Graeme Swann believes Moeen Ali’s dramatic return to Test cricket as emergency cover for Jack Leach will strengthen England’s challenge for the Ashes.

Moeen is poised to play his first red-ball cricket in almost two years after he was persuaded to replace first-choice spinner Leach, who has been ruled out of the series by a stress fracture to his spine.

Moeen turns 36 during the first Test at Edgbaston and brings vast experience with 64 Test caps, 195 wickets and five centuries.

Rather than view the upheaval caused to the bowling plans as a setback, Swann believes his successor as England’s front line spinner will improve Ben Stokes’ side through his greater threat with the bat.

“Mo is a good bowler,” said Swann, who was speaking at the launch of Net Gains, a new joint campaign between IG and the ECB that will raise funds to build public cricket nets across the country.

“I’m sure he’s just been given a licence to run up and bowl and spin it as hard as he can and bat the way he can.

“I think it makes us stronger which is hard on Jack because he was doing a good job with the ball, but it extends the batting which is important. And with all their (Australia’s) lefties, we’ve got an off-spinner bowling at them.

“I’m glad to see Mo back. He’s still brilliant. I watched him in the IPL – he’s mercurial, sure, but he’s still a brilliant talent.

“The very fact that Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes are in charge makes it easy for him. They’ve said ‘you come in and all your positive attributes are what we’re after’.

“Having his tyres pumped up by them and coming into a dressing room with guys he has grown up with who play in the same free spirited way will suit him down to the ground and that is why he’s come back.

“Jack holds an end up and does a job. There are still areas I think he could be better and he does things differently to how I did, but he’s playing a role in a team. He’s a loss but you’ve got Mo who extends the batting.”

Rookies Rehan Ahmed, Will Jacks and Jack Carson were potential replacements for Leach and, while Swann supports Moeen’s return, he admits it exposes the lack of depth in English spin bowling.

“It is concerning because we haven’t got 10 candidates lining up and banging on the door,” said Swann, who played 60 Tests from 2008 to 2013.

“It says what it says which is that we don’t have good enough spinners in the country ready to go.

“We have spinners coming through – I’ve been with the Lions and there are some talented lads there who I don’t think personally are quite ready for Test cricket but they might be if they played because it is so much in the head.

“It could ruin a career before it has even started so I think Mo is a safe and exciting option.”

Swann insists England must not allow themselves to be bullied by Australia over the five Tests.

“Australians are like dogs in a fight. They want you to be submissive, they always have done,” he said.

“Teams who stand up to them and go toe-to-toe stand a much better chance of winning the fight against them.”

Travis Head cracked a rapid-fire half-century as Australia built a solid foundation on the opening day of the World Test Championship final against India.

Head arrived at the crease with his side at 76 for three and bossed an unbroken stand of 94 with Steve Smith, as Australia reached tea on 170 without further loss.

Head was at his counter-punching best, reeling off 10 boundaries in 75 balls to push the pressure back on to the Indian attack.

His lively knock altered the momentum of the afternoon session, which could have turned in India’s favour after Mohammed Shami uprooted Marnus Labuschagne’s off stump shortly after the lunch break.

It was a second well-timed breakthrough, after David Warner’s battling 43 came to end in timid fashion late in the morning’s play, Shardul Thakur brushing his glove with a short ball speared down the leg side.

India had chosen to field after winning the toss and it looked a sound decision during an awkward first hour for the Australian batters.

Mohammed Shami kept Warner honest during a fine opening burst with the new ball, working over the left-hander from round the wicket in a way that will not have escaped the attention of his old nemesis Stuart Broad.

He survived the examination, with a couple of fortuitous moments along the way, but Usman Khawaja banked a 10-ball duck when he nicked the quicker Mohammed Siraj to Srikar Bharat.

There was an early scare for Labuschagne, who dramatically dropped the bat in pain when Umesh Yadav rapped him on the left thumb with a sharp, lifting delivery.

England fans would be forgiven for having the Ashes on their minds as Labuschagne received treatment and popped a couple of painkillers, but he resumed his innings and even wore another blow to the hand to reach lunch on 26 not out.

Warner, having survived his initial trial, began to open up and took a particular liking to Yadav, at one stage lashing the seamer for four boundaries in a single over.

