Australia hold a perfect Ashes day-night record and England will have to put up another huge fight to prevent them from ending the series with a win in the historic Test in Hobart.
The tourists avoided a whitewash when they batted out a draw on a tense final day at the Sydney Cricket Ground last week, James Anderson and Stuart Broad preventing Australia from taking the one wicket they needed to go 4-0 up.
They will start a first-ever Ashes Test in Hobart on Friday with Pat Cummins' side strong favourites to make it three Test wins out of three over England under the lights.
The series finale was due to be staged in Perth, but was moved due to Western Australia's border restrictions.
England have not won a Test in Australia since they came out on top at the SCG 11 years ago and they have never looked like ending that drought during this one-sided series.
Blundstone Arena has been a happy hunting ground for Australia, the hosts nine out of 13 Tests in Hobart – that 69 per cent win rate being their best at any home ground where they face played more than twice in the longest format.
A draw stopped the rot for the tourists, but they are winless in seven away Tests. It is their longest run without a victory on their travels since a 13-match barren spell from October 2016 to March 2018.
Both sides face selection dilemmas for what Australia hope will be their 150th Test victory over their fierce rivals. Their next best winning record is against West Indies (58 victories).
England, meanwhile, will simply be hoping for a win to at least take some positives from what has been a miserable tour. However, in both day-night meetings between these sides to dates, Australia have triumphed by 120 runs (in December 2017 and December 2021).
Head return leaves Harris vulnerable
Usman Khawaja could not have wished to make a bigger impact after getting the nod at the SCG, scoring a century in both innings of his first Test since August 2019.
Khawaja became the first player to plunder a ton in each innings of an SCG Test since former Australia captain Ricky Ponting
The experienced left-hander replaced Travis Head, who missed out after testing positive for coronavirus.
Head is fit for the fifth Test and averages 62 in the series, so he is set to come back into the side. Khawaja believed he was unlikely to retain his place despite his brilliance in Sydney, though there is a possibility the 35-year-old could find himself opening, with Marcus Harris potentially making way.
Josh Hazlewood is still unavailable due to a side injury, while Mitchell Starc says he does not need a rest and that is no surprise given his outstanding record in day-night Tests.
Billings set for Test bow
Sam Billings is poised to make his Test debut for England after Jos Buttler flew home with a broken finger.
Billings drove over 500 miles to answer an England SOS call, having been in Queensland playing for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League.
Ben Stokes (side) and Jonny Bairstow (thumb) batted through the pain barrier in Sydney and will be checked on, with the vice-captain possibly playing only as a batter.
Rory Burns could be recalled in place of a struggling Haseeb Hameed, while Ollie Robinson will be hoping to come back into the team and head coach Chris Silverwood is back with the touring party after missing the fourth Test due to coronavirus.
Captain Joe Root (23) is one away from recording the outright second most hundreds for England in men's Tests, while he has scored 847 runs in the red-ball format in Australia – the second-most by any non-Australian player without having scored a century in the country.
Broad, meanwhile, is only four wickets shy of becoming England's second all-time leading wicket taker against Australia in men's Tests. The paceman is on 125 as it stands, three behind the late Bob Willis (128), with Ian Botham the record holder with 148.
Trinidad and Tobago to host final of 2023 Women's CPL
The final of the 2023 Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) will take place in Trinidad & Tobago on Sunday 10 September. The second season of the WCPL will see an expanded scheduled of seven matches with each of the three teams playing four group games with the top two qualifying for the final.
The tournament gets underway on 30 August and the three teams taking part are Trinbago Knight Riders, Barbados Royals and Guyana Amazon Warriors. The teams will feature the best talent from across the Caribbean and some of the best international cricketers from around the world.
“We are hugely excited to have an expanded WCPL schedule for 2023 and we are grateful to the government of Trinidad & Tobago for their support in helping to grow the tournament in 2023," said Pete Russell, CEO of the Caribbean Premier League.
"We are very much looking forward to seeing one of these three fantastic teams lift the WCPL trophy in Trinidad & Tobago on 10 September."
Minister of Sport and Community Development, the Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe believes hosting the final could not be more timely for the twin-island republic.
"Once again, the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is pleased to partner with the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) as we get ready to host the final match of the 2023 Women’s CPL. The hosting of this game comes at an opportune time as it strategically aligns with the goal of the Ministry’s ongoing Pink Reign TT campaign, which speaks to promoting women and girls in sport," she said.
"This not only allows Trinidad and Tobago to showcase the true spirit of the Caribbean by bringing together cricket enthusiasts from around the world, but it also serves as a testament to the Government’s commitment to encourage women and girls to live a healthier, more active lifestyle. This year, we look forward to working hand in hand with CPL and other key stakeholders to ensure a seamless and unforgettable experience for all participants and attendees."
Steve Smith: Jack Leach will leave big shoes to fill for England in the Ashes
England spinner Jack Leach has left big shoes for somebody to fill ahead of the Ashes, according to Steve Smith.
