Team England | DD News

December 31, 2025 12:51 PM

Recovering Jofra Archer in England squad for T20 World Cup

England named fast bowler Jofra Archer in their provisional squad for the Twenty20 World Cup on Tuesday despite a side strain that prematurely ended his Ashes campaign in Australia earlier this month. The 15-member squad for the World Cup to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 also includes Nottinghamshire seamer Josh Tongue, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement. Beginning on January 22, England will play three one-day internationals and an equal number of T...

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 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...

December 29, 2025 11:57 AM

Ashes: Travis Head backs Jake Weatherald as Australia opening partner

Australia batter Travis Head has endorsed Jake Weatherald as an opening partner following the South Australian's rough start as a test cricketer in the Ashes. Weatherald's batting average is a tick under 21 since his test debut in the Ashes opener in Perth, dragged down by scores of 10 and five in the four-wicket defeat to England on a tough pitch in the fourth test in Melbourne. "He showed a lot of glimpses over his first four tests, and it's not always going to go your way," Head said on Sun...

December 29, 2025 3:10 PM

Ashes: Australia’s Usman Khawaja confirmed for Sydney test

Australia head coach and selector Andrew McDonald has confirmed Usman Khawaja will play in the fifth Ashes test against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground amid media speculation it could be his last international. The oldest player in an ageing squad, the 39-year-old lefthander's spot in the line-up is under scrutiny following his demotion down the batting order and as selectors look to the future. With the promoted Travis Head taking his opening spot, Khawaja batted at number four in the th...

December 29, 2025 3:02 PM

Ashes: Matthew Potts in line for Sydney test after Gus Atkinson injury

England's ever-changing attack will have yet another iteration in the Ashes finale in Sydney with Matthew Potts expected to replace injured fast bowler Gus Atkinson for the fifth and final test. Atkinson was ruled out of the match, which starts on January 4, having strained his left hamstring soon after picking up his third wicket during England's victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday. Atkinson is the third England seamer to return home early following Mark Wood and Jofra Archer ...

December 29, 2025 11:53 AM

Curator ‘shocked’ by Melbourne pitch performance in Ashes

The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) curator who prepared the widely criticised pitch for the fourth Ashes test said he was in a "state of shock" as wickets tumbled in the two-day match. England completed a four-wicket victory after tea on Saturday, triggering a round of condemnation of the pitch for being too much in favour of the bowlers. "I was in a state of shock," curator Matt Page told reporters at the MCG on Sunday. "I've never been involved in a test match like it and hopefully never in...

December 26, 2025 4:42 PM

Ashes: Michael Neser savours dream Boxing Day debut on nightmare pitch for batters

After a four-wicket haul in front of a record Melbourne Cricket Ground and Australia's top score on a tough pitch, little wonder Michael Neser found day one of his maiden Boxing Day test a dream come true. The recalled seamer was dropped for the series-deciding third Ashes test in Adelaide but was back in action on Friday in front of a whopping crowd of 94,199 that saw 20 wickets tumble on a manic day one. Neser scored a vital 35 as Australia were skittled for 152 in the first innings, then to...

December 26, 2025 3:08 PM

Ashes: Batters run for cover on manic day one in fourth Test in Melbourne

Australia finished marginally on top at the end of a chaotic opening day of the fourth Ashes test after an extraordinary 20 wickets fell in front of a record crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday. Australia nightwatchman Scott Boland was four not out with Travis Head yet to score as the hosts went to stumps at four for no loss in their second innings, carrying a 46-run lead over England. With England bowled out for 110 in reply to Australia's first innings 152, it was the highest num...