Aryna Sabalenka knows just what to expect from Ons Jabeur in Thursday’s Wimbledon semi-final after she endured some gruelling pre-tournament practice sessions with the Tunisian.

The Belarusian, who was banned from last year’s tournament, is making up for lost time and booked her second last-four appearance in SW19 with a demolition of Madison Keys, winning Wednesday’s quarter-final 6-2 6-4.

Sabalenka is not surprised to see Jabeur on the other side of the net for the semi-final as she experienced first hand just how well she is playing in the build-up to the tournament.

“Actually we practised here before Wimbledon,” Sabalenka revealed. “I felt like she was going to do well here because she played unbelievable tennis on the practice court.

“I know it’s different in practice than in a match. She was able to bring this level to matches.

“It’s not like I didn’t expect that. Yeah, she’s a great player. We always had tough battles against each other, very close matches. I am really looking forward to this great battle.”

With Iga Swiatek being knocked out on Tuesday she will now have her sights on the Venus Rosewater dish to follow her Australian Open success at the start of the year.

Indeed, her eyes will have lit up when Swiatek was beaten by Elina Svitolina as it means she is now just one win away from ending the Pole’s 66-week reign as world number one.

Asked which she would value more, the Wimbledon title or to sit at the top of the rankings, the 25-year-old was willing to be greedy.

“To be honest, I want both,” she said. “But I’m trying to focus on myself because I know if I start thinking about all this stuff, I’m going to lose my focus on the court, my game.

“So I’m trying to focus on myself right now and make sure that every time I’m on the court I bring my best tennis.

“Then later on we’ll see if I’m ready to become world number one or if I’m ready to play another final.

“I remember myself, I don’t know, 14 or 15 years old going to my practice with the headphones listening to music and dreaming becoming one of the best players in the world, dreaming about lifting this beautiful trophiy.

“That’s something unbelievable. That’s something what really motivates me a lot, that I was able to become one of the best. I’m competing on the high level. So that’s something big for me.

“I’m going to do everything I can to lift this beautiful trophy.”

Aryna Sabalenka knows just what to expect from Ons Jabeur in Thursday’s Wimbledon semi-final after she endured some gruelling pre-tournament practice sessions with the Tunisian.

The Belarusian, who was banned from last year’s tournament, is making up for lost time and booked her second last-four appearance in SW19 with a demolition of Madison Keys, winning Wednesday’s quarter-final 6-2 6-4.

Sabalenka is not surprised to see Jabeur on the other side of the net for the semi-final as she experienced first hand just how well she is playing in the build-up to the tournament.

“Actually we practised here before Wimbledon,” Sabalenka revealed. “I felt like she was going to do well here because she played unbelievable tennis on the practice court.

“I know it’s different in practice than in a match. She was able to bring this level to matches.

“It’s not like I didn’t expect that. Yeah, she’s a great player. We always had tough battles against each other, very close matches. I am really looking forward to this great battle.”

With Iga Swiatek being knocked out on Tuesday she will now have her sights on the Venus Rosewater dish to follow her Australian Open success at the start of the year.

Indeed, her eyes will have lit up when Swiatek was beaten by Elina Svitolina as it means she is now just one win away from ending the Pole’s 66-week reign as world number one.

Asked which she would value more, the Wimbledon title or to sit at the top of the rankings, the 25-year-old was willing to be greedy.

“To be honest, I want both,” she said. “But I’m trying to focus on myself because I know if I start thinking about all this stuff, I’m going to lose my focus on the court, my game.

“So I’m trying to focus on myself right now and make sure that every time I’m on the court I bring my best tennis.

“Then later on we’ll see if I’m ready to become world number one or if I’m ready to play another final.

“I remember myself, I don’t know, 14 or 15 years old going to my practice with the headphones listening to music and dreaming becoming one of the best players in the world, dreaming about lifting this beautiful trophiy.

“That’s something unbelievable. That’s something what really motivates me a lot, that I was able to become one of the best. I’m competing on the high level. So that’s something big for me.

“I’m going to do everything I can to lift this beautiful trophy.”

