Ben Stokes is on a mission to “keep the Ashes alive” in the third Test and the England captain could not imagine a better place to do it than Headingley.
After the tension of Edgbaston and the controversy of Lord’s, Stokes’ side find themselves in do-or-die territory as they seek to regain the urn for the first time since 2015.
The odds are stacked against them, needing a hat-trick of victories against the recently crowned Test world champions, but when they step out on the field in Leeds they will not need reminding that sporting miracles can happen.
It was here four years ago that Stokes scored a sensational 135 not out to salvage a seemingly lost cause, putting on an improbable 76 for the last wicket with Jack Leach. Rewind to 1981 and it was Sir Ian Botham and Bob Willis dragging England over the line from odds of 500-1.
With the crowd likely to be whipped into a frenzy from ball one due to the resentment over local hero Jonny Bairstow’s stumping last Sunday, the stage is already set for another memorable week.
“I don’t know what it is about Headingley. We’ve had some pretty special memories here and you’re always thinking it’d be great to make another one,” Stokes said.
“I think the magical thing that would happen this week is for us to win the game and keep the Ashes alive, to be honest.
“We’ve got some very fond memories here as an England team and I’m sure supporters have got some fond memories as spectators as well.
“The game four years ago was probably the highlight for the guys who were there, but even going back before we were born there was Beefy (Botham) and Bob as well. I think 1981 and 2019 will probably come up at some point around the ground.
“The crowd here is amazing, the atmosphere always is too. When we’re on top they get going even more, but even when things are slow and maybe we’re not having the success that we want to in any given situation, they’re still going wild.
“I think they might be a little bit ramped up this week, for some reason.”
While Stokes left the last part of that sentence unresolved, it does not take an expert to read between the lines.
Alex Carey’s divisive removal of Bairstow during a pivotal moment of England’s fourth-innings chase sparked fury at the time and has led to four solid days of reprisals, with Prime Ministers Rishi Sunak and Anthony Albanese even wading in to the ‘spirit of cricket’ of debate.
Stokes has made his disappointment plain and, with the series on the line, is now happy to leave it behind.
“I think there’s obviously been a lot of noise around the incident last week at Lord’s but, from me as a captain, I think the best thing that everyone needs to do is just move on from it,” he urged.
The perilous nature of England’s situation is not lost on Stokes, who would become the first captain since 2001 to lose to Australia on home soil, but he refuses to believe defeat would be a terminal moment for the ‘Bazball’ experiment.
In fact, he feels the simplicity of the equation ahead – win, win and win again – will appeal to his team.
“The Ashes is obviously over if things don’t go well, but the team isn’t over if it doesn’t go well,” he said.
“We will have two games after that and then we’ll have other series after that to keep going. But we understand where we’re at in the series and we know what we need to do.
“It may sound daft but the situation we find ourselves in is sort of perfect for what we have been speaking about as a group in the dressing room, about what we want to do and how we want to go about it.
“This is that moment, it starts here at Headingley and we’ve got to win this game.”
England have freshened up their team by changing both the personnel and the balance. Harry Brook steps up from number five to number three, the spot vacated by injured vice-captain Ollie Pope, while Moeen Ali, Mark Wood and Chris Woakes all return as James Anderson and Josh Tongue step down.
Potentially the most intriguing aspect of those changes is the belated introduction of Wood. He is comfortably the fastest bowler currently available, capable of clearing 96mph, and in the continued absence of Jofra Archer and Olly Stone his return to could not have come at a better time.
Wood was the only England player whose reputation was enhanced during the last Ashes tour in 2021-22 and Stokes is pleased have a new weapon at his disposal.
“It’s great to have Woody back in this game,” he said. “I’m excited that we’ve got him in a place where he’s able to walk onto the field and play a part in the summer.
“Tonguey was bowling high 80s last week, and I think he performed fantastically well, so to have someone who can bowl high 90s is pretty exciting. Woody’s not just an out-and-out bloke who runs in and tries to hit people – he is a very skilful bowler as well.”
England and Australia will renew their Ashes battle at Headingley on Thursday, four days after Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal sparked a controversy that escalated far enough to draw in the Prime Ministers of both nations.
