13 h. ago Joe Root ends wait for Test century in Australia to boost England’s Ashes hopes

The former captain, playing his 16th Test and 30th innings Down Under, ended the day with an imperious 135 not out.

Politics

14 h. ago England’s Joe Root secures his first Ashes century in Australia

Root’s lack of a three-figure score in any format in Australia was a major subplot ahead of this series.

Politics

14 h. ago Australia v England: Ashes second Test, Joe Root hits century on day one – live

Updates from the day-nighter at the Gabba in Brisbane Max Rushden: I was fearing for Crawley, not Duckett Ashes top 100 | Get the Spin newsletter | Email TanyaAustralia: Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (capt), Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (wk), Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett.The speculation comes to a close but the debate will continue across the afternoon at least, as Australia turn to a horses for course approach with Nathan Lyon left out of a home Test for the first time in almost 14 years. The off-spinner was also omitted from the XI in Australia’s most recent pink-ball Test in the Caribbean, but it still feels like a huge call to leave out a bowler who has claimed 562 wickets. Michael Neser comes in to add more pace in the day-night Test, as well as reducing the length of the Australia tail. Continue reading...

Events

25 h. ago Ashes 2025 live: Australia to make late Pat Cummins call as England head to the ‘Gabbatoir’

Ben Stokes’ side eye redemption at the iconic Brisbane stadium after a humiliating first Test loss to Australia inside two days

Politics

29 h. ago I'm A Celeb star Aitch in huge boost as beloved sister Gracie flies into Australia

I'm A Celeb star Aitch will be reunited with his much-loved sister Gracie who was seen today at the celebrity hotel where she was filmed by ITV meeting the latest evictee Kelly Brook

Politics

32 h. ago Cummins conundrum is key as Australia try not to overthink tactics

Will the captain return? Will Nathan Lyon play? Who will open? Ashes hostilities are renewed and the hosts don’t need to ask too many questionsAt last, at long last, an Ashes series is about to start. It feels that way, anyway, after so many months of lead-up, such an eternal blur of preview and prediction and preamble, were supposed to reach their end – only to find that the end was instead a momentary interruption, a hiccup, an indigestion-dream of a Test from Perth, a contest done in the span of 31 hours, leaving everyone to return to punditry and prognostication for a further 11 blasted and benighted days.We are, for pity’s sake, in a discussion cycle about Ben Stokes correctly applying a bike helmet while not on a bike, or Steve Smith correctly applying eye-black stickers in his Tim Tebow tribute act, or the archaeologically uncovered fact that Australian teams have a good record at the Gabba. Like farmers waiting for the rains, we are praying for play to start to let us talk a...

Politics

33 h. ago Ashes 2025 live: Australia make late call on captain Pat Cummins as England face Brisbane test

Ben Stokes’ side eye redemption at the iconic Brisbane stadium after a humiliating first Test loss to Australia inside two days

Politics

36 h. ago Everything said between Monty Panesar and Steve Smith as bizarre Ashes subplot continues

Former England cricketer Monty Panesar and Australia batter Steve Smith have been exchanging words amid the 2025/2026 Ashes series Down Under.

Politics

37 h. ago Monty Panesar takes another swipe at Steve Smith as box office Ashes feud re

Former England star Monty Panesar has responded to Australia captain Steve Smith ahead of the Second Ashes Test, with their feud ongoing

Politics

40 h. ago Australia captain Pat Cummins leaves door ajar for dramatic comeback in Brisbane

Cummins missed his side’s victory in Perth with a back injury and was subsequently omitted from the squad for this week’s day/nigher at the Gabba.

Events

40 h. ago Pat Cummins latest: Steve Smith hints at surprise Australia boost ahead of second Ashes Test

The Australia captain was left out of the squad which was named last week

Politics

40 h. ago Australia captain Pat Cummins leaves door agar for dramatic comeback in Brisbane

Cummins missed his side’s victory in Perth with a back injury and was subsequently omitted from the squad for this week’s day/nigher at the Gabba.

Events

41 h. ago Pat Cummins poised to return for Australia in second Ashes Test at Gabba

Steve Smith hints fast bowler may be late call-up in BrisbaneJosh Inglis favoured to replace injured Usman KhawajaThe challenge for England could be set to increase amid a growing belief that Pat Cummins will be given the green light to return for Australia this week in the second Ashes Test at the Gabba.Cummins, 32, was absent from the series opener in Perth as he underwent the final stages of rehabilitation from a lower back stress injury that was first detected back in July. Steve Smith stepped up to captain as the hosts secured a 1-0 lead with an eight-wicket victory inside two days. Continue reading...

Politics

63 h. ago Australia dealt Ashes blow as star is ruled out of second Test

Australia have lost another player to injury following previous setbacks for Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood

Economics

4 d. ago Head ready to open again in second Ashes Test and says flexible batters will be key

Australian opener ‘preparing for anything’ in BrisbaneAgrees with Pat Cummins that batting order ‘overrated’Having swushbuckled Australia to victory after vaulting to the top of the order in the first Ashes Test, Travis Head arrived in Brisbane on Sunday to begin his preparations for the second, saying that the future of Test cricket lies in the hands of batters who can flex into a variety of positions. Head described pliable positions as “where the game’s going to”, proposing that Australia could already “use these players in a range of different ways to win games of cricket”.Last month Pat Cummins, Australia’s currently-injured captain, described the concept of batting orders as “pretty overrated”, insisting quality players “can bat wherever” – an opinion Head echoed. Continue reading...

Science

6 d. ago Why the needless mystery from Australia over Cummins and Khawaja for second Test? | Geoff Lemon

Mixed messages over captain Pat Cummins’s potential return to bowling in the Ashes are a curiously dismissive attitude towards the paying public You could speculate about whether Cricket Australia deliberately prefers to be opaque about player availability and team plans, or whether it just has a deficiency in communications, but once again the fitness of players and the makeup of the XI is left to be inferred from the selection in the larger squad of 14 players for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane.Normally, a board naming an unchanged squad would not be much news. This time it is, thanks to the possible movement in either direction of Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja, neither of which has now eventuated. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Cummins out of Australia Ashes squad as Khawaja lays into state of Perth pitch

Fast bowler deemed not ready to return for Gabba day-night TestOpener Usman Khawaja says pitch is ‘a piece of shit’The opportunity that England squandered in Perth appears to have presented itself once more after Australia opted to play it safe with Pat Cummins and name an unchanged squad for next week’s day-night second Test at the Gabba.Beyond their match-defining collapse on the second afternoon, one of the most galling aspects of England’s eight-wicket defeat in the first Test was the fact that both Cummins and Josh Hazlewood – two members of their fabled fast bowling group – were missing. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Pat Cummins: Australia make decision over captain for second Ashes Test against England

Australia have named their squad for next week’s second Ashes Test

Politics

6 d. ago Pat Cummins to miss second Ashes Test as Australia name squad

Cummins missed the first Test in Perth with a back issue and Australia have named unchanged squad

Politics

6 d. ago Australia name unchanged squad for second Ashes Test with Pat Cummins still out

Fast bowler deemed not ready to return for Gabba day-night TestOpener Usman Khawaja retains place in 14-man squad The opportunity that England squandered in Perth has presented itself once more after Australia opted to play it safe with Pat Cummins and name an unchanged squad for next week’s day-night second Test at the Gabba.Beyond their match-defining collapse on the second afternoon, one of the most galling aspects of England’s eight-wicket defeat in the first Test was the fact that both Cummins and Josh Hazlewood – two longstanding members of their fabled fast bowling group – were missing. Continue reading...

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