Jasper Philipsen’s outstanding Tour de France continued on Wednesday as he sprinted to his fourth stage victory on stage 11 in Moulins.

For once Philipsen did not have the best lead-out at the end of a flat stage, but he coolly slotted in behind Dylan Groenewegen and came past the Dutchman in the final 100 metres to extend his sizeable advantage in the points classification.

The sprint finish to the 180km stage from from Clermont-Ferrand meant no change in the fight for the yellow jersey, in which Jonas Vingegaard leads by 17 seconds from Tadej Pogacar.

Philipsen had profited from the huge talents of Alpecin-Deceuninck team-mate Mathieu van der Poel in the previous three flat bunch sprints, but, with his fellow Belgian not a factor in the finale of this one, Philipsen instead surfed the wheels to continue his dominance.

Groenewegen opened up his effort early but had to settle for second as Philipsen came by, with Phil Bauhaus in third a day after his Bahrain-Victorious team-mate Pello Bilbao won stage 10 from a breakaway.

Philipsen has now won all four of the flat bunch sprints in this Tour, having been second to Mads Pedersen on the more challenging uphill sprint into Limoges on stage eight.

“It’s an incredible Tour so far,” said Philipsen. “I can’t realise how good it’s all going, I’m just super proud, really happy with my shape. To get through the final without problems is also a big challenge and we managed to do it already four times in a row so I’m super happy.

“So I can also win without (Mathieu)! But of course he makes it more easy. I had to find my wheel a little but, also finding the space it’s technical and a bit dangerous for crashing. I’m happy I can find a good wheel of Groenewegen and he opened up early so I could go over.

“There are maybe more sprint opportunities, but also there will be guys going for the break, but I’m already so happy to take four and hopefully looking towards Paris I can keep this jersey. I think I made a good gap now (in the points classification) which gives me comfort going into the Alps.”

There was a seven-second gap between the first 17 riders over the line and a second group that included Vingegaard, but with Pogacar in close attendance the gaps at the top of the general classification remained the same.

Jai Hindley remains third, two minutes and 40 seconds down, with Carlos Rodriguez more than four minutes down in fourth. Adam Yates, Simon Yates and Tom Pidcock remain sixth, seventh, and eighth respectively.

Fourteen-year-old Mika Stojsavljevic is among a trio of British juniors to make it through to the Wimbledon quarter-finals.

Stojsavljevic, who is ranked 282nd and making her Wimbledon debut, followed up her second-round victory over fourth seed Lucciana Perez Alarcon by taking out Australian 13th seed Emerson Jones 6-1 7-5.

Joining the 14-year-old, who next meets Slovakian fifth seed Renata Jamrichova, in the last eight are 18-year-old Ranah Stoiber and 17-year-old Henry Searle.

Stoiber is in her final year of juniors and is bidding to reach a slam final for the first time having lost in the semi-finals of the Australian Open to breakout star Mirra Andreeva.

She defeated Italian Francesca Pace 6-3 6-4 and will next face Czech Nikola Bartunkova, who saw off Britain’s Mingge Xu 6-3 6-2.

Fourteen-year-old Hannah Klugman, who is widely considered the most exciting young British talent, lost 6-4 6-4 to Japan’s Sayaka Ishii.

Searle was the only British boy to reach the third round in singles and he matched his run to the French Open quarter-finals by defeating France’s Arthur Gea 6-4 6-2.

Searle, from Wolverhampton, took out top seed Juan Carlos Prado Angelo in the first round and will face eighth seed Joao Fonseca for a place in the last four.

It is the first time Britain has had three singles quarter-finalists in the juniors since 2010. The trio all train at the Lawn Tennis Association’s national academy in Loughborough.

Laura Robson is the last British player to win a junior singles title here back in 2008, while Liam Broady and Jack Draper have both lost in finals since then.

Adayar returns to his “ideal trip” in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday.

The bay son of Frankel, who won both the Derby and King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2021, was last seen coming home third behind surprise winner Mostahdaf in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Trainer Charlie Appleby had hoped to get a Group One win over 10 furlongs on Adayar’s CV, but he returns to a mile and a half and drops back to Group Two company at Newmarket.

