Ben Stokes | DD News

December 22, 2025 11:59 AM

‘Hubris has taken over’: England’s McCullum under fire after Ashes defeat

England's red-ball coach Brendon McCullum faced a barrage of criticism from former players and captains on Sunday after his team slumped to another crushing Ashes defeat by Australia. The hosts swept to an 82-run win in the third Ashes test at Adelaide Oval to retain the urn with two matches to spare. After eight-wicket defeats in Perth and Brisbane, England have lost the Ashes in three matches for the fourth consecutive tour, while losing 16 of their last 18 tests in Australia. The thrashing...

December 22, 2025 11:57 AM

Ashes defeat heralds end of England’s Bazball era

It was a wild ride while it lasted but the 'Bazball' revolution that enlivened English cricket for three years collapsed in 11 days on Australian soil in an Ashes defeat as harrowing as any in the modern era. Bazball's champions, coach Brendon 'Baz' McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, may argue otherwise and claim England's death-or-glory style can be retooled and rise again. In reality, it is unlikely to survive the bitter post-mortem that looms at the end of a series that had promised so much a...

December 22, 2025 11:56 AM

Labuschagne mocks Broad’s ‘worst Australian team’ jibe after Ashes triumph

After taking two stunning slips catches at Adelaide Oval to hasten England's Ashes defeat, Marnus Labuschagne did not miss the chance to stick it to Stuart Broad for a pre-series jibe about the quality of the Australian team. Former England quick Broad had said on his podcast in October that Pat Cummins's side were "probably the worst Australian team since 2010 when England last won". Ben Stokes' side, meanwhile, were the best English team since 2010. England last won an Ashes series Down Und...

December 22, 2025 10:57 AM

McCullum concedes mistakes were made after England suffer another Ashes failure

Brendon McCullum admitted he had made mistakes as England head coach and said their preparations may have been flawed after the tourists surrendered the Ashes with defeat in the third test in Adelaide on Sunday. England's light preparations and lack of tour matches in Australia drew heavy criticism from former players and pundits, and the subsequent Ashes failure has put McCullum's role under major scrutiny. "It is disappointing when you lose and I'm sure there will be plenty of questions aske...

December 22, 2025 10:56 AM

Pat Cummins hails Australia’s resilience in dealing with Ashes curveballs

Australia captain Pat Cummins praised his players for persevering through a raft of injury setbacks as the hosts celebrated retaining the Ashes with victory over England in the third test in Adelaide on Sunday. Master batter Steve Smith was a late withdrawal and Nathan Lyon suffered a hamstring injury early on day five but Australia went on to complete an 82-run win for an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series. Cummins had missed the first two tests with a back injury but Smith stepped in to lea...

December 20, 2025 12:44 PM

England stare at Ashes defeat after slipping to 207-6 in chase of 435

England were six wickets down at stumps on day four of the third Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, still needing 228 runs to chase an imposing 435-run target and keep the series alive. Zak Crawley top-scored with a fighting 85, but his dismissal, along with quick losses of captain Ben Stokes and Harry Brook, left England struggling at 207-6 at the close. Jamie Smith (2 not out) and Will Jacks (11 not out) were at the crease when play ended. England had begun the final session at 106-2, ...

December 16, 2025 10:10 AM

England captain Ben Stokes issues Ashes rallying cry for England players

England captain Ben Stokes has called for his teammates to "show a bit of dog" as they look to fight back from two losses in the third Ashes test in Adelaide from Tuesday. After Australia eased to victory in the second test in Brisbane, Stokes had said his dressing room was "no place for weak men" as he called for the England players to show courage against the dominant hosts. "It's just trying to fight in every situation that you find yourself in and understanding the situation and what y...

December 8, 2025 4:07 PM

England not standing up under pressure in Ashes: Ben Stokes

England's Ben Stokes lamented his team's failure to stand up in pressure moments after defeat by Australia in the second test at the Gabba on Sunday but the captain refused to concede the battle for the urn is over. England trail 2-0 in the five-test series after being outplayed with bat, ball and in the field during the eight-wicket loss in the day-night match in Brisbane. "We weren't able to execute with bat and ball and will be having some conversations in the dressing room," Stokes said. ...

November 30, 2025 11:27 AM

England captain Ben Stokes dismisses ‘arrogant’ claims in lead-up to second Ashes test

England captain Ben Stokes dismissed claims his team were "arrogant" following their capitulation in the first Ashes test against Australia in Perth last week as preparations for the second game in the five-match series continued on Saturday. Stokes' team will face the Australians in Brisbane from Thursday, having suffered an eight-wicket defeat inside two days in the highly anticipated opener to the series, with the manner of the defeat prompting widespread criticism. "Call us rubbish, call u...

November 24, 2025 10:12 AM

Keep the faith: Head coach McCullum urges fans as England plot Ashes comeback

England coach Brendon McCullum has urged fans to keep faith despite a disastrous start to their Ashes campaign, with hosts Australia clinching an eight-wicket win in Perth on the second day of the first test. “Bazball”, an attacking batting strategy backed by McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, has faced stinging criticism after England batters fared poorly in the shortest Ashes test by overs bowled to deliver a result since 1888. “Keep the faith. Sometimes we get beaten and it looks pr...