The hosts are 2-0 behind and need to win to keep the series alive, while their opponents have the chance to become the first Australia team to win in England since 2001.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the key issues heading into the game.
What impact will the Bairstow row have?
Alex Carey’s decision to throw down Bairstow’s stumps when the Englishman felt the ball was dead may well have changed the whole tone of the series. Relations between the teams are sure to be frostier, while Ben Stokes’ furious century in the immediate aftermath of the incident suggested something had been awoken in the home team. Can England harness that righteous anger in the right way and can others follow Stokes’ lead? Will Bairstow continue his career-long habit of turning in big performances when he feels most under pressure? Will Carey dare try it again? Finding out the answers to these questions should prove entertaining.
Headingley hostility
If Australia were taken aback by the vitriol they attracted at Lord’s, where even the usually serene environment of the Long Room took a turn, then they can expect the volume to be turned up again in Leeds. It would be no surprise if the touring side had to draw straws to find out who takes up fielding duty in front of the Western Terrace, a notoriously raucous stand that will be eager to make its collective voice heard. Measures are being taken to ensure things do not cross a line, but England will hope the partisan atmosphere serves them well.
A new-look England attack
The congested schedule meant England always planned to rotate their bowlers they have chosen this week to roll the dice, with record wicket-taker James Anderson making way alongside rookie Josh Tongue. Most striking is the return of Mark Wood, whose ability to bowl at speeds of more than 96mph mark him out as a major point of difference. Australia struggled with his pace at times in the last Ashes series and Stokes will be delighted to have his Durham colleague back. Moeen Ali is also ready after missing Lord’s, meaning a specialist spin option and some headaches for Australia’s left-handers. Finally there is a first appearance of the ‘Bazball’ era for the ultra-reliable Chris Woakes, whose record in England is outstanding.
Brook on the up
Harry Brook enjoyed a remarkable first winter in Test cricket, scoring four centuries in Rawalpindi, Multan, Karachi and Wellington, but has yet to make a major mark on his first Ashes campaign. He has played some thrilling strokes but has also found unusual ways to get out and has a top score of 50. With that backdrop, England’s decision to promote him to number three in place of the injured Ollie Pope is a bold call. He has batted there before in his early days for Yorkshire, with limited success, but he enjoys the full trust of a dressing room that believes he can be a match-winner from any position. If the switch pays off, it could set the game up for England.
Another Smith century
Former Australia skipper Steve Smith is no stranger to reaching three figures on English soil, having scored centuries in 16 Ashes Tests here. His latest landmark is guaranteed, as he earns his 100th cap. Ten players have marked that occasion with a century in the past, with two of those on the field this week – Joe Root and David Warner. Smith will be going all out to join them on that list and an average of 61.82 in these conditions suggest he has all the pedigree to do so.
England have rung the changes as they seek to keep the Ashes alive in this week’s third Test at Headingley, with three alterations to the XI and a promotion for Harry Brook.
Brook is slated to step up to number three in place of Ollie Pope, whose summer is over due to a dislocated shoulder, while Moeen Ali, Mark Wood and Chris Woakes all return to the bowling attack.
With just three days between games, record wicket-taker James Anderson is rested after two modest performances, with Josh Tongue also stood down after an encouraging outing at Lord’s.
At 2-0 down with three to play, England are in now-or-never territory and have opted to overhaul not just the personnel, but the balance of their side.
While they are effectively one specialist batter down in Pope’s absence, the addition of Moeen and Woakes strengthens the lower order in response.
Wood’s belated introduction into the series – he was considered for last week’s second Test but there were some concerns over his workload – also gives England skipper Ben Stokes the express pace option he has been craving.
Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson top the wicket charts with 11 and 10 respectively, but England have been outmatched for air speed so far and Wood’s ability to hit up to 96mph gives Stokes a new weapon to unsettle the tourists.
Woakes makes his first appearance of the ‘Bazball’ era and Moeen is back in action after a badly-blistered right index finger saw him miss out at Lord’s.
England have rung the changes as they seek to keep the Ashes alive in this week’s third Test at Headingley, with three alterations to the XI and a promotion for Harry Brook.
