England hopes of rounding up quick Australian wickets met with resistance at Emirates Old Trafford, where the tourists reached 107 for two on the first morning of the fourth Ashes Test.
In placid batting conditions Ben Stokes gambled by sending Australia in first, motivated by his side’s 2-1 deficit in the series and the threat of a weekend washout, but in need of early breakthroughs to justify the call.
Stuart Broad responded by taking out in-form opener Usman Khawaja for three, moving to 599 Test wickets in the process, but England managed only one more before lunch when Chris Woakes had David Warner caught behind for 32.
Neither Marnus Labuschagne (29no) nor Steve Smith (33no) started convincingly, but the pair survived to score briskly in the last half-hour and leave the home side needing some afternoon inspiration.
For the fourth time in a row Australia skipper Pat Cummins called wrong at the toss, leaving Stokes to make his margin call.
He handed Broad an immediate chance to tighten his grip over Warner, having snapped him up for the 17th time at Headingley last time out.
The left-hander, who survived heavy scrutiny over his place this week, bagged two ducks on this ground on his last visit four years ago but ruled out a repeat performance off the first ball of the game, slapping a wide loosener from Broad through cover for four.
The crowd were eager to see the returning James Anderson make his mark at the end that bears his name but, despite a typically solid start, it was Broad who got things going.
Nobody has batted longer or made more runs in the series than Khawaja, but he was first fall on this occasion, plumb lbw to a full ball angled in from round the wicket.
Labuschagne has had a much leaner time of it and his struggles continued initially, comprehensively beaten on the outside edge by Anderson on nought and completely misreading an inswinger from Broad moments later.
The arrival of Mark Wood dialled up the pace but, unlike the previous match, Australia managed to use it to their advantage.
His four-over spell went for 21 – as well as four byes – and a thick edge to third man from Labuschagne was as close as he got to a breakthrough.
Instead, it was Woakes who checked Warner’s growing confidence. Setting up camp outside his off stump and drawing a couple of poor shots, he eventually pushed his length a fraction fuller. Warner drove, snicked through to Jonny Bairstow and was on his way.
Smith was next up and almost gifted England a chance with an opening stroke that was entirely out of character.
He stepped inside the line of his first ball from Woakes, hooking straight towards Wood at fine-leg. Had he been stationed on the rope it would have been a regulation catch, but he was several metres in and saw the ball clear his despairing dive en route to a one-bounce four.
The runs began to flow with greater ease as lunch approached, both batters showing greater control and a two-over spell from Moeen Ali costing 17.
Australia may have retained the Women’s Ashes but England punctured their air of invincibility by winning both the Twenty20 and one-day series within the multi-format contest.
The tourists’ Test win meant an overall 8-8 draw on points but against the reigning 50-over and T20 world champions, and a side with a legitimate claim as the world’s most dominant in any sport, Heather Knight’s team acquitted themselves impressively throughout – capped by a 69-run win in Tuesday’s final ODI at Taunton.
Here, the PA news agency looks at Australia’s record in recent years.
One-day internationals
Australia had not lost a bilateral ODI series since 2013, also against England, and went into the Ashes on a run of 15 straight wins in the format and 41 in their last 42 matches dating back to the start of 2018.
Even their one loss in that time came in a dead rubber, India winning the third game of a 2-1 series loss in September 2021 by two wickets with three balls to spare.
England immediately ended that run by taking the ODI series opener at Bristol by two wickets, continuing their unlikely bid to keep the Ashes alive after back-to-back Twenty20 wins. Australia snuffed out that dream with a tense three-run win at the Ageas Bowl before Nat Sciver-Brunt’s second successive century set England up for a thumping DLS victory at Taunton.
Such was Australia’s dominance in recent years, tail-ender Megan Schutt had faced just three balls in her last 30 ODIs. England ensured she matched that at Bristol alone, and again at Taunton.
Twenty20
Over the same period since 2018, Australia’s record in the shortest format read 56 wins, seven losses and two ties ahead of the England series, with seven matches abandoned without a result.
They had won 22 of their previous 23 T20s – and tied the other before losing to India in a super over – ahead of arriving at Edgbaston for the series opener.
