Surrey romped to their highest T20 score at the Kia Oval as they crushed Glamorgan by 81 runs to claim their fifth win in six Vitality Blast South Group games.

After opener Will Jacks top-scored with 69, Curran brothers Sam and Tom put their side in command as they combined to plunder 80 runs from the last 33 deliveries to see Surrey to 238 for five.

The under-strength visitors laboured to 157 for eight in reply but still harbour hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the competition.

Gloucestershire beat Hampshire by eight wickets on the Duckworth/Lewis method to maintain their slim hopes of reaching the knockout stages.

Ben Wells and Ben Charlesworth put on a brilliant third-wicket stand of 55 to see their side home after Ross Whiteley’s 41 off 25 balls had helped Hampshire to a respectable 158 for seven.

Eleven overs were then lost to rain before Wells and Charlesworth combined with 43 and 29 respectively to claim victory with five balls to spare.

Jordan Cox hit an unbeaten 82 off 44 deliveries as Kent Spitfires beat Sussex Sharks by six wickets to claim their fourth Vitality Blast win in a row.

Sussex looked set for an imposing total after Ravi Bopara’s 53 helped them reach 133 for three, but Michael Hogan’s four for 31 helped Kent peg back the hosts to 169 for seven.

Cox cranked up his response by hitting six fours and five sixes as the Spitfires successfully chased down the hosts’ total with eight balls to spare.

Birmingham Bears held on to top spot in the North group after a thrilling two-wicket victory over Durham at Seat Unique Riverside.

Hasan Ali took two for 15 off four overs as Durham struggled to an unconvincing total of 146 for five at the interval.

Alex Davies and Rob Yates fashioned an opening stand of 80 in response but the visitors stalled until Jacob Bethell smashed a six and a four in the final over to steer Birmingham over the line with three balls to spare.

Jos Buttler’s efforts proved in vain as Lancashire Lightning crashed to a seven-wicket defeat against Worcestershire Rapids at New Road.

Buttler rescued his side from 38 for four by smashing 74 off 54 balls but the Lightning were restricted to 164 for eight.

Pat Brown took three wickets and Mitchell Santner followed up with 49 off 27 balls as Worcestershire triumphed with 14 balls remaining.

Leicestershire remain rooted to the bottom of the North Group after falling to a 22-run defeat to Notts Outlaws at Trent Bridge.

Despite restricting the hosts to 165 for eight, Leicestershire struggled in response, with Wiaan Mulder scoring 38 but Steven Mullaney’s three wickets for 18 steered the Outlaws home.

Former Yorkshire T20 captain David Willey returned to haunt his former club as Northamptonshire Steelbacks won by 78 runs at Headingley.

Tom Taylor returned career-best figures of five for 28 as the visitors bowled Yorkshire out for just 102 inside 16 overs, having set a target of 181.

Australia captain Pat Cummins was elated to lead his side over the line in an Ashes nailbiter, four years after ending up on the wrong side of Ben Stokes’ Headingley miracle.

Cummins hit a match-clinching 44 not out during a nerve-jangling final session at Edgbaston, finishing off a chase of 281 in ice-cool fashion during a ninth-wicket stand of 55 with Nathan Lyon.

Both men had been in the thick of the action during another classic finish in 2019, when England skipper Stokes reeled off a heroic century alongside last man Jack Leach.

Lyon, who held firm for 16 not out, botched a run out that would have won that game for Australia and it was Cummins who conceded the winning runs when Stokes pummeled him through the covers.

In the afterglow of a two-wicket victory that will live long in the memory, Cummins embraced the chance to square the ledger.

“Yeah, I would be lying if I said it didn’t (cross my mind),” he said.

“We were on the other side of one in the last series here. When you’re on the other side it feels like one that’s got away and it really hurts.

“It’s a really happy dressing room in there. A lot of those guys were there at Headingley and to clinch one that was perhaps out of our grasp for a little while there is pretty satisfying.

“It’s about having that belief that anyone is a match-winner, you could be the one to step up and win it. When you’re in the backyard playing as a kid you wish to be in these moments, to be here in an Ashes series, that’s what you want and it’s great to be on the winning side.”

Neither side ever felt fully in control of a match that stayed remarkably even across five tightly-wound days, but England were the team who did most to propel things towards an exciting finish.

The combination of a stubborn pitch and time lost to rain would have killed the prospects of a result had the hosts not moved things forward with rapid run-scoring and a risky declaration on day one.

