Latest news with #EnglishCricket
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
After Surrey racked up 820-9 it's time to end this County Championship Kookaburra farce - or we'll get even more bore draws, says DAVID LLOYD
The last two rounds of County Championship fixtures were the latest to be played using a Kookaburra ball, rather than the usual Dukes, as part on an ongoing experiment following a review into English cricket led by former England captain Sir Andrew Strauss three years ago. The idea is that the ball – used in almost all overseas nations, and considered to lose its shape quicker and go softer earlier – will give English bowlers experience of bowling in unfamiliar conditions and improve their skillset.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
James Anderson and Stuart Broad assess England seamers ahead of ‘era-defining' India and Ashes Tests
There is a sense of epochal change in English cricket. For the first time in more than 20 years, the men's Test summer began with neither Stuart Broad nor James Anderson available for selection, the former's grandstand Ashes finish at The Oval followed swiftly by his long-term partner's rather more enforced curtain-call at Lord's last summer. With the pair go 1,308 Test wickets and the grey matter that comes with trundling in the best part of 75,000 times, combined, with red ball in hand. Advertisement While Anderson ploughs on increasingly impressively for Lancashire, and Broad slips seamlessly into his new role with Sky Sports, the next generation of English seamers must fill their bowling boots. In fact, make that generations; in the 12 Tests so far since Anderson's retirement, England have fielded nine fast bowlers, ranging from the callow to the consummate, the raw tools of Josh Hull contrasting with the grooved gifts of Chris Woakes. By the end of the India series, a fit-again Jofra Archer and resurgent Jamie Overton may be added to that number; others wait in the wings, with 19-year-old Eddie Jack spending time with the squad recently despite being yet to make his County Championship debut. Ahead of 10 era-defining Tests, England's pace race is underway. The first clash with India at Headingley this week fires the starter's pistol on two marquee series back to back, an almost referendum on the regime led by Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes. In such a landscape, it is understandable that the hierarchy sought to instigate a seam-bowling sea change. Advertisement 'They've given good exposure in Test series that haven't always been hugely testing,' Broad explains. 'Now is a real pressure point – they'll be under pressure in every single session of the India series, and that's where you will see which players rise up and take it and which players don't necessarily rise to the occasion. Gus Atkinson (left) and Brydon Carse have made strong starts in Test cricket (Getty) 'The opportunities that Gus Atkinson has had, Josh Tongue coming back into the set-up with his attributes, [Brydon Carse] has come in and done really well. There are attributes there that are outstanding. But I also look at how lucky they are to come into an environment under Baz and Stokesy where they are given the freedom to go and express themselves. What an amazing way to start your Test journey.' It has been a theme of Stokes's tenure just how much he has got out of his raw rookies, each of Atkinson and Carse enjoying standout showings during their debut seasons in Test cricket. Tongue, too, went well against Australia, and is a welcome returnee after injury. While Broad has watched on from afar, Anderson has had a closer perspective, stepping into a coaching role after concluding his playing days last year. 'Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse haven't played a huge amount of Test cricket, but they are brilliant bowlers and they will do fantastically well,' he predicts. 'They'll need a little bit of a nudge in the right direction but their actions are good, there is not a lot you can do with them technically, it's more the mental side and tactical side of it.' Advertisement Just as crucial, though, has been what Stokes and McCullum have got out of their old stagers. Anderson and Broad twinkled in their twilight while both Woakes and Mark Wood – who may yet be fit for the end of the India series – provided crucial impact during the Ashes on home soil. The leadership's shift in mentality was stark, Anderson explains. Chris Woakes is now the senior head in England bowling group (AP) 'It gave us a new lease of life because of the approach to how they wanted to play. I'd spent 20 years in a team trying to keep the run rate under two and a half an over to create chances. All of a sudden, that went out the window. It was like, 'I don't care about the run rate, I want to take wickets and get off the field as quickly as possible'. It was quite refreshing to hear that.' Out of