Cricket

Here, PA news agency looks at lessons learned as the teams take a week’s break before resuming battle in Rajkot.

Rookie spinners are learning fast

With Jack Leach injured, England sent out an almost-unbelievably raw spin attack in the second Test.

Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir had a grand total of three caps between them going into the game – compared to 96 for India’s lead spinner Ravichandra Ashwin.

But under Ben Stokes’ proactive captaincy the youngsters are over-delivering on expectations.

They have each shone in different passages and are a major reason why England have successfully kept India’s batters from getting away.

England took a big gamble by fast-tracking such inexperienced options in conditions where the slow bowlers take huge responsibility but their development is unfolding quickly in front of our eyes.

England need more from their Yorkshire engine room

Joe Root remains the best batter in the England team and nobody has epitomised the ambition of the ‘Bazball’ era better than Jonny Bairstow, but neither man has landed a blow on India so far.

In four innings on tour Root has 52 runs at 13 and Bairstow 98 at 24.50.

It is too early to call it anything other than a blip but if England are to prevail in the next three matches they will surely play an important part.

Root is the team’s best player of slow bowling and has an exceptional record on the subcontinent, while Bairstow has the ability to bully attacks into losing composure.

Both have big roles to play after a slow start.

India are missing Virat Kohli

Both teams are missing key members of their batting line-up for personal reasons, with Harry Brook back home in England and Virat Kohli withdrawing on the eve of the series.

India appear to be missing their former captain most obviously.

He would surely be a more attacking presence in the middle order and a psychological boost for his team-mates, not to mention an electrifying factor in the field.

As a spectacle, the series would benefit from his return, but it would give the away side a new batch of problems to deal with.

Anderson is essential

A lacklustre Ashes series left some wondering if time had finally caught up with the evergreen James Anderson.

Not for the first time, he has brushed the doubters aside with panache.

At the age of 41 his efforts on his return to the XI were exemplary.

He is in outstanding physical shape and bowling with skill, control and the occasional hint of magic.

No other bowler in the squad can combine economy and wicket threat quite like Anderson and, after missing the series opener, he is once again a must-pick.

Surgery has saved Stokes

Stokes finally opted to go under the knife in November in a bid to solve his long-standing left knee problems.

He had long resisted surgery, unsure how it would turn out, but it looks to have given him a new lease of life.

The skipper has already pulled off two brilliant pieces of fielding that would have been impossible before – a wonderful run out and a sensational running catch – and no longer seems in constant pain at the crease.

Even more importantly, he has been making a gentle return to bowling in practice and hopes to be back as a fully-fledged all-rounder by the summer.

 On November 22, 1974, Sir Gordon Greenidge and Sir Vivian Richards made their Test debuts against India. The match was played at the Karnataka State Cricket Association Stadium in Bangalore.

 These two cricketing titans had illustrious careers that spanned from 1974 to 1991 and cemented their place among the pantheon of global sporting icons. During that time, they were pillars of the all-conquering West Indies team, which ruled the cricket world in red ball and white ball formats.

Both remembered the first day of action on Indian soil “like it was yesterday”.

The 23-year-old Greenidge was officially the 150th West Indies Test player. He entered with a flourish, scoring 93 and 107. This piloted West Indies to a huge win by 267 runs and a great start to the five-match series.

Sir Gordon Greenidge

The 22-year-old Richards is officially listed as the 151st West Indies Test player. He endured a tough start against the wizardry of Bhagwant Chandrasekhar. He fell to ace spinner in both innings for only three and four. But he rebounded in spectacular fashion next match with a sensational 192 not out at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi. He struck 20 fours and six towering sixes to showcase his prowess and announce his arrival. West Indies won the match by an innings.

Sir Gordon said: “It was a great feeling... a truly wonderful feeling to walk out and open the batting for the West Indies in my first Test match in India. You were going to face four of the best spinners in the world, and that was a frightening aspect. But I’m pleased to say I was able to overcome those fears pretty quicky and was able to get a formidable score and a personal achievement. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to triple figures in the first innings. But I was able to buckle down again in the second innings and got the hundred and the team won the Test match.”

Sir Viv said: “I didn’t really expect to play … I thought I was going as a replacement … I hit some good form going into the series and the confidence was there. I remember in those day we had some huge crowds … They were maybe 60 000 to 70 000 people in the stands. They (India) were renowned for their spinners, Bedi, Prasanna, Chandrasekhar and Venkat, so it was just different in my perspective. Coming from a small island, you were playing in front of a crowd that was as many as the country where you lived… There was quite a lot happening. Those were testing times…”

 He added: “Wow! To get a century in my second Test was a great feeling. I felt that with the mindset of selectors back in those days I was on my last lap, so I had to get something done … better than I did in Bangalore … ‘192 clicks not out’. That was a serious comeback and created the confidence a young man needed to have a successful tour and successful career.”

 Sir Isaac Vivian Richards

Sir Gordon and Sir Viv are rated among the best batsmen in history. Among their many accolades, they were named as Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1977 and are inductees in the International Cricket Council’s prestigious Hall of Fame. They were also members of the West Indies team that won the inaugural ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 1975 at Lord’s in England and repeated in 1979.

 Both ended their careers with stellar records. Richards played 121 matches and made 8 540 runs at an average of 50.2. His best score was 291 against England at The Oval on the historic 1976 tour of England. In his first-class career, he made 36,212 runs with 114 centuries. Greenidge played 108 Tests and made 7 558 runs at an average of 44.7. His top score was 226 against Australia at Kensington Oval in 1991 in his penultimate Test innings. In his first-class career, he made 37 354 runs with 92 centuries.