The 36-year-old, who recently announced his plans to retire in the new year, was growing in confidence and will have been annoyed at the manner of his dismissal, well caught by the diving Bharat after getting into a poor position against a modest ball from Thakur.

Labuschagne, who had survived a couple of close lbw appeals, did not kick on in the afternoon – emphatically missing one that was tossed up full and thumped halfway up his off stump.

Steve Smith settled in for a low-key stay, grinding out 33 off 102 balls, leaving the stage for Head (60no) to throw the bat confidently and swing the pendulum in Australia’s favour.

Heather Knight is setting her sights on a landmark summer of Ashes cricket, after joining fellow England captain Ben Stokes on a Tower Bridge projection.

Giant images of Knight and Stokes were beamed on to one of London’s best known sights on Wednesday as part of the countdown to the men’s and women’s series against Australia.

Stars of the Lionesses football team adorned famous locations including the Royal Opera House, the National Portrait Gallery and Battersea Power Station ahead of last year’s European Championship and Knight is hoping to echo their triumphant performance.

Tickets sales for the women’s series have already passed a combined 70,000 – doubling the overall attendance in 2019 and guaranteeing record attendances – and an England win over a formidable Australia side could go a long way to lifting the status of Knight’s side to new levels.

“I remember seeing the Lionesses on London landmarks ahead of the Euros last year and thinking that was very, very cool – so it’s really nice to be a part of it this summer. It’s not every day of the week that you see yourself projected on to Tower Bridge!” Knight told the PA news agency.

“When I made my England debut in India in 2010 it was in front of one man and his dog. I was a student and I literally had to tell my tutor I’d be gone for a month. It’s changed so much since then.

“The girls who are making their England debuts now are in a totally different world and this summer we’re looking at grounds like Edgbaston, The Kia Oval and Lord’s and some of them could be nearly full.

“Like Leah Williamson and her team last year, it would be nice to think that we’ve brought a few people into the game this summer.

“I’m really proud of how far cricket has come. We’ve got more distance to go but this is a huge year for women’s cricket and hopefully the scale of the Women’s Ashes will help inspire a few more girls to come and watch us.

“Like the Lionesses last summer, I think we have the chance to bring a lot of people with us.”

David Warner fell just before lunch as Australia reached 73 for two on the opening day of the World Test Championship final against India.

Warner, who has announced his plans to retire in January, battled through a tricky new-ball spell at the Kia Oval and had started to find his groove as he moved to 43.

There were flashes of the left-hander at his domineering best, not least when he piled into Umesh Yadav with four boundaries in an over, but his hopes of making a significant score came to a timid end.

All-rounder Shardul Thakur, selected ahead of the world’s number one ranked bowler Ravichandran Ashwin as India opted against a second spinner, was the man to make the breakthrough.

There was a touch of good fortune as Thakur dug one in short and down the leg-side, with Warner getting in an awkward position on the pull and brushing a glove through to the wicketkeeper.

Srikar Bharat made good ground, hurling himself to his left and snapping up the catch, to draw a rousing ovation from a crowd dominated by Indian supporters.

They had the started the day in good voice, skipper Rohit Sharma winning the toss and throwing the new ball to Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj.

The pace pair made life hard for the Australian openers, with Warner looking vulnerable as Shami worked him over from around the wicket. It was Usman Khawaja who was first to fall, banking a 10-ball duck and nicking Siraj to Bharat.

There was an early scare for new man Marnus Labuschagne, who dramatically dropped the bat in pain when Yadav rapped him on the left thumb with a sharp, lifting delivery.

England fans would be forgiven for having the Ashes on their minds as Labuschagne received treatment and popped a couple of painkillers, but he resumed his innings and even wore another blow to the hand to reach the interval on 26 not out.

Moeen Ali has answered England’s Ashes call, reversing his retirement from Test cricket for one last mission against Australia.

England’s plans for the series were derailed by a stress fracture to first-choice spinner Jack Leach but Moeen has agreed to return to red-ball cricket for the first time in almost two years to fill the breach.

The 35-year-old was invited to join the squad at the start of the week and, after taking a couple of days to ponder his decision, has now agreed to join up with the team.

England did have other options, including 18-year-old Rehan Ahmed, who became England’s youngest Test cricketer when he debuted in Karachi in December, and Surrey’s Will Jacks but none with the experience and credentials of Moeen.

