Latest news with #AshesTour
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Ben Stokes' handshake antics show why other teams hate England
England's sullen and ungracious conduct at the end of an Old Trafford Test match they dominated served up easy half volleys for their critics, quick to leap on perceived double standards. But it also gave England a glimpse of what awaits in Australia. The headlines overnight said it all: Spare us the whinging England, Moral hypocrites England decide tons are anti-cricket and Spirit of what? How pompous England exposed Bazball's great double standard. Meanwhile, Australia has some thoughts... #ENGvIND #AUSvENG — Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) July 28, 2025 A familiar storm is gathering and England gave it plenty of energy. A barrage of this stuff awaits in November, more so than any Ashes tour since 2013-14 when Alastair Cook's team were the first to follow the 2010-11 winners. Then Kevin Pietersen and Stuart Broad were public enemies No 1 and No 2. This time it will be Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. The Australians respect Stokes but fear what he can do. McCullum they see as someone who always failed on their turf when it mattered. There is nothing England can do to prevent the inevitable attacks, but they can at least make them harder to justify. What England did on Sunday night was lame but the theory that Indian teams play for personal milestones is one shared by Australia. In fact, England's reaction was very Australian. Matthew Hayden once picked up on the 'milestone culture' in Indian cricket. 'We don't really play for stats. We play for wins. That's the Aussie way,' said Steve Waugh, but it could just as easily have been Stokes. England's mistake was making it look petty rather than pointed. 'I thought England behaved badly' @NHoultCricket gives his thoughts on England's behaviour during their draw with India in the fourth test Watch the Telegraph Cricket Podcast ⬇️ — Telegraph Cricket (@TeleCricket) July 28, 2025 Managing individuals is part of a captain's job. Shubman Gill recognised the importance of a maiden Test hundred for Washington Sundar and the great spade work Ravi Jadeja put in for his team throughout the series. He also revelled in sticking up two fingers at England after how they finished the Lord's Test. But England are not a pompous bunch, they are generally great ambassadors for the sport. It is only this summer we have really heard them say anything on the field. They showed a mean side at Lord's after deciding they had been too nice for too long and it served them well. In Manchester, they learnt they need to be better at picking their moments. It is one thing to try to unsettle opponents by playing hard, another to be boorish and look like sore losers. Would Stokes have hauled Jacob Bethell off had he been close to a maiden century or Joe Root in sight of his first in Australia? Currently, the verbals do not quite align with this team. It appears somewhat performative rather than natural. 'I had plenty to say when I played – and copped plenty back,'' said Mitchell Johnson. 'But that came with a bit of purpose. Sledging only works when you are dominating. And to be honest, right now England aren't. Their Bazball model has some punch but it's flimsy when conditions swing or spin. So maybe talking tough is a cover. A bit of theatre while they figure out the actual cricket.'' Bazball has been modified this summer but still has to prove itself in tough batting conditions. India's rearguard highlighted England's weakness. When presented with the challenge of batting for 108 overs at Edgbaston, they were all out inside 69, losing by 336 runs. Jamie Smith was caught on the boundary going for a third six in an over, a shot that showed England were still unwilling to change tack or simply did not know how to play the situation because of how they regard draws. That is what they can take out of the Old Trafford Test. Because they have seen how wound up they were by a team frustrating the hell out of them. It can make a draw feel like a win.
Telegraph
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Ashes drinking video caused ‘catastrophic damage' to Graham Thorpe, inquest told
Graham Thorpe's life 'came crashing down' after he lost his job as England assistant coach in February 2022, an inquest has heard. Thorpe, who played 100 Test matches for England before joining the national team's coaching staff in 2010, was first diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2018 but his condition worsened significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic and the England Ashes tour of Australia in 2021-22. An inquest into his death began on Wednesday morning, with Surrey Coroner's Court hearing that Thorpe was 'distraught, horrified, ashamed, terrified' when a late night video of a post-series social he had shared with some friends was leaked. Thorpe had filmed four police officers shutting down the social with Joe Root, the England captain, and Jimmy Anderson, as well as Australia's Nathan Lyon, Alex Carey and Travis Head. In a statement, Thorpe's wife Amanda told the coroner's court that he 'apologised personally to everyone' but was 'very stressed' by an incident that was 'blown out of proportion'. She said that he had got through a previous bout of depression without it affecting his work but that he found the Covid-19 lockdown 'very difficult' and that England's tour to India had been 'tough' for him and that he was already struggling with anxiety and experiencing difficulty sleeping. He sought help from the England & Wales Cricket Board in March 2021 and the decision to take him to Australia, where there was daily Covid testing and even more stringent lockdown restrictions, was questioned. Both Amanda and Thorpe's father, Geoff, did not think that he should have gone on that tour. It was acknowledged, however, that Thorpe would also have found it hard to stay at home. 'Really thinking about it… because he went on that tour, he was dismissed,' said Amanda. 