 Looking back over the 50 years, Richards said that above all, wearing the West Indies colours brought him greatest pride. This was echoed by Greenidge.

Sir Viv said: “It is not about what you achieve personally, as an individual…but it is much more about what we did as a collective for the people of the West Indies. The same way when we bleed, we bleed together and when we win, we win together, and we have fun.”

 Sir Gordon said: “Getting the nod to play for West Indies. I would have to say is the greatest moment of my career. In a land where people found it difficult to go and I managed to start so well. It might seem very strange to say that, but to get the opportunity to play, I would say I accomplished something that so many people dream of doing. I am happy to get that opportunity to play for the West Indies and for as long as I did. Representing the West Indies is the ultimate. We played for our people in the West Indies and the many people overseas who supported us.”

 Philip Spooner is the former Media Manager of the West Indies team and the former Head of Media for Cricket West Indies. He was also the Global Media Manager for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

The 34-year-old Broad wrapped up England's 269-run victory at Old Trafford by dismissing Jermaine Blackwood, securing a 10-wicket haul in the match.

That was his 501st Test wicket, the landmark having been reached earlier in the day when he pinned Kraigg Brathwaite lbw, as Broad added 4-36 to his first-innings 6-31.

Broad also cracked a rapid 62 with the bat in an important first-innings knock, just as West Indies were disrupting the home side's momentum.

Root commended England on back-to-back Old Trafford wins that he described as "excellent", after the hosts lost the first game at Hampshire's Rose Bowl.

He said the bowling had been outstanding, and Root was delighted with Broad particularly, the 34-year-old having been recalled after being overlooked for that opening defeat.

"For him to come back into the team and over the course of the two games have such an impact is testament to how good a player he has been for England over such a long period of time," Root said on Sky Sports.

"I couldn't be more happy for him to finish off the way it did today. Runs in the first innings, 10 wickets in the game, 500 Test match wickets... it's a phenomenal achievement.

"It sort of sums Stuart up - he gets on those hot streaks and has real impacts in games. He wants to be a part of those big occasions and I'm really pleased for him to get to that milestone.

"There's so many different occasions - a number of different Ashes series where he's done it, in Johannesburg, with his match-winning spell there, here within this series. He's that sort of guy that really grabs the game and wrestles it in your favour."

Broad and James Anderson were back in tandem, with England's most prolific Test bowlers continuing to set high standards. Only seven bowlers in the history of Test cricket have taken 500 wickets or more, and England currently have two of them within their ranks.

Chris Woakes stepped up in the second innings to take five wickets, and Root sees the influence of England's two bowling talismen rubbing off.

"We're looking at two of England’s best bowlers of all time. I've said it before but we've got to understand how lucky we are to see them going about their business, playing alongside them, seeing them operate day in and day out," Root said.

"It's a real privilege to play alongside both Jimmy and Stuart and hopefully it's going to happen for a lot longer as well."

With Jofra Archer also offering a pace threat, Root believes England are supremely strong in that department.

He said: "You look at the talent that's among those guys and it offers a huge amount, and I feel like they could exploit a lot of different surfaces around the world."

Eoin Morgan has distanced himself from the England white-ball coach’s job and says Matthew Mott should be given more time.

England are on the verge of crashing out of the World Cup after losing five of their six matches so far to sit bottom of the table.

After the defending champions’ latest defeat – against hosts India on Sunday – former one-day captain Morgan said the players were “definitely unsettled” and “there’s something else going on, there has to be”.

Liam Livingstone has since insisted there are “no rifts in the camp”, while Sky Sports pundit Morgan played down talk he could replace Australian Mott, who signed a four-year deal when appointed in May 2022, saying: “It’s a bit far-fetched.”

Speaking on Sky Sports, he continued: “I was very clear in what I thought might be a cause to the performance the England team have produced in this World Cup, because nobody in the changing room – captain or coach or any of the players – can explain the situation they find themselves in.

“But I am very happy and cemented, hopefully, in what I am going to do in the future.

“I spend a lot of time at home now with my young family, which is great, and I love watching on.”

England, whose hopes of reaching the knock-out stage are all but mathematically over, play Australia on Saturday and then face the Netherlands and Pakistan.

Morgan added: “They are double world champions for a reason, they are not a bad team, by any stretch.

“Matthew Mott is going through the biggest challenge of his England coaching career at the moment and it is one that he should be given time to put right.

“Certainly towards the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA.

“But, if the England team don’t qualify for the Champions Trophy, the likes of (managing director of men’s cricket) Rob Key and the ECB will come under increasing pressure surrounding his (Mott’s) job.”

Ben Stokes’ side kept the series alive at Headingley thanks to 75 runs from Harry Brook before Chris Woakes and Mark Wood’s thrilling partnership saw them over the line to seal a three-wicket win.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the biggest moments in Ashes history at Old Trafford.

Results

England and Australia played their first Test at Old Trafford in 1884 and the match finished in a draw, which is a common theme when it comes to Ashes Tests held in Manchester.

The hosts won for the first time in 1886 and Australia’s first success at the ground came 10 years later in 1896.

Following England’s innings victory in 1905, Manchester’s Ashes Tests then ended in stalemate for 51 years as eight consecutive matches were drawn.

