England

West Indies star Carlos Brathwaite had a day to forget after making his debut for Birmingham & District Premier League side Knowle and Dorridge Cricket Club.

Brathwaite, who memorably guided the West Indies to victory in the 2016 T20 World Cup with a brutal final over assault on Ben Stokes, is set to captain Birmingham Bears in this year's T20 Blast. And with the competition getting underway next month, the all-rounder is taking the opportunity to get in some game time with Knowle and Dorridge first as he returns from a shoulder injury which forced him to undergo surgery.

Over the Easter weekend, Brathwaite debuted for the club in a 50-over match against Leamington Cricket Club. However, things could not have gone much worse for the 33-year-old.

While bowling for the first time in six months due to his injury, Brathwaite was unable to pick up a wicket and conceded 31 runs from his four overs, making him the most expensive Knowle and Dorridge bowler. He then holed out for a first ball duck while batting as his side lost the match by 12 runs.

Brathwaite later tweeted about the match, revealing that his car had also been stolen. "What a day yesterday," he wrote.

"First time bowling in a game after injury for six months - First ball duck from a long hop - Car stolen but you know what, woke up this morning, Sun is shining and giving thanks. Happy Easter to all."

The 2022 Vitality Blast will run from May 22-July 16.

Bethell struck an unbeaten 50 to mark his debut in style on Sunday, with England swiftly chasing down a target of 103 to win.

Daryl Mitchell's stubborn 84 had offered some resistance for New Zealand, but the sensational Carse eventually sent him packing, ending a 10th-wicket stand of 45 in the process.

Carse, who was banned for historical betting offences earlier in the year, took three wickets in total on day four and finished with figures of 6-42 in the second innings, taking his maiden five-for in Test cricket.

That paved the way for England's batters to do the rest, and though Zak Crawley (one) fell early, number three Bethell came to the fore.

Ben Duckett (27) was also dismissed, but Bethell and Joe Root (23 not out) guided the tourists to an emphatic win.

Data Debrief: Ten of the best for Carse 

Carse took 10-106 across the match, making him the first bowler for England to take a 10-for in an away Test since Monty Panesar back in 2012.

In fact, no seamer had achieved the feat since Ryan Sidebottom, who also did it against New Zealand, in 2008.

Even more impressive for 29-year-old Carse, he hit the landmark in just three Tests, whereas legends James Anderson and Stuart Broad were never able to across their illustrious England careers.

Jos Buttler returned to skipper England as captain Eoin Morgan sat out and he top scored with a stunning 59 from 39 deliveries at the top of the order.

Moeen Ali (36) and Liam Livingstone (38) supplied explosive middle-order contributions, but England lost wickets frequently and there was a suspicion their 200 all out in 19.5 was a touch shy of what was required in perfect batting conditions in a sweltering Leeds.

But a Pakistan batting line-up that posted 232-6 in a 31-run win at Trent Bridge on Friday were effectively shackled by leg-spinners Adil Rashid (2-30) and Matt Parkinson (1-25) and Moeen's off-spin (2-32), with paceman Saqib Mahmood the pick of the attack thanks to 3-33 that began with the vital wicket of visiting captain Babar Azam (22).

Jason Roy set the tone for England's innings with a huge six and a four off slow left-armer Imad Wasim (2-37) before holing out within the first over.

Dawid Malan scratched around for one off five deliveries – top-edging a sweep off Imad to be caught by Azam Khan – although there were no such problems for Moeen in his blistering 16-ball stay, nor Livingstone, who followed up his incredible century in Nottingham by bludgeoning two fours and three sixes. One of those remarkably cleared the grandstand at the Football Ground End.

Buttler was in typically sublime touch through extra cover and only fell to Mohammad Hasnain (3-51) with a thunderous hit straight to Babar at mid-off.

Jonny Bairstow, Tom Curran and Chris Jordan came and went without being able to produce anything of similar substance and the sense England had been slightly wasteful was heightened as Babar and Mohammad Rizwan (37) added 50 for the first wicket.

Babar skewed a cross-seam delivery from Mahmood to a diving Malan and, as Rashid and Parkinson got into their work, Pakistan were unable to regain their momentum.

A fine return catch from Rashid accounted for Rizwan, while Moeen had Mohammad Hafeez caught behind for 10 and bowled Fakhar Zaman with a beauty to scoop the player of the match award.

England started day two on 315-3, adding another quickfire 120 before declaring on 435-8, with Root unbeaten on 153.

