Team England | DD News

December 5, 2025 10:59 AM

2nd Test: England’s Joe Root lights up Gabba with first Ashes century in Australia

England's Joe Root conquered his final frontier with a first Ashes century in Australia as the tourists pushed past 300 on day one of the second test in Brisbane on Thursday despite a six-wicket haul from pace spearhead Mitchell Starc. Root marched off unbeaten on 135 off 202 balls, his 40th test ton helping England to 325 for nine at stumps, the tourists marginally in front after their captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bat first in the day-night match. Number 11 batter Jofra Arch...

December 2, 2025 10:24 AM

Marnus Labuschagne backs under fire Usman Khawaja ahead of second Ashes test

Marnus Labuschagne has backed Usman Khawaja ahead of the second Ashes test and made it clear he will not be moving back up the order even if Australia decide to drop the struggling opener. Khawaja struggled with back spasms during Australia's dramatic victory over England in the series opener in Perth, failing to open either innings and contributing only two runs to his team's cause. Travis Head's match-winning century as Khawaja's replacement as opener has reinvigorated the debate over the to...

December 2, 2025 10:24 AM

England bowlers have plans to tackle Travis Head in Brisbane: Brydon Carse

England fast bowler Brydon Carse said his team has firm plans to counter the threat posed by Travis Head after the Australian made a blistering century at the top of the order to set up an eight-wicket win in the Ashes series opener in Perth. Middle-order batter Head opened in place of the injured Usman Khawaja in Australia's second innings and the aggressive left-hander made a century in 69 balls - the second-fastest in Ashes history - en route to a match-winning 123. Head told reporters ahea...

November 30, 2025 4:00 PM

Travis Head prepared to open again for Australia after heroics in first Ashes test

Australia's Travis Head says he is prepared to open the batting once more against England during the ongoing Ashes series after his second innings display in the first test in Perth last week led the home side to an eight-wicket victory over the tourists. Head smashed a century in 69 balls, the second fastest in Ashes history, on his way to a match-winning 123 runs after being drafted in as a late replacement for Usman Khawaja, when the regular top-order batter was unable to take to the field. ...

November 30, 2025 3:57 PM

England’s Joe Root ready for pink-ball Ashes test after heavy loss

England batter Joe Root said he is confident of rediscovering his scoring touch and backed the team to embrace the challenge of their next pink-ball test against Australia after a drubbing by the hosts in the Ashes series opener. England take on Australia in Brisbane from Thursday looking to respond strongly to their eight-wicket defeat inside two days in Perth, where Root was dismissed for zero in the first innings before falling for eight in the next. "It's pretty disappointing in terms of t...

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 30, 2025 11:25 AM

England’s Mark Wood likely to miss second Ashes test due to sore knee

England pacer Mark Wood is likely to miss next week's second Ashes test against Australia due to a sore left knee, media reports said on Saturday. Wood, who was out for nine months when he underwent surgery for an injury on the same knee, played his first test since August 2024 in Perth last week, bowling 11 overs across both innings and taking no wickets as England suffered a swift eight-wicket loss inside two days. The 35-year-old told Fox Cricket during the first test that he would definite...

November 27, 2025 5:56 PM

Ashes pitch rated ‘very good’ after two-day test in Perth

The Perth Stadium pitch that saw Australia complete a thumping eight-wicket Ashes win inside two days over England has earned the International Cricket Council's (ICC) highest rating, Cricket Australia said on Thursday. The ICC match referee gave the surface a "very good" rating, denoting good carry, limited seam movement and consistent early bounce despite the rapid finish to the series-opener. "The match referee's 'very good' rating justifies our belief Perth Stadium produced a pitch that pr...

November 27, 2025 5:56 PM

Travis Head worried about firing up England’s quicks during Ashes century

Australia's Ashes match-winner Travis Head said he was wary of inciting England's fast bowlers as he slogged his way to a stunning century in the first test in Perth. Head's brilliant 83-ball 123 as a makeshift opener in the second innings helped Australia seal an eight-wicket win in two days and give the hosts a 1-0 lead. He told Australian radio station Triple M on Thursday that he feared he might make the English bowlers angry with him too early in the five-test series. "I’m also very re...

November 18, 2025 10:37 AM

Lack of transition leaves Australia reliant on ageing Ashes team

Australia are favourites to retain the Ashes over the next two months but anything short of their usual dominance over England on home soil is sure to reignite the debate over the pace of transition to a younger generation. Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja and Travis Head are all in their mid to late 30s and form the core of the team bidding to keep hold of the urn for another 18 months. It would be a surprise, however, if all seven were stil...