Brook is slated to step up to number three in place of Ollie Pope, whose summer is over due to a dislocated shoulder, while Moeen Ali, Mark Wood and Chris Woakes all return to the bowling attack.
With just three days between games, record wicket-taker James Anderson is rested after two modest performances, with Josh Tongue also stood down after an encouraging outing at Lord’s.
At 2-0 down with three to play, England are in now-or-never territory and have opted to overhaul not just the personnel, but the balance of their side.
While they are effectively one specialist batter down in Pope’s absence, the addition of Moeen and Woakes strengthens the lower order in response.
Wood’s belated introduction into the series – he was considered for last week’s second Test but there were some concerns over his workload – also gives England skipper Ben Stokes the express pace option he has been craving.
Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson top the wicket charts with 11 and 10 respectively, but England have been outmatched for air speed so far and Wood’s ability to hit up to 96mph gives Stokes a new weapon to unsettle the tourists.
Woakes makes his first appearance of the ‘Bazball’ era and Moeen is back in action after a badly-blistered right index finger saw him miss out at Lord’s.
West Indies Men will tour England in the summer of 2024 where they will play three Test matches. The series will bowl off at Lord’s on 10-14 July, followed by the second Test at Trent Bridge on 18-22 July and final contest at Edgbaston on 26-30 July.
The tour will mark the second occasion that the two teams will compete for the Richards-Botham Trophy – named in honor of cricket icons Sir Vivian Richards and Lord Ian Botham. West Indies are the current holders having won the inaugural series which was played in the Caribbean in March 2022. The series will also form part of the ICC’s World Test Championship 2023 to 2025.
Johnny Grave, CEO of Cricket West Indies said: “West Indies and England have had many enthralling duels on the field over the last 95 years and we expect another great series in 2024– which will mark the 40th anniversary of the famous tour of 1984, when West Indies won 5-0. This series next year will see us defending the Richards-Botham Trophy, as we continue to celebrate the relationship of the teams and honor the legacy of two of the game’s greatest players.”
West Indies played their first Test matches against England at Lord’s in June 1928. Since them the two teams have met on 163 occasions – West Indies won 59, England won 51 with 53 drawn.
MATCH SCHEDULE
10-14 July: 1st Test at Lord’s, London
18-22 July: 2nd Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham
26-30: July 3rd Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham
Chelsea have signed England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton on a free transfer from Aston Villa.
The 22-year-old, capped twice by her country and named in Sarina Wiegman’s squad for this summer’s World Cup, has signed a three-year deal after her contract with Villa expired.
She brings Women’s Super League experience from stints with both Birmingham and Villa, having made 15 appearances while helping the latter to a fifth-placed finish last term.
Hampton was part of England’s trophy-winning squad at Euro 2022 and also has honours to her name from the Finalissima earlier this year and 2022’s Arnold Clark Cup.
In joining the reigning WSL champions, she now wants to add club silverware to her collection.
“I’m very excited,” Hampton said on the Chelsea website. “It’s a massive club, it’s an honour to be a part of this and to be able to wear the club’s badge. I want to keep improving, to help the team however I can and I’d love to win some trophies with the club at the same time.”
Hampton began her career with Villarreal in Spain after moving to the country as a youngster, but then returned to England with Stoke before joining hometown club Birmingham, making her senior debut in 2017 and making 50 appearances before switching to rivals Villa in 2021.
Chelsea boss Emma Hayes added: “There is no doubt that Hannah is one of the best young goalkeepers in the world. Her performances have been improving year on year, and we have high hopes for her future with us.”
England vice-captain Ollie Pope has been ruled out for the rest of the summer with a dislocated shoulder in another blow to his side’s Ashes hopes.
Pope suffered the injury while fielding early in the second Test at Lord’s, and later aggravated the problem after a miscommunication with match officials led England to believe they were not permitted to use a substitute fielder in the second innings.
Scans on Monday revealed that he would require surgery and he will now be out for the remainder of the 2023 campaign. In the short term England are likely to draft in Dan Lawrence, the spare batter in their 15-man squad, for Thursday’s third Test at Headingley.
He won the last of his 11 Test caps last March and has not played since Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes took charge of the side. England have decided not to call up any additional batting cover.