The bowlers were able to reduce New Zealand to 138-7 before rain stopped play, with James Anderson and Jack Leach taking three wickets each.

There had been some surprise when Stokes called the declaration immediately after Root passed 150, but it allowed England time to claim the two early wickets of Devon Conway and Kane Williamson before lunch.

"I think it was a brilliant call from Ben," Root said. "It felt like that 40 minutes before the break, the sun was out and with 40 minutes of sun, a heavy roller and 40 minutes of sun at lunch, it might have changed the wicket.

"It didn't work out like that, it gave a better opportunity to make the most of the conditions. The way we're playing at the minute with the confidence we've got, seeing the ball move around with the number one Test bowler [Anderson], the two leading wicket-takers we've ever had [Anderson and Stuart Broad], it just seemed a very brave and attacking option. Full credit to Ben, as you'd expect, for taking it on.

"He's just walked so naturally into the role, he's managing the game really well and everyone is responding to it. I just think was a brilliant call from him, it would have been very easy for us to keep going and we might not be sat here with them seven down tonight. Credit to him, he's doing a great job."

Root's partnership of 302 with Harry Brook (186) was the third-best for the fourth wicket in England Test history, and fell just eight runs shy of the best partnership overseas, behind Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen's 310 in Adelaide in 2006.

"I felt like I owed that to the group," Root said of his 153. "It's been a while since I made a solid contribution. To be part of such a big partnership was really pleasing and I think the best thing was I had the best seat in the house to watch Harry go about his business.

"It's a joy to watch him play at the minute. He certainly made my life a lot easier out there, the way he manages to wrestle momentum in our favour and constantly put bowlers under pressure.

"I felt we had a really good understanding, we negated a few modes of dismissal by getting down the crease. We fed off each quite nicely and made it difficult for them to bowl one length for us."

The standout performer of the second Test, Sibley finished on 133 from 311 balls as England declared on 391-8 in the second innings, giving their bowlers a day and a half to get the Proteas out.

But early progress was slow with the ball and, led by debutant Pieter Malan (63 not out), South Africa reached stumps still very much in the match on 126-2.

Ben Stokes had accelerated the tourists' innings with an explosive 72 off 47 in a partnership of 92 with Sibley, arriving at the beginning of the day with England already 264 runs in front.

Stokes' highest Test score came at Newlands in 2016, and he appeared in the mood for more of the same on Monday, quickly plundering boundaries as Sibley held his ground at the opposite end.

The star all-rounder mustered seven fours and three sixes in all as he raced past fifty before Sibley finally reached his patient 269-ball century with a sweep through backward square to the fence.

Stokes looked destined to join his team-mate on three figures in double-quick time, but he could not beat Rassie van der Dussen at long-on, caught off Keshav Maharaj's bowling.

Ollie Pope (3) quickly departed, and Jos Buttler joined Sibley and made 23 off 18. Sam Curran added 13, before England declared with Stuart Broad in the middle.

But South Africa started off fairly comfortably in reply, openers Malan and Dean Elgar only belatedly put under a little pressure in a Joe Denly spell shortly before tea.

Denly (1-26) returned following the interval and tempted a thin edge from Elgar (34) for a much-needed breakthrough the batsman unsuccessfully reviewed.

England soon grew frustrated again, though, as Malan paired with Zubayr Hamza (18) and brought up his first Test fifty, and James Anderson was sent in for a last tilt at the resolute pair.

That change did the trick, Hamza edging Anderson (1-18) behind in the second of the veteran's consecutive maiden overs, leaving the tourists eight wickets short of a series-levelling victory.

Athapaththu claimed figures of three for 21 as the hosts were bowled out for 116 before whacking 44 to fire her side to a seven-wicket victory, which sealed a memorable 2-1 series success in the decider at Derby.

The Sri Lanka captain hit a half-century in Saturday’s win at Chelmsford and again brought the fireworks, plundering two sixes and five fours in her 28-ball innings.

It meant that England lost a T20 series to a team other than Australia for the first time since 2010, while also losing a first-ever white-ball series to Sri Lanka.

The opening ball of the match set the tone for England’s disappointing innings as Danni Wyatt slapped a gentle long hop straight to cover and it got worse after a calamitous run out at the end of the second over, where Maia Bouchier and Alice Capsey were both at the same end.

They never got to grips with Sri Lanka’s array of slower bowlers, with skipper Athapaththu taking three  wickets and Udeshika Prabodhani and Kavisha Dilhari both claiming two victims apiece.

