Latest news with #Lord's
Int'l Cricket Council
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Int'l Cricket Council
Cummins hails match-winners as Australia get going in WTC27 ICC World Test Championship
In a match that ebbed and flowed, it was Australia who emerged victorious against West Indies in the opening Test of the three-match series in Bridgetown. While the win may not erase the heartbreak of Lord's just two weeks ago, it marks a positive start to their World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle, with their first points now on the board. There was little to separate the sides after the first two innings – just 10 runs, in fact. Jayden Seales' five-wicket haul helped bowl Australia out for 180, before a disciplined all-round effort from the Australian bowlers restricted West Indies to 190, giving the hosts a slender lead. Australia found themselves in trouble at 65/4 after another top-order collapse, but the middle-order trio of Travis Head, Beau Webster and Alex Carey steadied the ship with crucial half-centuries. Head and Webster put together a 102-run stand, with Head playing the aggressor. After Head's dismissal, Carey took charge, highlighted by two brilliant straight sixes off Seales and Justin Greaves. "I thought those three were brilliant," Australia skipper Pat Cummins said at the post-match press conference. "They kept the scoreboard ticking over. I thought they took really good options. They were always looking to score. 'Really, that was the difference. [You are] turning up today thinking that if we didn't get a big lead it was 50-50, really. Those guys took the game away from West Indies." Cummins was particularly impressed by Beau Webster, who, despite having played just five Tests, has already built a reputation for digging Australia out of tough spots with grit and composure on challenging surfaces. On debut against India, the 31-year-old made an instant impact, scoring a half-century on a spicy Sydney pitch in the first innings and following it up with a brisk unbeaten 39 in their victorious chase. In the World Test Championship Final against South Africa, Webster stood tall with a counter-attacking 72 off 92 balls, the top score in Australia's first-innings total of 212. Against West Indies, he once again proved pivotal, anchoring two key partnerships in the second innings with a composed 63 off 120 balls that turned the tide in Australia's favour. He also made an impact with the ball, claiming two wickets in the first innings. Beau Webster helps Australia's cause with half-century | Player Highlights | WTC25 Final Beau Webster marked his first Lord's Test with a half century in the World Test Championship Final. "I think it's pretty much the same as what he does for Tasmania," Cummins said on Webster. "He seems to always contribute in some way. He's kind of knocked down the door with his performances over the years in Shield cricket. It's great when you've got someone like that coming to the team. 'They know their craft so well and you saw that today, even on a tricky wicket, he knew where his areas to score were. He's been a fantastic asset to the team over the last six months." After setting West Indies a target of 301, Australia needed just one session and under 34 overs to seal the win, dismantling the hosts for 141. Leading the charge was the ever-reliable Josh Hazlewood, who delivered a brilliant five-wicket haul to cap off the dominant performance. Hazlewood cleans up Stubbs with a jaffa | WTC25 Final Josh Hazlewood also got himself among the wickets by nipping one in to get rid of Tristan Stubbs. 'Give Josh a wicket with any little bit in it, and he finds it,' Cummins added on his pace bowling partner Hazlewood. 'Just hits the right area, ball after ball, presents good seam. I thought he was great at Lord's as well last week, without perhaps the returns that he was deserved. 'It's a huge asset to have him on our side as well. He's been keeping Scotty Boland out of the side and we know how good Scotty is. Really pumped for Josh this week.' The series now moves to St George's for the second Test, which gets underway on 3 July. ICC World Test ChampionshipNewsAustraliaWest Indies
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
England must not rush back Jofra Archer for the second India Test - the fast bowler's return is exciting, but hold him for Lord's, writes NASSER HUSSAIN
The return of Jofra Archer to an England Test squad for the first time in over four years is exciting news – both for him and the team – after all the injury problems he's had. And for that reason I wouldn't risk him in next week's second Test at Edgbaston, but hang on to him for the third game at Lord's. I can understand the temptation to bring him straight back in to the starting XI, and clearly England wouldn't have selected him if they weren't sure of his fitness after he came through 18 economical overs for Sussex against Durham at Chester-le-Street. But there are a couple of points to consider. First, what's the rush? Archer has only just played his first red-ball game since 2021, and Sussex have a Championship match starting against Warwickshire on Sunday at Hove. The Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace has said that he wouldn't pick him until the third Test. Second, who do you drop to make way for him? We all know Chris Woakes gets better as a series progresses, and there were already signs in the second innings at Headingley that he had improved from the first day. Also, Edgbaston is his home ground. Josh Tongue cleaned up India 's tail brilliantly, and that's something England have had a problem with in recent years. And I thought the spell Brydon Carse bowled at the start of India's second innings was exceptional. None of those three looks very droppable to me. I get that England want to have a good look at Jofra before they fly to Australia in the winter, but they could do that just as well by having him around the squad at Edgbaston and building up his loads in net sessions and during intervals. Mark Wood, the other quick bowler England are desperate to recall, made