England eventually broke the streak in 1956 in style thanks to Jim Laker’s astonishing 19-wicket haul, but the 1960s saw Australia earn two wins at the ground before the hosts exerted a nine-year period of dominance with three successive Ashes wins.

Ian Botham steered England to victory in 1981, but that is their last taste of Ashes success at Old Trafford as the momentum shifted in Australia’s favour with three consecutive wins in the late ’80s and ’90s.

Overall, Australia’s win in 2019 gives the visitors an edge with eight Ashes victories in Manchester compared to England’s seven, but the draws reign supreme with 15 in total.

‘Ball of the Century’

Old Trafford Ashes Tests have thrown up plenty of magical moments and some wizardry from the late Shane Warne to dismiss Mike Gatting in 1993 ranks right up there.

A young Warne, aged just 23, announced himself on the world stage with his first ever delivery in Ashes cricket.

The ball released by the spinner looked to be well outside leg stump, but twisted and turned to bamboozle Gatting as the bails came away from his off stump.

Later dubbed the ‘Ball of the Century’, Warne’s incredible wicket kicked off a 15-year playing career for the Australian great, ending with 708 Test wickets.

Old Trafford heroes

Warne is not the only spinner to have stunned crowds at Old Trafford after Jim Laker etched his name in the history books with his incredible 19-wicket haul in 1956.

The off-spinner took nine for 37 in the first innings as Australia were reduced to 84 all out and after England enforced the follow-on, Laker went one better, earning 10 for 53 to seal victory by an innings and 170 runs.

Botham also enjoyed his share of success in 1981, scoring a magnificent 118 alongside half-centuries from Chris Tavare, Alan Knott and John Emburey, setting Australia a mammoth target of 506 in the second innings.

Three wickets from Bob Willis and two from all-rounder Botham then saw England retain the Ashes in Manchester.

The great 2005 Ashes Test also produced some tense moments with the match going down to the wire as last-wicket pair Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath survived four overs to keep the series level.

Last time out

The last Ashes Test staged at Old Trafford saw the visitors retain the urn, their first time doing so on English soil in 18 years.

After winning the toss and opting to bat, Steve Smith returned from his concussion absence to put Australia in the driving seat with an astonishing 211 from 319 balls in the first innings, and some impressive batting from Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon kept the scoreboard ticking before declaring three runs short of 500.

Despite efforts from Rory Burns and captain Joe Root combined with the Manchester weather which delayed day three, England fell 196 runs short of their target thanks to some tidy bowling from Josh Hazlewood.

Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer rattled through the Australian top order before Smith was dismissed by Jack Leach and the tourists declared with a lead of 382.

A tense final day saw England attempt to bat for an unlikely draw, but Australia sealed their 185-run victory when Craig Overton was out lbw from Hazlewood after facing 105 balls for 21.

The absence of the BCA and GCB, two of the six territorial boards, halted progress on implementing recommendations from the 2020 Wehby report as a quorum was not met.

Both GCB and BCA subsequently stated their rejection of the Wehby report—drafted by Jamaican business mogul Don Wehby—and objection to CWI’s failure to facilitate a discussion on changing the system of appointing a president.

John, through a Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) release on Friday, condemned the actions of the BCA and GCB, describing their absence as detrimental to regional cricket and to CWI's efforts to implement much-needed reforms.

"The BCA and the GCB did a great disservice to regional cricket by their shocking action, which can be only described as a dereliction of duty and a betrayal of the trust placed in them by the people who put them in office," the TTCB release stated.

The Wehby report, which proposes modernizing CWI's governance framework, also includes key proposals such as term limits, term durations for the president and vice president, and other measures to strengthen board governance.

CWI emphasized that due notice for the meeting had been issued on November 13, in line with its Articles of Association. This marked the second time the BCA and GCB failed to attend such a meeting, the first being in 2021.

John, who was re-elected for a sixth consecutive term as TCA president last month, criticized the motives behind the absence.

"It was surprising to many that the BCA and the GCB would go to such lengths to make the CWI, to which they belong, look bad in the eyes of the West Indian public and indeed the international cricket community. The desperate move by the two dissident stakeholders is doomed to failure," John said.

His comments echo those of fellow CWI director Arjoon Ramlal, who recently accused the BCA and GCB of attempting to "stymie the progressive push reform overwhelmingly sought by the other members and CWI board."

However, John affirmed CWI’s resolve to push forward with its governance reforms, despite the setbacks.

"The CWI under Dr. Shallow will remain committed to placing cricket first and not give in to selfish and ulterior inclinations, judging from the support we have received for governance changes from all across the Caribbean, including the public in Barbados and Guyana,” the statement ended.

The South African, who also remains head coach of Auckland Aces at club level, took on the temporary role in charge of the Scots in April and will remain at the helm until the end of July.

Watson will lead the team at the World Cup qualifying event which gets under way in Zimbabwe on Sunday and then the 2024 T20 World Cup European qualifiers in Edinburgh next month.

“I’ve got this tournament and the next tournament and then we’ll reassess,” Watson told the PA news agency.

“I’ve been fortunate that Auckland have given me time off to come and do this role.

“It worked out perfectly in terms of timing because the New Zealand season finished at the end of April so that freed me up to spend three to four months out of New Zealand in this job.

“I played cricket in Scotland many years ago and it’s been great to be back. I’ve been really taken care of.

“It’s been a great experience so far, it’s been busy. The squad have been brilliant to work with.”