Cummins’ men were much more careful throughout and rode their caution all the way to the winning line, leaving a hollow ring to the chants of “boring, boring Aussies” that rang out from the Eric Hollies Stand.

“The fans were pretty noisy out on the hill. Win or lose we are pretty comfortable with how we go about it,” he said.

“We’ve been really good for the last 20 Test matches over two years. Winning is nice. We are at our best when we play at our own pace and tempo. We’re a stable team, we know what we need to be at our best and we’ll keep doing it.”

Cummins, whose mother Maria died earlier this year, was seen celebrating with his father Peter on the balcony and signed off with an emotional moment.

“Dad’s been here all week, I feel really lucky to have him here because it’s been a tough few months,” he said.

“Dad was here in 2019 with Mum, so having him here was really special. I went with him to see Bruce Springsteen (at Villa Park) on the first night as well. So, it’s been a good week.”

Ben Stokes was “devastated” as England fell behind in the Ashes after a gripping climax to the first Test at Edgbaston but he was resolute that their style of play can topple Australia.

An unbroken 55-run stand between Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon saw Australia snatch victory from under England’s noses in a dramatic denouement to an LV= Insurance series opener that ebbed and flowed.

While smarting from a two-wicket defeat leaves England with an uphill task, Stokes has seen enough from the last five days to convince him that their attacking approach can reap dividends in the weeks ahead.

The big question amid all the pre-series hype was how the philosophy styled under captain Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum would cope with the world Test champions, but from the moment Zak Crawley thumped the first ball of the match for four, England have shown they are up for the battle ahead.

“I am devastated we’ve lost that game but in terms of what it’s done for the series, it’s hard to not be too disappointed because it has set up a great series,” Stokes said.

“It’s not a psychological blow at all.

“We’ve lost but if you look at the way we’ve played, compared to how the last few Ashes series have gone, proves what we’re capable of doing against Australia.

“Losing sucks but the way we applied ourselves literally from ball one proves we’re able to stand up to Australia.

“Even if we’re on the wrong end of the result here, we proved we can go toe-to-toe throughout the whole game against Australia. We’ve got four games left and that’s what we’re going to be concentrating on.”

One of the major talking points from the Test came with England declaring late on day one on 393 for eight – despite Joe Root flying after bringing up his first Ashes century since 2015.

But Stokes was unrepentant – reasoning there was a chance to eat into Australia’s batting, which was ultimately unsuccessful – and argued doing so may have laid the groundwork for the thrilling finale.

“I’m a captain who saw it as an opportunity to pounce on Australia,” he said. “The way in which we played and took Australia on actually allowed us to be able to do that.

“If we didn’t declare, would we have got that excitement like we did at the end? I’m not 100 per cent sure but I’m not going to be looking back at this game as what ifs. We just didn’t manage to get over the line.”

After rain wiped out the morning session, Australia resumed on 107 for three in pursuit of 281 at the 25,000 sell-out in Birmingham, where both sides seemed to be in the ascendancy at various stages.

Stokes winkled out Usman Khawaja as Australia lurched to 209 for seven then 227 for eight after Root snared Alex Carey but Cummins (44no) and Lyon (16no) defied the building tension to see Australia home.

The match-defining partnership might have been broken but Stokes was unable to hang on to what would have been a wonder catch when Lyon was on two.

Stokes admitted his thoughts drifted back to Headingley in 2019, when he and England were reprieved after Lyon flubbed a run-out chance at a crucial stage.

“It’s amazing how the world comes around and I drop that catch and then he’s not out at the end,” Stokes said. “It’s mad how things go round. It was in my hand, just didn’t managed to stick.

“It was an emotional roller coaster to be out in the middle, especially the person having to make decisions but I couldn’t be more proud of the way in which we’ve operated from the start of this game.”

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes England will be left questioning their ‘Bazball’ approach after Ben Stokes’ side lost an opening Ashes contest described by Nasser Hussain as “utterly absorbing”.

Pat Cummins led Australia to a remarkable two-wicket victory at Edgbaston, with an unbeaten 44 and match-winning stand of 55 alongside number 10 Nathan Lyon.

Australia’s triumph came following Stokes’ first-innings declaration on 393 for eight on the opening day after he and England head coach Brendon McCullum promised supporters entertainment.

“It was just a brilliant game and I was so privileged to be here to watch it,” Ponting told Sky Sports.

“The interesting thing coming out of it for me is going to be which team has got the most questions to answer, and I think England do.