Victory there extended the run by one and left England needing to win all five remaining matches to take the Ashes, though the hosts showed the ability to test their all-conquering opposition who needed 19.5 of their 20 overs and a superb Beth Mooney half-century to chase down 154.
England then won thrillers by three runs at the Oval and by five wickets on DLS, with just four balls remaining, on the back of Alice Capsey’s blistering 46 at Lord’s.
Test
Of course, all that English success counted for little after Australia won the one-off Test by 89 runs. Tammy Beaumont’s first-innings double hundred was in vain as Ashleigh Gardner took eight for 66 in the second.
The relative rarity of women’s Test cricket, and still more so over five days, means a comparable record to the white-ball formats is not available but Australia have not lost a Test since 2014, when England won by 61 runs in Perth.
That run extends to only six games, four of them drawn in between beating England at Canterbury in 2015 and Trent Bridge this time around. All bar one of those have been against England – indeed since 1998 Australia have played England in 19 of their 21 Tests and India in the other two.
One of those draws came in the 2021-22 Ashes, a series in marked contrast to this summer’s as Australia won 12-4 – that four-day match accounted for two of England’s points, with the others coming from a pair of T20 washouts in Adelaide.
Knight said after the draw this time around: “We felt like we were really close and had the players to compete with this very good side. Really pleased with how we’ve done, it’s been hugely impressive.”
Ben Stokes insists his England side are ready to give everything they have to level the Ashes and take a memorable series all the way to the wire.
The hosts find themselves 2-1 down after three pulsating games, losing tight finishes at Edgbaston and Lord’s before coming through strongly at Headingley to keep their hopes of regaining the urn alive.
Another win this week at Emirates Old Trafford would tee up a winner-takes-all decider at the Kia Oval, while Australia are looking to seal an outright victory on English soil for the first time in 22 years.
The stakes are clear for both teams, but England have the added wrinkle of knowing a rain-affected draw would be enough for Australia to retain the urn as holders.
The weather forecast predicts things to take a turn for the worse over the weekend, meaning much of the running will need to be done in the first three days.
“Everything is on the line. The team knows there’s no point holding anything back in this game,” Stokes said.
“Everyone is going to go out there this week and throw absolutely everything at it. If we were to shy away from the task at hand, then I think that wouldn’t get my best out of us as a team in terms of the personnel that we have at the moment.
“Obviously knowing we need to win this one, knowing that we could have a bit of weather around taking some time out of the game, that probably suits us even more to be honest.
“It would be amazing (to go 2-2), that last game would be everywhere. If that does happen and we do go to The Oval level, we’ll be challenging 2005 for one of the best series in England.”
Australia abandon spin
In 1993 at the Old Trafford, the late Shane Warne delivered his famous ‘ball of the century’ to dismiss Mike Gatting. Thirty years down the line and Australia have decided to go in without a specialist spin bowler for the first time in 120 Tests. The last time they picked an XI without a specialist slow bowler was against India in January 2012, when they went for an all-seam attack at the WACA. Nathan Lyon would have been certain to play had he not torn a calf at Lord’s, but his stand-in, Todd Murphy, was only trusted with 10 overs in the third Test and has been axed in favour of the returning Cameron Green.
Anderson eyes the honours board
James Anderson has taken five wickets in an innings 32 times in his Test career, more than any other English bowler in history. Yet he has never managed it at his home ground, despite having the Pavilion End renamed after him. His best figures of four for 38 came against South Africa in 2017 and the 40-year-old would dearly love to go one better and etch his name on the honours board in what could be his final appearance here. He struggled to make an impression on docile surfaces in the first two Tests and will be eager to make his mark.
Broad’s latest landmark
Anderson’s new-ball partner Stuart Broad is the top wicket-taker in the series with 16 and needs just two more to reach the magical figure of 600. That would make him the fifth member in one of cricket’s most exclusive clubs. David Warner accounts for 17 of Broad’s scalps and the Englishman will be licking his lips at the prospect of renewing that rivalry after the left-hander was spared the axe.