The Scots play their first match of the qualifiers against Ireland on Wednesday, while they are also in a five-team section with United Arab Emirates, Oman and Sri Lanka.

The top three teams go through to the Super Six stage where there will be two World Cup places up for grabs.

“Yes, definitely, without a shadow of a doubt they’ve got it in them to get to the World Cup,” said Watson.

“We know we’re going to be up against some outstanding teams and everyone’s got the same goal of wanting to be in the top two.

“But Scotland have done really well over the last two to four years. Finishing top of the World Cricket League shows they’re in a good space.

“Now it’s a case of taking everything they’ve learned over the past few years into the tournament. At this stage leading into a tournament of this magnitude I don’t have to drive or motivate the players.

“They’re all motivated themselves and they’re taking on leadership and preparation. We’re pretty clear on what we want to do but it’s about staying calm and present and making sure we don’t look too far ahead and that we just focus game by game.”

The veteran batsman, who made his Test debut in November 2007 and scored 7,683 runs for the Black Caps in 112 games, enjoyed a fairy tale finish.

Captain Tom Latham invited the occasional off-spinner to have a bowl as New Zealand sought the final wicket they needed to wrap up an innings win.

It was just the eighth Test innings in which Taylor has bowled, and from his third delivery he had Ebadot Hossain caught by Latham at midwicket.

A slog by the Bangladesh number 11 went skywards before Latham showed composure to gather the falling ball.

That gave Taylor a third Test wicket and figures of 1-0, although his best figures remain the 2-4 he took against India in Ahmedabad in 2010.

New Zealand, for whom Latham made 252 in a first-innings total of 521-6, won the Test by an innings and 117 runs after bowling out the visitors for 278 second time around.

After the embarrassing defeat in Mount Maunganui last time out, it meant the two-Test series ended in a draw.

Taylor told broadcaster Spark Sport: "I suppose if you bowl in those situations a bit more often, you get the wicket. It's a great way to finish.

"We needed to win this game to stay in the series. I thought we played fantastically well.

"Bangladesh put us under pressure a lot of times. It's probably a fair reflection of where the series was at.

"But I wanted to finish with the win and the guys definitely gave that to me. The way we came out and bowled and put them under pressure after posting a very good total put us in good stead.

"It was an emotional game for me, my family and friends, and the team-mates as well, but it was good to get the win."

Amid the disappointment of a 127-run defeat to Pakistan inside three days in the opening Test, West Indies spinner Jomel Warrican emerged as the silver lining with a career-best performance that etched his name into the record books.

England have played fewer ODIs heading into this tournament than for any World Cup in almost 30 years and here, the PA news agency looks at the changing nature of the international calendar.

Has the ODI bubble burst?

The first two World Cups, in 1975 and 1979, were played with ODIs barely yet an established format – the first fixture took place on January 5, 1971 but only 53 were played all decade outside of those tournaments.

Post-1979, England’s 42 ODIs in the four-year cycle leading up to this World Cup marks their third-lowest total and their fewest since the 1996 tournament, when they had played only 38 in between World Cups. They played 40 leading up to 1983.

The picture is similar for the other leading ODI nations, with India’s 66 ODIs also their third-lowest in a World Cup cycle in that time and exceeding the four-year periods up to 1996 (63) and 1983 (27).

Australia’s 44 is their lowest excluding the 1970s tournaments, with 64 leading up to the 1983 World Cup and at least 75 on every other occasion since.

The four-year cycle was briefly broken by a switch to even-numbered years in the 1990s. There were five years between the tournaments in 1987 and 1992 and only three up to 1999, when the regular pattern was re-established.

Twenty20 vision

The decline of the 50-over game has been brought about by the rise of the shortest format and this cycle is the first time T20 internationals have made up the largest share of England’s fixtures.

With 68 games, excluding those abandoned without a ball bowled, T20 accounts for 40.8 per cent of England’s games since the 50-over World Cup final against New Zealand on July 14, 2019.

They have played 58 Tests in that time (34.3 per cent) and only 42 ODIs (24.9 per cent), the lowest share of England’s fixtures for the latter format since the years leading up to the 1975 World Cup when they played 50 Tests to 17 ODIs.

T20 was only introduced for the first time in 2005 and made up just 2.8 per cent of England’s games between the 2003 and 2007 World Cups. That had jumped to 20.4 per cent in the next cycle and has doubled in the years since.

Feeling the squeeze

With all three formats battling for their place in the calendar, something has to give.

Ben Stokes, the hero of England’s 2019 World Cup win, shockingly announced his retirement from the format last year with a warning that “there is too much cricket rammed in for people to play all three formats now”.

He has returned for this World Cup – but as a specialist batter, with knee problems inhibiting his bowling – but his prolonged absence hinted at a wider trend.

Eight of the 2019 World Cup-winning squad also appear in the group this time around – captain Jos Buttler, Stokes, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood.

They had played an average of 74.1 per cent of England’s games between the 2015 and 2019 tournaments, with Rashid at 94.3 per cent, but none have even reached that average mark in the years since.

Moeen’s 73.8 per cent is the leading figure, with the average down to 48.8. Wood has played just 19 per cent, below even Stokes’ 31 per cent.

England have won six and drawn five of their 15 Tests against Australia in Birmingham, losing four, while they have 29 wins there overall and only 10 losses.

Here, PA looks back at the ground’s Ashes history.

Results

Edgbaston welcomed the touring Australians for the first time in May 1902, when the rain helped the visitors to a draw despite having been bowled out for 36 in their first innings.