Broad and Anderson's twin departures, a predilection for pace and point of difference has been clear as England bid to build an attack capable of challenging in Australia. All of Wood, Archer, Tongue, Carse, Overton, Atkinson and Olly Stone are capable of approaching 90mph when fully fit and firing, providing England with a stock of speedsters they have perhaps never previously possessed. Jofra Archer looks set to return to Test cricket this year (PA) But there will also be a place for the softer skills of Sam Cook and Woakes, with the oft-unfortunate Matthew Potts somewhere betwixt and between. Australian pitches have become more and more hospitable to seamers of late. Advertisement 'The last series in Australia, three of the wickets were really seam-friendly. That screams out for skill and control,' Anderson stresses. 'It's great to have pace in your attack, and there will be times for that. But I actually had a conversation with Marnus Labuschagne not long ago and he would much rather face a 90mph bowler to an 83mph bowler who is nibbling it around and constantly asking questions of him outside off stump. 'You need the skilful bowlers because there will be movement out there, but there will be times when we need that extra pace. You need a big squad and as many bowlers as you can fit, because you can't go through five Test matches with the same bowlers. Hopefully Ben Stokes is bowling because he adds a huge amount to that group at full tilt. You need depth – there will be injuries, people not bowling their best or out of form. Part of the reason I got told that I wasn't going to play again was because they wanted to give people a chance to play a few Test matches before the Ashes. From that point of view, I can see their reasoning.' Marnus Labuschagne (left) offered revealing insight into his psyche when talking to James Anderson (Getty) The temptation will be to look immediately to the prestige and problems that a trip down under will provide but England dare not overlook the challenge that India will pose. The tourists have not won a series in England since 2007. Advertisement 'I don't think the Ashes was ever mentioned within the four walls of the dressing room,' Broad says. 'It was the job of Rob Key, Luke Wright and [Brendon McCullum] to plan for series that are coming up. One of Baz's great strengths as a coach is keeping the players very present as to what challenges are in front of them. I doubt they'll even look at Australia until India have been played. 'It's always hard as a player to not be looking towards an Ashes but there is such a big test before that. It's as big as it gets. They are two huge series which will define the Bazball era – it'll be an amazing success if both are won and looked on very differently if not.' Watch all five England vs India Test matches live on Sky Sports Cricket and NOW from 20 June
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
James Anderson and Stuart Broad assess England seamers ahead of ‘era-defining' India and Ashes Tests
There is a sense of epochal change in English cricket. For the first time in more than 20 years, the men's Test summer began with neither Stuart Broad nor James Anderson available for selection, the former's grandstand Ashes finish at The Oval followed swiftly by his long-term partner's rather more enforced curtain-call at Lord's last summer. With the pair go 1,308 Test wickets and the grey matter that comes with trundling in the best part of 75,000 times, combined, with red ball in hand. Advertisement While Anderson ploughs on increasingly impressively for Lancashire, and Broad slips seamlessly into his new role with Sky Sports, the next generation of English seamers must fill their bowling boots. In fact, make that generations; in the 12 Tests so far since Anderson's retirement, England have fielded nine fast bowlers, ranging from the callow to the consummate, the raw tools of Josh Hull contrasting with the grooved gifts of Chris Woakes. By the end of the India series, a fit-again Jofra Archer and resurgent Jamie Overton may be added to that number; others wait in the wings, with 19-year-old Eddie Jack spending time with the squad recently despite being yet to make his County Championship debut. Ahead of 10 era-defining Tests, England's pace race is underway. The first clash with India at Headingley this week fires the starter's pistol on two marquee series back to back, an almost referendum on the regime led by Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes. In such a landscape, it is understandable that the hierarchy sought to instigate a seam-bowling sea change. Advertisement 'They've given good exposure in Test series that haven't always been hugely testing,' Broad explains. 