Team Australia | DD News

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 10, 2025 10:08 AM

Pat Cummins heads Australia squad for third Ashes test

Regular captain Pat Cummins was named in the Australia squad on Wednesday for the third Ashes test against England, a strong indication that the inspirational fast bowler will see his first action of the series in Adelaide next week. Cummins has been labouring with a back problem and missed the eight-wicket wins over England in Perth and Brisbane which have given the hosts a 2-0 lead heading into the Adelaide Oval clash from December 17. "We feel as though he'll be as best prepared as can be,"...

December 9, 2025 1:59 PM

England’s Mark Wood, Australia’s Josh Hazlewood ruled out of rest of Ashes

England fast bowler Mark Wood has been ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes following a recurrence of a left knee injury sustained during the first Test in Perth. Wood will return home later this week to work on his rehabilitation and recovery, the team said on Tuesday. The 35-year-old's absence is a blow to an inexperienced England attack who were well handled by Australia's batters at the Gabba, where the hosts won by eight wickets. Wood was ruled out on the same day Australia confirmed ...

December 9, 2025 1:57 PM

Time to move on? Australia balance rebuild with Ashes ambitions

Australia head to Adelaide in good spirits after a perfect start to the Ashes but selectors will have to deal with gnawing questions over the management of senior players. Usman Khawaja missed the Gabba test after suffering back spasms in Perth and the opener is not guaranteed to return to the top of the order. While his replacement Travis Head was unable to produce another knock to rival his match-winning century against England in Perth, his work with rookie opener Jake Weatherald has been a...

December 9, 2025 1:55 PM

Golf, beaches and nap-time: Beaten England take mini-break before Adelaide Test

Though 2-0 down in the Ashes after less than six days' cricket, England will put away their playing kit to take a mini-break in the south Queensland resort town of Noosa before turning their focus to the do-or-die test in Adelaide next week. England's laid-back buildup to the tour and shunning of practice matches has been viewed dimly by old-school players who queried whether the team was ready for a pink ball match before their eight-wicket thrashing by Australia at the Gabba. Head coach Bren...

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. ...

December 8, 2025 4:08 PM

‘We trained too much’: McCullum blames England’s training overdose for Ashes loss

England's preparation for their second Ashes test may have been a case of too much training and not enough freshness, head coach Brendon McCullum said after his side slumped to another demoralising eight-wicket loss to Australia on Sunday. The tourists went 2-0 down in the series after Australia made light work of a 65-run target at the Gabba, with local hero Michael Neser's five-wicket haul setting up the victory that has left England staring at familiar heartbreak Down Under. McCullum reveal...