William Buick will team up with the five-year-old again in a race that has drawn a field of four, including stablemate Global Storm, with the rider confident a longer distance will play to his strengths.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing him back again,” Buick told Sky Sports Racing.

“He’s running over his ideal trip, a mile and a half, hopefully we can use that as a stepping stone for future targets.

“He still finished third (at Ascot), he was a bit slow away and there were a few things in the race that possibly didn’t quite suit. There’s plenty left there.”

John and Thady Gosden are hoping that rain arrives in time for Israr to show his best.

The Shadwell-owned colt has been beaten on both outings this term, having been short-headed by Haskoy in the Aston Park at Newbury and then when Quickthorn had his measure upped to a mile and three-quarters for the first time at York.

“Israr breezed on Saturday morning, and he will appreciate any rain that comes our way,” said John Gosden. “It is a fresh track on the first day (of the three-day meeting), but Charlie (Appleby) looks like he has got a stranglehold on the race.

“We are very pleased with him and he has run very well this year. A mile-six just stretched him last time at York, but he would appreciate to get his toe in.

“A mile and a half is his trip, but I will be having a good look at the ground. He ran very well at Newbury on his return, but he had his ground that day.

“He is one of those big horses that is coming through the ranks. He is a big, powerful horse who is improving with age when the conditions are there to suit.”

Charlie Fellowes is also doing a rain dance for Grand Alliance, who won the John Porter at Newbury before being well held by Pyledriver in the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot.

“Grand Alliance has come through the race at Ascot well,” said Fellowes. “I was really hoping that Newmarket was going to get a dump-load of rain on Monday night, but they have had very little.

“The ground would be quick at the moment and he won’t run if the ground remains quick – he wants some juice in the ground.

“No one seems to have a clue what the forecast is going to do at the moment, but with all these isolated storms around, we’ve declared him, just on the off-chance something hits.

“I’m afraid he will be a very unlikely runner unless something comes out of nowhere.

“He is a good horse and beat some very good horses at Newbury earlier in the year, so we will see.

“He’s still got the King George entry, but he wants soft ground. On soft ground, he is a very good horse, but on quick ground you might as well go home.”

In the other Group Two contest on the card, nine horses are scheduled to line up in the Kingdom Of Bahrain July Stakes.

Alice Haynes hopes Maximum Impact can answer a few questions that remained after his lacklustre run at Royal Ascot.

The Amo Racing-owned Havana Grey colt went into the Windsor Castle unbeaten after two wins over five furlongs at Leicester and over course and distance.

However, equipped with a tongue-tie, the second-favourite failed to fire and finished last of the 23 runners behind Big Evs.

Haynes feels he may have been over-awed by the experience and said: “He had been running in four or five-runner fields and he got surrounded by 22 others.

“He is a little bit of a timid colt and nothing ever came to light – there was nothing wrong with him, so we go again on Thursday.

“He had been working in a tongue tie and I just want to take everything off him this time and get his confidence back.”

Norfolk Stakes runner-up Malc goes up to six furlongs for the first time.

An easy Carlisle winner on his debut for Richard Fahey, the Calyx colt found only Valiant Force too good At Royal Ascot.

Fahey said: “We were delighted with him at Ascot. We’ve been happy with him since he’s come home and I should imagine six (furlongs) would suit him.

“He was 66-1 at Ascot, but we fancied him, as he had been working well before Ascot, so it wasn’t a big surprise.

“I think this will suit him better than five now, so fingers crossed.”

World number one Scottie Scheffler insisted he was unsatisfied with a season which had produced two wins and an incredible run of consistent golf.

Scheffler successfully defended his title in the WM Phoenix Open in February and also won the prestigious Players Championship in March, while his worst finish in the whole of 2023 so far was a tie for 12th in the Genesis Invitational.

The former Masters champion has also not finished worse than fifth in his last six starts, a run which includes being runner-up in the US PGA Championship and third in the US Open.

“I’m very proud of how I’ve been so consistent,” Scheffler said ahead of the £7million Genesis Scottish Open at Renaissance Club, where he missed the cut 12 months ago.