They lost by 10 wickets seven years later on their last visit until 1961, when Australia’s Neil Harvey and England’s Raman Subba Row and Ted Dexter all made centuries in a high-scoring draw.

The 1968 Test was also drawn before, in 1975, Australia inflicted England’s first ever loss in 17 Edgbaston Tests by an innings and 85 runs.

England won in 1981 and by an innings in 1985, captain David Gower with a double century. The decade concluded with Australia dominant in a draw in 1989.

Mark Waugh made 137 and 62 not out in a 1993 eight-wicket win for Australia and after Nasser Hussain’s double-century led England to a nine-wicket win in 1997, the tourists enjoyed another innings victory in 2001.

England won an unforgettable 2005 clash and, after a draw in 2009, won 2015’s encounter by eight wickets but will need to bounce back from a nightmare defeat in 2019.

Steve Smith hit twin 140s before England were bowled out for 146, spinner Nathan Lyon with six wickets as an opener and Pat Cummins four, to lose by 251 runs.

The West Indies won four times at Edgbaston between 1984 and 2000 with South Africa and New Zealand the other visiting teams to beat England there.

Jones…. Bowden

The 2005 Ashes thriller stands tall for England at Edgbaston. Regarded by many as the greatest Test ever played, England won by two runs after Australia almost chased an improbable 282 to win.

Buoyed by Glenn McGrath injuring himself in the warm-ups, England raced to a first-innings 407 and had a lead of 99 after cleaning up Australia. Andrew Flintoff then clubbed 73 to set the target before taking a memorable four for 79.

Australia were 137 for seven but Shane Warne fought back with 42 before treading on his stumps to give Flintoff his fourth wicket, and Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz produced a last-wicket stand of 59 which looked to be pushing Australia to a shock win and a 2-0 series lead.

Umpire Billy Bowden, though, deemed Steve Harmison had Kasprowicz caught behind by Geraint Jones, leading the great commentator Richie Benaud to simply say “Jones… Bowden” as the England celebrations unfolded.

The handshake that followed as Flintoff dropped down to meet a devastated Lee on his haunches has become an indelible image in Ashes history.

Barmy Army

England’s superb Edgbaston record runs alongside the fantastic support they get at the ground.

The Hollies Stand is one of cricket’s most vibrant places to watch the sport from and will witness the first Ashes airing of England supporters club the Barmy Army’s new chant for Stuart Broad, written to the tune of Abba’s Voulez-Vous.

Broad’s long-time rival David Warner is likely to be a prime target in his final Ashes but the Barmy Army’s first Test guide stresses the need to avoid personal abuse.

“We seek to be entertaining when singing and creating songs, not use offensive language and have good clean fun,” the document reads, adding that membership can be removed “without notice” from any fan who oversteps the mark.

Edgbaston heroes

England’s long-time opening bowling pair James Anderson and Stuart Broad have enjoyed tremendous records at Edgbaston and are the leading two wicket-takers at the venue.

Anderson, expected to be fit after sitting out the warm-up game against Ireland, will look to add to his 51 wickets at an average of 22.62 in 13 previous Tests at Edgbaston. That includes six for 47 and five for 80 against Australia in 2015 and 2009 respectively, with another five-wicket haul against India last year.

Broad took five for 51 against Ireland at Lord’s last week and has 43 wickets at 24.06 in 10 Edgbaston Tests including an Ashes five-for in 2019.

Joe Root averages over 60 with the bat in 13 Test innings there, with four half-centuries – including 63 and 57 in the 2015 and 2019 Ashes respectively – and two hundreds.

Warner averages just 22.25 in two Edgbaston visits but England will be wary of Smith’s average of 75.25 at the ground.

The Australia captain held his nerve in a heart-pounding chase that left Ben Stokes and his England team distraught.

Here, the PA news agency looks back at other close finishes in Test history.

West Indies beat Australia by one run – Adelaide, January 1993

Curtly Ambrose inspired the all-conquering Windies to victory on Australia Day. The hosts rallied from 74 for seven, chasing 186, but Ambrose had the final say, finishing with a 10-wicket match haul when he debatably flicked the glove of last man Craig McDermott with Australia needing just two to seal a series win.

England beat Australia by two runs – Edgbaston, August 2005

“Jones…Bowden…Kasprowicz the man to go, and Harmison has done it.” Richie Benaud welcomed a legion of new cricket followers in arguably the greatest Test in the greatest series of all. Australia had recovered from being seven wickets down with plenty to get to set up a grandstand finish. But Michael Kasprowicz fended a Steve Harmison bouncer to Geraint Jones and umpire Billy Bowden raised his crooked finger in a thrilling climax. Almost lost amid the frenzied finish is the fact Kasprowicz should not have been given out as the ball brushed the glove with his hand off the bat. Now, it is regarded as a mere subplot in the narrowest win – in terms of runs – in Ashes history.

England beat Australia by one wicket – Headingley, August 2019

A matter of weeks after his World Cup final heroics against New Zealand at Lord’s, Ben Stokes produced what may gone down as his magnum opus with an unbeaten 135 which helped England reel in 359 to complete their highest ever run-chase in Tests. An unbroken 76-run stand with last man Jack Leach, who resisted Australia for 17 balls in his one not out, had its fair share of drama but England completed a scarcely-believable victory. Australia, though, retained the urn after a 2-2 series draw.