Bouchier top scored with 23 while Danielle Gibson added 21 late as England failed to see out their overs.

Athapaththu came out firing and did the leg work of Sri Lanka’s chase in the first seven overs, hitting Kate Cross and 17-year-old Mahika Gaur over the ropes in an array of boundaries.

Her dismissal with score on 65 could have opened the door for England, but they could not make regular inroads and the visitors got over the line with 18 balls to spare.

Chase ended day two with another solid haul against the Englishmen, this time grabbing figures of 5 for 172, as England posted a sizeable 469 for 9 declared.  Chase, who has bowled 44 overs, accounted for the top three batsmen, which included Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, and Zak Crawley before accounting for Ollie Pope and Sam Curran.  The other wickets were claimed by Kemar Roach, Alzarri Joseph and Jason Holder.

The innings was the second big haul for the spinner, who also rattled the then visitors with an impressive 8 for 60 when the teams played in the Caribbean last year.

“It’s my second five-wicket haul, following up on the eight-wicket haul in Barbados.  I do tend to do well against them, even in 2017, even though England is not normally a place where spin bowlers dominate,” Chase told members of the media via a Zoom press conference.

Chase was used sparingly in the 2017 series in England, when he again managed to pick up a few wickets.  The player, however, hopes for even more success.

“I still think I have to find a way to get more wickets.”

Under overcast skies West Indies captain Jason Holder had chosen to bowl first, only to see his much-vaunted pace-bowling attack repelled by dogged English batting that kept his side in the field for 162 overs and the better part of two days.

Architects of the English first-innings total of 469-9 declared were the side’s vice-captain, Ben Stokes, 176, and opener Dom Dibley, 120.

To help keep the run-scoring in check, Chase bowled a mammoth 44 overs to claim 5-143, while pacers Kemar Roach, 2-58, Alzarri Joseph and Holder, 1-70, offered support with their wickets.

In reply, the West Indies have already lost the services of John Campbell, after Sam Curran trapped him leg before for 12. Opener Kraigg Brathwaite, 6, and Joseph, the night watchman, 14, are the batsmen at the crease, with the West Indies 32-1.

Despite the setback, Chase believes the West Indies have the tools to overhaul England’s total.

“I would never say that the 400 and odd is beyond us with the talent of the players that we have,” he said in a post-match conference on Friday.

Chase does recognize though, that batting on the third day may provide different challenges to the ones the English batsmen managed to navigate on the first two days.

“I would say that the wicket is slower than in that first innings when the ball was skidding on, so you have to give yourself time to adjust,” said Chase.

Even with that fact, however, Chase is still optimistic about his side’s chances, even though the odds of an England win stand at 70%.

“But I am backing our players to get the total or even close to it and then put them in a place where they have to decide what they are going to do,” said Chase.

Odds for the game ending in a draw now stand at 28% with a West Indies victory at this stage at a mere 2%.

The West Indies lead the three-Test series 1-0 and only need a draw to secure their hold on the Wisden Trophy.

England skipper Joe Root gave the signal to declare the innings on 469-9 just about an hour before close of play but before that, the side’s vice-captain, Ben Stokes, 176, and opener Dom Dibley, 120, made the West Indies toil.

Chase, himself, bowled a mammoth 44 overs to claim 5-143, while pacers Kemar Roach, 2-58, Alzarri Joseph and Holder, 1-70, offered support with their wickets.

In reply, the West Indies have already lost the services of John Campbell, after Sam Curran trapped him leg before for 12. Opener Kraigg Brathwaite, 6, and Joseph, the night watchman, 14, are the batsmen at the crease, with the West Indies 32-1.

“Most teams being out there for 160-odd overs you would begin to see the tiredness and the lines and lengths start to go wrong, but we didn’t let it get away from us. We still kept the run rate to under three and that was our aim from the beginning,” said Chase.

A large part of that were the 32 overs bowled by Roach. The pacer went at a miserly 1.76 runs per over even though he didn’t get among the wickets til late in the day when he had Stokes caught behind attempting a reverse sweep, and Woakes caught at slip with a peach of a delivery with the very next ball.

“We didn’t get wickets in clusters or really fast like we did in the first game but we stuck to the game plan and stuck to the task,” said Chase.

The West Indies were in for a surprise after believing they could get the most out of the wicket on day one under gloomy skies and with some moisture from rainy days still affecting the pitch.