'That ultimately was what he couldn't deal with. He probably had an option to say, 'I don't want to go'. [But] there's a big difference to saying, 'Do you want to go?' to 'We think you ought not to go'. I think that would have made a big difference. I don't think he realised how ill he was. He wishes he hadn't gone because of all that happened after.' England lost the series 4-0 and Thorpe was dismissed soon after returning to England. The inquest heard that this came as a 'real shock' and was the start of a tragic decline in his mental health. 'To be sacked after that, I think it was foreseeable that it would be really hard on him – it was harder than we could have known,' said Amanda. 'He came back from the tour of Australia in such a terrible state. It was down to lots of things; the video, the whole environment.' In a statement to Surrey Coroner's Court, Thorpe's father Geoff said that the late-night video incident in Australia had caused 'catastrophic damage' and that his life 'came crashing down when his employment to the ECB was terminated'. Thorpe, it was said, 'felt a failure, spiralled into depression' and became drained of confidence, with issues of anxiety and insomnia, loss of appetite, guilt, feeling a burden and not wanting to meet people. He had been offered a job with the Afghanistan national team in 2022 but it was ultimately decided that he was too unwell to take up the role. He made a first attempt on his life on April 30, 2022, less than three months after losing his England job, which left him unconscious for three weeks and in intensive care for around five weeks. He continued to suffer with suicidal thoughts – despite many attempts at intervention and support from loved ones and health professionals – before dying after being struck by a train in August 2024. 'He was really suffering – it was awful to see – he just felt that no one could help him,' Amanda told the coroner's court. 'He told me he was scared and I told him I was scared to. I tried to reach out to everyone I thought. The weeks leading up to his death, he told me he doesn't want to be here any more. He asked me to help him end his life. He said he wants to go to Switzerland. I was in turmoil. Then we get a letter for an appointment [with the medical team] in a month's time. How ill do you have to be?' Thorpe's father described a son who had been an outstanding footballer as well as cricketer who was 'dedicated, motivated and determined to do well' but that he was hit hard by the break up of his first marriage in 2001, both emotionally and financially. This was followed by him taking a year-long break from international cricket. 'Sometimes us chaps are a little bit macho – think we can cope, in fact we can't,' said Geoff, describing his son as 'fine' until Covid and 'not a fella who likes to be cooped up'. The inquest heard that Thorpe used alcohol in an attempt to mitigate his anxiety and try to sleep. Professor Nick Pierce, chief medical officer at the ECB, said that a variety of wellbeing support was provided, notably through their partnership with Changing Minds, a provider of clinical psychologists in elite sport. In a statement, Prof Pierce said that Thorpe had received Changing Minds support on camps and tours from 2019 and that there had been 'no indication that Graham was at risk of immediate self harm' during the India tour in 2020-21. He also said that a personal risk assessment and wellbeing safety plan was made prior to the 2021-22 Ashes tour, in conjunction with Thorpe and director of cricket Ashley Giles, and that Thorpe continued to receive support upon returning from Australia in Jan 2022. Of his dismissal the following month, Prof Pierce said: 'It is a common occurrence in elite sport for performance-related decisions to result in a rapid turnaround of staff'. In his statement, he also pointed out that Giles and head coach Chris Silverwood also lost their jobs, describing Thorpe's first suicide attempt as 'devastating and a complete shock to everyone who had been involved in his care'. A celebratory 'Day for Thorpey' will be held on the second day of the fifth Test against India at the Oval next month on what would have been his 56th birthday. Amanda and Thorpe's daughters Kitty and Emma are raising money for mental health charity Mind.
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Walters poised to become national rugby league coach
Rugby league legend Kevin Walters could be announced as Australia's new head coach as soon as Monday. The former Queensland and Brisbane mentor is poised to take charge of the Kangaroos for Australia's first Ashes tour in 22 years after the NRL season concludes. Walters was tight-lipped when quizzed about his link to the vacant role on Sunday, but expected an announcement to be made imminently. "I can't tell you anything. There'll be a decision made tomorrow," the former multi-premiership winning player said on Fox League's NRL coverage. "We'll just wait and see. Obviously I'd be very privileged and grateful to get the opportunity to coach Australia. "It's a privilege to put the green and gold on and to coach the side, even more so. We'll just see what happens tomorrow." The Australian Rugby League Commission has been on the hunt for a new Kangaroos boss since Mal Meninga stepped down to join expansion side the Perth Bears, who enter the NRL in 2027. Replacement options had been thin on the ground given ARLC rules prevent active club coaches from taking the role. That precluded South Sydney mentor Wayne Bennett from contention despite his interest, with Walters rocketing into the frame once favourite Brad Fittler pulled out to focus on his media duties. Cameron Smith, one of the greatest players of the modern era, had flagged his interest but is untested as a professional head coach. Walters coached Brisbane to the 2023 grand final, which the Broncos narrowly lost after a Penrith comeback, and was fired a year later after the side missed the 2024 finals. Prior to that, Walters led Queensland to victory in two of four State of Origin series as coach.