West Indies beat Australia by one wicket – Barbados, March 1999

While the Windies dynasty was crumbling all around them with Australia by now the dominant force in world cricket, Brian Lara rolled back the years with one of his finest innings. Set 308, the Windies lurched to 105 for five but Lara was able to withstand the dual threat of Glenn McGrath, who claimed a five-for, and Shane Warne, wicketless in the fourth innings. Lara’s 153 not out got the Windies over the line after number 11 Courtney Walsh was able to keep out five balls. The series finished 2-2.

Sri Lanka beat South Africa by one wicket – Durban, February 2019

With Sri Lanka a fading force after the retirement of several all-time greats in the previous decade, there was only one favourite for this series. And when Sri Lanka slid to 226 for nine in pursuit of 304, that notion was reinforced. But Kusal Perera’s unbeaten 153 helped Sri Lanka to an incredible, against-all-odds victory. His unbroken 78-run partnership with Vishwa Fernando went down as the highest last-wicket stand in a successful fourth-innings chase in first-class cricket. Sri Lanka went on to triumph in Port Elizabeth to become the first Asian side to win a Test series in South Africa.

New Zealand beat England by one run – Wellington, February 2023

England were downed by one run in Wellington as New Zealand became just the fourth side ever to win a game after following on. Last man James Anderson, who had never hit the winning runs in 179 appearances, was one swing of the bat away from sealing an unforgettable result for his side but when he was caught down the leg side from the faintest of edges off Neil Wagner, a thrilling contest came to a crushing conclusion for the tourists – bowled out for 256 pursuing a target of 258.

The India star scored his landmark ton in Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final win over New Zealand, with his compatriot and previous record holder Sachin Tendulkar watching in the stands.

Kohli had equalled Tendulkar’s 49 one-day hundreds just 10 days earlier in a group stage victory against South Africa.

Here, the PA news agency examines the data behind his remarkable achievement.

King Kohli

While Tendulkar scored his 49 hundreds across 452 innings, Kohli has overhauled his countryman in 173 fewer attempts.

He has been on a stronger trajectory than his predecessor ever since reaching three figures for the first time during his 13th visit to the crease.

Tendulkar took 76 innings to score his maiden hundred, by which time Kohli had already accumulated eight tons.

The rate of Kohli’s century-making has continued to outstrip Tendulkar’s, with the ‘Little Master’ having scored 31 hundreds after 279 innings – the same number it has taken Kohli to reach 50.

The 35-year-old has scored his runs at a better average (58.69 compared with 44.83) and a faster strike rate (93.62 compared with 86.23) than his former team-mate, although his run total remains some way behind (13,784 compared with 18,426).

Renaissance man

Kohli has been a model of consistency throughout much of his ODI career, having scored at least one hundred in every year between 2009 and 2019.

However, his serene progress towards 50 tons was interrupted by a run of 25 innings without celebrating the milestone – a sequence that coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic and spanned three full years between December 2019 and December 2022.

He has since enjoyed a remarkable return to form, with six centuries in 2023 so far – his joint-most in a calendar year alongside 2017 and 2018.

Kohli has scored 711 runs to anchor India’s seemingly unstoppable bid to win the World Cup on home soil, with his tournament tally having surpassed Tendulkar’s previous record of 673, set in 2003.

Master chaser

Kohli is undoubtedly the greatest chaser in ODI history.

The 35-year-old has scored 27 hundreds in the pursuit of targets, 10 more than Tendulkar who is his closest challenger for second-innings tons.

Of the 16 players with at least 20 ODI centuries, Kohli is the only one to have scored the majority when batting second.

He averages a staggering 65.49 in run chases, compared with 51.72 in first-innings efforts.

Duckett’s average of 56.44 is by far the highest of any England opener since Sir Alastair Cook’s retirement nearly five years ago, while his strike rate of 95.49 is arguably of even greater importance in the Brendon McCullum/Ben Stokes era.

He and Crawley average over 48 as a partnership, albeit in just five matches to date, and here the PA news agency looks at their record in contrast to what has gone before.

Crawley and Duckett’s first innings together set the bar high as they put on 233 against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in December.

Those runs came in just 35.4 overs at a rate of 6.7 per over as both men scored centuries – as did Ollie Pope and Harry Brook, all at over a run a ball apart from Duckett’s 107 from 110 balls.

It would be asking a lot for their partnership to live up to those heights since, and Duckett was dismissed first ball in the second innings, but in two of the four Tests since they have a fifty partnership to their name – 87 in Karachi and 52 against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui.

Even their 38 in Multan and 39 in Wellington would be an improvement on England’s average opening partnership of 28.40 since Cook retired, while their strike rate has settled at a still-impressive 5.70 per over.

Duckett is the 12th opener used by England in 56 Tests since Cook’s departure, with only five of those even averaging over 30.

His average is almost 10 runs clear of the field, though second is regular tail-ender Jack Leach whose 46.50 comes from scores of 92 and one in two innings as a nightwatchman. Captain Ben Stokes has no average as an opener, having scored 78 not out from 57 balls in his only innings.

Keaton Jennings, Joe Denly and Rory Burns average narrowly over 30 while Crawley is at 25.19, which also ranks him behind Dom Sibley. His strike rate of 57.90, while pedestrian by England’s new standard, ranks third in that time and rises to 83.47 in innings partnering Duckett.

Haseeb Hameed limped to an average of 19.18 and a strike rate of 30.80, Alex Lees was not much better at 23.84 and 43.06, Jason Roy made only 62 runs in seven innings and Jos Buttler was promoted once as a pinch-hitter but failed to score.

