logo
‘We can chase anything': Tongue bullish as England look to overhaul India total

‘We can chase anything': Tongue bullish as England look to overhaul India total

The Guardian23-06-2025
After blowing away India's tail for the second time in the game, pocketing a three-wicket maiden in the process, Josh Tongue said England were confident of scoring the 371 runs they need to claim victory in the opening Test, insisting: 'With our batting lineup we can chase anything.'
England survived six overs before stumps to reach 21 without loss, leaving 350 to get on what is forecast to be a rain-affected final day. Should they reach their target it would be the highest successful run chase at Headingley – or for that matter anywhere in England – for 77 years, beating by nine the 362 they scored in the extraordinary Ashes encounter here in 2019.
'We're really confident,' Tongue said. 'If you look at our batting lineup it's obviously very strong. We play a positive brand of cricket. So I think chasing 371 is going to be a good thing for us to do. I feel like with that batting lineup we can chase down anything. Their bowlers are obviously going to bowl well in periods of the game. It's just soaking up that pressure and then reapplying it back on to them.
'We'll go for the win. That's the clear message in the changing room. It's just being as positive as we can. I don't see why we can't chase that down.'
Tongue said of the wicket that 'when they were batting it flattened out', but KL Rahul, one of two Indian centurions alongside Rishabh Pant, said that had not been his experience across 247 balls at the crease. Forecasting 'a blockbuster finish', he warned England that their aggression could be their undoing.
'There's definitely going to be a result. That's what England have said very openly and their style of cricket suggests that,' he said. 'That gives us a good opportunity to pick up 10 wickets. It was a very tricky wicket – I spent a lot of time batting out there and I didn't feel set at all at any stage. With this wicket you never know what to expect.'
Though both enjoyed considerable success Rahul's precise strokeplay contrasted markedly with the charismatic and unconventional approach of Pant. 'You just stand there and admire and sometimes scratch your head about the shot selection and the cricket that he plays,' Rahul said.
Sign up to The Spin
Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action
after newsletter promotion
'He's a unique player and you just let him be. He obviously has a method to his batting, which none of us understands but it seems to work for him. You just let him be Rishabh Pant.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

England hope Ben Stokes benefits from a rest and bowls on Sunday
England hope Ben Stokes benefits from a rest and bowls on Sunday

North Wales Chronicle

time20 minutes ago

  • North Wales Chronicle

England hope Ben Stokes benefits from a rest and bowls on Sunday

Having turned an overnight 77 into 141 for a first Test century in two years to propel England to 669 and a 311-run first-innings lead, Stokes was then conspicuously absent for the 63 overs India batted. He claimed five for 72 in India's first innings but restricted himself to fielding duties as Shubman Gill and KL Rahul helped the tourists recover from nought for two to 174 without further loss. A Ben Stokes 💯Wizz at the double 🔥Smashing six hundred 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 It's all in our Day 4 highlights 📺👇 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 26, 2025 Stokes has pushed himself to the limit this summer but there is a suspicion this is catching up with him, having struggled with cramp in his left leg when he was batting on Friday, briefly retiring hurt. Asked if he will be fit to bowl on the final day of the fourth Rothesay Test, with England looking to move into an unassailable 3-1 series lead, England assistant Marcus Trescothick said: 'We're hoping so. 'We're hoping another night's rest and physio work overnight that he'll be back. It's just a build-up (of things). He's had quite a big workload in the last few weeks. It's just trying to monitor it.' Stokes underwent surgery on his left hamstring at the start of the year, but he has already bowled the most overs he ever has in a series, even if he leads the wicket-taking charts with 16 at 24.75. He has proved his all-round worth in Manchester by becoming the fourth Englishman – after Tony Greig, Ian Botham and Gus Atkinson – to record a century and five-for in the same match. Ashes 2005-winning captain Michael Vaughan said on the BBC's Test Match Special: 'Ben is a super-human at times. He was probably hoping that they would get the wickets and he wasn't going to be required. 'Maybe the medical staff just said 'Ben, have a day off'.' Chris Woakes dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan with successive deliveries in the first over but Gill survived the hat-trick ball and overcame being dropped on 46 by Liam Dawson to reach 78 not out. KL Rahul is unbeaten on 87 to give India hope of avoiding defeat and setting up a decider at the Kia Oval next week but Trescothick remains upbeat about England's chances, with or without Stokes. Trescothick added: 'We've got 10 other guys who are capable of doing special things also. 'It's never great when bowlers go down or you don't have someone available to do the work you need them to do, it's then just up to everybody else to pick up the pieces and do the extra work.'

