Ashes | DD News

January 5, 2026 10:01 AM

England all out for 384 after Root ton in fifth Ashes test

England were dismissed for 384 in their first innings to bring up tea on the second day of the fifth Ashes test at Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday. Joe Root hit his second century of the series and had made 160 when he was finally caught and bowled by Michael Neser (4-60). It was Root's 41st test hundred but only second in Australia after his century in the second test in Brisbane. England resumed on 211-3 at a sun-bathed SCG with no sign of the stormy weather that washed out the final sess...

January 4, 2026 4:23 PM

Ashes: Harry Brook finally shows the patience and control his critics have demanded

England batsman Harry Brook struck his highest score of the Ashes series on Sunday, ending the first day of the fifth test on 78 not out after showing the kind of patience and discipline that he has too often lacked on a disappointing tour. Brook still rode his luck at times, particularly when he was tempted into pull shots by Australia's short-pitched bowling, but his 154-run partnership with fellow Yorkshireman Joe Root left England in a good position at 211 for three when bad light and rain ...

January 4, 2026 12:58 PM

Ashes: Root, Brook lift England to 211/3 as bad weather forces early stumps on Day 1 at SCG

England enjoyed one of their better days of the Ashes series on Sunday when a 154-run stand between Joe Root and Harry Brook drove them to 211 for three before the opening day of the fifth test was brought to a premature end at Sydney Cricket Ground. Play was stopped for bad light 20 minutes before tea with storm clouds threatening, and abandoned to boos from the remnants of the 49,574 crowd some 90 minutes before the scheduled close of play. At 3-1 down in what has been a mostly miserable ser...

January 2, 2026 10:44 AM

‘Still have to fight every single day’: Khawaja calls out racial stereotypes in Australian cricket

Retiring veteran batter Usman Khawaja has hit out at racial stereotypes in Australian cricket, saying he has been treated differently throughout his career because of his race and religion. Khawaja, the first Muslim to play Test cricket for Australia, said at a 50-minute press conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), where he announced his international retirement, that he wanted to make life easier for “the next Usman Khawaja”. The veteran batter said he is still battling stereotype...

January 2, 2026 9:46 AM

Ashes: Usman Khawaja announces international retirement, Sydney Test to be his swansong

Usman Khawaja will be retiring from international cricket after this week's fifth Ashes test against England at Sydney Cricket Ground, the Australia batsman said on Friday. The 39-year-old made his test debut at the same ground in the final match of the 2010-11 Ashes series and has since scored 6,206 runs at an average of 43.39 in 87 matches, including 16 centuries. "I'm here to announce today that I'll be retiring from all international cricket after the SCG test match," Khawaja told reporter...

January 1, 2026 11:22 AM

Ashes: Murphy hints at Australia opting for all-pace attack in Sydney, says ‘there’s a bit of grass’ at SCG

Australia off-spinner Todd Murphy admitted that, although his eyesight isn’t great, he could see the SCG pitch looked very green three days before the fifth Test, once again raising questions about the role of spinners in this Ashes series. Murphy, 25, is in contention to play his first Test in Australia after featuring in seven matches overseas. However, there is no certainty he will be selected for Sydney, a ground usually friendly to spin, especially after he was left out of the Melbourne ...

December 31, 2025 12:52 PM

Ashes: Jacob Bethell looks to cement place as England number three

Jacob Bethell was not supposed to be England's headline act in the fourth test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground but he looked like a player who belonged when the tourists made their nervous chase for victory against Australia. Replacing the dropped Ollie Pope at number three, 22-year-old Bethell had appeared on a hiding to nothing in Melbourne on a difficult pitch in front of a record crowd of 94,000. His debut Ashes innings on Boxing Day, the biggest occasion in Australia's cricket calendar, w...

December 31, 2025 12:33 PM

Australia’s Travis Head hopes Ashes rivals meet for post-series drinks

Opening batsman Travis Head hopes Australia and England will share a drink after the Ashes winds up in Sydney to revive a tradition that fell by the wayside after the 2023 series. Players and staff from both teams routinely meet for drinks at the end of an Ashes series but extended farewells for several England players and staff prevented it at The Oval after the fifth test in 2023. Australia batter Head said he looked forward to the prospect of post-series drinks at the Sydney Cricket Ground,...

December 30, 2025 9:04 AM

Ashes: Jacob Bethell credits IPL 2025 experience for handling MCG pressure

England batting all-rounder Jacob Bethell said his stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year helped him deal with the pressure of making his Ashes debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where England registered a four-wicket win in a two-day Test. Bethell, 22, replaced Ollie Pope in the XI and played a composed knock of 40 as England chased down 175 to win the traditional Boxing Day Test, ending their 18-match winless streak in Tests in Australia. He was also part of the Royal Challeng...

December 29, 2025 4:40 PM

MCG pitch rated ‘unsatisfactory’ after chaotic Ashes test

The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) pitch for the Boxing Day test between Australia and England has been given an "unsatisfactory" rating after 20 wickets fell in the first three sessions and the match was wrapped up inside two days. England won the low-scoring fourth Ashes test by four wickets on a minefield of a pitch, with the premature finish leaving Cricket Australia (CA) millions of dollars out of pocket. "The MCG pitch was too much in favour of the bowlers," match referee Jeff Crowe said...