The only other post-Cook pairings to average even 30 are Burns’ partnerships with Hameed (39.14) and Crawley (35.00).

The issue has existed even since the departure of Cook’s predecessor as captain, Sir Andrew Strauss, back in August 2012.

Cook averaged 42.52 from 144 innings in that time but only three other openers hit the 40 mark.

Encouragingly, one of those is Duckett with 46.15 for his full 14 innings as an international opener. His strike rate across that whole period sits at 89.55.

Joe Root spent 11 innings at the top of the order and while his average of 41.70 was more than creditable, it was well down on his overall Test average of 50.22. Leach is the third name on the list, in the two aforementioned innings.

The tourists arrive as World Test Championship finalists and in possession of the urn following the thumping 4-0 success Down Under in 2021-22.

England look refreshingly free from the scars of that trip, having made a clean break under the progressive leadership of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. With 11 wins from their last 13 Tests, there will be no sense of inferiority in the home dressing room.

Here, PA news agency looks at three of the best Ashes series on English soil that stand as the bar to clear.

The Invincibles

1948: England 0 Australia 4

It may not have been a close contest, but it does go down as a high watermark due to the irrepressible performance of an Australia side captained by the great Donald Bradman. ‘The Don’ led an unprecedented unbeaten tour, comprising 31 first-class matches as they travelled up and down the country taking on allcomers. They won four of the five Test matches by heavy margins but narrowly missed out on a whitewash as England fought out a draw at Old Trafford. The series cemented their status as one of the greatest ever teams.

The rollercoaster of ‘Botham’s Ashes’

1981: England 3 Australia 1

Chaos theory writ large, as England and their mercurial leading man went from the depths of despair to the toast of the nation in a few short weeks. As skipper Botham arrived at the first Test under pressure, lost it by four wickets and was then dismissed for a pair of ducks in a drawn second Test. A bitter resignation followed, but an SOS for the veteran strategist Mike Brearley proved the pitch perfect decision. Freed from the shackles of captaincy, Botham produced his masterpiece in Leeds as his bloody-minded 149 not out following on dragged England back from odds of 500/1. Bob Willis steamed in to deliver victory with the ball but Botham hogged the narrative with a sequence of five for one to settle the Edgbaston Test, another century in a winning cause at Old Trafford and a 10-wicket match at The Oval.

Vaughan’s men end the drought

2005: England 2 Australia 1

After many false dawns and eight consecutive series defeats, England finally reclaimed the urn for the first time since 1987. Victory was made sweeter because of the calibre of the opposition, an all-conquering Australia studded with star names from one to 11. The likes of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath were in harness, Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist were in their prime years but England thrilled the nation by coming out on top. Despite a stinging defeat first up at Lord’s, the hosts would not be tamed. Andrew Flintoff levelled up to go from all-rounder to action hero, newcomer Kevin Pietersen arrived as a fully-formed world beater and a perfectly balanced pace attack hunted like a perfect pack. Add in McGrath tripping on a ball and a nailbiting two-run win at Edgbaston and the so-called ‘greatest series’ was born.

Australia completed their series sweep thanks to a David Warner century and another five-for from Nathan Lyon, as they sealed a resounding 279-run win in the third Test in Sydney.

Warner's unbeaten 111 led Australia to 217-2, Tim Paine declaring with a 415-run lead, and a comprehensive win was secured as the Black Caps were skittled for 136.

Labuschagne, who scored 215 runs in the first innings and hit 59 in the second, finished with 549 runs for the three-match series.

"It's been an amazing summer," he said at the post-match presentation where he was given the man-of-the-match and man-of-the-series awards.

"It's so special to share these moments with your family, who have been part of your journey. It's hard to put [the success] on one thing, but my level of concentration and not doing any silly things.

"A lot of gum but it's working, so why change. I just love the journey and it's been wonderful being part of this Australian team."

Labuschagne, along with Steve Smith and Warner, won praise from Paine, who says he is honoured to captain an Australia side ranked second in the ICC World Test Championship, while adding he hopes success on the pitch provides the nation with some enjoyment amid the ongoing bushfire crisis.

"I am very lucky to captain this group," the captain said. "Batting has become very consistent with Marnus leading this year and Steve and David back.

"It's a pretty simple task for me at times, to be honest. I think we can still get better, there were moments in this series as well when we were not at our best.

"We are really pleased with the progress we have made in the last 12 months but we know have some big series coming up.

"It hasn't been a great few weeks for our country. Our goal as a team is to give the Australians some entertainment. But our thoughts go out to them and firefighters are doing a great job."

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson, meanwhile, acknowledged, his side must learn from their humbling defeat.

"Credit to the Australian team," Williamson said. "They were clinical but they put us under pressure session after session. There's so much to learn from this experience.

"We have a bit of time off, so a bit of regrouping. We were outplayed in all departments. There are number of things to work on and improve upon.

"For a number of guys, it's the first time here and you must appreciate it because you won't get this experience anywhere else."

This decision was taken at the ICC Annual Conference in July last year, when the ICC Board took the step of reaching its prize money equity target seven years ahead of its schedule of 2030, making cricket the only major team sport to have equal prize money for its men’s and women’s World Cup events.

For the upcoming October 3-20 tournament, which will now be staged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the winners of the tournament will receive US$2.34 million, a massive, 134 per cent increase on the $1 million awarded to Australia when they clinched the title in South Africa last year. The runners-up will receive US$1.17 million, up from $500,000, while the two losing semi-finalists will earn US$675,000, up from $210,000, with the overall prize pot totalling US$7,958,080, a massive increase on the US$2.45 million dished out last year.