A statement from the ECB read: “England and Surrey batter Ollie Pope has been ruled out of the rest of the LV= Insurance men’s Ashes series after dislocating his right shoulder during the second Ashes Test at Lord’s last week.
“Scans in London on Monday revealed the full extent of the injury and he will miss the rest of the summer campaign and will require surgery. He will work closely with the England and Surrey medical teams in respect of his rehabilitation.”
The Australian prime minister has said he is “proud” of his country’s cricket team after Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal sparked controversy in the Ashes series against England.
Anthony Albanese, in a tongue-in-cheek swipe at his British counterpart Rishi Sunak, said Australia was “right behind” the men’s and the women’s cricket teams, who have both been successful in the opening games of their UK tour.
Australia’s leader tweeted: “Same old Aussies – always winning!”
It comes after Mr Sunak, who was at Lord’s on Saturday for the second men’s Test, accused the Australian team of breaking the spirit of the game with the dismissal of Bairstow.
The England batter was stumped in bizarre circumstances on a tense final day on Sunday.
Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey threw down the stumps after Bairstow ducked the final ball of the over and set off to talk to partner Ben Stokes in the apparent belief the over had ended.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Mr Sunak, a keen cricket fan, agreed with the views of England captain Stokes about the incident, confirming he “wouldn’t want to win a game in the manner Australia did”.
Asked whether Mr Sunak believed Australia’s actions were not in keeping with the spirit of cricket, his spokesman said: “Yes.”
But Mr Albanese made clear that Australian captain Pat Cummins and his team had Canberra’s backing.
“I’m proud of our men’s and women’s cricket teams, who have both won their opening two Ashes matches against England,” he posted on Twitter.
“Australia is right behind Alyssa Healy (and) Pat Cummins and their teams and look forward to welcoming them home victorious.”
Anger in the crowd at the manner of Bairstow’s exit spilled over in the usually restrained Long Room at Lord’s, where Australian players Usman Khawaja and David Warner were involved in heated exchanges with jeering members – three of whom were later suspended by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
The row is expected to produce a lively atmosphere when the third Test of the men’s series gets under way at Headingley in Leeds on Thursday, as England look to halve the deficit against their rivals.
Veterans minister Johnny Mercer said England should not expect “fair play” from Australia as he urged the players on in the next contest.
Mr Mercer told Sky News: “It wasn’t actually cheating this time. Previously they did the whole sandpaper thing and when they got caught they were crying all over the media.
“I don’t think you’re going to get any particular fair play out of these.
“I think you’ve just got to give them a good pasting when you get the chance, and I hope that happens at the next Test match.”
England will warm up for the defence of their men’s T20 World Cup crown with a four-match series against Pakistan in May next year.
The series will run concurrently with a women’s T20 series and three one-day internationals between the same two countries.
Jos Buttler’s side beat Pakistan to clinch the world title in Melbourne last November and will reprise the rivalry in matches from May 22-30 before flying out to the Caribbean and United States.
Heather Knight’s England will start their summer with T20 matches at Edgbaston, Northampton and Headingley from May 11-19, before the three one-day internationals which conclude on May 29.
England’s women will also play a three-match ODI series against New Zealand in June and July, followed by a five-match T20 series at a number of high-capacity venues.
Following the T20 World Cup, the men’s team will engage in back-to-back, three-match Test series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka in July and August/September respectively, followed by T20 and ODI series against Australia later in September.
Former England midfielder Jill Scott believes the Lionesses can win the Women’s World Cup and says Sarina Wiegman’s side will be the best-prepared team at the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
The 36-year-old Euro 2022 winner praised the “humble” squad ahead of their Group D opener against Haiti on July 22 and insists she will have no problem being a pundit this time instead of a player.
She said: “I’ve watched the Lionesses a few times as a player since I’ve retired – they were too fast for me, and too good!”
Scott, who won ITV’s I’m a Celebrity last year after retiring, continued: “We’ve got a great group of girls – grounded, humble, but also incredible players.
“I think it’ll be the best-prepared team going out to the World Cup.
“Yeah, there’s going to be competition from the likes of Spain, Brazil you can never ever write off, (and) USA’s mentality – that winner’s mentality.