'Now is a real pressure point – they'll be under pressure in every single session of the India series, and that's where you will see which players rise up and take it and which players don't necessarily rise to the occasion. Gus Atkinson (left) and Brydon Carse have made strong starts in Test cricket (Getty) 'The opportunities that Gus Atkinson has had, Josh Tongue coming back into the set-up with his attributes, [Brydon Carse] has come in and done really well. There are attributes there that are outstanding. But I also look at how lucky they are to come into an environment under Baz and Stokesy where they are given the freedom to go and express themselves. What an amazing way to start your Test journey.' It has been a theme of Stokes's tenure just how much he has got out of his raw rookies, each of Atkinson and Carse enjoying standout showings during their debut seasons in Test cricket. Tongue, too, went well against Australia, and is a welcome returnee after injury. While Broad has watched on from afar, Anderson has had a closer perspective, stepping into a coaching role after concluding his playing days last year. 'Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse haven't played a huge amount of Test cricket, but they are brilliant bowlers and they will do fantastically well,' he predicts. 'They'll need a little bit of a nudge in the right direction but their actions are good, there is not a lot you can do with them technically, it's more the mental side and tactical side of it.' Advertisement Just as crucial, though, has been what Stokes and McCullum have got out of their old stagers. Anderson and Broad twinkled in their twilight while both Woakes and Mark Wood – who may yet be fit for the end of the India series – provided crucial impact during the Ashes on home soil. The leadership's shift in mentality was stark, Anderson explains. Chris Woakes is now the senior head in England bowling group (AP) 'It gave us a new lease of life because of the approach to how they wanted to play. I'd spent 20 years in a team trying to keep the run rate under two and a half an over to create chances. All of a sudden, that went out the window. It was like, 'I don't care about the run rate, I want to take wickets and get off the field as quickly as possible'. It was quite refreshing to hear that.' Out of Broad and Anderson's twin departures, a predilection for pace and point of difference has been clear as England bid to build an attack capable of challenging in Australia. All of Wood, Archer, Tongue, Carse, Overton, Atkinson and Olly Stone are capable of approaching 90mph when fully fit and firing, providing England with a stock of speedsters they have perhaps never previously possessed. Jofra Archer looks set to return to Test cricket this year (PA) But there will also be a place for the softer skills of Sam Cook and Woakes, with the oft-unfortunate Matthew Potts somewhere betwixt and between. Australian pitches have become more and more hospitable to seamers of late. Advertisement 'The last series in Australia, three of the wickets were really seam-friendly. That screams out for skill and control,' Anderson stresses. 'It's great to have pace in your attack, and there will be times for that. But I actually had a conversation with Marnus Labuschagne not long ago and he would much rather face a 90mph bowler to an 83mph bowler who is nibbling it around and constantly asking questions of him outside off stump. 'You need the skilful bowlers because there will be movement out there, but there will be times when we need that extra pace. You need a big squad and as many bowlers as you can fit, because you can't go through five Test matches with the same bowlers. Hopefully Ben Stokes is bowling because he adds a huge amount to that group at full tilt. You need depth – there will be injuries, people not bowling their best or out of form. Part of the reason I got told that I wasn't going to play again was because they wanted to give people a chance to play a few Test matches before the Ashes. From that point of view, I can see their reasoning.' Marnus Labuschagne (left) offered revealing insight into his psyche when talking to James Anderson (Getty) The temptation will be to look immediately to the prestige and problems that a trip down under will provide but England dare not overlook the challenge that India will pose. The tourists have not won a series in England since 2007. Advertisement 'I don't think the Ashes was ever mentioned within the four walls of the dressing room,' Broad says. 'It was the job of Rob Key, Luke Wright and [Brendon McCullum] to plan for series that are coming up. One of Baz's great strengths as a coach is keeping the players very present as to what challenges are in front of them. I doubt they'll even look at Australia until India have been played. 'It's always hard as a player to not be looking towards an Ashes but there is such a big test before that. It's as big as it gets. They are two huge series which will define the Bazball era – it'll be an amazing success if both are won and looked on very differently if not.' Watch all five England vs India Test matches live on Sky Sports Cricket and NOW from 20 June