“I thought the conditions played a big role in us deciding to bowl first. Outside was very overcast and dark, the lights were on before play even started, and having the success we had in the first game as well, everyone was down for the decision to bowl first. But as I said, the English batters played tremendously so kudos to them,” said Chase.

There were a few instances when things looked to be falling apart for the West Indies toward the end of the England innings.

Roach dropped a catch, pushing his effort over the ropes for six, Shannon Gabriel missed an easy run out, having caught the return but failed to make contact with the stumps, as well as a couple of other misfields.

Those instances, though, Chase explained are bound to occur after such a long time in the field.

We made a few blunders in the field which is going to happen when you’re out there for that long because your body is under tremendous strain but all in all I think it was a good effort from the guys,” said Chase.

The tourists' pacemen struggled to apply any pressure on England's openers as play began 90 minutes late and under lights at Old Trafford. Chase was handed the final over before the break by captain Jason Holder and trapped Rory Burns lbw for 15 with the second delivery.

Burns chose to review, but replays showed the ball was hitting the top of middle stump.

England went into lunch on 29-1 after 13.2 overs, a disappointing start to a tough morning for the hosts at least off the field.

England was without fast bowler Jofra Archer, who was excluded from the team for breaching isolation protocols by returning to his home in Brighton on Monday as the squad transferred from Southampton to Manchester. With James Anderson and Mark Wood rested for the match, England had a completely new specialist pace attack featuring Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran.

Returning England captain Joe Root then lost a toss that was delayed because of wet weather, and Holder had no hesitation putting the English into bat even though no team has won on the eight occasions it has chosen to field first in a test at Old Trafford.

The radar of West Indies' fast bowlers was off, particularly Shannon Gabriel, who produced a comically bad first over that included five wides when one of his deliveries flew wide of the pitch and all the way to the boundary. Gabriel lost his run-up and had to abort his first delivery, and was wayward through most of his three overs.

Holder gave Gabriel and Kemar Roach only three overs each before removing the strike bowlers, but Burns and Sibley (8 not out) continued to be unflustered until Chase struck.

Chase was at it again just after the lunch interval, as Zak Crawley, fell to leg slip.

The West Indies, which named an unchanged team, won the first Test in Southampton and are looking to seal a first series victory in England in 32 years.

On Friday, England declared their first innings in the second Test of the #raisethebat Series at Old Trafford on 469-9 thanks to innings from their vice-captain Ben Stokes, 176, and opener Dom Sibley, 120.

Sibley and Stokes were patient in compiling their respective innings, the former facing 372 deliveries for a strike rate of 32.26. Stokes was a little more adventurous, scoring at 49.44.

Chase eventually removed Sibley, the opener counting as one of his five wickets after 44 overs of bowling.

“I would say the approach should be to play each ball on merit,” said Chase. “Just take a page out of the English players’ book, especially Sibley and how patient he was and just really waited on the bowlers to come into his areas and score,” he said.

Chase was also cognizant of the way the pair ran between the wickets, always keeping the pressure on the West Indies to field well and thought this was something his West Indies teammates should also take onboard.

“I thought that they ran really well between the wickets so that is something that we can take from them as well and just stay patient,” said Chase.

The West Indies, in their reply, are 32-1, with opener John Campbell back in the pavilion for 12.

Campbell struck a couple of handsome drives but then misread the line of a delivery from Sam Curran to fall leg before.

Alzarri Joseph, the night watchman is not out on 14, while opener Kraigg Brathwaite is on six.

Come tomorrow, Chase wants the two to “just take that leaf from their book and play each ball on merit and when the opportunity comes to score, just score and go about cricket the normal way, run hard between the wickets.”

The West Indies lead the #raisethebat Series for the Wisden Trophy 1-0 and could secure their hold on the trophy with a draw in the second Test.

England succumbed to a 4-0 defeat against Australia, with significant questions asked of their selections and batting, and it meant Silverwood was soon ousted from the post he had held since October 2019.

Now the former fast bowler will take up the top job with Sri Lanka, and one of his first challenges will be a home series against Australia in June and July.

Sri Lanka Cricket pointed to Silverwood's international experience and domestic success as coach of Essex, whom he led to County Championship glory in the 2017 season.

Silverwood has signed a two-year contract, and the 47-year-old said: "I am very excited to be on board with Sri Lanka and I cannot wait to get over to Colombo and get started.