Women's Euros 2025 Prize Money: What will England or Spain earn if they win, is it equal pay
Women's Euros 2025 Prize Money: What will England or Spain earn if they win, is it equal pay

Scotsman

time20 minutes ago

  • Scotsman

Women's Euros 2025 Prize Money: What will England or Spain earn if they win, is it equal pay

The Women's Euro 2025 will take place between England and Spain this Sunday - but what will be the prize money if they win the tournament? Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Following another last gasp win for England in the semi-final against Italy, Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses are set to play in yet another major tournament final, with a clash against Spain set to take place in the Women's Euro 2025 final this Sunday. Fans have packed stadiums out across Switzerland over the summer, desperate to catch a glimpse of women's football's biggest names, with over half-a-million tickets sold during the tournament, alongside huge viewing figures on both the BBC and ITV, with supporters tuning in to catch a glimpse of England's Chloe Kelly and Spain's Aitana Bonmati. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A re-run of the Women's World Cup final two years ago, the Lionesses will look to enact revenge for their 1-0 defeat in Sydney, while also becoming the first England team to win a major tournament on foreign soil. But how much will they earn if they win the Women's Euros this summer - and how does it compare to the men's game? Here's everything you need to know ahead of this Sunday's final in Zurich. Can England emerge victorious after their last-gasp wins over Sweden and Italy in the knockout stages? When is the final of the Women's Euros 2025? The final of the Women's European Championships 2025 will be held at St. Jakob-Park in Basel, Switzerland on Sunday 27 July, with kick-off scheduled for 5pm UK time. As part of the tournament's closing ceremony, Asturia Quartet will perform the national anthems of the finalists ahead of the game, with the closing ceremony set to be 'brought to life through a powerful and evocative original score' composed by acclaimed Italian composer Ludovico Clemente. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There has been eight stadiums used across the tournament, with the final taking place at the 38,512 capacity stadium in Basel. What is the prize money for the Women's Euro 2025? The prize pot for the Women's Euro is the biggest ever in 2025, with national associations and players set to receive record rewards. In 2024, UEFA revealed they had approved a €41million prize money pot. Nations participating in the tournament will receive a participation payment of €1.8million, representing a 156% increase on the figure from the 2022 tournament held in England. In total, each nation was paid: Win in the group stage: €100,000 Draw in the group stage: €50,000 Reaching the quarter-finals: €550,000 Reaching the semi-finals: €770,000 This means that, so far, England have been awarded a total of €3,320,00, while Spain have been awarded €3,420,000, prior to the final this weekend. Aitana Bonmati will be key for Spain if they are to win their first Women's Euros in history. | Getty Images How much do the winners of Women's Euro 2025 earn? How does it compare to the men's prize money at Euro 2024? The nation that win the Women's Euros 2025 will be awarded a fee of €1.75million in addition to any prize money accrued earlier in the competition. The runners-up will be paid €850,000. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With England having already earned €3,320,000 for their tournament performance, the maximum prize money they will receive is €5,070,000 if they win the tournament - and €4,050,000 should they lose. Spain would land a figure of €5,170,000 if they win Sunday's final, as they won one extra group game, and €4,150,000 if they lose.

Keen racing fan Lady Victoria Starmer beams in delight as she backs winner at Ascot
Keen racing fan Lady Victoria Starmer beams in delight as she backs winner at Ascot

The Sun

time21 minutes ago

  • The Sun

Keen racing fan Lady Victoria Starmer beams in delight as she backs winner at Ascot

IT was the thrill of the race for Lady Victoria Starmer as she raises a fist in delight after backing a winner at Ascot. PM Sir Keir's wife, 51, was seen clutching a betting slip as she cheered on 9-4 favourite Fitzella to success in the Princess Margaret Stakes. 4 4 Lady Victoria, known as a keen racing fan, had also backed 20-1 Sukanya, which finished seventh. But that did not dampen her mood as she celebrating her success with two women around her. An onlooker said: 'Nothing dampened Victoria's mood. 'She was having a whale of a time, was cheering and shouting, and seemed completely at home. 'She is known for loving a day at the races and was delighted at picking a winner. 'She seemed to be studying the form intently and waved to the crowds after the race as she held onto her betting slip, her phone and an Ascot programme. 'People were joking that Victoria seemed to be having a better time that her husband who is struggling at Number 10.' Victoria's mother Barbara is from Doncaster, and her grandmother lived on the edge of the town's famous racecourse. Starmer's wife Lady Victoria went from asking 'who the f*** does he think he is' to incoming PM's right-hand woman 4 4

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store