He has 64 Test caps, 195 wickets and the small matter of five Test centuries. With Jonny Bairstow slotting back into the side at number seven following his return from a broken leg, Moeen is likely to bat at eight and give the home side a seriously dangerous lower order.

The Ashes begins at Moeen’s home ground of Edgbaston on July 16, with the all-rounder due to turn 36 on day three.

Rob Key, England’s managing director of men’s cricket, was involved in discussions alongside head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes and explained: “We reached out to Mo early this week about returning to Test cricket. Having had a couple of days to reflect, Mo is excited to join the squad and play Test cricket again.

“His vast experience, along with his all-round ability, will benefit our Ashes campaign. We wish Mo and the rest of the squad well for the Ashes campaign.”

McCullum previously tried to tempt Moeen back into the fray for the historic tour of Pakistan but, after initially declaring himself open to the idea, Moeen ultimately decided to stick to limited-overs cricket.

Speaking at the time, Moeen concluded: “I want to enjoy my cricket and it wouldn’t be fair to reverse my decision and then struggle to give it my all. It’s time to close the door on that side of my career. To play 64 Tests for England has been a privilege and a dream fulfilled.”

He has now been persuaded to take the field again, warming to the idea of turning out for Stokes and McCullum. They have overhauled the way England play the game, prioritising an attacking, proactive style that fits Moeen’s own approach like a glove.

Australia have proved thorny opponents for Moeen in the past, with his career bowling average climbing from 36.66 to 64.65 in Ashes cricket, but he is ready to embrace unfinished business against England’s biggest rivals.

He will need to get back to grips with the red Dukes ball after dedicating himself to the white-ball formats since September 2021, and will work alongside spin coach Jeetan Patel in the run-up to the series opener in Birmingham.

Reigning champions Hampshire beat rock-bottom Middlesex by five runs to continue their Vitality Blast title defence.

John Turner claimed three for 30 as the Hawks defended their total of 164 for six.

Ben McDermott top scored with 47 with Toby Albert scoring 32, with Middlesex unable to chase the total down.

Max Holden’s 53 from 31 balls gave Middlesex hope but Hampshire held out as the hosts remain winless, reaching 159 for seven.

Durham beat Northamptonshire by four wickets after Nathan Sowter’s heroics with the ball.

Northamptonshire hit 161 for seven, with Emilio Gay top-scoring with 53, but Sowter took four for 14 to restrict them.

Graham Clark (55) and Ashton Turner’s 31 not out helped steer Durham to victory with seven balls left.

Yorkshire cruised past Leicestershire for a 30-run win.

Yorkshire’s 156 for seven was anchored by all-rounder David Wiese’s unbeaten 50 which proved crucial.

Wiaan Mulder top-scored with 46 for Leicestershire – who were all out for 126 – but they were left needing an unrealistic 32 off the final over, with Jordan Thompson’s five for 21 helping Yorkshire to a comfortable victory.

Michael Pepper’s 48 helped Essex to a five-wicket win over Sussex.

The visitors won with 31 balls to spare after easily reaching 149 for five to win, thanks also to Adam Rossington’s 35 and Daniel Sams’ unbeaten 29.

Sussex were bowled out for 147, spearheaded by Ravi Bopara’s 50, but Sam Cook’s four for 20 was key for Essex.

Brandon King and Johnson Charles both struck fifties as the West Indies took an unassailable 2-0 lead over the UAE with a 78-run win in the second ODI at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

The day started brilliantly for the West Indies as the opening pair of King and Charles put on 129 for the first wicket after West Indian captain Shai Hope won the toss and chose to bat first.

In the process, Charles brought up his fifth ODI half-century before being dismissed for a rapid 47-ball 63. The St. Lucian hit eight fours and three sixes in his knock.

King, who brought up a maiden ODI hundred on the way to a man of the match performance in the first encounter, continued his good form with 64 off 70 balls including four fours and as many sixes.

The tourists then got solid contributions from Odean Smith (37), Keacy Carty (32), Kavem Hodge (26) as they were eventually bowled out for 306 with one ball to spare.

Zahoor Khan led the way with the ball for the UAE with 3-44 from 9.5 overs while Aayan Khan (2-45), Ali Naseer (2-69) and Sanchit Sharma (2-69) also provided good contributions.

The UAE reply looked to be coming to an end quickly at 95-5 in the 24^th over before a fighting 80-run partnership between Basil Hameed and Ali Naseer brought some respectability to proceedings.