“But I do think that we’ll do well. I think we’ll be the best-prepared team and can we win it? Course we can.”
Scott was speaking by the Angel Of The North in Gateshead, as a 4.5-metre statue of herself posing with her arms out was unveiled to publicise the announcement that she will be a captain on Sky’s hit show A League Of Their Own.
“I’m standing here and it’s just such a surreal moment, to think I’ve actually got my own statue,” she said. “And I think she looks pretty decent, to be honest.
“The process was that I had to go into a room, there was about 130 cameras and they just all flashed at once, and off that one picture, they created this statue.
“The attention to detail is brilliant. Although I did joke that I don’t think my legs have been that smooth, ever!
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“It’s just such a proud moment for me and my family to think that I’ve got a statue.”
The Mayor of Gateshead was there, along with players from the Boldon and Gateshead College sides she played for growing up.
Scott said she will be fine coping with the cut and thrust of the fun show, following other ex-footballers like Jamie Redknapp and Micah Richards.
She said: “I’ve seen how well they’ve kind of coped with that transition, they seem to have a laugh, but then also that competitive streak comes out as well.
“So I think this show should suit me really in terms of personality. I want to have a laugh, but also being serious at the same time when I want to win for the blue team.”
Asked if the public will see a different side of her on ALOTO, after being voted Queen of the Jungle with her authentic personality, Scott said: “I think I can’t do anything but ‘nice’, to be honest.
“The only time that I was a little bit nasty was when I stepped over that white line but I think I will be a little bit competitive.”
Since winning the Euros and winning the jungle show, Scott admitted: “Yeah, life’s changed a lot. I was used to just going to football every single day.
“Now I have to check my itinerary every single week and try and make sure I’m at places on time.
“I’m enjoying that, I’ve got to do some incredible stuff. I was at Royal Ascot last week, I’m going to Wimbledon this week.
“So there’s some great opportunities that are coming along and I’m just grateful to have work, especially after you retire.”
Beth Mead admits not being included in England’s Women’s World Cup squad was “a tough pill to swallow” but is looking forward to cheering the Lionesses on throughout the tournament.
This year’s competition takes place in Australia and New Zealand, with Sarina Wiegman’s side kicking off their campaign against Haiti in Group D on July 22.
England will be without the injured Mead, who won the Golden Boot and Player of the Tournament awards when they won the Euros last summer.
The Arsenal forward is continuing her recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained last November and knew the turnaround to make the squad would be tight.
“When I did my knee I knew time was probably going a little bit against me,” Mead told the PA news agency.
“But it was my motivator through my rehab and I can honestly look myself in the mirror and go ‘I’ve done everything possible to get close to that’.
“Sarina was incredible, in fact she had a lot of conversations with me, kept me in the loop with everything and she said she would’ve loved to have me there, but it was meant to be a bit too soon.
“It was a tough pill to swallow, it’s a big tournament and you want to be there, I was in good form before my injury and you want to continue that into the big tournaments again.
“It wasn’t meant to be this time, I believe everything happens for a reason, but I’m looking forward to watching the girls and being number one cheerleader back home.
“It’s just a little bit of a different role for me this year.”
England’s preparations for the World Cup continued at the weekend as they were held to a 0-0 draw against Portugal, but Mead believes the game has offered more learning opportunities for the team.
“I think that’s why you play these kinds of teams, Portugal are a good team, they have the quality,” she said.
“In these games when it doesn’t go quite right they tampered the systems, tampered with individuals and where they’re playing.
“You learn more from these games than going out there and winning 6-0 or 7-0 so I think it’s good learning and a good pinpoint for them to build on ready to go to the World Cup.”
Mead is an ambassador for the McDonald’s Fun Football programme, the largest grassroots programme in the UK for five to 11-year-olds, where 250,000 children have had access to free football in the last 12 months.
She will be cheering England on from home as she continues to work her way back to fitness in time for the new Women’s Super League season.
The Lionesses star admits there have been “pros and cons” to recovering alongside her partner and Arsenal team-mate Vivianne Miedema, who also sustained an ACL injury just weeks after Mead.