“Is their style of play going to hold up in an Ashes series? Do they keep going, or do they declare at 393 on day one?

“By no means am I saying England’s methods are wrong. I have loved watching them play. But it goes to show that there is more than one way to skin a cat. This is a long game, and Australia’s method has stood up and worked.”

Australia successfully completed their second-highest chase in England, reaching a target of 281 that had seemed beyond them.

Former England captain Hussain, also speaking on Sky Sports, added: “It was utterly, utterly absorbing from the first ball which Zak Crawley creamed to the covers, to that last delivery.

“Pat Cummins was calm and cool when their country, and this country, was on the edge of our seats.

“When you lose, ‘Bazball’, the declaration and everything else gets questioned.

“But I applaud the players because this ground was sold out for five days, and everyone who came here today will want to come back for Test match cricket. And in this era, when Test match cricket is vulnerable, you do have to keep one eye on that.

“But obviously you want to win. You can’t hide behind that. We have beaten Australia in England since 2001 playing the old-fashioned way, so we didn’t need ‘Bazball’ to beat Australia then, but they have shown why they are the number one team in the world.”

Australia captain Pat Cummins led his side to a remarkable two-wicket victory in the Ashes opener at Edgbaston, holding his nerve in a heart-pounding chase that left Ben Stokes and his England team distraught.

The shadow of the famous 2005 Test between the old rivals had loomed large over this final day but where England edged that one in a dramatic two-run win, Cummins exorcised some of those ghosts as he ushered the tourists home amid unbearable pressure.

Cummins made an outstanding, unbeaten 44 as he led a match-winning stand of 55 with number 10 Nathan Lyon, who clung on for 16 not out. Between them they ensured Australia successfully completed their second highest chase in England conditions, reaching a target of 281 that had seemed beyond them less than an hour earlier.

Stokes looked to have dealt the decisive blow when he landed the key wicket of Usman Khawaja, defying the aches and pains of his chronic knee problems to dismiss the man who seemed to hold the result in his hands.

But the England skipper’s Midas touch evaded him when he leapt to pluck an outrageous one-handed catch out of the sky, only for the ball to slip through his fingers as he fell to earth. Lyon, on two at the time, was able to breathe again and kept his captain company until the climax.

The end came in agonising fashion at 7.20pm – 80 minutes after the scheduled close due to morning rain – when Cummins steered the ball to deep third and a sprawling Harry Brook parried the ball for four.

England were hampered by Moeen Ali’s badly blistered finger, with the first choice spinner barely able to contribute after sneaking the wicket of Travis Head in his first over. It was a gamble England had taken when they asked a player two years into his Test retirement to step into the breach and it left them leaning heavily on Joe Root’s occasional off-breaks.

More surprising was the peripheral performance of record wicket-taker James Anderson, not used at all in the final session as he watched the game slip away from the outfield.

But those questions, alongside those over Jonny Bairstow’s missed chances as wicketkeeper and Stokes’ day one declaration, must wait for another time.

Heavy overnight rain and morning showers kept the players in the dressing rooms until 2.15pm, more than three hours after the scheduled start, but there was still just enough time to create an Ashes classic.

The opening session was something of a false dawn, with Australia nudging defensively to add 76 runs for the loss of two wickets. Stuart Broad got Edgbaston rocking when he had nightwatchman Scott Boland caught behind and Moeen nipped out Head, but with Khawaja bedding in for another long stay the real drama was still ahead.

With 98 runs needed in 38 overs and five wickets in hand there was a week’s worth of heart-stopping moments ahead. With Moeen off the field at the start of the concluding session, Root was charged with holding up the one end while Robinson attacked from the other. The tension was tangible as he ploughed away in the channel outside off stump, searching for a lapse.

And then it came. Tailing one in from wide on the crease, Robinson cramped Cameron Green for space and watched as he dragged down his stumps. Robinson thrust his arms out to the side, twirled in circles and bellowed in triumph.

The game had taken another big swing, but Khawaja’s continued presence increasingly seemed the deciding issue. After a final one-over burst from Moeen went awry, Stokes stepped up to take his turn from the Pavilion End.

His introduction sent another wave of energy through the crowd and within two overs he had worked his magic. Attacking from round the wicket he spread his fingers across the ball, taking pace out of the delivery as it skidded through low.

