17 h. ago Root backs McCullum after MCG win but Stokes needs support from system | Ali Martin

Batter says changing management would be ‘silly’ but questions remain over whether the current setup is producing the best playersIn fairness to Australian cricket, it rarely sticks its head in the sand. On Sunday in Melbourne, when 90,000 fans should have been enjoying day three of the fourth Test, they put Matt Page, chief curator at the MCG, in front of the media to face a grilling over that casino of a two-day pitch.Page was contrite, admitted his mistakes, and vowed to never repeat the 10mm of grass that, while designed to guard against hotter weather later in the match, delivered a second hammer blow to Cricket Australia’s finances this series. For all the public anger Stuart Fox, the ground’s chief executive, did not sound as if he was about to issue Page with his marching orders. Continue reading...

Politics

28 h. ago MCG curator concedes pitch went ‘too far’ in favouring bowlers amid criticism over short Boxing Day Test

Curator was in a ‘state of shock’ watching match unfold‘We’re very, very disappointed it’s only gone two days’The MCG’s head curator has conceded staff went “too far” in preparing a pitch that favoured the bowlers too heavily in the Boxing Day Test, saying he was in a “state of shock” while watching the match unfold.But the stadium’s chief executive is standing by the under-fire curator after the Test match between Australia and England finished within two days. Continue reading...

Sport

42 h. ago England’s MCG triumph is a genuine coup – and a picture of what might have been | Barney Ronay

A properly prepped, balanced and weaponised team finally had the chops to expose Australia’s weaknessesNa-na na-na na-na na na na, Duckett’s on the piss. On the piss. Duckett’s on the piss.Don’t take me home, please don’t take me home. And while we’re here, stand up, stand up, please do stand up if you love a two-day Test on a pitch as green and ridged as an under-ripe roasting potato. For an hour in mid-afternoon on day two at the MCG England’s top order finally did the thing. The clocks stopped. Dogs miaowed. Birds flew backwards across the sky. And Test cricket turned into darts. Continue reading...

Politics

46 h. ago England hold nerve to break Ashes drought in Australia with Boxing Day Test victory

Fourth Test, day 2: Australia 152 & 132, lose to England, 110 & 178-6Tourists charge to four-wicket win inside two days at MCGStop press. Hold the back page. Drag out the dusty bunting and book three more nights in Noosa. England have won a Test in Australia for the first time in nearly 15 years, chasing down 175 runs in Melbourne to win by four wickets and ensure this Ashes series defeat will not end as an Ashes whitewash.Granted it was not a live victory, England simply dragging the scoreline back to 3-1 and doing so courtesy of a two-day heist on a pitch that made batting a lottery. But given the ordeal of this tour, and that grim run of 18 Tests without a victory on Australian soil, it was not insignificant either. Continue reading...

Politics

46 h. ago England survive MCG mayhem to break Ashes drought in Australia with fourth Test victory

Fourth Test, day 2: Australia 152 & 132, lose to England, 110 & 178-6Tourists charge to four-wicket win inside two days at MCGStop press. Hold the back page. Drag out the dusty bunting and book three more nights in Noosa. England’s men have won a Test in Australia for the first time in nearly 15 years, chasing down 175 runs in Melbourne to win by four wickets and prevent an Ashes defeat from becoming a whitewash.Granted it was not a live victory, England merely dragging the scoreline back to 3-1 and doing so courtesy of a two-day heist on a pitch that made batting a lottery. But given the ordeal of this tour, and that grim run of 18 Tests without a win on Australian soil, it was not insignificant either. Though robbed of three days’ play, their supporters could finally crack a smile. Continue reading...

Events

46 h. ago England survive MCG mayhem to break Ashes drought in Australia with win in fourth Test

4th Test, D2: England, 110 & 178-6, bt Australia, 152 & 132, by 4 wktsCrawley, Duckett and Bethell help set up win inside two daysStop press. Hold the back page. Drag out the dusty bunting and book three more nights in Noosa. England’s men have won a Test in Australia for the first time in nearly 15 years, chasing down 175 to win by four wickets and prevent an Ashes defeat from becoming a whitewash.Granted it was not a live victory, England merely dragging the scoreline back to 3-1 and doing so courtesy of a two-day heist on a pitch that made batting a lottery. But given the ordeal of this tour, and that grim run of 18 Tests without a win on Australian soil, it was not insignificant either. Though robbed of three days’ play, their supporters could finally crack a smile. Continue reading...

Events

63 h. ago Duckett and Bethell were dangled out to dry by failings of a slack set

No rational judge could have expected England’s fall guys to succeed at the MCG where they were thrown on to a festive bonfireGuess who just got back today? Those wild-eyed boys that had been away. This was a day of brittle, over-caffeinated cricket, on an MCG pitch streaked with faint green ridges. But it was also a day when the boys were, however briefly, back in town.Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell have been the two protagonists in the grainy, Zapruder-style footage from England’s six-day, mid-series jig-about by the sea. True to apparent recent form, both were here for a good time not a long time as England were bowled out for 110 in 29.5 overs. Both batted like men groping for the light switch in the dark against a new ball that seamed the width of the bat at times. Continue reading...

