Ben Stokes admitted England’s predicament in the Ashes means keeping one eye on the weather forecast and the possibility of an even bolder approach in the fourth Test.
England battled their way back into the series at Headingley with a three-wicket win to now trail 2-1 but they must prevail at both Emirates Old Trafford and the Kia Oval to regain the urn from Australia.
Complicating matters for the hosts is the heavy rain predicted in Manchester on days four and five this weekend, which could hasten England to try to push the game along to make sure of a result.
Under captain Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum in the last 13 months, England have frequently thrown convention out of the window in an effort to win not only matches but also hearts and minds.
Aggressive batting and daring declarations have been among the distinctive features in the reign of Stokes, who would not rule out getting even funkier in his approach if the weather intervenes.
“You never want to look too much into the weather but in the position we find ourselves in, we find we might have to,” Stokes said.
“We know we have to win this game to take it to the last game for us to have a chance of getting the urn back.
“Going into the last game 2-0 down, we knew we had to win that so I think that helped us a little bit.
“Maybe again with the weather that’s predicted, it might bring more out of us again knowing that we might have to push the game on even more than we normally do. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
The Women’s Ashes are running concurrently and while England are out of the running to beat Australia, Heather Knight described a series that has captured the public imagination and drawn record crowds as the “best ever”.
The momentum in the male equivalent has seesawed – not only from day to day but often from hour to hour – and Stokes acknowledged victory this week which would set up a decider would go a long way to determining how fondly this series is remembered.
“If we win this one then going into the last game at 2-2, it would be hard not to say this is the best men’s Ashes series in a long time, if not the best,” he said.
“Overall, take away Australia and England, the cricket that’s been played has been absolutely brilliant.
“Everyone who’s watched at the ground or at home on TV has just really enjoyed the cricket that’s been played.
“There have been some pretty special moments out on the cricket ground, some special individual performances as well. I guess that’s what you want from sport.”
England’s record wicket-taker James Anderson will return at his home ground and where he has an end named in his honour, as he replaces Ollie Robinson in the only change from Headingley.
He has took just three wickets at an average of 75 in the first two matches before missing out in the third Test, but Stokes has no concerns about the Lancastrian, arguing his value cannot be measured in wickets alone.
“When you’re quality performer like Jimmy has been for the last 10 years, he is going to be disappointed that he’s not contributed to the team like he normally does,” Stokes added.
“But I did say to him ‘even if you’re not taking wickets like you want to be doing, at the other end you see the pressure you’re putting on the opposition’.
“He holds an end up without that being his main obligation with the ball. You don’t get as many wickets as him without having the odd bad game here and there – there’s no issues whatsoever with Jimmy.”
Windies A end Nepal tour with six wicket defeat; top five-match series 3-2
West Indies A concluded their tour of South Asia on a losing note, as they were handed a six-wicket beating by Nepal in the final encounter of a five-match T20 series at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, on Saturday.
Despite the loss, the Caribbean side topped the series 3-2, but had very little to celebrate, as they failed to really put together a dominant collective display. Instead, the series win was lined with individual performances, namely from captain Roston Chase, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Alick Athanaze, as well as stellar efforts from Gudakesh Motie and Obed McCoy with the ball.
It was more of the same in the curtain call contest, where Athanaze’s unbeaten 29-ball 42 and Chase’s 33 off 23 balls, were the highlight of the West Indies A innings, which ended at 172-7, after they opted to take first strike.
Sagar Dhakal (3-17) and Sompal Kami (3-16) did the damage for Nepal with the ball.
In reply, Nepal, courtesy of half-centuries from Aasif Sheikh (51) and Anil Sah (58), easily got to their target with seven balls to spare.
McCoy led West Indies A bowlers with 3-36.
Scores: West Indies A 172-7 (20 overs); Nepal 173-4 (18.5 overs)
After losing opener Kushal Bhurtel (13) to McCoy in the second over, Nepal had very little trouble fending off West Indies A’s bowling attack, as Sheikh and Sah put together a 96-run second wicket stand, which laid the platform for the victory.
Wicketkeeper Sheikh smashed two fours and five sixes in his 35-ball knock, while Sah had four fours and four sixes in his 58 off 45 balls.