a good point the other day, when he said that the likes of him and Archer can't expect to waltz straight back into the side. They have to prove they're ready. In this instance, we have to take the ECB medics – and Jofra himself – at their word. You can see why England might want a bit more cutting-edge against India's top order, after they scored five individual hundreds between them at Headingley. It's not just the pace Archer brings – it's the skills as well. There may also be concerns about playing Woakes in three back-to-back Tests when he himself is coming back from injury, but his record at Lord's is so good you'd be keen to play him there. But Archer hasn't played a Test since the tour of India in early 2021, and however good you look in a county game or in the nets, there's nothing quite like international cricket to put your body through the wringer. Can he come back for a third spell and still be touching 90mph? Can he withstand a day and a half in the field? He's a once-in-a-generation talent. And that's why I'd give him just a few more days to get ready for the rigours of Test cricket – before unleashing him on India at Lord's.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
‘Home of cricket' faces new challenges
During the World Test Championship final at Lord's, a previously unthinkable discussion opened up among friends from a variety of backgrounds: Does Lord's still justify its cachet as the home of cricket? The very question will be regarded as heresy in many quarters, but the heavy thought hung in the air. At a meeting of the International Cricket Council's executives committee in April 2025, the Board of Control for Cricket in India expressed its desire to host future WTC finals. India's motivations are clear. Hosting the event would cement its position as the powerhouse of international cricket. The BCCI argues that viewership and commercial revenue would be boosted, along with tourism. However, these would be jeopardized if India failed to reach the final. Attendances for matches in India which do not involve the Indian team are notably low. If the final continues to be scheduled for June, there is also the issue of the monsoon season. In order to hold it in another month, the existing crowded international and domestic schedules would have to be disrupted. It is probably too late to change the dates of the current two-year cycle and maybe for the two which follow. In response to this challenge, the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Marylebone Cricket Club launched a charm offensive before and during the WTC final. In January, the MCC invited the ICC's Chair Jay Shah to join a new advisory board of its World Cricket Connects initiative. Launched in 2024 at Lord's, the initiative gathers together over 100 people, including administrators, former and current players, coaches, players' association leaders, media and broadcasting personnel. The advisory board, comprising 13 members, has replaced the MCC's World Cricket Committee. After its inaugural meeting at Lord's, it will meet virtually throughout the year. How much Mr. Shah's busy schedule allows him to participate remains to be seen. He was very much in evidence at Lord's, where he was feted by the ECB's leaders. Together with the MCC, they ensured that the full pomp and circumstance associated with a Lord's Test match was brought to bear. This included an invitation to ring the bell prior to the start of the match. As mentioned last week, rumors now abound that Shah was sufficiently impressed to the point where he will recommend to the ICC's Annual Conference in July that Lord's should host the next three WTC finals. If this motion passes, it will burnish the claim of Lord's to be the home of cricket. It will also be a test of Shah's omnipotence since the BCCI is likely to be disappointed. His power and presence were encapsulated in the ICC's 45-second video of the match highlights released after the final. This has not gone down well on social media. Fans expressed their disappointment by trolling both the ICC and Shah, who features in 11 of the 23 frames. A common reaction is that the video is a PR piece for Shah, to the exclusion of key players and moments. Other reactions have been even more uncomplimentary. There has also been adverse reaction to reports that he did not attend the World Cricket Connects forum, an event he also missed last year. Topics for discussion this year included fan engagement, franchise cricket, growth in women's cricket, sustainability issues, social impact and shortage of willow. All of these are topical issues for the game. Gathering together 'the most influential voices in the sport' alongside a major match is perhaps something that only the MCC and Lord's can achieve. An interesting aspect of this was that the heads of the main franchise leagues met together in person for the first time. One hopes that they talked about scheduling clashes. This is a matter which should vex Shah and the ICC. His voice is indisputably influential. The World Cricket Connects forum and its advisory board have no power. Its purpose is to make recommendations to the ICC, which is under no obligation to address them. Inviting Shah to join the advisory board — and his acceptance of the invitation — looks a little odd. Should he be part of a board which will present recommendations to the governing body of which he is the chair? Perhaps his non-attendance reflects an acceptance of this duality and potential conflict of interests. Either way, neither party appears to have made a public statement. If Lord's does retain the honor of hosting the WTC final, the ECB and MCC's overtures will have been successful. It is relevant to wonder what quid pro quo may be in the offing. Perhaps the imminent influx of Indian shareholding of The Hundred franchises, including the one held by the MCC at Lord's, is playing a part in the decision-making. The MCC retains a privileged position within cricket. It has been the maker of the laws of cricket since its formation in 1787. Although it maintains this position, law changes will only