That was finally enough to trump Khawaja’s defiance, with the opener playing on into middle stump. England’s fielders were ecstatic but the two key protagonists barely reacted, Khawaja momentarily frozen at the crease and Stokes offering little more than a grimace.

His gambler’s instinct kicked in when he delayed the second new ball to extend Root’s spell and paid dividends when the part-timer picked up Alex Carey with a rapid return catch in front of his face.

With 54 needed and two tail-end wickets in hand, it looked too much for Australia. But they came again as Cummins hammered Root for two sixes, an abrupt end to his day’s work and vitally important runs.

The pendulum swung again as Broad returned and Lyon clubbed hooked a short ball high towards square-leg. Stokes threw himself into the air and seemed for a split-second to have taken a sensational one-handed catch – but it slipped through his fingers and the captain sat disconsolate on his haunches before reluctantly returning to his feet.

With 27 needed England finally unwrapped the new ball, only for Lyon to punch Broad through mid-off for four. The target dropped into the teens when Cummins flashed Robinson for four through cover – Pope briefly sensing a chance but failing to get a finger on it.

England’s record wicket-taker Anderson was overlooked in the closing moments, with Stokes trusting the final moments to Broad and Robinson. With Cummins controlling the chase with commendable coolness, England were desperate to get at the more vulnerable Lyon.

When he stepped inside the line and hit Broad over mid-on, it felt like hope had gone and Cummins sealed victory, leaving England to wonder what might have been.

Pat Cummins led Australia to a two-wicket victory in the Ashes opener at Edgbaston on Tuesday.

The Australia captain held his nerve in a heart-pounding chase that left Ben Stokes and his England team distraught.

Here, the PA news agency looks back at other close finishes in Test history.

West Indies beat Australia by one run – Adelaide, January 1993

Curtly Ambrose inspired the all-conquering Windies to victory on Australia Day. The hosts rallied from 74 for seven, chasing 186, but Ambrose had the final say, finishing with a 10-wicket match haul when he debatably flicked the glove of last man Craig McDermott with Australia needing just two to seal a series win.

England beat Australia by two runs – Edgbaston, August 2005

“Jones…Bowden…Kasprowicz the man to go, and Harmison has done it.” Richie Benaud welcomed a legion of new cricket followers in arguably the greatest Test in the greatest series of all. Australia had recovered from being seven wickets down with plenty to get to set up a grandstand finish. But Michael Kasprowicz fended a Steve Harmison bouncer to Geraint Jones and umpire Billy Bowden raised his crooked finger in a thrilling climax. Almost lost amid the frenzied finish is the fact Kasprowicz should not have been given out as the ball brushed the glove with his hand off the bat. Now, it is regarded as a mere subplot in the narrowest win – in terms of runs – in Ashes history.

England beat Australia by one wicket – Headingley, August 2019

A matter of weeks after his World Cup final heroics against New Zealand at Lord’s, Ben Stokes produced what may gone down as his magnum opus with an unbeaten 135 which helped England reel in 359 to complete their highest ever run-chase in Tests. An unbroken 76-run stand with last man Jack Leach, who resisted Australia for 17 balls in his one not out, had its fair share of drama but England completed a scarcely-believable victory. Australia, though, retained the urn after a 2-2 series draw.

West Indies beat Australia by one wicket – Barbados, March 1999

While the Windies dynasty was crumbling all around them with Australia by now the dominant force in world cricket, Brian Lara rolled back the years with one of his finest innings. Set 308, the Windies lurched to 105 for five but Lara was able to withstand the dual threat of Glenn McGrath, who claimed a five-for, and Shane Warne, wicketless in the fourth innings. Lara’s 153 not out got the Windies over the line after number 11 Courtney Walsh was able to keep out five balls. The series finished 2-2.

Sri Lanka beat South Africa by one wicket – Durban, February 2019

With Sri Lanka a fading force after the retirement of several all-time greats in the previous decade, there was only one favourite for this series. And when Sri Lanka slid to 226 for nine in pursuit of 304, that notion was reinforced. But Kusal Perera’s unbeaten 153 helped Sri Lanka to an incredible, against-all-odds victory. His unbroken 78-run partnership with Vishwa Fernando went down as the highest last-wicket stand in a successful fourth-innings chase in first-class cricket. Sri Lanka went on to triumph in Port Elizabeth to become the first Asian side to win a Test series in South Africa.