Hameed batted valiantly, facing 84 balls before he fell for 49. He hit a boundary and three sixes in his knock.

Meanwhile, Naseer, who struck a fifty in the series opener, got his second straight half-century with a 53-ball 57 including six fours and three sixes.

Vriitya Aravind also contributed 36 and Aayan Khan 23* as the UAE eventually made 227-7 off their 50 overs.

Kavem Hodge (2-46 from 8) and Roston Chase (2-49 from 10) were the day’s best bowlers for the West Indies while debutant, Akeem Jordan, Odean Smith and Yannic Cariah were the other wicket-takers.

Australia captain Pat Cummins insists he plans to play all five games in this summer’s Ashes, despite this week’s World Test Championship guaranteeing a gruelling workload.

Cummins will lead his side out at the Kia Oval on Wednesday looking to defeat India in the second edition of the ICC’s showpiece finale, but despite being a prestigious event in its own right that is just the start of the story.

The most hotly anticipated Ashes series in a generation follows close behind, with all five matches compressed into just over six weeks in a schedule that is sure to challenge minds and bodies, not least among fast bowlers.

England have already made it clear they plan to rotate their attack, with captain Ben Stokes appealing for eight fit seamers to share the load and record wicket-taker James Anderson declaring three games out of five a realistic target.

Resting is a trickier proposition for Cummins in his role as leader, not only of the attack but the team itself, and he is not making plans to stand down.

“I’ll be aiming to play all six,” he told reporters on the eve of the WTC final.

“There’s some good breaks in between every batch of two Test matches, so I think it’s manageable. I mean, it’s a balance. I’ve been exhausted and depleted before but still got up and felt like I did a really good job, but if that comes up at any stage, of course, it’s a conversation.”

Cummins is preparing to win his 50th cap, a landmark that looked a dim and distant prospect during his earlier, injury-ravaged years. At one point his persistent back problems looked like ruining his red-ball career, but he now stands at the very pinnacle of the sport on a tour that could define his legacy in the Test arena.

“I thought getting back into Test cricket was so far away for a lot of that (time),” he said.

“(After) 10 overs a day I would wake up and felt like I had a car crash. When you’re in your fifth cycle of stress fractures, 50 Tests feels like a long way away. Test cricket is tough, you play all around the world, different conditions and physically it is demanding.

“So as a fast bowler to play 50, it is something to be pretty proud of. Particularly because for five or six years it felt like one [more] Test match was a long way away.”

Cummins will be joined by Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland against India, with Josh Hazlewood sidelined by a side strain and Michael Neser just missing out on the final spot.

Boland, 34, made a stunning introduction to international cricket during the 2021-22 Ashes, taking six for seven in the Boxing Day Test the MCG to seal the series. He has already taken 28 wickets in seven Tests and averages a remarkable 13.42.

“Someone like Scotty, it’s just a really simple game-plan – you hit your good areas and you stay there all day and hopefully the ball will do the work for you,” Cummins said.

“He’s had a few bowls over here now and has looked good. But he looks good whenever he bowls. In the past here in England, because the ball does talk a little more, I’ve seen players get too caught up in trying to take wickets every ball because you’ve suddenly got the ball swinging and seaming.”

India are leaving it late to make a decision on the final balance of the side, with the role of spinner Ravichandran Ashwin once again up for debate. He may have to cede his place to an extra seamer, but a late call will be made.

Captain Rohit Sharma, who ended his pre-match net session early after taking a blow to the thumb, is under pressure to deliver India’s first global title since the 2011 World Cup.

“Whether it’s me or someone else, even the guys before me, their role was to take Indian cricket forward and win as many games, as many championships as possible,” he said.

“Every captain wants to win championships. That is what you play for, that’s what sport is all about. Having said that, I genuinely feel that we don’t want to put too much pressure on ourselves by overthinking this stuff.

“It will be nice if I can win one or two championships as and when I decide to move on from this job. The next five days will be quite challenging for us and gives us the opportunity to win the championship, but we do understand that winning the championship is not easy. You got to do a lot of things right to win.”

The 2023 edition of the Women's CPL will feature seven matches, as opposed to four in the inaugural season last year. The league will host will get underway on August 30, with the final taking place on September 10 in Trinidad and Tobago.