This move is in line with the ICC’s strategy to prioritise the women’s game and accelerate its growth by 2032. Teams will now receive equal prize money for the equivalent finishing position at comparable events as well as the same amount for winning a match at those events. The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 event prize money is only higher on account of 10 additional teams participating and 32 more matches played.

Each win during the group stages will see teams take home US$31,154, while the six teams who fail to reach the semi-finals will share a pool of US$1.35 million depending on their finishing positions.

In comparison, the equivalent pool for the six teams in 2023 was US$180,000, shared equally. Teams who finish third or fourth in their group will take US$270,000 each, while the teams who finish fifth in their group will both receive US$135,000.

All 10 participating teams are assured of US$112,500.

The increase in prize money for this year's ICC Women’s T20 World Cup comes in line with the prize pot for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022, also increasing to US$3.5 million in total.

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will get going on October 3, with Bangladesh taking on Scotland at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

There has been a minor change to the schedule for the double-header on Saturday, October 5, in Sharjah, with Australia now facing Sri Lanka in the curtain-raiser and Bangladesh will lock horns with England in the feature encounter. A total of 10 teams will play 23 matches in Dubai and Sharjah to decide the 2024 champions.

They say it's never too late for a shower of rain, and for Jermaine Blackwood, 2025 represents a chance for a downpour of redemption. 

They were the best figures of Hartley’s career in any format and here, the PA news agency takes a look at the statistical significance of his efforts.

Magnificent seven

Hartley, who saw his first and fifth balls as a Test bowler hit for six by Yashasvi Jaiswal after taking the new ball, battled for eventual first-innings figures of two for 131 but starred in the second as England overturned a 190-run first-innings deficit for a stunning win.

Beginning with the wicket of Jaiswal for a measure of revenge, he went on to take seven for 62.

Dominic Cork was the last England debutant to take seven in an innings – his seven for 43, against the West Indies in 1995, are also the national team’s best debut figures.

John Lever took seven for 46 and Alec Bedser seven for 49, both against India in 1976 and 1946 respectively, while among England spinners only James Langridge ranks ahead of Hartley with seven for 56 against the Windies back in 1933.

The name immediately behind Hartley on the list demonstrates the level of company he is suddenly keeping – in 1948, eight years before famously taking 19 wickets in an Ashes Test, Jim Laker began his Test career with seven for 103 in Barbados.

He, like Lever and Bedser, achieved the feat in their first Test innings while Cork, Langridge and Hartley’s hauls came in the second.

First in a decade

Hartley’s are the best figures by any Test debutant in over a decade, since South Africa’s Kyle Abbott took seven for 29 against Pakistan in February 2013.

Only eight bowlers have taken eight wickets in an innings on debut, most recently Jason Krejza’s extraordinary figures of eight for 215 for Australia against India in 2008 – while Hartley is among a further 16 men to pick up seven. Three women have also achieved that feat, England’s Myrtle Maclagan and Australia duo Anne Palmer and Lesley Johnston.

Australian Albert Trott’s eight for 43 against England has stood as the record since 1895, in the 44th of what is now more than 2,500 Tests played.

As notable as Hartley’s achievement is in an international context, it is striking also in terms of his own career.

Before being handed his debut in Hyderabad, the best figures of his career – and his only five-wicket haul in any professional outing before Sunday – came with five for 52 in Lancashire’s County Championship win over Surrey in 2022.

After winning the toss and electing to chase it looked as if the trophy was slipping out of reach from Faf du Plessis’ outfit, defending champions Warriors posted 138-8 off their 20 overs and in response Kings slipped to 67-4 at the end of the 14th over – still requiring 72 runs from 36 balls, the run rate and the pressure mounting.

Aaron Jones then opened his shoulders in brilliant fashion, slamming Moeen Ali for 27 runs off the 16th over with an array of strokes that cleared the boundary and gave the Kings a much needed shot in the arm. Jones never looked back and more huge sixes followed over the next few overs as the Warriors bowlers couldn’t contain him.

Dwayne Pretorious’ 17th over was hit for 20 runs and Romario Shepherd’s 18th for 18 to leave one run needed off 12 balls in a remarkable turnaround, the once vociferous home crowd in Providence stunned by Jones’ highwire assault.

Warriors captain Imran Tahir sent down a leg-side wide to provide the coup de grace, Jones finishing unbeaten on 48 off 31 balls and Roston Chase with 39 off 22 as Saint Lucia Kings claimed their first CPL title in memorable fashion.

In the moments after securing the trophy the two men were clearly overjoyed that they could be there at the end to get their side over the line for the inaugural CPL title.

"It means a lot” said Roston Chase, adding “I’ve been in two finals before and I made up my mind this morning…"

"We knew playing in the final is going to be a challenge” said Aaron Jones, “But we came out on top. I think of myself as a match-winner".

It was a chastening evening for Moeen Ali who bowled the match turning 16th over, the English all-rounder had a splendid tournament with the ball, particularly with his economy rate and so it was with a grim irony that he should be the one to be clubbed for 27 runs off six balls as the match lurched away from the Warriors and towards the Kings.

Another CPL season comes to end with the Saint Lucia Kings well deserving victors, lifting the trophy for the very first time in what were memorable scenes at the Providence stadium.