New Zealand beat England by one run – Wellington, February 2023

England were downed by one run in Wellington as New Zealand became just the fourth side ever to win a game after following on. Last man James Anderson, who had never hit the winning runs in 179 appearances, was one swing of the bat away from sealing an unforgettable result for his side but when he was caught down the leg side from the faintest of edges off Neil Wagner, a thrilling contest came to a crushing conclusion for the tourists – bowled out for 256 pursuing a target of 258.

Australia captain Pat Cummins led his side to a remarkable two-wicket victory in the Ashes opener at Edgbaston, holding his nerve in a heart-pounding chase that left Ben Stokes and his England team distraught.

The shadow of the famous 2005 Test between the old rivals had loomed large over this final day but where England edged that one in a dramatic two-run win, Cummins exorcised some of those ghosts as he ushered the tourists home amid unbearable pressure.

Cummins made an outstanding, unbeaten 44 as he led a match-winning stand of 55 with number 10 Nathan Lyon, who clung on for 16 not out. Between them they ensured Australia successfully completed their second highest chase in England conditions, reaching a target of 281 that had seemed beyond them less than an hour earlier.

Stokes looked to have dealt the decisive blow when he landed the key wicket of Usman Khawaja, defying the aches and pains of his chronic knee problems to dismiss the man who seemed to hold the result in his hands.

But the England skipper’s Midas touch evaded him when he leapt to pluck an outrageous one-handed catch out of the sky, only for the ball to slip through his fingers as he fell to earth. Lyon, on two at the time, was able to breathe again and kept his captain company until the climax.

The end came in agonising fashion at 7.20pm – 80 minutes after the scheduled close due to morning rain – when Cummins steered the ball to deep third and a sprawling Harry Brook parried the ball for four.

When viewers tuned in to the JAAA All Comers Meet #3 at the National Stadium on May 20, they would’ve seen a familiar name, albeit in another sport.

In section two of the Men’s 100m, West Indies Test vice-captain, Jermaine Blackwood, took part in his first track meet, running 11.76 to finish seventh. That run, according to the 31-year-old, was just for fun.

Cross-training is a way for athletes to participate in training for one sport to improve aspects of their game in another sport and this is a method Blackwood has started to utilize.

Since February of this year, the batsman has been training with the Titans International Track Club in Kingston.

Blackwood says the decision came after a suggestion from his friend and member of the club, 2011 World 100m champion Yohan Blake, after he told Blake he wanted to work on his fitness.

“Just before I went to South Africa, I started training with Titans International,” Blackwood told SportsMax.tv on Tuesday.

“I reached out to Yohan (Blake) and told him I want to come and do some fitness work and he said I should come to the track and train with his club and, from that day, I haven’t looked back since,” he added.

The Jamaican said that he’s seen a significant improvement in his fitness levels since starting to train with the club.

“I can see that my overall fitness has improved a lot from there until now and I’m in very good shape,” Blackwood said before going into how the training has helped his batting.

“Whenever I’m fit and I’m playing, I tend to score more runs because my mind is clear on the kinds of shots I want to play. My decision making is clear,” he said.

“I just tell myself I’m coming in here to put in the work and, once I do that, I’m going to score even more runs. Fitness is a big part of my batting. My back doesn’t get tight when I’m fit and that helps me to bat even longer,” he added.

When asked if this training will allow him to prolong his career, Blackwood responded saying, “Yeah for sure. My body feels really good. I don’t really feel like my age right now because I’ve been getting up early, coming in and putting in the work. I reach the track at 6:00 am, leave at 9:00 am to go to the gym with Yohan and then after the gym I do my cricket training. I have to stay disciplined and Know that, once I put in the work, it will pay off.”

Blackwood also said that he plans to continue training with Titans International whenever he’s not playing cricket.

Hosts Zimbabwe produced a second big chase in succession to continue their fine start to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 in Harare.

Sikandar Raza’s unbeaten century carried his team to a six-wicket victory over the Netherlands as Zimbabwe successfully chased down the target of 316 set by the Dutch. 

That follows an opening victory over Nepal in Group A, leaving Zimbabwe in a good position in the race for a spot in the Super Six. 

Nepal bounced back from that opening loss to record their first win of the campaign, as they beat the USA by six wickets. 

Bhim Sharki was the star of the show, making 77 not out, as Nepal chased down 211 against the US, who have now lost twice in as many matches. 

Zimbabwe batters step up in chase again 

Two days after chasing down 291 against Nepal, Zimbabwe found themselves with an even bigger target to achieve against the Netherlands. 