The Independent
19-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
James Anderson and Stuart Broad assess England seamers ahead of ‘era-defining' India and Ashes Tests
There is a sense of epochal change in English cricket. For the first time in more than 20 years, the men's Test summer began with neither Stuart Broad nor James Anderson available for selection, the former's grandstand Ashes finish at The Oval followed swiftly by his long-term partner's rather more enforced curtain-call at Lord's last summer. With the pair go 1,308 Test wickets and the grey matter that comes with trundling in the best part of 75,000 times, combined, with red ball in hand. While Anderson ploughs on increasingly impressively for Lancashire, and Broad slips seamlessly into his new role with Sky Sports, the next generation of English seamers must fill their bowling boots. In fact, make that generations; in the 12 Tests so far since Anderson's retirement, England have fielded nine fast bowlers, ranging from the callow to the consummate, the raw tools of Josh Hull contrasting with the grooved gifts of Chris Woakes. By the end of the India series, a fit-again Jofra Archer and resurgent Jamie Overton may be added to that number; others wait in the wings, with 19-year-old Eddie Jack spending time with the squad recently despite being yet to make his County Championship debut. Ahead of 10 era-defining Tests, England's pace race is underway. The first clash with India at Headingley this week fires the starter's pistol on two marquee series back to back, an almost referendum on the regime led by Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes. In such a landscape, it is understandable that the hierarchy sought to instigate a seam-bowling sea change. 'They've given good exposure in Test series that haven't always been hugely testing,' Broad explains. 'Now is a real pressure point – they'll be under pressure in every single session of the India series, and that's where you will see which players rise up and take it and which players don't necessarily rise to the occasion. 'The opportunities that Gus Atkinson has had, Josh Tongue coming back into the set-up with his attributes, [ Brydon Carse ] has come in and done really well. There are attributes there that are outstanding. But I also look at how lucky they are to come into an environment under Baz and Stokesy where they are given the freedom to go and express themselves. What an amazing way to start your Test journey.' It has been a theme of Stokes's tenure just how much he has got out of his raw rookies, each of Atkinson and Carse enjoying standout showings during their debut seasons in Test cricket. Tongue, too, went well against Australia, and is a welcome returnee after injury. While Broad has watched on from afar, Anderson has had a closer perspective, stepping into a coaching role after concluding his playing days last year. 'Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse haven't played a huge amount of Test cricket, but they are brilliant bowlers and they will do fantastically well,' he predicts. 'They'll need a little bit of a nudge in the right direction but their actions are good, there is not a lot you can do with them technically, it's more the mental side and tactical side of it.' Just as crucial, though, has been what Stokes and McCullum have got out of their old stagers. Anderson and Broad twinkled in their twilight while both Woakes and Mark Wood – who may yet be fit for the end of the India series – provided crucial impact during the Ashes on home soil. The leadership's shift in mentality was stark, Anderson explains. 'It gave us a new lease of life because of the approach to how they wanted to play. I'd spent 20 years in a team trying to keep the run rate under two and a half an over to create chances. All of a sudden, that went out the window. It was like, 'I don't care about the run rate, I want to take wickets and get off the field as quickly as possible'. It was quite refreshing to hear that.' Out of Broad and Anderson's twin departures, a predilection for pace and point of difference has been clear as England bid to build an attack capable of challenging in Australia. All of Wood, Archer, Tongue, Carse, Overton, Atkinson and Olly Stone are capable of approaching 90mph when fully fit and firing, providing England with a stock of speedsters they have perhaps never previously possessed. But there will also be a place for the softer skills of Sam Cook and Woakes, with the oft-unfortunate Matthew Potts somewhere betwixt and between. Australian pitches have become more and more hospitable to seamers of late. 'The last series in Australia, three of the wickets were really seam-friendly. That screams out for skill and control,' Anderson stresses. 