Social media moment
After Sir Alastair Cook incorrectly implicated Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey in failing to pay a barber in Leeds, despite the gloveman not having his hair cut, Carey finally took the plunge and got his locks trimmed in Manchester. Steve Smith was on hand to vouch for his payment.
Data point
Captain Heather Knight declared herself “super-proud” after her England team completed a remarkable Women’s Ashes turnaround to draw the series.
England trailed 6-0 after the opening two matches of the multi-format series – the solitary Test and the T20 opener – but rallied to win four of the remaining five white-ball contests to draw 8-8.
After winning the T20 matches 2-1, England’s 69-run victory by DLS method at Taunton on Tuesday gave them a second white-ball series victory over the world’s number one side.
“To win two series against the world champions in both formats is brilliant,” Knight said.
“The Ashes had gone the other day and the disappointment came out then. But the character in the side to turn it around here was unbelievable.
“We wanted to do justice to the way we have played so far, and it was a sell-out in front of a rowdy crowd.
“We wanted to continue to entertain and play how we want to. An ODI series on the line, there’s no bigger (test of) character than that against a team we haven’t beaten in 10 years.
“There’s disappointment we haven’t got the Ashes but it’s a draw, and if you’d told me that at 6-0 down I would have bitten your hand off.”
Nat Sciver-Brunt’s second century in the space of three days – 129 on the back of an unbeaten 111 at Southampton on Sunday – laid the platform for England’s series-levelling success.
England posted a challenging score of 285 for nine from their 50 overs; Australia’s target was reduced to 269 from 44 overs after a 54-minute rain delay.
Kate Cross took three wickets and Lauren Bell and Charlie Dean two each as Australia slid to 199 all out in 35.3 overs.
“Nat is unbelievable,” said Knight. “She’s got four hundreds in five games against the best team in the world.
“We talked about staying positive and believing that we were good enough to beat this side.
“Despite losing those two games it actually grew the belief that we were as good as this Australian team and we could go toe to toe with them.
“We had to do a few little things better because we felt we were so close in that Edgbaston (T20) defeat.
“To play like we have done this summer has been hugely pleasing. The most exciting thing is that we haven’t played our best cricket, this was probably our best performance.
“I think this team has got a huge ceiling to keep improving. I don’t think there is a gap between the two sides now. We’ve won two white-ball series, I’m not sure about the gap.”
Australia captain Alyssa Healy said the tourists could take satisfaction that the Ashes were “still within our grasp”.
Healy said: “We didn’t get over the line in the white-ball stuff but I’m proud the way the series has unfolded.
“It’s been an amazing spectacle for cricket in general and really cool to be part of it.
“It’s no secret we haven’t played our best throughout the entire series.
“England played really well and that’s not diminishing what they’ve achieved, we’ve not. We’ll sit back now and see what’s not quite gone well for us.
“In the long run it might do us good to have those reflections and know that we can be better.”
Nat Sciver-Brunt was the hero again as England claimed a Women’s Ashes series draw with a 69-run win over Australia on the DLS method in the final ODI in Taunton.
Victory saw the multi-series format drawn 8-8, the same score as when England last avoided Ashes defeat in Australia five years ago, and meant England had won both the ODI and Twenty20 series 2-1.
Australia had retained the Ashes by winning the second ODI in Southampton on Sunday.
Fresh from her unbeaten 111 at Southampton, Sciver-Brunt made her second hundred in the space of three days – 129 from 149 balls – as Australia were set a challenging 286 for victory.
Batting of the highest order also secured Sciver-Brunt a fourth century from five ODIs against Australia, and the seventh of her England career in this format.
Australia’s target was reduced to 269 from 44 overs by rain and, despite Ashleigh Gardner providing brief hope with a bludgeoning 41 from 24 balls, England ran out comfortable winners to the delight of a capacity crowd.
England, having lost the toss, were soon in trouble as openers Sophia Dunkley and Tammy Beaumont departed with just 12 runs on the board.
Captain Heather Knight and Sciver-Brunt rose to the challenge of repairing the innings, leading England to 43 for two by the end of the first powerplay after 10 overs.