But an unbeaten 102 from Sikandar Raza saw them home in comfortable fashion, reaching 319 for four with 55 balls remaining.

Raza reached his century off just 54 balls, the fastest ever by a Zimbabwean in ODI cricket.

Raza was spectacular with the bat, smashing eight sixes in his 54-ball knock as he carried on the good work of skipper Craig Ervine (50) and Sean Williams (91). 

The Dutch had looked in good position at the halfway stage, making 315 for six as Vikramjit Singh (88) and Scott Edwards (83) gave them a dream start to their tournament. 

Singh and Max O’Dowd (59) put on 120 for the first wicket before Raza bowled O’Dowd, before getting Wesley Barresi out in the same way. 

A 96-run partnership between Singh and Edwards continued the Netherlands’ fine batting effort with Raza again the man to find the breakthrough, removing Singh, on the way to figures of four for 55. 

Richard Ngarava (2/40) chipped in with a couple of useful wickets, including the skipper, but Saqib Zulfiqur’s 34 not out off 31 balls ensured the Dutch went into the interval feeling good. 

Zimbabwe needed to start quickly and they did just that, Ervine and Joylord Gumbie (40) putting on 80 for the first wicket before the captain was removed by Singh. 

Gumbie and Williams then added another 62, and while Shariz Ahmed claimed the wicket of the former, as well as Wessly Madhevere, Zimbabwe were comfortably keeping up with the asking rate. 

Raza joined Williams and the pair added 84 in ten overs to ease any tension, and while Williams eventually departed, it was left to his partner to complete a magnificent all-round performance to see the side home. 

Nepal up and running with US success 

Having suffered the same fate as the Dutch against Zimbabwe, Nepal needed a win against the USA, and got it by six wickets. 

Karan KC (4/33) did the damage with the ball to restrict the Americans to 207, before Bhim Sharki carried Nepal home with seven overs to spare. 

Karan was sensational early on after Nepal had chosen to bowl first, taking four wickets in the first ten overs to reduce the USA to 18 for four. 

Sushant Modani (42) and Gajanand Singh (26) started to rebuild, adding 47 before the latter edged Dipendra Singh Airee to slip. 

That brought keeper Shayan Jahangir to the crease and he counter-attacked in style, making 100 not out from just 79 balls as wickets continued to fall at the other end. 

Gulsan Jha (3/52) finished the job with an over to spare, rattling through the tail to leave Nepal with 208 to win, despite Jahangir’s maiden ODI century. 

Despite Aasif Sheikh falling leg before to Saurabh Netravalkar for 12, that total never looked like being enough, Kushal Burtel (39) and Sharki adding 49 for the second wicket. 

Skipper Rohit Paudel and Kushal Malla both made starts before falling, leaving Nepal on 137 for four as Airee joined Sharki. 

Any danger of a collapse was quickly averted though as the pair added 74 to carry Nepal to a comfortable win. 

Ireland look to get back on track against Scotland 

Attention will turn back to Group B on Wednesday when Ireland take on Scotland in Bulawayo in one of two games. 

Having fallen to defeat to Oman in their opener, Ireland will be keen to make amends at the Queens Sports Club against the Scots, who will be playing their first game of the tournament. 

The other game sees Oman looking to build on that Ireland success when they face the United Arab Emirates. 

The UAE were comfortably beaten by Sri Lanka in their first game and will now face an Oman team full of confidence in the encounter at the Bulawayo Athletic Club. 

Scores in brief 

Zimbabwe beat Netherlands at Harare Sports Club, Harare by six wickets 

Netherlands 315/6 in 50 overs (Vikramjit Singh 88, Scott Edwards 83; Sikandar Raza 4/55, Richard Ngarava 2/40) 
Zimbabwe 319/4 in 40.5 overs (Sikandar Raza 102*, Sean Williams 91; Shariz Ahmed 2/62) 

Nepal beat USA at Takashinga Cricket Club, Harare by six wickets 

USA 207 all out in 49 overs (Shayan Jahangir 100*, Sushant Modani 42; Karan KC 4/33, Gulsan Jha 3/52) 
Nepal 211/4 in 43 overs (Bhim Sharki 77, Dipendra Singh Airee 39*; Steven Taylor 1/14, Saurabh Netravalkar 1/29) 

Wednesday 21 June – Fixtures 

Group B 

Ireland v Scotland at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo 
Oman v United Arab Emirates at Bulawayo Athletic Club, Bulawayo 

The first Ashes Test was balanced on a knife-edge heading into the final session at Edgbaston, with England needing five more wickets and Australia 98 runs short of the winning line.