'It's great to have pace in your attack, and there will be times for that. But I actually had a conversation with Marnus Labuschagne not long ago and he would much rather face a 90mph bowler to an 83mph bowler who is nibbling it around and constantly asking questions of him outside off stump. 'You need the skilful bowlers because there will be movement out there, but there will be times when we need that extra pace. You need a big squad and as many bowlers as you can fit, because you can't go through five Test matches with the same bowlers. Hopefully Ben Stokes is bowling because he adds a huge amount to that group at full tilt. You need depth – there will be injuries, people not bowling their best or out of form. Part of the reason I got told that I wasn't going to play again was because they wanted to give people a chance to play a few Test matches before the Ashes. From that point of view, I can see their reasoning.' The temptation will be to look immediately to the prestige and problems that a trip down under will provide but England dare not overlook the challenge that India will pose. The tourists have not won a series in England since 2007. 'I don't think the Ashes was ever mentioned within the four walls of the dressing room,' Broad says. 'It was the job of Rob Key, Luke Wright and [Brendon McCullum] to plan for series that are coming up. One of Baz's great strengths as a coach is keeping the players very present as to what challenges are in front of them. I doubt they'll even look at Australia until India have been played. 'It's always hard as a player to not be looking towards an Ashes but there is such a big test before that. It's as big as it gets. They are two huge series which will define the Bazball era – it'll be an amazing success if both are won and looked on very differently if not.'
The Guardian
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
England v Zimbabwe: first men's cricket Test, day one
Update: Date: 2025-05-22T09:03:24.000Z Title: Ali Martin's preview Content: If the history of English cricket tells us anything – and a reminder came only last winter with the women's team and a bloodbath in Australia that forced a change of captain and coach – it is that these things tend to operate in accordance with the Ashes cycle. Whatever iteration of Bazball this is, its place in history – and a few jobs in the set-up – will likely be defined by the Test results over the next nine months. Update: Date: 2025-05-22T09:00:02.000Z Title: Preamble Content: Hello and welcome to the third and final act of Bazball, the high concept film that has consumed English cricket for the past few years. The first two acts followed a narrative arc that Robert McKee would approve of, if only he knew what the hell cricket was. In 2022 and 2023 we had the set-up, with England playing some astonishing cricket and sweeping (almost) all before them. Last year they encountered conflict and obstacles, with series defeats in India and Pakistan and a growing backlash against the B-word. Now it's time for the resolution. In the next eight months England will play 11 Test matches, starting with Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge over the next four days, and the historical judgement on Bazball will be cast. We all know what a happy ending looks like: Sydney, early January, Ben Stokes holding a little urn and haemorrhaging tears of joy like the modern man he is. But not every great film – and Bazball is most certainly that – has a happy ending: Mulholland Drive, Se7en, Casablanca, Chinatown. If England draw with India and are pummelled by Australia, the euphoria of act one will be forgotten. Forget it Baz, it's Australia away. There's something else to consider. England have crept up to No2 in the Test rankings, a subject that we are contractually obliged to mention only when they have a chance of reaching top spot. There's a disconcertingly feasible scenario whereby they can win the Ashes in Australia and become world No1 at the time. Don't get too excited, though; the World Test Championship is still off limits. Even if England win all 11 Tests, they'll lose so many points for a slow over-rate that they'll probably still be stuck in mid-table. England are expected to beat Zimbabwe at a canter, so the main focus will be on the individual narratives. Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope are realistically playing for one place against India; Sam Cook has finally been dropped from England's greatest uncapped XI; Shoaib Bashir has been retained despite a bruising six months; and Josh Tongue, who has bowled ferociously for Notts since returning from injury, plays his first Test since the Lord's Ashes Test of 2023. Lord's 2023. Jonny Bairstow's stumping, Ben Stokes pumping sixes to all parts. The stakes felt bloody high then, even though we were still in act one. Now it's the start of act three, and it's time for this laboured metaphor to stop the denoument. Play begins at 11am, with the toss at 10.30am.