“I would obviously like to win more. But if I win eight times, I want to win nine. If I win nine, I want to win 10. Golf is one of those games that you’re never really satisfied. You’re never really satisfied with the results of things and you always want more.

“I want to win every time I tee it up. You win once and you want to win twice. It’s funny, as a kid, if you think you win once on the PGA Tour you’ll be satisfied. And you win once and it’s pretty fun and you want to win again and the cycle continues.”

Scheffler is unsurprisingly ranked first in numerous categories on the PGA Tour this season, including strokes gained off the tee, approaching the green and greens in regulation, but he is ranked a lowly 131st in putting.

“I think that it’s all just perception,” the 27-year-old said. “I’m not going to let what you guys think about my golf game affect how I think of my golf game. I believe that I’m a very good putter and everything returns to the average.

“If you’re hitting the ball as good as I have been in the past year, it’s very, very difficult to make all the putts. I feel like the things I’ve been working on to improve have been working significantly.

“As my “putting struggles” have continued in y’alls’ minds, I’ve gotten back to number one in the world and I’ve had a bunch of top-five finishes. Granted, if I can make a few more putts, those would have been more wins.

“But at the end of the day, I’m proud of tournaments this year and playing solid golf and that’s what I’m working on.”

Eight of the world’s top 10 are in the field for the Scottish Open, including three-time major winner Jordan Spieth and defending champion Xander Schauffele, who equalled the lowest score in major history with an opening 62 in last month’s US Open.

Schauffele survived a rollercoaster final round 12 months ago to secure his third win in succession, with Spieth getting to within a shot of the lead in the final round before making a double bogey on the 14th.

“I really enjoyed this tournament last year,” Spieth said. “We had the wind blowing significantly all four days, including a tough final round where I had a chance to win.

“Something about the golf course fit my eye so I’m just trying to pick up where I left off here. I really enjoy coming to Scotland, it’s one of my favourite places in the world to play golf.

“You can’t even count on two hands how many phenomenal golf courses there are. There’s four or five in a five-mile radius here, so I went out last night and played North Berwick just trying to have a lot of fun while we’re in the middle of working.

“My coach Cameron and his son were going to go out and play, I thought I would just go out there maybe with a few clubs and chip and putt and walk with them. I ended up taking my bag and played all 18 holes.

“Played the first few and was like, I can’t really quit on nine like you can in the States and I know that the last five, six holes are just incredible.

“It was just a fun evening to play golf. We don’t really get a lot of run, random rounds on the road and that was one to take advantage of.”

Neal Skupski has revealed his brother Ken’s holiday conundrum after making it through to the semi-finals of the men’s doubles at Wimbledon.

Ken, who retired last year, is now coaching his younger brother and has helped him and his partner Wesley Koolhof make it through to the last four in SW19 after a 4-6 6-2 6-3 win over Ariel Behar and Adam Pavlasek.

But after forgetting that the tournament started later this year, Ken booked a holiday to Ibiza for the end of this week, meaning he will miss the business end of the competition if he decides to go.

Neal says the final decision may rest with Ken’s wife, but would be fine for his brother to jet off to the Balearic Islands.

“Ken is in a bit of a conundrum because he is going on holiday tomorrow to Ibiza,” Neal revealed.

“Wimbledon went back a week and he didn’t check the dates before he booked it. He said he might have to stay, so we’ll see what he does.

“He wouldn’t be partying, I know Ken, he will be going with the three kids, so he will probably need a holiday for himself after that.

“It is up to him, he will be there no matter what on the end of the phone, it seems like he is wanting to stay and maybe fly out whenever this finishes.

“We haven’t spoken in depth about it. We have got a good team around us so if Ken does leave it won’t affect us too much. We’ll have a discussion about it and then he’ll have a discussion with his wife!”

Neal is chasing a Wimbledon hat-trick after his mixed doubles success in 2021 and 2022 and says if he could claim glory in the men’s doubles it would mean more.

“It is still a long way away, it would be an amazing achievement if I do go and do that, winning three in a row, but there is still a long, long way to go,” he said.