Australia – chasing 281 – reached the tea break at 183 for five, with first-innings centurion Usman Khawaja not out for an obdurate 56 and Cameron Green in support on 22no.

The start of play was delayed for more than three hours by rain but there was plenty of time for both teams to push for victory when things did get under way at 2.15pm.

Stuart Broad removed nightwatchman Scott Boland to raise the volume in the sold out stands and Moeen Ali defied a painful open blister to conjure the wicket of Travis Head for 16.

The wind was with the hosts at that stage, but they could not find a way to disrupt Khawaja’s concentration as he led Green in an unbroken stand worth 40.

Australia began in deliberately pedestrian fashion, more intent on soaking up balls than applying any pressure of their own.

Their caution kept England at bay for half-an-hour, but while Khawaja looked secure there was always a limit on how long his partner would linger. Boland gave an expectant crowd the release it was looking for when he drove at an inswinger from Broad and sent a thick edge through to Jonny Bairstow.

Broad raced away as the stands erupted, once again revelling in his role as the Barmy Army’s ringmaster.

Australia’s most free-flowing batter, Head, was next up but he was unable to raise the tempo as he took 13 balls to get off the mark. After an hour’s play there had been just 21 runs, Australia making only the slightest dent in their target.

Ben Stokes tossed the ball to Moeen in an attempt to mix things up and the plan paid off almost immediately. Moeen’s first three deliveries cost 10, with two drag downs and a thick edge, but the fourth was a charm. Dipping and turning away from the left-handed Head, it flicked the bat and rested safely with Joe Root at slip.

Moeen’s ongoing discomfort was obvious but he allowed himself a broad smile as Head trudged towards the pavilion.

England were briefly right on top but the trail quickly went cold. Green got off the mark with an edge for four, Khawaja punished a loopy full toss from Moeen and an air of calm settled over the Australian pair.

By the time the interval arrived the home side were happiest to regroup, knowing something needed to change to halt the Australian push.

Kate Cross says she is ready for the start of the Ashes this week despite her preparation being complicated by the parasitic illness Giardia over the last few months.

Cross was laid low by the tropical disease during a pre-season tour to India in March and went through nine unsuccessful rounds of antibiotics that left her fearful of missing out against Australia.

However, the latest round of treatment has flushed the infection out of her system and, while Cross has spent time on the sidelines, she bowled 18 overs in a warm-up against an Australia A side last week.

Cross would ordinarily prefer to have more overs banked but she is confident she will be firing for the one-off Test, starting on Thursday, that acts as a curtain-raiser for the multi-format Ashes series.

She said: “I’m the kind of bowler that likes rhythm and long spells.

“Not just the last game that we played last week against the As, but the last three weeks of prep have actually been brilliant.

“I think I’ve probably learned a lot about myself in that I’ve got a lot of cricket under my belt and you don’t always have to tick all the boxes to feel good.

“As much as my preparation hasn’t been the plan A that I would have wanted, it’s still been great prep for myself.”

With Anya Shrubsole and Katherine Sciver-Brunt now retired, Cross is likely to open the bowling if, as expected, she plays her seventh Test at Trent Bridge – which will be played over five days.

Cross could even be responsible for sending down the first ball of the series, a prospect that leaves her with mixed emotions.

She added: “That’s actually scared me a little bit, to be honest, because there were times where I didn’t know if I’d be well enough to be thinking about playing Ashes cricket.

“We always prioritised my health before we prioritised thinking about that first ball.

“But when you’re a kid in the back garden playing Ashes cricket with your brother and your sister, you always think about those moments. Being able to do them on a big stage is really exciting.

“It would be a really proud moment if I got to take the new ball, especially if my parents and family are there to watch it as well.”

The decisive final day of the first Ashes Test belatedly got under way at 2.15pm after rain washed out the morning session at Edgbaston.

Both sides have clear routes to victory with 67 overs possible, England needing another seven wickets and Australia 174 runs.

The fifth day in Birmingham was confirmed as a 25,000 sell-out shortly after Stuart Broad produced an exhilarating double strike on the fourth evening, removing key men Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith in an inspired spell.

The tourists resumed on 107 for three, with first-innings centurion Usman Khawaja in position on 34 not out and nightwatch Scott Boland holding up the other end.