Mead said: “Some days I want to absolutely rip her head off because she’s a pain in the bum and other days we understand what each other’s going through and we can help push each other through.
“I’m a month ahead of Viv, I’ve kind of been there and wore the t-shirt of what she’s doing now.
“I know when there’s days where things become difficult I can help her with or when I know how happy she is.
“She ran for the first time this week and she’s had a few complications so I know how amazing that day felt for her because a month earlier I’d just done it.”
The England forward is now relishing a long-awaited return to football and getting back to work with the Gunners next season.
“It’ll be very exciting to get on a pitch again but I’m excited to play alongside the girls again, getting involved,” she added.
“You find a new appreciation for football when you’ve been kept out of it for nine months.”
::Beth Mead was speaking at the largest ever McDonald’s Fun Football session to celebrate the landmark of over 250,000 children across the UK benefiting from access to free football this season. Sign up to a free session near you at www.mcdonalds.co.uk/football
Stuart Broad believes Australia captain Pat Cummins will regret his handling of the controversial stumping of England’s Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s.
Alex Carey’s opportunistic stumping of his fellow wicketkeeper during the dramatic conclusion to the second Ashes Test sparked fury from fans and members at the home of cricket and the row has shown no signs of abating.
Broad replaced Bairstow in the middle following the incident, before Australia went on to win and take a 2-0 lead.
Broad insists “zero advantage” came from Bairstow straying from his crease and, after making his point to the Australian players throughout the duration of his stay, the England seamer feels Cummins will eventually think upholding the appeal was the wrong play.
“What amazed me, and what I told the Australians I could not believe as we left the field at lunch, was that not one senior player among them — and I very much understand in the emotion of the game that the bowler and wicketkeeper would have thought ‘that’s out’ — questioned what they had done,” Broad wrote in the Daily Mail.
“Especially given what their team has been through over recent years, with all their cultural change. Not one of them said ‘Hang on, lads. I’m not really sure about this’. Not one of them thought ‘He’s gaining no advantage. He’s not trying to get a run. It’s the end of the over. It’s a bit of a random dismissal. We should cancel that appeal’.
“Ultimately, Pat Cummins is a really great guy and I would be amazed, once the emotion settles, if he does not sit back and think ‘I got that one wrong’, even though his bottom line at the time was winning a Test match.”
Ex-players, pundits and even Prime Minister Rishi Sunak weighed in on the debate, while anger in the crowd at the manner of Bairstow’s exit spilled over in the usually restrained Long Room at Lord’s, where Australian players Usman Khawaja and David Warner were involved in heated exchanges with jeering members – three of whom were later suspended by Marylebone Cricket Club.
Broad, too, admits the moment got the better of him as he joined captain Ben Stokes, watching from the other end as the skipper hit a remarkable 155 in a forlorn effort to level the series.
“The red mist came over me, too, when I arrived at the crease to replace Jonny, and some of what I said was picked up on the stump mics — which naively, given my experience, I didn’t really think about. I just said to Pat on repeat ‘All these boos are for you, for your decision’. And ‘What a great opportunity you had to think clearly’,” he added.
“Also, I needed to support Ben Stokes in any way, shape or form I could, and I am always better when I’m in a bit of a battle. I normally try and pick a fight with someone on the opposition but on this occasion I picked a fight with the whole team.
“To Alex Carey, I said ‘This is what you’ll be remembered for, and that’s such a shame’. It may have been a bit silly, but I also shouted ‘in’ every time I crossed the line. It annoyed the Australians for maybe half-an-hour, although after two-and-a-half hours, they were probably a bit bored of it.”
England’s hopes of regaining the Women’s Ashes are on a knife edge but Sarah Glenn insisted there is no mental block on them despite Australia continuing their stranglehold in this series.
In both the lone Test at Trent Bridge and the first of three T20s at Edgbaston, England had their moments but it was all-conquering Australia who prevailed in both to establish a 6-0 lead on points.
There is now no more margin for error if England are to win this multi-format series for the first time since 2013/14 – with two T20s and three ODIs still to play against the double world champions.
Heather Knight’s side have not defeated Australia in any format since February 2020 but leg-spinner Glenn is keeping the faith and asserted there is no psychological hurdle for England to clear.
