Jos Buttler: Ben Stokes one-day U-turn is ‘incredible boost’ for World Cup August 24, 2023 England captain Jos Buttler has hailed the return of Ben Stokes to the one-day international set-up as an “incredible boost” for the team’s looming World Cup defence. Test skipper Stokes came out of his self-imposed ODI exile last week, a year after deciding he could no longer play in all three formats of cricket. He [...]
Sporting rivalry between England and Australia unmatchable August 16, 2023 They’re two countries with shared values and an entwined history, and that’s why any fixture, in any sport, between Australia and England just matters. Earlier this summer we saw how the Ashes, with its peaks and troughs, captured both nations – even prompting some banter between Rishi Sunak and Anthony Albanese – as both the [...]
Stokes back for England as ODI and T20 squads named ahead of World Cup August 16, 2023 England Test captain Ben Stokes has rescinded his retirement from the ODI side and will feature for his country against New Zealand ahead of this autumn’s 50-over World Cup. Stokes’s inclusion comes at the expense of Harry Brook, who has shone in multiple formats for the national side since his debut in the middle of [...]
Is chess a sport? It soon may be chasing the Olympic Holy Grail August 10, 2023 Columnist Ed Warner discusses chess, funding fringe sports and what makes a solid sporting body chief executive. Where do you draw the line between games and sports? Mine is at the door of the pub, so ruling dominos, bar billiards, space invaders and darts out of the sporting firmament. I realise of course that this [...]
Industries tops front of shirt list despite no Premier League deal August 9, 2023 Industries have overtaken consumer services as the chief sector for front of shirt sponsors in England’s top sports with automotive brands facing a new-found slump, according to new research released today. Of the 225 clubs assessed – across men’s and women’s football, rugby union, rugby league and cricket – just under 15 per cent, or [...]
Bazball shows England’s Test problem is one of supply, not demand August 5, 2023 The Bazball-inspired Ashes summer ignited the country with cricket fever in a way the 2005 series did, but it will be followed by a damp squib that could lose momentum. I was just 12-years-old when the 2005 Ashes happened, and the first two things I did to pursue my newfound love was join a club, [...]
Run Cha Cha Chase: Cricketer Broad to do Strictly Come Dancing – reports August 3, 2023 Stuart Broad, who retired from Test cricket after England’s 2-2 draw in the Ashes – is reportedly set to swap the new ball for a pair of dance shoes and join the cast Strictly Come Dancing. The pacer could compete in the celebrity show towards the end of the year given the extra time on [...]
‘Sooner The Hundred is scrapped the better, the Ashes shone’ August 3, 2023 I’ve had a tough summer so far on behalf of readers, dragging myself from Ashes to Ashes – a day at each of the five men’s Tests plus one of the women’s T20s. From the maddening Rubik’s Cube of ticket application ballots last autumn, through the tyranny of rail strikes, to the final dose of [...]
Records broken as 650,000 turn up for men’s and women’s Ashes August 2, 2023 The men’s and women’s Ashes series saw a combined attendance of 655,000 this summer as records were shattered over the last six weeks. Nearly 545,000 fans attended the five men’s Tests – at Edgbaston, Lord’s Headingley, Old Trafford and the Oval – with every one of the 25 days sold out in advance of the [...]
England docked WTC points after slow over-rate in Ashes August 2, 2023 Ben Stokes’ Test cricket team will take just nine World Test Championship (WTC) points from their Ashes draw after being penalised by the International Cricket Council for a slow over-rate. Both England and Pat Cummins’ Australia have been docked a combined number of 29 WTC points due to slow bowling rates throughout the Ashes series, [...]