"They have a talented and passionate group of players and I am really looking forward to meeting up with the players and coaching staff very soon."

Sri Lanka tour Bangladesh in May, and the two-Test series will be Silverwood's immediate focus.

Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley De Silva described Silverwood as "extremely experienced".

"And from our discussions with him in the recruitment process it is clear he has the required qualities we are looking for to take the team forward," De Silva said.

Woakes stepped up with bat and ball after being thrust into last week’s must-win clash at Headingley, 16 months after he last donned his England whites on the ill-fated tour of the West Indies.

Defeat in Grenada spelled the end of Joe Root’s captaincy and ushered in the ‘Bazball’ era, with Woakes watching on from the outside as English cricket turned a new corner under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes.

Injury saw Woakes miss the entirety of last summer and, although he returned to the limited-overs set-up in time to win the T20 World Cup in November, the 34-year-old was beginning to believe the Test team had left him behind.

Watching the all-rounder take three Australian wickets in each innings in the third Test, then guide his side home with an unbeaten 32, that now seems hard to imagine.

But Woakes, who opted not to put his name forward for this year’s Indian Premier League in a bid to keep his red-ball skills sharp, is honest enough to say he was worried.

“It’s quite emotional actually. You sometimes think the ship has sailed, of course you do,” he said of his match-winning return.

“You do wonder, especially when the team was going so well last summer and I wasn’t involved. It’s hard.

“Obviously I had injuries and stuff, but I made a big decision at the start of summer not to go to India and, you know, it’s days like these which make that sort of decision pay off, comfortably.

“Sometimes you don’t always get the rewards that you deserve, but I felt like I played well in this game and got the rewards I deserve.”

Those rewards included scoring the winning runs, clattering Mitchell Starc through point for a boundary which sent a sold-out crowd wild.

“It literally doesn’t get any better than that, I don’t think,” he reflected.

“The feeling of that roar, the Western Terrace going mad. It’s pretty special, pretty cool. If you could bottle that up forever and come back to it, you would.”

Attention now turns towards Emirates Old Trafford, where England will look to level the series scoreline at 2-2 to set up a decider at the Kia Oval.

The tourists have two chances to become the first Australian men’s side to win an Ashes series on English soil since 2001, but Woakes has warned that the task will not get any easier.

“In our dressing room the belief is we can win 3-2, I think it’s always been there,” he said.

“You don’t want to look too far ahead, you have to play what’s in front of you, each ball, each day, each session, each Test match as it comes. I’d imagine when you’re so close to getting something, the harder it gets, and I’m sure the Aussies will be feeling that now.

“Once you get so close to something, it’s actually hard to get that over the line, isn’t it? We’ve got turn up in Manchester and put in another performance. They’re an extremely good side and we’re going to have to be at our best to beat them again.”

Stokes was in rampant form against New Zealand on Wednesday, making the country’s highest ever ODI score in just his third innings since reversing his year-long retirement from the format.

With England’s World Cup defence less than three weeks away it was a perfect way for the man who carried them to victory in the 2019 final to prove his sense of occasion once again.

Stokes has nothing left to prove on the big stage but watching him bully England’s first World Cup opponents with nine sixes and 15 fours sent a wave of energy through the dressing room.

England went on to wrap up victory by a huge margin of 181 runs, another reminder that when he is in the side, the whole team walks a little taller.

“We obviously see Ben as this superhuman that can do incredible things. We know he can,” said Woakes, who picked up the baton with three early wickets in the field.

“It was great for the group and brilliant for Ben too. He’s an unbelievable cricketer but coming back into the team having retired, it will do his confidence a world of good.

“We always have doubts and performance anxieties at the best of times, so it’s great for his confidence and great for the team’s confidence and belief that we can post huge scores.

“It was amazing to be here and play in the game because that was an incredible knock.

“He struck it cleaner than anyone else out there. It just shows how good a player he is.”

Since walking away from 50-over cricket last summer citing workload issues, Stokes has poured his energies into his role as Test captain.

Working closely with head coach Brendon McCullum, he has revitalised the red-ball set-up, flipping their fortunes in dramatic fashion and playing out a thrilling drawn Ashes series that gripped the nation.

Woakes feels that stepping back into the ranks under Jos Buttler’s leadership, and operating as a specialist batter rather than all-action all-rounder, is a good thing for Stokes.

“I think him coming back into this team is probably a refreshing feeling for him, without the captaincy on his shoulders. To run the England Test team is a tough job,” he said.

