England have thrown rookie seamer Josh Tongue into his first Ashes Test after concerns over the readiness of spinner Moeen Ali and paceman Mark Wood.
Tongue, who took five wickets on his international debut against Ireland earlier this month, replaces Moeen in a four-strong seam attack at Lord’s in what will be easily the biggest game of the 25-year-old’s career.
Moeen recovered well after a burst blister on his right index finger reduced his ability to bowl effectively in the series-opening defeat at Edgbaston, but some concerns of a recurrence still lingered.
Captain Ben Stokes admitted he would have liked to call on Wood, one of the fastest bowlers in the world, to freshen up the attack but the Durham quick has not played red-ball cricket since December and there were worries over his readiness to fire over the course of five days.
“With how Mo’s finger was last week – it’s actually recovered really well – but we just thought we would get more out of our fourth bowler being Josh Tongue this week,” Stokes explained.
“We wanted to play Mark Wood. We felt that he could definitely start the game, but with conversations we felt the extra week of build-up and getting his loads up would give him a better chance and an opportunity to play a full part from Leeds (the third Test at Headingley) onwards.
“We brought Tonguey into the team as a like-for-like with Woody. I’m looking forward to seeing Tonguey continue the great start he had against Ireland here. The only thing that’s different is the occasion for him.
“He’s had his first Test match, his debut game, which he’s had huge success from. Coming in and being able to use him in a fourth seamer role is something that I’m very much looking forward to him being able to do and I think he’s really looking forward to the challenge as well.”
Stokes commended the Worcestershire seamer for his willingness to take on different roles against the Irish, hinting England saw him as a potential enforcer alongside the subtler skills of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson.
“His first spell was just running up and bowling, trying to bowl wicket-taking deliveries, then we used him in a different way where we attacked the Ireland batters with our short-ball plan,” Stokes said.
“Broady, Jimmy and Robbo will tell you it’s always nice having someone who can bowl at 90mph doing it. Just having that versatility as a bowler this week is going to be very useful.”
Andre Russell ventures into Bollywood music scene with SRK's support
West Indies and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell is set to make waves in Bollywood, following in the footsteps of Trinidadian cricketer Dwayne Bravo, who achieved success with his hit song 'Champion' in India.
Known for adding energy and entertainment to the dressing room, West Indian cricketers have a history of making their mark beyond the cricket field, with stars like Chris Gayle, DJ Bravo, Kieron Pollard, and Darren Sammy shining in the IPL. The latest to join this list is Andre Russell, the dynamic KKR sensation.
Russell is stepping into the music world by lending his vocals to a song composed by Palaash Muchhal. He will also be featured alongside actress Avika Gor in the accompanying music video.
What makes Russell's foray into music even more exciting is the backing of Bollywood titan Shahrukh Khan, the owner of Kolkata Knight Riders. Known for his larger-than-life persona, SRK is not just a team owner but also a key figure in the entertainment industry. Russell and SRK share a strong camaraderie, often seen enjoying each other's company and having fun moments together.
Recently, a video of Russell singing SRK's iconic song "Lut Put Gaya" from the movie 'Dunki' went viral, showcasing his passion for music. With SRK's support and Russell's infectious energy, fans can anticipate an exciting collaboration between the cricket star and the Bollywood icon.
Andre Russell's venture into Bollywood music adds a new dimension to his versatile talents and promises to be a delightful treat for his fans in India and across the globe.
IPL: Kumar the hero as Sunrisers stun Royals for final-ball win
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the hero as Sunrisers Hyderabad came back from the brink to secure a final-ball win over Indian Premier League leaders Rajasthan Royals on Thursday.
Kumar left the Royals reeling at 1-2 as they chased 202 for victory, dismissing both Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson for first-over ducks, flattening middle wicket to send the latter walking five balls in.
A 127-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag then seemed to have the Royals closing in on a fifth straight win, only for their chase to unravel in spectacular fashion.
Two wickets apiece from Thangarasu Natarajan and Pat Cummins left the Royals needing 20 runs off 11 balls, and Rovman Powell came up with a thrilling cameo, the highlight being an unbelievable dive to avoid being run out on the penultimate delivery, which took Rajasthan within two runs of victory and one of a super over.
However, there was one more twist to come as Powell swung at Kumar's full toss, which clipped his back leg and was confirmed as out following a review, sealing a memorable win for Sunrisers.
The Sunrisers had also found themselves in a hole in their own innings, only for Nitish Kumar Reddy (76) and Heinrich Klaasen (42) to finish unbeaten and bring up a total they were just about able to defend.
Data Debrief: Kumar bookends back-and-forth innings
For much of the Rajasthan innings, it looked like Kumar's early dismissals of Buttler and Samson would count for nought, with some expensive overs from Cummins and Marco Jansen leaving the Royals on the brink.
However, Kumar stepped up when it was all on the line on the final delivery, leaving Powell in a tangle to end Hyderabad's two-match losing streak and lift them into the top four.
Pakistan bowlers shine to hand West Indies first loss of tour in fourth T20I
West Indies Women suffered their first loss on their tour of Pakistan as the hosts secured an eight-wicket win in the fourth T20 International at the Karachi National Stadium on Thursday.
Excellent Pakistan bowling meant the tourists were restricted to just 84-9 off their 20 overs after winning the toss and batting first.
Shemaine Campbelle (26), Zaida James (19) and Jannilea Glasgow (10) were the only West Indian batters to get double-figures as Sadia Iqbal and Nida Dar dominated with 3-18 from four overs and 3-19 from four overs, respectively.
Pakistan then needed only 16.3 overs to reach 87-2 and secure their first win of the series. Ayesha Zafar led the way with 42* off 48 balls while Gull Feroza finished 21* off 24 balls.
Afy Fletcher and Shamilia Connell took a wicket, each, for the Windies.
Full Scores: West Indies Women 84-9 (Shemaine Campbelle 26, Sadia Iqbal 3-18, Nida Dar 3-19)
Pakistan Women 87-2 (Ayesha Zafar 42*, Gull Feroza 21*, Afy Fletcher 1-6, Shamilia Connell 1-8)
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