England set their opponents a target of 281 to win, with Ollie Robinson ending a dangerous opening partnership at 61 before Broad got the ground rocking late on by taking out Labuschagne and Smith, the top two players in the ICC rankings.

Moeen Ali will be hoping he can play a role in knocking over Australia, with a painful open blister on his index finger causing him problems.

He reversed his international retirement to answer England’s call when Jack Leach was injured, but two years away from red-ball cricket have already taken their toll on the 36-year-old who has struggled to grip the ball properly since the injury emerged.

The decisive final day of the first Ashes Test is set for a belated 2.15pm start after rain washed out the morning session at Edgbaston.

Both sides have clear routes to victory with 67 overs possible, England needing another seven wickets and Australia 174 runs.

The fifth day in Birmingham was confirmed as a 25,000 sell-out shortly after Stuart Broad produced an exhilarating double strike on the fourth evening, removing key men Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith in an inspired spell.

The tourists will resume on 107 for three, with first-innings centurion Usman Khawaja in position on 34 not out and nightwatch Scott Boland holding up the other end.

England set their opponents a target of 281 to win, with Ollie Robinson ending a dangerous opening partnership at 61 before Broad got the ground rocking late on by taking out Labuschagne and Smith, the top two players in the ICC rankings.

Moeen Ali will be hoping he can play a role in knocking over Australia, with a painful open blister on his index finger causing him problems.

He reversed his international retirement to answer England’s call when Jack Leach was injured, but two years away from red-ball cricket have already taken their toll on the 36-year-old who has struggled to grip the ball properly since the injury emerged.

England’s hopes of pressing for a fifth-day victory in their Ashes opener against Australia suffered a frustrating start as the morning session was washed out at Edgbaston.

The finale was confirmed as a 25,000 sell-out shortly after Stuart Broad produced an exhilarating double strike on the fourth evening, removing key men Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith.

Australia ended on 107 for three, needing 174 more runs to chase down 281, with England buoyant after Broad’s rabble-rousing efforts.

But overnight rain and heavy downpours on Tuesday morning meant no play was possible before an early lunch was called at 12.30pm.

The forecast is more optimistic as the day progresses, but the scheduled 98 overs are already being chipped away, leaving a potentially thrilling finish on the cards.

England seamer Lauren Bell fell in love with Test cricket when she made her debut against South Africa last summer and hopes this week’s Ashes opener against Australia can capture the mood of the nation.

Bell made international debuts in all three formats in 2022 but her maiden red-ball appearance at Taunton stood out as an experience she will never forget.

The 22-year-old’s first outing ended in a rain-affected draw, with England pushing for victory on the fourth and final day, but Bell’s first taste of the long-form game left her eager for more.

Thursday’s clash against the world-beating Australians is set to be bigger in every sense, with both boards breaking with convention to schedule a fifth day and over 14,500 tickets sold at Trent Bridge – a venue with major Ashes tradition. And Bell can hardly wait.

“When I made my debut last year it was memorable for so many reasons but the thing that really stood out was just how special Test match cricket felt,” she told the PA news agency.

“I don’t think I had ever fully appreciated it before, but I could see just how special it was to be part of and felt so lucky to be part of it.

“From the outside, I never realised quite how much fun it could be, how much went into it, how much planning. I feel I learned as much in the space of a week as I ever had done before.

“It’s exciting to be playing at Trent Bridge this year, a big Test ground with lots of history, and we need to appreciate women’s cricket heading in the right direction and show how far we’ve come.”

Bell realises Australia’s reputation as the dominant team of their generation has been well earned but, as a 6ft fast bowler, she is not given to timidity.

“Beating Australia is the main goal for us,” she said.

“We know they have been ahead of us for the last few years, but we’ve worked really hard and there’s real confidence that we can really challenge them this year.

“We have to not be scared about failing. We can’t be worried about getting something wrong, thinking what might happen if we do.

“We’ll take the same mindset we have in T20 cricket – be confident, go to our strengths and look to take the positive options. We’ll be going out there with intent and aiming to get a result.”

Meanwhile, England all-rounders Alice Capsey and Alice Davidson-Richards have been released from the Test squad. The pair will drop down to the England A side as they prepare to take on Australia A in a T20 at Loughborough on Wednesday.

Capsey has become a central part of England’s T20 and ODI teams and had been hoping to make her first Test appearance, while Davidson-Richards finds herself out of senior squad despite hitting a century against South Africa in her only Test innings.