Events

63 h. ago Duckett and Bethell were dangled out to dry by failings of a slack setup | Barney Ronay

No rational judge could have expected England’s fall guys to succeed at the MCG where they were thrown on to a festive bonfireGuess who just got back today? Those wild-eyed boys that had been away. This was a day of brittle, over-caffeinated cricket, on an MCG pitch streaked with faint green ridges. But it was also a day when the boys were, however briefly, back in town.Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell have been the two protagonists in the grainy, Zapruder-style footage from England’s six-day, mid-series jig-about by the sea. True to apparent recent form, both were here for a good time not a long time as England were bowled out for 110 in 29.5 overs. Both batted like men groping for the light switch in the dark against a new ball that seamed the width of the bat at times. Continue reading...

Events

65 h. ago Auf Wiedersehen, pets: Duckett and Bethell were (briefly) back in town but failings lie at the top | Barney Ronay

No rational judge could have expected England’s fall guys to succeed at the MCG where they were thrown on to a festive bonfire by a lack of red-ball cricket and a slack set-upGuess who just got back today? Those wild-eyed boys that had been away. This was a day of brittle, over-caffeinated cricket, on an MCG pitch streaked with faint green ridges at the start, like an under-ripe, peeled potato. But it was also a day when the boys were, however briefly, back in town.Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell have been the two protagonists in the grainy, Zapruder-style footage from England’s six-day, mid-series jig-about by the sea. True to apparent recent form, both were here for a good time not a long time as England were bowled out for 110 in 29.5 overs. Both batted like men groping for the light switch in the dark against a new ball that seamed the width of the bat at times. Continue reading...

Events

67 h. ago Stuart Broad slams MCG pitch after wickets tumble on first day of Boxing Day Test

The two seam attacks took advantage of a surface offering plenty of movement as 20 wickets fell in Melbourne

Politics

69 h. ago Australia edge wild Boxing Day with England as 20 wickets fall in fourth Ashes Test

Fourth Test, day one: Australia 152 & 4-0; England 110Bowlers feast on green-tinged pitch on day one at MCGA record 94,199 spectators turned up to the MCG on Boxing Day and none will forget what they witnessed. An extraordinary 20 wickets tumbled on a pitch offering lavish movement and Cricket Australia were left fearing what would be a second multi-million dollar loss in this Ashes series.The first came in Perth, when that two-day series opener triggered the refunds and left visiting supporters scrambling for sightseeing trips. This fourth Test had the ingredients for a repeat, not just a surface with 10mm of grass but also a touring side in England who, having lost the Ashes and with criticism flying, looked broken before the coin even went up. Continue reading...

Politics

69 h. ago Australia edge England as 20 wickets fall on wild day one of Boxing Day Test

Fourth Test, day one: Australia 152 & 4-0; England 110Bowlers feast on green-tinged pitch on day one at MCGA record 94,199 spectators turned up to the MCG on Boxing Day and none will forget what they witnessed. An extraordinary 20 wickets tumbled on a pitch offering lavish movement and Cricket Australia were left fearing what would be a second multi-million dollar loss in this Ashes series.The first came in Perth, when that two-day series opener triggered the refunds and left visiting supporters scrambling for sightseeing trips. This fourth Test had the ingredients for a repeat, not just a surface with 10mm of grass but also a touring side in England who, having lost the Ashes and with criticism flying, looked broken before the coin even went up. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Rare job opportunity on remote Scottish island with free accommodation & unusual feature

A REMOTE and Scottish island is seeking a “ranger” for summer work on a uninhabited seabird haven. The Scottish Wildlife Trust is looking for a brave soul to move to Handa - home to one of the most important breeding colonies in Europe. It is located off the west coast of Sutherland and is only accessible via a pedestrian ferry. Successful candidates will...

Politics

4 d. ago The Scottish island that turns streets into a football pitch every New Year's Day

In this game, two teams battle through town's streets with a leather ball, with few rules, unlimited players, and no time limit

Politics

5 d. ago Inside Scotland's most isolated island where Christmas is in January

Foula, a Scottish island located 20 miles west of Shetland, celebrates Christmas in January due to following the old Julian calendar, used by much of the world until its replacement in 1752.

Politics

5 d. ago Bronze Age man and young woman discovered on Scottish island reveal their secrets

The pair are being cared for at Scotland’s world-class store for human remains, around 4,000 years after they died.

Politics

1 week ago Helen Flanagan threatened to ‘destroy ’ ex Scott Sinclair in savage TikTok post weeks before Nativity fall out

HELEN Flanagan was issued a warning from her fans after threatening to "destroy" her ex Scott Sinclair. The former Coronation Street actress split up from her footballer fiance in 2022, but the pair has struggled to co-parent their three children with Helen recently lashing out at him on Instagram. Helen called Scott "a piece of...

Events

1 week ago Helen Flanagan cuts final tie with ex Scott Sinclair after lashing out at footballer for missing son’s nativity

HELEN Flanagan seems to have cut the last connection to her footballer ex Scott Sinclair after their row over missing a major milestone. The former Coronation Street actress lashed out this week at the Bristol Rovers footballer who was living it up in Abu Dhabi, rather than at their son's nativity play. That may have been the final...

Sport

1 week ago Hebridean Baker on island life, stateside fame and not being related to Donald Trump

If your surname was the same as Donald Trump’s mum and you both came from the same tiny island you would wonder if you were related.

Politics

1 week ago 'Urgent' warning not to drink whisky and gin from Orkney Kimbland distillery amid safety concerns

A Scottish island distillery’s products have been hit with a ‘do not purchase or consume’ warning.

Events