“He’s probably seen this as a breath of fresh air, to play his natural game and be his natural person, which he always does.

“This group of players who have been around this team for a long time, always feel comfortable when we come back together.”

England’s World Cup squad has one more game together before departing for India, wrapping up their clash with the Black Caps at Lord’s on Friday.

There is hope that Jason Roy and Mark Wood will be fit for selection, with both sidelined for each of the last three matches. Roy has been laid low twice by back spasms and Wood has been kept in cotton well since ending the Ashes with a heel problem.

Roy, in particular, will be eager to feel bat on ball. Dawid Malan made 96 at opener on Wednesday to position himself as a viable alternative and Harry Brook continues to linger as a possible replacement should Roy’s fitness continue to raise questions.

“I think he’s hopeful. This close to a World Cup it’s a bit of a risk to throw him into a game when you’re unsure as to how he’s going to go,” said Woakes.

“Fingers crossed he’s alright. I’m sure he’s desperate to get out there and I’m sure he’s frustrated as well.

“Pre-World Cup you want to get a bit of form behind you and play as many games as possible but he’s a resilient character; the lads have got around him and I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

England closed on 27 without loss in pursuit of 251, a tricky ask as they have to better a first-innings 237, after Australia were skittled for 224 on a truncated day three of the third Test.

Adding to the tension is England knowing they will lose the series at the earliest possible opportunity if they fall short in the chase, although the target is some way below the 359 they were set four years ago.

On that occasion, England sealed a nerve-shredding one-wicket win to breathe fresh life into their campaign and Woakes recognises there will be similar momentum shifts and anxious spells on Sunday.

“I hope so, because that means we win the Test match,” said Woakes, when asked if they would invoke the spirit of 2019 in pursuit of 224 more runs. “It would be nice to do it a little bit easier this time.

“There’s a full day ahead of us and we know what we’ve got to get. To chalk a few off is really nice and to finish the day none down is a real positive for us.

“We know we can chase scores as a team. It certainly suits us which is a good thing.

“The scores haven’t been overly high in this game, so you don’t just walk into it thinking it’s going to be a doddle.

“Naturally in a run chase there’s always nerves. But they are good nerves. The thought of winning the Test, chasing down a score, and keeping yourself in the series. It’s more excitement than nerves.”

Both Woakes and Australia batter Travis Head were involved in a clash that went down as an Ashes classic, with Ben Stokes’ 135 not out getting England over the line in dramatic fashion.

“It’s fair to say that it’s a nice place to be with the series on the line and hopefully we can redeem ourselves from 2019 at this place,” said Head, who bolstered Australia on Saturday with a fine 77.

Woakes has been quietly instrumental in his first Test of the Bazball era after 16 months out of the side, initially missing out through injury and then sliding down the pecking order.

He has taken three wickets in both innings, all of them in Australia’s top-seven, in his first home match in the format since September 2021.

He acknowledged his dismissal of Australia linchpin Marnus Labuschagne – third in the Test batting rankings – on the opening day helped him to settle.

“Getting the call shows the backing from the coach and the captain, and to get a big scalp like Marnus is a bit of a relief and shows faith in the decision to play,” Woakes added.

“The fact I haven’t played in front of a crowd in England for a couple of years brings out that emotion in you when you hear that roar. It’s easy to forget how good it is when you haven’t played for a while.”

England last summer made a habit of reeling in high targets under Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, successfully chasing down four 275-plus scores.

But, as in 2019, Woakes may at some point be called to strap on the pads in a bid to avoid Australia moving into an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

“The excitement and chance of winning a Test match in an Ashes series is fantastic but we also realise we’re still 220 runs away from that,” said Woakes

“There’s some hard work to be put in. Australia will be thinking they’re 10 wickets away from winning an Ashes series in England as well, so it’s an exciting day for both teams.”

Woakes collected the Compton–Miller Medal for player of the series in the Ashes, inspiring England’s comeback from 2-0 down to draw 2-2, but is surplus to requirements for the five-match series in India.

By the lofty standards he sets himself, the 34-year-old’s Test record overseas is modest as he averages 51.88 with the ball, exactly 30 runs per wicket higher than a superb resume at home.

Having been notified by England director of men’s cricket Rob Key and Test head coach Brendon McCullum ahead of time, Woakes is satisfied to focus on white-ball cricket for the next few months.