Runs came freely with Knight finding gaps in the field with ease and Sciver-Brunt, who survived a stumping review off Gardner on 25, landing a six on the boundary cushion with imperious precision.
But with McGrath spilling a return chance off Sciver-Brunt, then on 54, the third-wicket partnership was worth 147 when Knight advanced down the wicket to Alana King and was bowled for 67, her 72-ball stay containing six fours and a six.
Alice Capsey dragged Jess Jonassen to long-on for five but huge roars greeted Sciver-Brunt as she reached three figures off 126 balls.
England entered the final 10 overs seeking to accelerate and Danni Wyatt played the perfect cameo with a whirlwind 43 from 25 balls before being bowled attempting to cut a full-length ball from Gardner.
Amy Jones was run out for six and Sciver-Brunt’s resistance finally ended in the 48th over as Jonassen tempted an airborne pull into the safe hands of Gardner.
The latter then won an lbw review against Charlie Dean to finish with three for 39 and Jonassen also collected a third scalp by castling Kate Cross as England closed on 285 for nine.
Australia, as England had done, lost two early wickets. Phoebe Litchfield fell for one to Lauren Bell, with Sophie Ecclestone accepting a low chance at first slip, and Alyssa Healy was cleaned up by a beauty from Cross as Australia slipped to 15 for two.
Tahlia McGrath appeared well set on 26 as Australia steadied the ship, but Ecclestone’s flight deceived her and Jones completed a smart stumping.
The players were forced off by rain with Australia 97 for three after 19.2 overs, with England facing potential heartbreak as they needed to bowl 20 overs to constitute a completed match.
But the players were back on the field 54 minutes later, with Australia’s revised target asking them to score at seven runs an over.
Ellyse Perry, having reached her half-century with a free-hit six, provided a steepling catch to Capsey off Cross on 53, and Beth Mooney drove straight to Ecclestone at mid-off to give Cross a third victim.
Australia were given hope as Gardner went on the offensive, taking 17 from a Bell over, but her acceptance of a risky second after Sutherland drove through the covers proved fatal as she was just short of her ground when Cross took the bails off from Wyatt’s throw.
Australia never recovered as Jones produced another excellent stumping to remove Wareham for 14 and Dean, called up with Sarah Glenn needing surgery for appendicitis, bowled Sutherland for 18.
King went for nought as Jones held a towering catch and England’s win was completed as Bell held a thick edge from Jonassen at short third.
England captain Ben Stokes has spent the past week immersing himself in the story of The Godfather and is ready to make Australia an offer they can’t refuse in this week’s must-win Ashes Test.
Both sides have everything to play for at Emirates Old Trafford, with the tourists seeking a first series win on English soil since 2001 and Stokes’ side hungry for a victory that would tie the scores at 2-2 and set up a thrilling decider at The Kia Oval.
The growing sense of anticipation around the fourth Test is only dampened by an uncompromising weather outlook, with plenty of rain forecast over the weekend, but Stokes has made it clear that he cannot abide draws and is willing to pull every lever in his power to achieve positive results.
Opposite number Pat Cummins may need some more encouragement to play ball, with a draw enough for Australia to retain the urn, but Stokes’ choice of pre-match entertainment took him in a different direction entirely.
“I spent most of my time on the sofa, watching a TV series called The Offer and I watched The Godfather. It’s a great film,” Stokes said of his downtime after a classic encounter at Headingley.
Francis Ford Coppola’s Mafia classic, and the 10-part drama about the making of the movie, will have exposed Stokes to some famously extreme methods of persuasion but he has already established his own way of forcing things in his favour, based around ultra-aggressive batting and bold declarations.
Expect more of the same in the coming days if the weather begins to eat away at England’s chances.
“I think we always try and look to be creative, I think the way in which we play will force the game on anyway. There might just be a few different tactical decisions to make,” he said.
“If there is potentially even 100 overs lost in the game, we might have to look at pressing the game on quicker than we normally would. I don’t know how they’ll play this game; we do know that they just need a draw to retain the Ashes. I’m not looking too much into that, but I do understand it.
“You never want to look too much into the weather but in the position we find ourselves in, we might find we have to. We know we have to win this game for us to have a chance of getting the urn back. It might bring more out of us again knowing that we might have to push the game on even more than we normally do.”