Glenn told the PA news agency: “I feel like we already believe we can beat them. If you look at the T20 the other night, it was so close so I don’t think if we win we’ll go ‘oh wait, we can beat them’.
“We know we can beat them, we’ve got the potential to but we also know they are a top-class side and they’ve been winning for a long time. When you have that momentum, it can be very hard to break.
“The momentum shift can work in crazy ways so we’re still really hopeful. But a win or loss doesn’t define us. It’s about how we play our cricket.
“We were naturally disappointed and coming so close you do have that frustrating ‘what if’ feeling. But it’s still quite a positive camp and we’re just taking it day-by-day and enjoying the journey.”
The message from Knight and head coach Jon Lewis has been to entertain and inspire this summer and was repeated by Glenn, whose two wickets threatened an unlikely England comeback in Birmingham on Saturday.
Australia were cruising on 130 for two in pursuit of 154 but Glenn snared Ashleigh Gardner and the dangerous Grace Harris with her last two deliveries before the match built towards a grandstand finish.
Australia were always in pole position but it was not until the penultimate ball that Georgia Wareham punched spinner Sophie Ecclestone into the covers and scampered a nervy single to get them home.
Glenn added: “The battle is part of the fun. When it doesn’t go your way, it might be a bit less fun but you’ve just got to stick to your guns and not go into your shell.
“Me and Sophie thrive off that, trying to be really positive and take wickets.
“We really put up a fight as well, there were lots of little battles that were so close to going our way. We’re getting that feeling of ‘that was so close’ much more often. The gap is definitely closing.”
The second and third T20s will take place at the Kia Oval and Lord’s respectively and it is hoped there will be a high turnout as there was at Edgbaston – where a lively 19,527 crowd was in attendance.
It came at the end of a bruising week for the sport, with the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket finding racism, sexism, classism and elitism is entrenched in cricket in England and Wales.
But Glenn can sense the changing attitudes towards women’s cricket as she and her England team-mates spoke to the supporters after Saturday’s T20, signing pictures and taking pictures with them.
She added: “It was so nice to see everyone after and a lot of the discussions were just about how inspired they were. It’s amazing to see the support.
“Those little conversations make the world of difference. I remember when I was younger and I was the one with a hat to be signed, and the odd conversation I had with a cricketer really sticks with you.”
Former England captain Sir Geoffrey Boycott has called on Australia to issue “a full public apology” for the controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s.
Bairstow was dismissed in bizarre circumstances as the tourists won the second Test during a tense final day, with Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey throwing down the stumps after the batter ducked the final ball of the over and set off to talk to partner Ben Stokes.
The wicket was upheld by TV umpire Marais Erasmus, who judged that the ball was not dead, but Bairstow clearly felt the over had been completed once he made his mark behind the crease-line.
The incident drew a furious reaction from the fans in attendance, who booed and jeered for the remainder of the day, while there were even angry exchanges as Australia passed through the Long Room.
England skipper Stokes suggested he would have reversed the appeal and one of his best known predecessors, Boycott, backed him up in typically forthright fashion.
“Australia need to have a think about what they did and make a full public apology,” he wrote in the Daily Telegraph.
“That way it will redress the situation and everyone can move on. These teams have played brilliant cricket in great spirit and it is a shame when something like that happens to spoil it all.
“Australia have now had time to think about what happened. We all make mistakes in the heat of the moment. People will think better of the Australians if they put their hands up and say “we got it wrong”. That is the way to go. Let’s see over the next few days if they are man enough to do that.
“If you want to win at all costs then cricket should not be for you. We want people to play hard and fair but surely there are standards to uphold? When batsmen are not trying to take an advantage then you should not follow the letter of the law. Apply some common sense.”
Justin Langer, the former head coach who took charge of Australia’s last two Ashes campaigns, lined up on the opposite side of the debate.
He praised Carey for being alert to the opportunity and suggested Bairstow was guilty of leaving himself vulnerable.
“Alex Carey has been criticised, unfairly in my opinion. His wicketkeeping has been supreme and he is also a man of impeccable character,” Langer told the Telegraph.
