Hopes of more Ashes fireworks between England’s paceman and Australia’s master batsman were smothered on the first dayAt 11 minutes past four, as the first sozzled mid-afternoon cheer began to break around a wind-picked Old Trafford, Jofra Archer bowled a sharp, straight bouncer. Steve Smith ducked, splayed his feet and watched the ball arc past his nose. So far, so predictable.Except, not quite. A post-work TV viewer coming to the moment blind and expecting fire, battle joined and tumbling wickets might have wondered why Archer was bowling in a short-sleeved jumper. On the TV monitors the speed gun flashed up: 82mph. Related: Steve Smith and the rain frustrate England on first day at Old Trafford Continue reading...
Both sides have made surprising changes for the fourth Ashes Test, as the tourists try to ignore recent and ancient history and the hosts try to build with an unexpected recallThe challenge for England is to win conventionally, without the necessity of a superhuman performance from one of their players to get them over the line. That tends to happen just once or twice in a generation. They desperately need runs from fresh sources. The challenge for Australia is to forget.They must forget how they bowled England out for 67 in the first innings at Headingley, how they needed just one more wicket with a lead of 72 runs to retain the Ashes and how despite much sweat and toil...
Rather than being booed, Australia’s leading batsman should be saluted as a brave and decent cricketer for his stirring batting performances against EnglandFor tonight we’ll merry merry be,For tonight we’ll merry merry be, Related: Returning Steve Smith plays down impact of Jofra Archer bouncer Related: There have been 2,358 Tests since 1877 and this was the greatest of them all | Matthew Engel Continue reading...
The rise of Betfair’s wisdom-of-crowds online gambling model has put canny sports fans in the driving seatSir Tim Rice found a moment during the gripping final hours of the third Ashes Test at Headingley last weekend to tweet about the latest betting on the outcome. “Just phoned my bookie (a rare occurrence of course),” he said, “to see what odds they were offering against an England win. They quoted 6-1! Ludicrous. Should be 500-1. At 100-1 I might have invested a fiver. Having said that I am still rooting for England. Nothing is impossible.”My first reaction on reading his complaint was a wave of nostalgia. A quarter of a century after the internet turned gambling, and so much else, into...
All-rounder kept the Ashes series alive with his brilliance at Headingley and surely enabled some of his England colleagues to retain their places for the fourth Test in ManchesterThanks to Ben Stokes, there is still an Ashes series to savour. Thanks to Stokes, this may even be a summer to rival the epics of 1981 and 2005. Thanks to Stokes, Jason Roy and Jos Buttler keep their places in the Test team.Currently everyone, except a vibrant band of visiting Australians, is indebted to him. This cricketing summer is still alive after more miracles at Headingley, a melodrama that all those watching or listening to found captivating, and they all understood what was going on as well, whatever their age or...