Stokes has made it one of the founding principles of his tenure as skipper to re-energise the five-day format, casting his teams as entertainers as well as athletes and making a clear bid to draw new fans to the Test arena.
On several occasions over the past few weeks, the Ashes has felt like the biggest sporting draw in the country with three tight finishes and plenty of nail-biting tension. Stokes is desperate to deliver a fitting climax by setting up a winner-takes-all finale but hopes the feelgood factor can outlive the series regardless of outcome.
“I hope this craze around cricket doesn’t get lost if things don’t go our way in this Ashes,” he said.
“I think we have captured the imagination of a few more people, whereas 2019 felt like we were getting a lot of cricket fans coming up to us and saying well done, now it’s more people who don’t even like cricket.
“It would be amazing (to win here). We would be focusing more on the fact of winning this game and going to The Oval 2-2 but then when we took a step back, that last game would be everywhere. If that does happen and we do go to The Oval level, I think we’ll be challenging 2005 for one of the best series in England.”
Despite 18 years having passed since that famous summer, James Anderson represents a dressing room link. He was an unused squad member in 2005 and returns on home turf in Manchester as the 40-year-old leader of the attack.
There are few accolades he has not achieved in a career that has seen him become the most prolific seamer in history in terms of wickets taken and games played, but a five-wicket haul at the ground which has an end named after him still eludes the veteran.
“Is he not on there yet?,” said Stokes, standing in front of Old Trafford’s honours board.
“I’ve got to say, I’m amazed at that. It would be good if he was able to do that, it would be nice to get his name up. To still be doing what he’s doing at 40 years old, and I think over the last six or seven years his stats have got better every year, he’s just an amazing performer. He’s been an incredible gift to English cricket.”
Ben Stokes says he is “devastated” by the decision to deny cricket fans in the north of England a men’s Ashes Test in 2027.
After back-to-back defeats at Edgbaston and Lord’s, England kept their hopes of regaining the urn this summer alive with a memorable victory at a bouncing Headingley.
That was just the latest in the venue’s list of famous Ashes days, which also includes Stokes’ innings of a lifetime in 2019 and Sir Ian Botham’s heroics in 1981.
England are hoping to square this summer’s series at 2-2 in front of a sold out Emirates Old Trafford this week, but there is increasing disquiet about the allocation of matches for the next Australian visit in four years.
Yorkshire and Lancashire have both been overlooked, with Nottingham’s Trent Bridge the most northerly host.
The Ageas Bowl, near Southampton, has been added to the Ashes roster for the first time, with other matches at Lord’s, The Kia Oval and Edgbaston.
Headingley will host the women’s Ashes Test that summer, but Stokes was clearly frustrated by the uneven geographical split in the men’s series.
Speaking on the eve of the Old Trafford Test, the England captain said: “I think it’s always a loud atmosphere here.
“You know the crowds we get in the north – and I say ‘the North’ quite bluntly there – are very good. We get a lot of support.
“I think we perform well in the northern grounds, especially at Headingley. So yeah, I’m a bit devastated that there won’t be any Ashes cricket here in 2027 in the north. It’s a shame.
“I don’t make those calls but, if I was involved, I would have said ‘please keep at least one game in the north’.”
Moeen Ali should think of the possibilities his elevation up England’s batting order presents rather than the pressure that comes with the upgrade, according to five-time Ashes winner Ian Bell.
A shoulder injury to Ollie Pope initially led to Harry Brook batting at three in the third Ashes Test, but Moeen volunteered to assume the mantle in England’s successful chase of 251 at Headingley.
His contribution was just five off 15 balls, but it allowed Brook to settle back into his normal role in the middle order, where he underpinned England’s three-wicket victory with an assertive innings of 75.
The hosts have announced they will continue with Moeen at first drop, a scenario Bell is familiar with given he was catapulted from five to three in the middle of England’s triumphant 2015 Ashes series.
Bell suggested a freewheeling Moeen – who is just 23 away from 3,000 Test runs to go with 200 wickets, a twin landmark only 15 men have reached in Tests – should focus on the positives of his promotion.
