed crowd at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium

Sport

3 d. ago Ultimate prankster manages to pitch invade at Everton's new stadium in 'embarrassing' incident

A notorious prankster invaded the pitch during the England vs Australia rugby league Ashes match in Liverpool, and was not stopped by security until he had sung the Australian anthem

Events

3 d. ago Notorious pitch invader gatecrashes England vs Australia as security slammed

England are taking on Australia in the rugby league Ashes at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium, having faced off in the first of three matches last weekend at Wembley

Events

3 d. ago Brendon McCullum dismisses Ashes fear for England batters after series whitewash

The tourists were humbled 3-0 by New Zealand in the one-day international series

Events

5 d. ago England turn to cricket counterparts for tips in bid to strike Australia blow ahead of Ashes

England’s rugby union side take on the Wallabies at Twickenham just weeks before cricket’s biggest Test series begins

Events

5 d. ago AJ Brimson to make England debut as changes made for second Rugby League Ashes clash

The full-back represented Australia earlier in his career but bolsters Shaun Wane’s side for the clash at Everton’s ground

Sport

6 d. ago Australia captain Pat Cummins steps up recovery ahead of the Ashes series

The 32-year-old has not played for Australia since the West Indies series in July.

Politics

7 d. ago Shaun Wane to make changes as England seek ‘proper Test match’

The hosts were beaten 26-6 by Australia in last week’s Ashes opener.

Politics

7 d. ago Australia villain Alex Carey fires Ashes warning to England after Jonny Bairstow incident

Ugly scenes were sparked by Alex Carey's controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow in the 2023 Ashes and Australia's wicketkeeper won't be afraid to cause more controversy

Events

7 d. ago Australia star Alex Carey responds to Stuart Broad’s ‘worst team since 2010 Ashes’ jibe

David Warner predicted a 4-0 home win in the Ashes, leading Broad to call the current squad the worst Australia team for 15 years and now wicketkeeper Carey has had his say

Transport

8 d. ago Steve Smith's return as Australia skipper shows principles take a back seat in The Ashes

Pat Cummins will miss the first Ashes Test in Perth as he continues to recover from a back injury and that means disgraced ex-captain will once again step up lead the Aussies against England

Politics

8 d. ago Australia turn to controversial former captain as Pat Cummins injury blow confirmed

The Ashes gets underway in Perth next month but hosts Australia will be without captain Pat Cummins having already confirmed his replacement ahead of the first test

Events

8 d. ago Steve Smith to captain Australia in First Ashes Test as Pat Cummins ruled out

Cummins will not recover from back injury in time for next month’s series opener against England in Perth

Politics

8 d. ago Crunch time nears for Australia as selectors try to fit Ashes batting puzzle pieces together | Martin Pegan

Plot twists have thrown up more uncertainty over which six batters will be included in the hosts’ squad just under a month out from the first TestThe Great Australian Bat Off has returned for a brand new season with fresh faces and forgotten favourites bidding to join the cast for the Ashes series opener. In a major subplot, captain Pat Cummins is officially out of the first Test and is all but certain to be replaced by understudy Scott Boland, while the final auditions to claim a spot in the squad will be staged across the Sheffield Shield matches that begin on Tuesday as much as the T20 series against India.The main storyline will be familiar to seasoned fans as the Australia selectors largely repeat last year’s search for an opener to partner Usman Khawaja. But the return to form of Marnus Labuschagne, and injury concerns for Cameron Green and Beau Webster, are plot twists that have thrown up more uncertainty over which six batters will be included for the Perth Test. Continue re...

Politics

8 d. ago Pat Cummins ruled out of first Ashes Test in major blow for Australia

The Australia captain has not recovered in time from a long-term back injury

Politics

8 d. ago Pat Cummins ruled out of first Ashes Test, with Steve Smith to captain Australia

Bowler resumes running but will not make series opener in Perth32-year-old says he ‘expects to return to bowling shortly’Pat Cummins is officially out of the first Ashes Test as he continues his recovery from a stress injury in his back, with Steve Smith to reassume the captaincy of Australia in the series opener against England next month.Cummins has not bowled since Australia’s 3-0 series defeat of West Indies in July and had been in serious doubt for the match in Perth on 21 November. After months of speculation over whether he would recover in time, Cricket Australia on Monday finally confirmed that the quick would have to sit out the game at Optus Stadium. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Shaun Wane requires herculean Ashes effort after Wembley mauling

England head coach must add steel to halt Australia, with Morgan Smithies and AJ Brimson pushing for startsThe scoreline alone offers concrete evidence of how underwhelming England were against Australia in the first Ashes Test on Saturday, but if anyone needed further proof, a glimpse around the Wembley crowd was somewhat telling, too.As a one-sided contest ebbed towards a predictable conclusion, there were cheers among those sat near the press box. Not for an England try, but for a paper aeroplane crafted by a home supporter that had successfully made its way from the top of one tier on to the pitch. It was about the only thing that went right for those of an English persuasion. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Shaun Wane requires herculean Ashes effort after England’s Wembley mauling

The head coach must add steel to halt Australia, with Morgan Smithies and AJ Brimson pushing for startsThe scoreline alone offers concrete evidence of how underwhelming England were against Australia in the first Ashes Test on Saturday, but if anyone needed further proof, a glimpse around the Wembley crowd was somewhat telling, too.As a one-sided contest ebbed towards a predictable conclusion, there were cheers among those sitting near the press box. Not for an England try, but for a paper aeroplane crafted by a home supporter that had successfully made its way from the top of one tier on to the pitch. It was about the only thing that went right for those of an English persuasion. Continue reading...

Politics