be made after discussion with the ICC. Until 2005, Lord's was the home of the ICC, when it moved to Dubai. Both of these pillars underpinned Lord's as the home of cricket. Despite the partial removal of the pillars, players say that it remains an ambition to score 100 or take five wickets at Lord's, for which the reward is to have their name etched on the honors board. There are famous players who have not achieved this feat. Sachin Tendulkar is one of them, along with Sunil Gavaskar, Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis. On their way to the field of play, each player walks through the Long Room, lined with MCC members, oil paintings and other cricketing artifacts, representing over 200 years of ritual, legacy, shaping and preservation of the game. The ground symbolizes cricket's rich heritage and tradition. It has moved with the times, choosing more modern structures to sit alongside the pavilion of late 19th-century vintage. These may not be to everyone's liking, but spectator viewing has improved along with ground capacity. Unique among Test match venues in England, spectators are allowed to bring alcohol into the ground, but no fancy dressing-up is allowed, or musical instruments. There is no other cricket ground quite like it. Sydney has a number of similar characteristics and a rich history; the Melbourne Cricket Ground has three times the capacity of Lord's; the newly built stadium in Ahmedabad has four times more; Eden Gardens, Kolkata, is much noisier; and Newlands at Cape Town sits iconically in the shadow of Table Mountain. Cricket's governing body now resides in Dubai, UAE, which has become the place to go for countries that require a neutral venue or an emergency outlet. Compared with these and other venues, Lord's continues to hold sway over them. MCC membership and ethos is idiosyncratic. The ground and its architecture reek of history and tradition. There are no crumbling facades, and plans for redevelopment of stands are constantly under consideration. The sloping playing area provides another unique characteristic and an additional test of a player's skill set. London's multicultural population means that big matches that do not involve England are able to attract sizable crowds, unlike arenas in other countries. Lord's has evolved and endured, while maintaining its essence, grace, dignity, prestige and tradition. These characteristics and its place in shaping the game combine to support its accolade as the home of cricket. In concluding the discussion with my friends, they were of the view that Lord's still holds its status. They, along with many others, hope that the uniqueness of Lord's is strong enough to ward off the competition from India for future WTC finals.
Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Sculthorpe Mill review: ‘You could just charge folk to stand here'
I am not a massive one for getting out of London to review restaurants, as you may have noticed. To be honest, as a restaurant critic, it just feels silly getting on a train to leave the place where all the restaurants are, to go to one of the places where they aren't. But I tell you what I am a massive one for getting out of London for: U12 cricket matches in which my son is playing. I grew this boy specially, you see, and led him to the various wellsprings of cricketing beauty, to Lord's and the Oval, to my own back garden and to North London Cricket Club in Highgate, from the age of two or three onwards, and encouraged him to drink deeply, in order that he should grow into a leg spinner of great guile and cunning, so that I would have something to sit and watch with a pint in my old age, from the shade of a creaking oak tree.
Mint
4 days ago
- Sport
- Mint
IND vs ENG 1st Test: Can England chase down 371-run target? What's highest successful run chases on English soil?
The first Test between India and England is all set for a thrilling finish after the hosts were given a target of 371 runs in the fourth innings following two hundreds from India's KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant on Monday at Headingley in Leeds. England were 21 without loss at stumps on Day 4, still needing 350 runs on the fifth and final day on Tuesday. After taking a slender six-run lead in the first innings, India were all out for 364 in their second innings. In the final half and hour on Day 4, England survived the Indian pacers, especially three from Jasprit Bumrah, who had taken a five-wicket haul in the first innings. With less than four runs per over needed by England in the final three sessions of the Test match on Tuesday, rain might play a part in deciding the outcome of the game. But the question is have England chased down such big targets in the fourth innings of a Test match at home ever? The answer is YES. England's biggest successful run-chase on home soil came three years back against the same opposition when they chased down a 378-run target in Birmingham. The odds favor India on a fifth-day pitch but England in its 'Bazball' era is confident of chasing down the target. If it does, it will set a record for England at Headingley. Target (Runs) Opponent Venue Year Result 378 India Edgbaston, Birmingham 2022 Won by 7 wickets 359 Australia Headingley, Leeds 2019 Won by 1 wicket 315 Australia Headingley, Leeds 2001 Won by 6 wickets 299 New Zealand Trent Bridge, Nottingham 2022 Won by 5 wickets 296 New Zealand Headingley, Leeds 2022 Won by 7 wickets 294 New Zealand Old Trafford, Manchester 2008 Won by 6 wickets 284 New Zealand Trent Bridge, Nottingham 2004 Won by 4 wickets As far as the highest successful run-chases in England is concerned, Australia hold the record when they hunted down a 404-run target against England in 1948. Incidentally, the match was in Leeds, with Sir Don Bradman leading the charge with an unbeaten 173. Target (Runs) Winner Opponent Venue Year Margin 404 Australia England Leeds 1948 By 7 wickets 378 England India Birmingham 2022 By 7 wickets 359 England Australia Leeds 2019 By 1 wicket 342 West Indies England Lord's 1984 By 9 wickets 322 West Indies England Leeds 2017 By 5 wickets