As was the case last year, the sides taking part are Trinbago Knight Riders, Barbados Royals and Guyana Amazon Warriors. Barbados will serve as the other venue for the tournament.

In 2022, each side played one group game, before TKR, led by Deandra Dottin, beat Barbados Royals, who were captained by current West Indies skipper Hayley Matthews, in the final in St Kitts.

This time around, the group stage will feature a double round-robin format, with the top two qualifying for the final.

"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," Pete Russell, the CPL CEO, said.

Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe said: "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."

The scheduling of the WCPL means the tournament avoids a clash with the Women's Hundred this year, with that competition running from August 1 to 27. It allows Matthews and Dottin to be available for the entirety of the Hundred before the WCPL starts, and frees other players signed up to both tournaments to play each in full. There was a significant overlap last year, with the final of the Women's Hundred on September 3 and the WCPL final the following day.

Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon, Ayabonga Khaka, Chamari Athapaththu, Hayley Jensen and Fatima Sana were the overseas players at the 2022 WCPL.

One of the most hotly anticipated Ashes series of recent times is close at hand, with plenty of issues to debate on both sides of the divide.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the most pressing matters in the run-up to the Edgbaston opener next week.

How much of a loss is Leach?

While Somerset spinner Jack Leach is hardly one of the biggest stars in English cricket, he has performed a crucial role in the team’s dramatic upturn in form over the past year. Enjoying the unvarnished support of captain and coach for the first time, he has been an ever-present and assumed the role of tireless grafter. A 10-wicket match haul at Headingley last summer proved he could take a turn in the limelight too. Whoever replaces him will have to find their own way to play the part, but they will lack the 12-month bedding in period that England have invested in Leach.

All eyes of Stokes’ fitness

It is hard to over-estimate the magnetic, talismanic qualities Ben Stokes has brought to the England captaincy. Alongside a like-minded head coach in Brendon McCullum, he has re-energised the team and instilled them with a feeling of optimism and enjoyment. Will that still exist without him in place as ringmaster? England will hope they don’t find out, but his chronic left knee injury is a big problem. He has already had a cortisone injection this year and whether his body will allow him to perform to his best with the ball is an open question. Expect a few scares along the way, but Stokes is desperately hoping to see the job through.

Warner’s last ride

When it comes to opposition players England fans love to hate, few sit higher on the list than David Warner. His spiky, combative nature have long marked him out as an obvious target and his role in the sandpaper scandal only heightened the ill-feeling. Having announced his forthcoming retirement, 2023 will be his last tour behind enemy lines and his final Ashes. It seems a long shot to imagine he will bow out to standing ovations and he will be up for the challenge. His long rivalry with Stuart Broad is due to be an exciting sub-plot, after the Englishman routed the left-hander in 2019.

How will ‘Bazball’ bear up against the Australian attack?

Stokes’ England have resolutely refused to take a backward step since laying out their new ultra-aggressive philosophy at the start of last summer. After blitzing New Zealand with some stunning batting, they swatted away the doubters who said they would not be able to replicate it against India by reeling off a record chase at Edgbaston. Transplanted to unfamiliar climes in Pakistan, they simply went harder and faster. Now comes their latest – and arguably biggest – challenge yet. Australia have arguably the most formidable bowling attack in the world, with Pat Cummins leading a troop of elite seamers alongside the prolific spin of Nathan Lyon. England have promised they will not hold back, while Australia will back themselves to have too much. Whose skills will prove most compelling and whose nerve will last longest? It should be box office entertainment either way.

Can Crawley come good?

The England selectors have stuck hard and fast to their guns when it comes to Zak Crawley. After 34 Tests he averages just 28.26, while his first-class numbers are only marginally better. Supporters of the 25-year-old see a tone-setter and a sporadic match-winner – someone whose bare statistics do not fully reflect his ability to lay the platform for others and land early blows on opposition bowlers. Critics take a less charitable view, painting Crawley as a flighty performer who has all the shots but lacks the requisite judgement of when to deploy them. A home Ashes feels like proving ground for each theory. By the end of the series, England’s hunch will have been thoroughly examined and the answer could be a big factor in the final analysis.

The 2023 Ashes is the latest instalment in the memorable tussle between the old rivals and perhaps one of the most unpredictable in recent times.

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’s Scott Boland has been given the nod to take on India in this week’s World Test Championship, edging out Michael Neser.

Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the showpiece at the Kia Oval with a side injury, leaving Boland and Neser fighting for the final spot in Australia’s pace attack.

Boland held the edge having been named in the initial squad, but Neser’s strong form with Glamorgan in the LV= County Championship made him an intriguing option in English conditions.

Captain Pat Cummins did not leave the pair waiting to find out, though, confirming Boland’s selection on Tuesday morning.

The 34-year-old made a stunning introduction to international cricket during the 2021-22 Ashes series, taking six for seven in the Boxing Day Test the MCG to seal the series. He has already taken 28 wickets in seven Tests and averages a remarkable 13.42.

“Someone like Scotty, it’s just a really simple game-plan – you hit your good areas and you stay there all day and hopefully the ball will do the work for you,” Cummins told Australian reporters.

“He’s had a few bowls over here now and has looked good. But he looks good whenever he bowls. Scott is a seam bowler on a good length, but he just offers something slightly different to Joshy Hazlewood, and Starcy (Mitchell Starc). Being a left-hander is bit different.

“In the past here in England, because the ball does talk a little more, I’ve seen players get too caught up in trying to take wickets every ball because you’ve suddenly got the ball swinging and seaming.”

Australia are expected to revert to their preferred team balance after shifting the make-up of their XI in their most recent series in India.

That means five specialist batters, Cameron Green as all-rounder, Alex Carey behind the stumps, three fast bowlers and first-choice spinner Nathan Lyon.

Moeen Ali is considering the possibility of reversing his Test retirement after Jack Leach’s injury left England short of an experienced spinner for the Ashes.

Moeen, 35, has not played red-ball cricket since September 2021 but has found his name thrust back into the conversation after Leach was ruled out for the summer by a stress fracture in his lower back.

The PA news agency understands Moeen is weighing up whether or not to make a dramatic return over the next couple of days.

England are not without slow bowling options, with Surrey’s Will Jacks, Leicestershire’s rising star Rehan Ahmed and Liam Dawson all offering different skills. However, none can match the experience of a seasoned Test player with 64 caps and 195 wickets under his belt.

Head coach Brendon McCullum previously tried to tempt the all-rounder back into the fray for the historic tour of Pakistan but, after initially declaring himself open to the idea, Moeen ultimately decided to stick to limited-overs cricket.

Now the same offer is back on the table in the form of one last shot at Australia. With the series getting under way at Moeen’s home ground of Edgbaston on June 16, time is short, but the England and Wales Cricket Board are unlikely to rush for a quicker verdict.

Announcing his decision not to take up McCullum’s offer of taking part in the Pakistan trip, Moeen said last year: “I want to enjoy my cricket and it wouldn’t be fair to reverse my decision and then struggle to give it my all. It’s time to close the door on that side of my career. To play 64 tests for England has been a privilege and a dream fulfilled.”

He had earlier taken a different tone, hinting that he could be persuaded to re-enter the fray, telling PA and the Guardian last June: “Baz messaged me asking if I was in. Maybe in the future, potential tours or whatever, who knows? I said ‘Call me at the time’. If and when he calls me, we’ll chat.”

If he did throw himself into the maelstrom of an Ashes summer, Moeen would need to be certain he had the necessary mental and physical energy to take on a side against whom he has some difficult experiences but, perhaps, unfinished business.

The leadership style of McCullum and captain Ben Stokes may prove a real draw in his deliberations. Moeen’s naturally aggressive style, with both ball and bat, chimes perfectly with the current environment and the chance to make his own mark on the ‘Bazball’ era could be persuasive.

Stuart Broad, a contemporary of Moeen’s who has been revitalised by the set-up over the last year, can already see a neat fit.

He told Sky Sports: “We know Mo is a phenomenal cricketer and someone who would fit into Stokes and Baz’s philosophy beautifully.

“I don’t know if he’s being considered by the selectors or if he would consider red-ball cricket again, but he’s a mighty fine cricketer.”

England have held off naming an addition to the squad, having originally expected to make an early call, leaving the ball in Moeen’s court.

New England vice-captain Ollie Pope has warned Australia they will come up against a very different player this summer.

Pope endured a torrid time during the last Ashes series and was dropped after two matches before being recalled for the dead-rubber in Hobart.

The Surrey batter only managed a top score of 35 in six innings and registered four single-figure scores in Australia, but he has flourished since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum took over last year.