The former England batter told the PA news agency: “I wouldn’t say it’s the perfect solution, but we’ve got selfless cricketers who are trying to do the best for the team.
“The temptation is to think of the pressure and that’s normal, but you look at it as an opportunity. It probably is a free hit. We know if Moeen gets in, he’s going to score at a rate.
“It will be a challenge, but it’s something that we know ability-wise Moeen has. It allows (Joe) Root to stay at four, Brook looks better at five and then (Ben) Stokes at six – those match-winners are still in those positions that can cause the most damage to Australia.”
Similarly to Moeen, Bell was up and down England’s order during a distinguished 118-Test career, although nine of his 22 centuries came at number five, a position which Brook now occupies.
Brook averaged an astonishing 81.8 coming into this summer and, even if that has since dipped, his knock last time out under pressure went a long way to cutting Australia’s lead to 2-1 with two to play.
The Yorkshireman is only 24 and less than a year into his international career, while Bell was only 23 and just a few months on from his England bow before being thrust into the cauldron of the 2005 Ashes.
Bell, who coached Brook when the pair were at Hobart Hurricanes in Australia’s Big Bash League 18 months ago, said: “You can’t teach that knowledge. You can get advice from people who have done it in the past, but until you’re out there and feel that for yourself, it’s very hard.
“Harry will be such a better cricketer and more understanding of Test cricket after this series. He’ll understand his game more than he ever has done at the end of an Ashes series and what he needs to do to be the best version of himself going forward.
“He’s an immense talent, but he does have a defence to go with the attacking options as well. At times, he should trust his defence as well because he’s technically very, very good. He’s a naturally attacking player and he’s going to be a fine, fine player for England.”
With England needing to win at Emirates Old Trafford and the Kia Oval to regain the urn, Bell, speaking in his role as a Betfair Ambassador, also backed Jonny Bairstow following a difficult series so far.
The Yorkshireman has struggled since retaining the gloves on his return from a badly-broken leg, missing a host of chances, with a lack of confidence behind the stumps seemingly seeping into his batting.
But Bell pointed to Bairstow’s track record of excelling when he feels under pressure, adding: “Jonny is someone when, if the game’s on the line or if there is a chase, we could see the best of him.
“We do need to see that and, if there’s two games to win which we have to be perfect to win this series, Jonny’s going to have to have a big hand in hopefully getting us to an Ashes victory.”
:: For more from Betfair Ambassador Ian Bell head to https://betting.betfair.com/cricket/
New Zealander, Devon Conway, hit 74 to help the Texas Super Kings get their second win in three games in Major League Cricket with a 17-run win over MI New York at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Monday.
The Super Kings won the toss and posted 154-7 off their 20 overs.
Conway’s innings lasted 55 balls and included eight fours and a six. Conway’s countryman, Mitchell Santner, hit 27 in support. Trent Boult and Kagiso Rabada each took a pair of wickets for MINY.
MI New York’s chase then failed to get going after a slow first powerplay where they only scored 32 in the first six overs.
The innings sauntered along before, eventually, they were restricted to 137-8 after 20 overs.
Shayan Jahangir top scored with 41 while Tim David hit 21 and Nicholas Pooran made 19.
Daniel Sams was excellent with the ball for Texas, picking up 2-15 in his four overs.
The Super Kings are now on top of the table with four points from three games.
David Warner will be retained by Australia for the fourth Ashes Test at Emirates Old Trafford despite his struggles against Stuart Broad, although off-spinner Todd Murphy could miss out.
As Australia weigh up whether to go into a Test without a frontline spinner for the first time in 11 years, captain Pat Cummins announced Warner would keep his spot and open alongside Usman Khawaja.
Warner amassed just five runs at Headingley before being snared twice by Broad, whose 17 dismissals of the left-hander is the joint-third highest by a bowler against an individual batter in the Test format.
Broad could equal the record – held by Australia great Glenn McGrath, who claimed the wicket of former England captain Mike Atherton 19 times – if he does the double over Warner again in Manchester.