Even when that partnership was eventually broken by McCoy, who removed Sheikh in the 14th over, the host remained in firm control, and the win was inevitably wrapped up by Kushal Malla, who struck three fours and three sixes in a brisk unbeaten 18-ball 37.
Earlier, West Indies A lost their top order in the eighth over with just 60 runs on the board, as Johnson Charles (24), Kadeem Alleyne (11) and Mark Deyal (11), all failed to repel the attack of Dhakal’s slow left-arm orthodox spin.
Chase, who struck five boundaries in his 23-ball 33, and Athanaze, who had one four and three maximums, tried to repair the damage with a 40-run fourth wicket stand, before the former fell in the 14th over.
Matthew Forde, with a 12-ball cameo of 23, including three sixes, added some impetus to the innings, but when he fell to Kami, West Indies A lucked out, as the right had medium fast bowler also removed Fabian Allen (three) and Motie (one) in quick succession.
Athanaze and Hayden Walsh (seven) were left not out.
Pep Guardiola backs England for Euro 2024 success
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola believes it is only a matter of time before England get over the line at a major international tournament and gives them every chance of triumphing at Euro 2024.
England are among the favourites to win this summer's Euros in Germany along with the host nation, France, Spain and Portugal.
The Three Lions were runners-up at Euro 2020 after losing in heart-breaking fashion on penalties to Italy in the final at Wembley.
They have also come close in the last two World Cup tournaments, making the semi-finals in 2018 and the last eight in 2022.
Guardiola, who has England stars like Phil Foden, John Stones, Kyle Walker and Jack Grealish in his Man City squad, drew comparisons his side knocking on the door in the Champions League for many years before their eventual continental success in 2023.
He would also have closely watched many of his former Barcelona players play a key role in the Spain team at Euro 2008, which would prove to be the first of three straight major tournament successes after many years of near misses for La Roja before that.
With Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham among England's options for the tournament, Guardiola likes what he sees.
"The national team? Really good. But it's not just the talent of the strikers, it's the whole package, the whole group. Gareth [Southgate] knows perfectly what he has to do," Guardiola told reporters.
"I have the feeling, everyone has the feeling, that the England national team, in the last events, the World Cup and European Championships, they made steps.
"They are on the verge, they are really close. They lost a final and got to a semi-final.
"When you arrive at these stages every two years, it's going to happen.
"It's quite similar to us – we were close and, in the end, we lifted it. Just believe it. If they believe it they can do it, believe it and they can do it."
The Euros begin on June 14 and England will be expected to top a group that also contains Slovenia, Denmark and Serbia.
West Indies win fifth T20I by eight wickets to secure 4-1 series victory
The West Indies Women defeated hosts Pakistan by eight wickets in the fifth and final T20 International at the Karachi National Stadium on Friday to complete a 4-1 series victory.
Pakistan, after being put in to bat by the West Indies, had an excellent start to their innings with Ayesha Zafar and Sidra Ameen putting on 38 for the first wicket before Zafar fell in the fifth over for 22.
Ameen and Muneeba Ali then put on a further 46 before the latter fell for 25 in the 13th over.
That same over saw Pakistan reduced to 86-3 when Nida Dar fell for two.
What proceeded that can only be described as a collapse as the hosts then lost their next five wickets for just 35 runs in five overs.
They eventually ended their 20 overs 134-8. Ameen was the final person out for a top score of 48 as Afy Fletcher was excellent with the ball for the Windies with 3-17 from her four overs.
Qiana Joseph also bowled well with 2-26 from four overs.
The successful chase was then anchored by superstar batter Hayley Matthews.
The skipper faced 59 balls and hit 11 fours on her way to a top score of 78 as the West Indies needed just 18.2 overs to reach 136-2.
Shemaine Campbelle provided good support with 33.
Matthews was named player of the series thanks to her 205 runs and seven wickets.
Full scores: Pakistan 134-8 off 20 overs (Sidra Ameen 48, Muneeba Ali 25, Ayesha Zafar 22, Afy Fletcher 3-17, Qiana Joseph 2-26)
West Indies 136-2 off 18.2 overs (Hayley Matthews 78, Shemaine Campbelle 33)
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