Pope scored 145 in the second Test of the ‘Bazball’ era and the 25-year-old has continued to go from strength to strength, hitting 205 against Ireland last week in his first official match since being made vice-captain.

Looking ahead to the opener against Australia at Edgbaston on June 16, Pope said: “I feel good and confident going into the Ashes.

“I’ve put a lot of hard work into my game. That was my first time in Australia, different kind of pitch, different wickets. That’s one change.

“But I feel like I’m a different player, mentally and technically, to deal with the challenge of an Ashes series as well.

“I’m not happy with the way I played in Australia last time, that’s pretty obvious, but I know how the bowlers are going to challenge me.

“What they’re like as bowlers, their paces, their angles and stuff, so that’s always a benefit having faced them once before.”

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Pope’s promotion to number three last summer is one of many bold decisions made by Stokes and McCullum which have been handsomely vindicated over the past 12 months.

While he is determined to deliver with the bat over the next two months, there is a scenario which would see him captain the side during the Ashes.

Concerns remain over the fitness of Stokes, who has struggled with his left knee since the New Zealand series in February and, despite repeatedly allaying fears, the all-rounder has batted just twice and bowled only six competitive balls in the months building up to the Ashes.

“It’s a big honour firstly to be vice-captain of your country, especially in Test cricket,” Pope said.

“From what I was doing before, it doesn’t make a big difference. I’m going to give my opinion and challenge Stokesy when he needs challenging.

“We’re going to be tested in the Ashes along the way, so it’s not always about going on and agreeing with him. It’s about providing a different opinion to let ponder in his mind as well.

“Nothing’s really changed. He’s got a pretty clear vision and he’s got 15 guys in that changing room who know our roles now, so that’s helpful for everybody.

“Fingers crossed Stokesy’s body’s all good. It’s going to take a hell of a lot for him not to be on the pitch even for a day’s play, knowing what he’s like, but if it did happen, I feel confident.

“We’ve played a lot together as a team over the last year and a bit and he knows a lot how he wants the bowlers to operate, the kind of fields he sets and tries to get players to hit balls in areas that they don’t normally want to hit in.

“So, I’ve got a pretty good understanding of how he runs things now and if needs be can implement the same ideas.”

Colin Graves’ hopes of returning as Yorkshire chair have come to an end in acrimonious fashion, with the club accusing the businessman of a “distinct lack of understanding” about the club’s current position.

The troubled county is still looking for a new chair following Lord Kamlesh Patel’s departure in March and is under financial pressure due to a £15million debt to the Graves Trust.

That is due to be paid back in full next October, with an initial £500,000 payment due this autumn, while fast rising interest rates have made refinancing problematic.

Graves, who saved Yorkshire from going under in 2002 and went on to become chair of the England and Wales Cricket Board between 2015 and 2020, had publicly signalled his interest in picking up where he left off at Headingley but indicated that he wanted undiluted control as part of any comeback.

Graves, who sits independently from his family’s trust, has now walked away and reportedly sent an email outlining his displeasure to interim chair Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson. The Daily Telegraph states Graves accuses the board of acting “negligently” during an “arduous and disappointing” recruitment process.

The club responded with a stinging riposte, with a board statement reading: “We have been notified that Colin Graves has decided to withdraw his application for chair. We are disappointed that he has decided to do so publicly and are obliged to make it absolutely clear that at no point did Colin make a clearly defined, tangible offer that the board was able to consider formally, unlike other interested parties involved in the refinance process.

“We have consistently outlined that the new chair would be appointed using a fair, thorough and robust process, which is ongoing. Colin indicated that the terms of his return as chair would require total control of the board and executive.

“This would run counter to that process, as well as the best practice governance requirements set out in the County Governance Code that were agreed by all counties in 2019. Colin also makes a number of allegations about the board’s actions in regard to finances which are unfounded and indicate a distinct lack of understanding of the current position of YCCC.

“The short and long-term financial well-being of the club remains the board’s priority, and we will not be distracted by speculation which is unhelpful to our primary objective of securing the future of Yorkshire County Cricket Club and making it a welcoming club for everyone.”

A host of potential investors have been linked with the White Rose, including former Newcastle owner Mike Ashley, the group behind Indian Premier League franchise Delhi Capitals and the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia.

In April, Yorkshire appointed Grant Thornton in the United Arab Emirates to explore investment options in the Middle East and North Africa.