Leach, who has played in all 13 England Tests since Ben Stokes took up the captaincy in April last year, has been ruled out of this summer’s series due to a stress fracture in his back.
England open their bid for a first Ashes win since 2015 at Edgbaston on 16 June, following on from last week’s resounding 10-wicket victory against Ireland.
Former Australia captain Smith, who has spent the last month playing for Sussex in the County Championship, feels Leach will be a tough act for any replacement to follow.
“I watched little bits and pieces (of the Ireland Test), England played pretty well,” said Smith. “Obviously the news of Leachy broke yesterday. It’s a real shame, he’s done really well for England the last 12-18 months in particular.
“I think it’s going to be some big shoes for them to fill. Obviously (I) feel for him, he wants to be involved in the big series, an Ashes series. Hopefully he recovers well.”
Australia have the World Test Championship final against India at the Oval to come before the start of the series, with play due to get under way on Wednesday.
And Smith insisted the tourists will fully focus on that before turning their attention to a first Ashes win on English soil since 2001.
He added: “I’m just playing each game as it comes. I’m not even thinking about the opposition too much, just going out and playing the game. That’s really it to be fair.
“We’ll get through this game then start focusing on England after that. We’re all just looking forward to this (India). It’s two years in the making, of getting to the final of the World Test Championship, it’s a big week for us and India, so we’ll get through this then we’ll focus after that.
“Every game you play for your country is important. Every series is important. Certainly the Ashes series here, it’s one that eluded us, we’ve never won here. We got close last time but couldn’t quite get over the line. It’s certainly something I’d love to tick off my bucket list, winning an Ashes series here.”
The India Test will be a chance for Smith to add the top prize in red-ball cricket to the one-day and T20 World Cups he has won with Australia.
Asked whether he felt Test cricket was under threat from proposed changes within the game and talk of possible franchising, he said he believed recent matches have emphasised the popularity and importance the format still holds for fans.
He added: “In terms of one-day cricket, obviously the World Cup is the biggest tournament in white-ball format but it’s still a while away so we’ll focus on that later. It’s certainly one that we want to win as well.
“Hopefully Test cricket stays alive and well, I think it’s in a good place at the moment. Some of the games we’ve seen recently have been pretty amazing.
“For me as a traditionalist, someone that loves Test cricket, I hope it still remains at the front of all the boards’ minds and stays alive and well for some time to come.
“(The World Test Championship) is really important. Having the two best teams play in the final I think is great. It adds a bit more relevance I suppose to Test cricket, it’s what we all work towards for a couple of years. This week should be an exciting one and the guys are looking forward to it.”
The spinners England could turn to after losing injured Jack Leach for Ashes
England find themselves without a first-choice spinner just days away from the start of the Ashes, after Jack Leach was diagnosed with a stress fracture of the lower back.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the runners and riders to step into the Somerset man’s shoes.
Rehan Ahmed
Became England’s youngest ever Test debutant when he was thrust into the spotlight against Pakistan in December. Aged just 18 and 126 days when he took the field in Karachi, he claimed five for 48 in the second innings and two more in the first. Has impressed more with the bat than the ball for Leicestershire in this season’s LV= Insurance County Championship, with only six wickets in as many games at an average of 54.16.
Moeen Ali
A long shot, but one for the romantics. Moeen, 35, has bundles of experience in England whites, with 195 Test wickets and plenty of memorable moments. Currently retired from red-ball cricket, which appears a reasonable stumbling block, but Brendon McCullum was close to tempting him back in Pakistan last winter and might be tempted to reopen discussions over one last mission.
Will Jacks
Another debutant in Pakistan, the Surrey man is still known best for his aggressive batting and top-order exploits against the white ball. Yet, he will be an attractive option for McCullum and Ben Stokes given his attacking approach to the game. His off-breaks have impressed head coach Gareth Batty, himself a former England spinner, and he would be an explosive lower-order option with the bat.
Dom Bess
Knows the ropes with 14 Test caps and 36 wickets, and made his name as Leach’s understudy at Taunton. Lost confidence during his last stint in the international set-up and there is a feeling his game has plateaued somewhat since moving to Yorkshire. Nine wickets in four Division Two outings this term.
Liam Dawson
A dependable character with more than 15 years of first-class experience. A regular England squad man across formats, but has just three Test appearances to his name. By no means a mystery spinner, but perhaps the closest like-for-like replacement for Leach. A solid left-armer who can hold an end and bowl lengthy spells, he could provide handy respite for the seam attack. An under-rated batter and fielder, too.
Jack Carson
The 22-year-old Northern Irishman is well thought of and on recent form must have inched ahead of fellow England Lions tourist Liam Patterson-White, who has struggled to make an impact for Nottinghamshire this summer. Dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara twice during a county select XI game against India in 2021 and later enjoyed a one-on-one session with the great Virat Kohli. Still raw.
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