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
England to beat India, hit the most sixes and the most fours in first Test BOOSTED by Sky Bet
England's five-test series against India will prove crucial preparation for their highly-anticipated Ashes tour later this year. The series gets underway on Friday with the first Test at Headingley in Leeds. England are tipped to win the series on home soil and Sky Bet have also boosted three selections ahead of the first ball. Joe Root to score the most runs for England and Jasprit Bumrah to take the most wickets for India in the first innings has been boosted from 10/1 to 12/1. England to beat India, and Ben Stokes' side to hit the most sixes and fours in the eagerly-anticipated first Test is now 9/2 from 7/2. The other boost requires the first wicket of the match to fall for under 20 runs and be out caught as the mode of dismissal. The odds for that bet are 3/1, having been boosted from 5/2. Sky Bet Price Boosts for England vs India first Test: Root England Most Runs & Bumrah India Most Wickets Both 1st Inns (ties are losers) WAS 10/1 NOW 12/1 England to win, hit the most sixes and most fours WAS 7/2 NOW 9/2 First wicket of the match to fall for under 20 runs and be out caught WAS 5/2 NOW 3/1
The Age
29-04-2025
- Business
- The Age
The two reasons why the NRL is looking into a takeover of the Super League
The recent success of ticket sales for the upcoming Ashes Tour in England – selling out both the new Everton Stadium and Headingley, and with strong sales for the opening game at Wembley – has only heightened the NRL's enthusiasm. There's a belief that the ticket sales for the tournament, which saw more than 60,000 tickets sold on the opening day, speak to a dormant rugby league fan base ready to be activated under the right governance structure and leadership. The second thing the NRL sees is the capacity to package up the sport and sell it to international broadcasters, increasing the revenue in the sport substantially. The last Super League broadcast deal suffered an almost 50 per cent reduction in value. The underbidder in negotiations with Sky Sports was DAZN, who recently purchased Foxtel off News Corp. DAZN are getting ready to enter the market in Australia, and the NRL sees them as a major player in negotiations. The NRL could have more to offer the international streaming giants if it has a product to sell off in Europe, where DAZN already has a significant audience. One option that has been discussed is the possibility of shifting the Super League back to a European winter - providing the NRL with a year-round product to provide broadcasters and a feeder system for player talent between the two competitions. The reason it was moved to a summer competition was to avoid lengthy periods of competition with the English Premier League. While the NRL can see merit in the change, they understand such a move will be met with resistance and are unlikely to pursue it. With the Super League competition and its clubs on their knees financially, NRL bosses agreed to a secret meeting with Wigan owner Mike Danson and Warrington owner Simon Moran in Las Vegas at the start of the season. The wealthy owners want the NRL to rescue the competition, and are speaking to all Super League clubs before submitting a formal proposal to NRL CEO Andrew Abdo and ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys. The NRL has made it clear that it will not approach the Super League to buy a stake in the competition, but would be open to striking a deal if the clubs are keen for the NRL to take over the running of the game. The conversation was a result of previous meetings between the NRL and South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly and Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson, who have been working behind the scenes to give the NRL a better picture of the landscape. The NRL sought the views of the influential duo given their time working in the Super League. While Richardson's blueprint involves a 10-team competition (eight teams from England and two teams from France), the NRL is open to exploring all options and is not wedded to the idea put forward by the Tigers boss, who is currently in the US on annual leave. Loading Solly, who previously worked as the general manager of the Super League, said there was a rare opportunity for the game to align itself for the greater good of the sport. 'It makes sense for the two competitions to be more aligned and working together,' Solly said. 'The management and ownership of the clubs at the moment has never been better or stronger resourced, and I think a strong NRL competition, a strong Super League competition and a strong international game is a really compelling commercial offering to broadcasters and sponsors. 'I think if the NRL does get management control of the competition, a lot of NRL clubs will look at ways in which they can work closely with Super League clubs. That might mean official partnerships, equity investments or even ownership. The first part of that conversation has to be the NRL taking control. Clearly, there's a huge opportunity for rugby league in the UK based on the success of the Ashes Tour ticket sales.' The NRL has no desire to invest capital in a project that is doomed to fail. It already has enough on its plate with expansion into Perth and Papua New Guinea to become a player in a civil war that presently seems more likely to wipe out all parties involved than end with a ceasefire. Part of the problem is that the lower-tier teams have the same rights as the more prominent clubs. Solly believes it's time that changed, and the NRL's appetite to rescue the sport is the catalyst to making that happen. 'There's always tension in the game over there between the Super League clubs and lower divisions,' Solly said. 'The best way the NRL can avoid that is by largely focusing its energies into the Super League. That will allow the Rugby Football League to focus its attention on where it's best, which is the grassroots, the pathways of the game and a strong England international program. 'The commercial engine for rugby league in the UK is Super League. The stronger that is, the more money there is to be invested into the pathways, participation and the England national team.'