“I play men’s doubles week in, week out. That is the pinnacle of what I can achieve, to win Wimbledon. To win any event at Wimbledon is special but to win the men’s would be extra special. It is a long way away.”

Naiktha Bains and Maia Lumsden were denied a semi-final spot in the women’s doubles after being outclassed by third seeds Elise Mertens and Storm Hunter.

The wildcards have enjoyed a fine run at the All England Club and were the first all-British pair to reach the last eight of the draw for 40 years.

But their impressive progression was ended emphatically on Court Two as 2021 champion Mertens and her Australian partner Hunter eased through 6-2 6-1.

There was disappointment for Jamie Murray in the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles.

The Scot and New Zealander Michael Venus were defeated 6-4 6-3 by German 10th seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz.

Wigan head coach Matt Peet has backed his side to emerge stronger from last week’s agonising golden-point defeat to Betfred Super League whipping boys Wakefield.

The Warriors look to re-ignite their play-off hopes against neighbours Warrington on Friday having endured a week of tough soul-searching on the back of the dramatic 27-26 loss.

Peet’s men led three times at Belle Vue, including by eight points late in the second half, before Trinity scrambled level and Will Dagger’s extra-time kick secured the precious win for the bottom side.

It was an uncharacteristic performance in what has been a relatively consistent season for Wigan and Peet admitted: “It was important the players and staff took it hard and understood it was one we got wrong.

“If we’d been more hard-nosed and ruthless in the last 10 minutes, we might have got away with the two points, and I’m confident if we get put in the same position this week, we’ll manage the game better.

“You have to learn some lessons that hurt sometimes. You wish you didn’t have to go through that process, but if the outcome is a hungrier and more intelligent team, then we can turn it into a positive.”

Wigan’s shock loss saw them slip to fourth in a congested league table, better off by points difference than Friday’s opponents, the early pace-setters whose season has come off the rails following five defeats in their last six league games, albeit showing a marked improvement in last week’s tight loss to St Helens.

The Warriors, who have a Challenge Cup semi-final against Hull KR next week, have also announced a new four-year deal for homegrown hooker Brad O’Neill, who has made an increasing impact of late in a position in which Peet is not short of options.

“This is the only place I want to be and I’m glad to be here for the next four years,” said the 20-year-old, who came through the club’s scholarship and academy systems.

“I won the Challenge Cup last season and my dream is to win more with this club. Last week was a really tough game but we came back in on Monday and learned some really harsh lessons.

“You can take positives from learning how to play in those different kinds of pressure moments. We’ll learn massive amounts from last Friday and hopefully we’ll take it forward into these big games that are coming up.”

Daizen Maeda wants to “share the joy and happiness” with Celtic fans again as he looks to build on last season’s success.

The tireless Japan forward signed a new four-year deal earlier this month – testament to the success he has enjoyed in Glasgow since arriving from Japanese side Yokohama F.Marinos at the start of 2022.

Maeda has scored 19 goals in 71 appearances – including a goal on his debut against Hibernian at Celtic Park – and has won four trophies, including last season’s historic domestic treble.

Added to that, the 25-year-old’s family have adapted well to life in Scotland and, speaking to Celtic TV, he said: “It is amazing to be able to play for Celtic for many more years.

“I would like to share the joy and happiness with the supporters and have more success again.

“I can’t live in a place where my family doesn’t settle well.

“Fans and supporters in the city and at the nursery for my kids have helped us a lot, so now we feel that the city is very comfortable to live.”

Maeda has been capped 12 times for Japan, scoring three goals, the most recent coming last month in a 4-1 Kirin Cup win over Peru.

The attacker is looking forward to returning home again next week with Celtic as the Scottish champions take on Gamba Osaka and Maeda’s former club, Yokohama F.Marinos, in pre-season friendlies, which will give the Hoops players more chances to impress new boss Brendan Rodgers.

“He is a fantastic manager,” Maeda said. “As a team, we are aiming to achieve success again with the new gaffer this season.

“Individually, I want to perform better than last season.

“I went back to Japan recently for national-team duty, but it will be the first time to go back and play some games as a Celtic player, so I’m looking forward to it.