“It’s mixed emotions,” he said. “You’re always desperate to be in it, but at the same time, at my age, with my away record – particularly in the subcontinent – I feel like it’s a fair decision.

“We had conversations about where my best cricket is likely to be played moving forward and, naturally in Test cricket, it looks likely to be at home.

“It doesn’t mean to say that when there’s not subcontinent tours that I won’t be available, hopefully they’ll still potentially pick me in those.

“But I feel at ease with the decision, if that makes sense. The communication was good, I know where I stand so it’s fine by me.”

Woakes will instead go to the International League T20 in the United Arab Emirates, which starts in January, and hopes to be snapped up in the Indian Premier League auction for next year’s edition.

He was speaking in Barbados, having linked up with England ahead of their five T20s against the West Indies which act as reconnaissance for next year’s T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and United States.

His last visit to these parts in March 2022 was in the final throes of Joe Root’s captaincy, with a 1-0 Test loss compounded by a knee injury that needed surgery and left Woakes sidelined for several months.

“I wouldn’t want that to be the same case going to India, bowling on tracks which are unresponsive to my type of bowling,” Woakes said.

“Slamming the front knee down at 34 is not really ideal when I want to play a lot of white-ball cricket moving forward.

“It’s different when that’s just your sole focus, but when you want to play all forms, it makes it a wise decision.”

Despite being white-ball vice-captain, Moeen Ali seems set to be dropped by England in Tuesday’s opening T20, which marks the start of the International Cricket Council’s stop clock trial.

If a bowling team is not ready to start an over 60 seconds after the completion of the last one, they will be penalised five runs when it happens for a third time and on each occasion thereafter.

“We haven’t really spoken about it as of yet, but I’ve seen the idea of it and it kind of makes sense,” Woakes added. “It hopefully will speed the game up a little bit.

“When you’re out there in the middle, you don’t feel like you’re playing it slow, the game does feel fast. Guys might be taking drinks or swapping gloves and things, but the game does feel pretty quick.

“But we’re in the entertainment business and we need to make sure the viewers are happy as well. So I think it’s a good idea.”

Chris Woakes, player of the series after a starring role in this summer’s Test series between the sides, turned in another impressive showing as Australia were bowled out for 286 in the final over.

Woakes topped and tailed the innings, dismissing the dangerous opening pair of Travis Head and David Warner with the new ball and returning to take the last two wickets at the death.

He finished with four for 54, while Adil Rashid’s leg-spin locked down the middle overs in clinical style as he picked up two for 38 from his 10.

But an England side who started the day bottom of the table after five losses from six will be painfully aware that nothing can be taken for granted, having been rolled over for 215 or less by Afghanistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and India in the last three weeks.

Having gone in unchanged for the third game in a row, keeping Harry Brook benched despite the repeated struggles of the top six, they will need a sharp upturn in productivity from their batters.

Australia were lacking the fire-power of Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell, the former having flown home for personal reasons and the latter concussed after falling from a golf cart, and although their power-hitting was conspicuously absent they did not fold.

Steve Smith (44) and Marnus Labuschagne (71) channelled their less explosive methods to rebuild after Woakes’ early inroads and Cameron Green chipped in a handy 47 on his return to the XI.

Australia kept wickets in hand for long periods but never quite used their foundation, losing five for 66 in the final 10 overs.

England were back at the site of their first match in a dreadful campaign which was branded “crap” in a blunt assessment by Ben Stokes on the eve of this match.

They made 282 for nine and after batting first against New Zealand in the curtain-raiser at the Narendra Modi Stadium only to watch the Black Caps knock off a nine-wicket win with minimal fuss.

They will now be hoping to produce a successful pursuit of their own.

Opener Conway finished up on 136 not out to help the Black Caps close on 246-3 at Lord's in the first of two matches between the nations.

Ollie Robinson also made an impact on debut for England, the Sussex seamer taking 2-50, but it was tough work for the four members of an all-pace attack, with captain Joe Root contributing 12 overs of spin.

Ross Taylor's departure for 14 during the afternoon saw New Zealand sit at 114-3 after winning the toss and opting to bat, but Henry Nicholls combined with Conway to share an unbroken stand worth 132 as England faded.

As he matched former captain Alastair Cook's England record of 161 Test appearances, James Anderson once again dismissed Kane Williamson in the format, the New Zealand captain seeing a defensive push only end up sending the ball back onto his stumps to depart for 13.

Tom Latham also perished via an inside edge, the opener the only wicket to fall in the first session when bowled by Robinson for 23.