But Cummins argued Warner’s three 50-plus stands in this series have been invaluable to their 2-1 lead and is backing the 36-year-old, who is averaging 23.5 after six innings, to come good this week.
“Davey didn’t have his best game last week at Headingley but prior to that, I think he’s looked really good – he’s had three fifty-run partnerships which can be rare over here in England,” Cummins said.
“Steve Smith got a great hundred at Lord’s, a lot of that was off the back of a really important first session from the openers.
“We back Davey, absolutely. We know how tough it can be to open over here. He’s doing all the right things, he’s shown some great signs and I’m sure a big score is just around the corner.”
Cummins revealed Josh Hazlewood would replace fellow seamer Scott Boland, who has taken just two wickets in two matches at an eye-watering 115.5 average, while fit-again all-rounder Cameron Green seems set to replace Murphy after the rookie spinner bowled just 9.3 overs in the third Test at Headingley.
Green lengthens Australia’s batting alongside fellow all-rounder Mitch Marsh if Murphy drops out, having come in at Leeds for Nathan Lyon, one of Australia’s greatest spinners who played 100 Tests in a row before injuring his calf in the second Test at Lord’s.
Australia’s last Test without a recognised spinner was in January 2012 against India at Perth – a match they won by an innings – although Old Trafford has a reputation for offering help to slow bowlers.
“Nathan Lyon is the greatest off-spinner we’ve ever had so it’s not quite apples for apples (in comparing him to Murphy),” Cummins said.
“We are really excited by Todd, we think he’s fantastic. He’s got a big future. It was more conditions or the way I used him, as opposed to how he bowled.”
England’s victory last time out narrows the deficit to 2-1 in a gripping, seesaw series but Australia are still the box seat, knowing they only need to draw one of the final two Tests to retain the urn.
However, Cummins – who played in the drawn series in 2019 – insisted the clear aim of this trip was to claim a first Test series win in England since 2001.
Ahead of the penultimate match, where rain is forecast for the weekend, Cummins said: “The first preference is always to try to win.
“We drew the 2019 series and we’ve all come back pretty clear we want to win this one.
“We’re prepared for anything, really. We’ll see how it plays out. We’ve already seen a lot of different things from both teams this series. I’m sure this one will be another cracker with some random stuff thrown up.”
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.”
The men’s Ashes is tantalisingly poised with Australia 2-1 ahead with two to play and England on the up after a stirring victory at Headingley.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the key issues ahead of the fourth Test.
Eyes on the skies
While it is never wise to stick too slavishly to the British weather forecast, it is impossible to ignore the likelihood of rain intervening in this match. Showers are predicted to play a part throughout but there is a particular concern over the weekend, when things are set to get extremely wet. That could play into Australia’s hands given a drawn match would see them retain the urn. England, on the other hand, need two more victories to win it back and are likely to be open to generating a result even if it means taking a gamble. With different motivations it remains to be seen whether there will be enough time and enough will to reach a fitting conclusion.
Australia to bin the spin?
The tourists are leaving it late to settle an unexpected selection quandary, with first-choice all-rounder Cameron Green fit again after Headingley and his temporary stand-in Mitchell Marsh effectively undroppable with a brilliant century as understudy. There was speculation that off-form opener David Warner could be the man to make way but it increasingly seems that spinner Todd Murphy is the man at risk. Australia have not gone into a Test without a frontline slow bowler since January 2012 but with Nathan Lyon injured and his deputy considered more dispensable they are pondering a significant change to the balance of their side. Deploying Green and Marsh would bolster their batting and make them harder to bowl out twice but leave their options in the field much diminished.
Three is the Moeen number
The number three position has caused plenty of headaches for England over the years and familiar questions resurfaced when incumbent Ollie Pope dislocated his shoulder at Lord’s. After a one-innings experiment with Harry Brook, Moeen Ali volunteered for a surprise promotion in the Headingley chase. Despite being bowled for just five he has now been inked in at first drop, allowing the likes of Brook, Joe Root and Ben Stokes to bat in their preferred positions lower down. It is a big ask for the all-rounder, who initially agreed to return from retirement as a number eight and averages 15.75 from his four knocks this summer, but this England side are not averse to a gamble.