“Marinos are a strong team. The team was strong when I was there too, and they have been winning the league recently but, yes, I want to beat them.

“They are pre-season games. We have to try to win but also we will be playing to prepare for next season.”

Meanwhile, Celtic have announced a friendly against Wolves in Dublin. Rodgers’ side, after their trip to Japan, will face the Premier League side at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, July 29, with a 2pm kick-off.

Ons Jabeur gained revenge with victory over defending champion Elena Rybakina in a rematch of last year’s Wimbledon final.

The sixth seed, who also lost to Iga Swiatek in the US Open final last year, will take on second seed Aryna Sabalenka in the last four after fighting from a set down to defeat Rybakina 6-7 (5) 6-4 6-1.

Jabeur missed a set point in the opening set but fought back impressively, hitting more winners and making fewer errors than her opponent, who has established a fledgling big three in the women’s game this season with Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.

The Queen was among the interested watchers from the Royal Box as the pair took to Centre Court.

They had not faced each other since last year’s final, where Jabeur took the first set before Rybakina fought back to win in three.

While not giggling at umpire Kader Nouni’s deep voice, the crowd were again largely behind the likeable and flamboyant Jabeur, whose game and demeanour contrast so strikingly with stone-faced Rybakina.

It was the Kazakh who made the first move with a break to lead 3-1 but Jabeur hit back immediately, breaking back to love.

The hard, flat hitting and ferocious serve of Rybakina made it hard for Jabeur to bring her tricks into play too often but a lovely angled backhand pass put her 6-5 ahead.

Rybakina, who was beaten by Sabalenka in the Australian Open final, had not dropped serve since the first set of the tournament so to break twice in a set was a notable achievement for Jabeur.

However, the sixth seed was unable to serve out the set, seeing a set point go begging as Rybakina engineered a break back with a series of searing backhands.

Both players looked to be feeling the occasion but it was Rybakina who handled her nerves better in the tie-break, helped by her most potent weapon.

The Rybakina serve also got her out of a hole down 0-1 0-40 in the second set, Jabeur’s frustration obvious as the break points were snatched away.

But the defending champion was powerless to stop Jabeur when she applied pressure at 5-4, the Tunisian leaping to put away a simple volley before bouncing to her chair.

When a second successive break of serve followed to start the deciding set, the crowd began to sense the finish line.

Jabeur was playing better and better, coping brilliantly with the power of Rybakina and hitting plenty of her own winners, particularly down the line.

A second break of serve, clinched with a precision backhand, gave her the chance to claim victory, and a Rybakina forehand into the net sealed the deal.

David Menuisier will keep the Goodwood door ajar for Heartache Tonight, although the talented filly is more likely to run in France next month.

The Pulborough-based trainer has left the daughter of Recorder in the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes, although as she builds up to a possible Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe tilt, the three-year-old is being primed for a return to action at Deauville.

Owned by Chris Wright and Andy MacDonald, Heartache Tonight was a close-up fourth to Jannah Rose in the Group One Prix-Saint Alary at ParisLongchamp in May, before finishing sixth to Soul Sister in the Oaks.

Menuisier stated that he would then give her a summer break and look towards the autumn, but she was handed a surprise entry for a possible step up to a mile and three-quarters for the Group Two Lillie Langtry on August 5.

However, Menuisier insists it is only a speculative option and said: “We put her in the race just to have a look at it, but without any real interest at the moment.

“It wouldn’t be a target as such. Unless circumstances turn really favourable, it wouldn’t really be on the radar. We have kept her in to have a look, but we’ve no real interest.

“The circumstances would be softer ground and if the field was absolutely shattered and then you wouldn’t have to maybe think about it.

“It goes without staying she should stay, there is a lot of prize money and it would be an interesting race to win. That’s why we have kept her in.”

Heartache Tonight also holds an entry in the Yorkshire Oaks later next month, but the trainer is favouring a Group Three contest over an extended mile and a half for her return.

Menuisier added: “The main target would be to come back in the Prix Minerve at Deauville on August 13.”

England’s assistant coach Paul Collingwood believes this summer’s Ashes excitement could spark a cricket boom in the country.