“Bairstow’s dreaming should not come back on Carey. Not for a moment. Quick thinking under pressure was the antithesis to Bairstow’s lack of awareness. In my opinion, there is no way Australia were looking to breach the spirit of the game. They have learned from past experience that there are no winners in this.
“In this case perhaps the spirit of the game has been breached by the same people who are throwing stones and reacting without any recourse.”
Not everyone’s opinion on the subject tallied directly with their nationality, with former Australia international Brad Hogg unimpressed by the incident.
The 52-year-old, who played seven Tests and 138 limited-overs internationals for Australia, told talkSPORT: “I was disappointed from the start, I thought they should have called Bairstow back.
“He wasn’t taking any advantage. At the end of the day it’s not a good spectacle for Test cricket.
“England, for me, were hard done by. You don’t want to win a Test match by taking cheap wickets like that. It’s not the same as a stumping, not the same as running someone out batting out of their crease. He was in his crease (when facing).
“He did the same act a number of times at the end of the over beforehand, Australia should have warned him if they were going to do this.”
Ben Stokes stepped up as England’s leader as they came up just short in pursuit of 371 in a thrilling second Ashes Test.
England’s captain threatened another trademark miracle to rival his efforts in both the World Cup final and the Headingley Ashes Test in the unforgettable summer of 2019, but on this occasion his 155 was not quite enough to get his side out of jail.
Here, the PA news agency looks at Stokes’ batting and bowling record since his appointment as captain.
Captain fantastic
Since taking on the captaincy full-time in June of last year, Stokes has been the figurehead for England’s new aggressive approach and his statistics reflect the shift in tone.
Most noticeable is his strike rate, up from 57.4 runs per hundred balls across 79 Tests prior to his appointment to a fraction over 70 in the 15 games since he took charge.
That has helped him average 39.40, compared to 35.89 before last June, scoring 867 runs in 24 innings with two hundreds and two fifties.
He ranks fifth among England run-scorers in that time with his and coach Brendon McCullum’s influence on the team even more pronounced – Harry Brook, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Duckett all have ‘Bazball’ strike rates north of 90, with Ollie Pope, Joe Root and Zak Crawley also in the 70s and ahead of Stokes.
That is even more pronounced in the current series, with the new approach experiencing its first questions amid a flurry of rash dismissals – particularly in the first innings at Lord’s as Duckett, Pope and Root all perished on the hook before Stokes demonstrated a willingness to duck the short ball.
Only bowlers James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson have a lower strike rate in the series than Stokes’ still brisk 62.42 – even Josh Tongue has scored his 20 runs at 66.67. Stokes is England’s leading run-scorer with 216, four ahead of Duckett, while his average of 54 trails only Root’s 64.
Stokes’ bowling has taken something of a back seat as captain as he seemingly saves himself for the key moments, partly due to a lingering knee injury.
He has bowled in only 20 of 29 opposition innings, compared to 126 of 150 previously. That brings him down from 1.6 bowling innings per match to 1.3 and he averages 10.1 overs per innings compared to 13.3 previously.
His average and strike rate have both improved slightly to 31.69 and a wicket every 53 balls respectively, though he is yet to add to his four five-wicket hauls. His economy is marginally worse than before at 3.58 runs per over.
Six-shooter
Stokes leads England’s new era in six-hitting, with nine in his blistering Lord’s innings taking him ahead of Brook to 28 in 24 innings.
He recently claimed the overall Test record, moving ahead of none other than McCullum’s 107 with two in February’s Test against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui before stretching his total to 118 with Sunday’s efforts.
Former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist is the only other man to hit 100 Test maximums and of the trio, Stokes has the highest ratio of sixes compared to fours – 14.4 per cent of his Test boundaries have cleared the ropes, compared to 12.1 and 12.9 per cent for McCullum and Gilchrist respectively.
The next two men short of 100 – Chris Gayle with 98 sixes and Jacques Kallis with 97 – each hit well over 1,000 fours, with 8.6 per cent of Gayle’s boundaries being sixes and only 6.1 per cent for Kallis.
Stokes hits a six every 85 balls on average in Tests, behind only Gilchrist’s 68 balls among that leading group.
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