Age concern for England?
When it comes to taking wickets England have made sure they will not lack for experience in Manchester. Their five main bowlers for this Test have a combined age of 180, with James Anderson returning to the fray less than a fortnight before his 41st birthday. Their side is the first to go into an Ashes Test with four pace bowlers aged 33 or above since the Australian class of 1928, but few England fans would argue with the composition of the attack on current form. Moeen suggested the hosts are hoping to prove the adage that “old is gold” and Anderson would love nothing more than making that point. He has never taken a Test five-for at his home ground and is unlikely to have too many more shots at the honours’ board.
Will Jonny be good
England have rowed in hard behind Jonny Bairstow as wicketkeeper, rendering Ben Foakes’ imperious glovework surplus to requirements. Bairstow has had an eventful series as he continues to feel his way back from a badly broken leg – locking horns with a Just Stop Oil protester, being controversially stumped by Alex Carey and facing constant scrutiny over his keeping. But the bare facts are that he has let eight chances pass him by. That has materially hindered England’s prospects and nobody will know better than him that he needs to reach a higher level this week. He has a long track record of performing best when under pressure and his fight-or-flight response will be needed again.
The Ashes series resumes on Wednesday at Old Trafford with another must-win clash for England, who trail 2-1 to Australia after three Tests.
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 Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Men’s Selection Panel today announced the squad for the second Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test Match powered by YES BANK against India. The Panel named 13 squad members and two traveling reserve players for the match which will be played at Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad from 20 to 24 July.
Kevin Sinclair, the off-spinning allrounder has replaced Raymon Reifer in the squad. Reifer will however travel to Trinidad as cover in case of injury. Sinclair was among the leading players in the West Indies Championship four-day first-class competition earlier this year. He also played a significant role with bat and ball in the recent West Indies “A” Team series win in Bangladesh.
Overall, he has so far played 18 first-class matches with 54 wickets including three five-wicket hauls at an average of 23.98 each. With the bat he has scored 756 runs at an average of 29, including six half centuries.
The upcoming second Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test Match powered by YES BANK will be historic – marking the 100th Test Match between West Indies and India, since the two teams first met at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi in 1948. Play starts daily at 10am (9am Jamaica/7:30pm India).
Fans can purchase tickets in their preferred viewing locations from the Windies Tickets service, presented by Mastercard, at tickets.windiescricket.com – where they will be able to download tickets securely to their mobile device, or print out their ticket to present for scanning at the entrance point.
FULL SQUAD
Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain)
Jermaine Blackwood (Vice Captain)
Alick Athanaze
Tagenarine Chanderpaul
Rahkeem Cornwall
Joshua Da Silva
Shannon Gabriel
Jason Holder
Alzarri Joseph
Kirk McKenzie
Kemar Roach
Kevin Sinclair
Jomel Warrican
Traveling Reserves:
Tevin Imlach
Akeem Jordan
FULL MATCH SCHEDULE – Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test Series powered by YES BANK
12-16 July: 1st Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test powered by YES BANK, Windsor Park, Dominica – India won by an innings and 141 runs
20-24 July: 2nd Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test powered by YES BANK, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad
Former West Indies all-rounder, Dwayne Bravo, rolled back the years to hit a career-best 76* but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Washington Freedom from defeating his Texas Super Kings by just six runs in their Major League Cricket fixture at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Sunday.
The Freedom first posted 163-5 from their 20 overs after winning the toss.
Australian opener, Matthew Short, did the bulk of the scoring for Washington with a 50-ball 80 including 10 fours and three sixes.
He was supported by hic countryman and Freedom Captain, Moises Henriques, who hit 21 and Mukhtar Ahmed who scored 20.
South African quick, Gerald Coetzee, took 2-26 from his four overs for the Super Kings.
Texas, in their chase, were reeling at 78-6 at one point before Bravo gave them a glimmer of hope with some fireworks.
The 39-year-old hit five fours and six sixes in his innings that took just 39 balls.
In the end, they fell agonizingly short of their target at 157-8 after 20 overs.
Akeal Hosein took 2-25 off his four overs for the Freedom while Marco Jansen took 2-31 from his four.
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