However, Conway dazzled in the London sunshine, becoming the 12th New Zealander to mark their maiden Test outing with a century.

The 29-year-old was born in South Africa but cleared to play for New Zealand in August 2020. He had already impressed in white-ball cricket at the highest level prior to his opportunity in the longest format.

His milestone moment arrived in the final session courtesy of a flamboyant flick off his pads through the leg side, one of 16 boundaries the left-hander struck in a composed innings that has so far spanned 240 deliveries.

Nicholls was 46 not out at stumps, happy to play second fiddle to his new team-mate as the Black Caps built the foundations for a big first-innings score.

From fast starts to playing the long game 

Conway - the 281st player to represent New Zealand in Test cricket – had already featured in three one-dayers and 14 Twenty20 games in his international career. Indeed, his T20 batting average (59.1) is the highest of any of the 528 players to make at least 10 appearances. 

His first Test chance saw him set a record too, as he moved beyond Williamson's 131 against India in November 2010 to post the highest score by a Black Caps debutant made outside of New Zealand. 

Anderson able to get Kane once again 

As a busy home schedule that includes a five-match series against India got off to a tough start, Anderson provided a rare moment of success for England by getting rid of Williamson straight after lunch. 

He has now dismissed the right-hander seven times in Tests, the most by any bowler. Indeed, no other New Zealand batsman has fallen to Anderson on more occasions in the format.

Hope had scores of 16 and nine in the first Test the West Indies won by four wickets in Southampton before scoring 25 and seven in a 113-run defeat in Manchester.

Hope, since scoring back-to-back hundreds against England in 2017, has only managed to get past 50 on four occasions, even as he faced the music 39 times.

“I am concerned. He has now gone some four innings without a score and in contrast to how he played over the last four months, five, six months in the other formats, I am concerned about his form and we will be sitting down and chatting about that,” said Simmons.

The coach, who was speaking in a press conference after the West Indies defeat by England in the second Test at Old Trafford, was referencing Hope’s phenomenal year with the bat as an ODI player.

In Hope’s last 10 ODI innings, he has scored three centuries, and three half-centuries, including 115, 51 and 72 in his last three innings against Sri Lanka earlier this year.

Simmons has said it was too early to decide on whether or not Hope would be dropped for the third Test or if another role in the batting line-up would suit him more.

That is the view of Joe Root, who was named England's Player of the Series.

England were firmly second best as they lost by eight wickets at The Oval in the third Test, with Sri Lanka picking up just their fourth win in the longest format on English soil.

Yet after winning the first two Tests, and their three matches against West Indies earlier in the summer, England have plenty to be happy with, so says Root, who used a musical comparison to emphasise his point.

"Not so much this week, but it has been a good summer," Root told BBC Sport.

"We have played some really good cricket along the way. We have had new faces come into the team and some really exciting prospects off the back of that. We are constantly learning and evolving as a group, and it is nice to contribute to that.

"I don't think we played our best cricket this week and that is going to happen from time to time. Coldplay can't be number one every week.

"My point being is we are always trying to move the game forward. We wanted to keep our catchers in and as batters want to find ways of putting the opposition under pressure.

"We are not always going to get it right all of the time. For 90% of the summer we have. We have shown what a good team we can be when we play in that matter.

"It is important we are authentic to what we are as a team and what brings out the best in our individual players."

Root plundered 375 runs across six innings in the series, including two hundreds in the second Test.

However, only scoring 25 in the third Test means he is 14 runs short of 1,000 for 2024.

He will likely get the chance to surpass that milestone, and equal Alastair Cook as the only other English player to score 1,000+ runs in five calendar years, when England tour Pakistan in October.

"You can laud it when it comes off," Root continued on England's approach. "When it doesn't always come off it might not look like traditional dismissals, but [Pathum] Nissanka was hitting over mid-on and mid-off last night.

"When you are 127 not out you can look back and say what a brilliant innings it was. He was brave enough to take the challenge on and that is what we pride ourselves on as well - how can you knock bowlers off a length, how can you make it difficult for them to build pressure on you.

"Some of our guys have a different method to how I would do it and that is what makes us such a good team when we are at our best, because we compliment each other really well and find a different way of getting teams to bowl away from where the danger is.

"Over the last couple of years, that is what has made us have the success we have had."

England's focus now switches to an ODI series against Australia, with bowler Gus Atkinson having been rested after sustaining an injury at The Oval.