Three thrilling Tests and three nerve-racking finishes at Edgbaston, Lord’s and Headingley mean this is already the most exciting men’s Ashes in a generation, while the women’s series is also reaching new heights as it plays out in front of record crowds.

Collingwood made a fleeting appearance in the final match of the 2005 series against Australia, a rivalry that became a national obsession and made mainstream stars of players like Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen.

That still stands as a high watermark for Test cricket in modern times and, although the Ashes in no longer on free-to-air television, Sky Sports have reported record viewing figures for both series and Collingwood feels a real connection is being made with old and new followers.

A fitting climax looks all but certain, with England 2-1 down and seeking a rousing comeback victory and Australia aiming for a first away win since 2001.

“It’s been enthralling, gripping stuff and it feels like it’s not just the the regular cricket fans who are switching on, it’s reaching a bit further than that,” Collingwood told the PA news agency ahead of next week’s fourth Test at Emirates Old Trafford.

“People just can’t wait for the cricket to be on. The 2005 Ashes was an inspiration for people to get involved, to go out there have have a try and participation went through the roof. That’s what we want.

“It really feels like there’s nothing better going on in the sporting world right now. These guys are entertainers. When the team is playing like it is, it’s amazing to watch, there hasn’t been an hour when it’s been boring.

“I’m sitting on the edge of my seat watching and you don’t want to move. The Ashes is one step on the journey this side wants to go on in taking this exciting brand of cricket on and we hope everyone will follow us.

“Baz (McCullum, head coach) and Ben Stokes didn’t keep it a secret when they took over – they want Test cricket to be as entertaining as it can be and that’s been behind everything we’ve done over the last year.”

Both teams have had a chance to get away after England kept the series alive with victory in Leeds, the last significant gap in the schedule before the contest concludes with back-to-back Tests.

There are selection issues to settle on both sides and injury niggles to monitor. England will recall record wicket-taker James Anderson at his home ground, with Ollie Robinson likeliest to make way on grounds of fitness and form, but they will look to keep the majority of their winning team together in Manchester.

“This break will have recharged the batteries, which we needed because it’s been high intensity stuff and it can be draining,” Collingwood said.

“It’s even draining for us on the sidelines. The guys have shown they can make good decisions under pressure, but it’ll be good to get those bodies and minds back in shape.

“As coaches it’s about creating a relaxed environment and making sure the boys enjoy themselves, that’s what really allows them to bring their best game into Test matches.

“You want to be at 100% and I think in my career I tended to hit 60 or 70% because there was always that fear of making mistakes.

“These guys aren’t worried about negative consequences and it allows them to show their skills off.”

Leon Balogun felt he was “coming home” after re-signing for Rangers on a one-year deal to become Michael Beale’s seventh summer recruit.

The 35-year-old centre-back won the cinch Premiership and Scottish Cup during two seasons at Ibrox before he joined QPR in 2022.

Balogun’s arrival on a one-year deal – subject to international clearance – comes after the Ibrox club confirmed defender Leon King would be out for a significant period of time with an ankle injury.

After joining the Gers squad in their Germany training camp, the Nigeria international told the club’s official website: “I am just excited to be honest.

“It is still a bit unreal but it is very real, so I am just really, really happy to be back at Rangers – it feels like coming home.

“Since I have left, I have always felt a lot of appreciation and love from friends I have made in Glasgow and around the club and now that I am back, it is nice to say the least.

“I know second is no option, I know what people are going to say very quickly if we are not performing so it is time to get to work, put our best foot forward and make sure we get the results that we need.”

Speaking about the experienced former Fortuna Dusseldorf, Mainz 05 and Brighton defender, Beale said: “Leon is a person that I have full trust in both as a footballer and a man.

“He is extremely well liked by everyone inside the club and we are very happy to have someone with his experience and leadership qualities rejoining our squad.

“Naturally he will integrate back into the club very quickly and he understands fully our way of working and style of play.

“As a free agent, we were able to move quickly so that he could join us here in Germany.

“It was really nice to see the reception he received from the players and staff on joining us here at the camp.”