
Sciver-Brunt unlikely to bowl this summer
Edwards also praised the new or returning faces in England's T20 squad, including seamers Em Arlott - who made her international debut in the first match at Canterbury and ended the series with six wickets - and Issy Wong, who had been out of the side for a couple of years after a dip in form. Sophie Ecclestone, the world's number one-ranked bowler, was left out of the side to regain fitness after a knee issue but her fellow left-arm spinner Linsey Smith also performed well, taking three wickets at a miserly economy of 4.83 across the three matches."With Em Arlott, we've all seen her in domestic cricket and how good she's been but to come here and look at ease in international cricket in her first few games is really pleasing," sad Edwards. "And Linsey Smith is a proven performer and probably unlucky to be around at the same time as Sophie Ecclestone. She's taken her opportunity with both hands and that's all you can do."And Lauren Bell was unbelievable today, you can see the competition forming. It's an exciting time. "Mahika Gaur and Kate Cross are coming back into the ODI team. We've suddenly got this battery of fast bowlers forming which is going to give me a few headaches, but good headaches."
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The Independent
11 minutes ago
- The Independent
Chris Woakes ‘all in' and will bat with dislocated shoulder if needed
Chris Woakes stands ready to bat with a dislocated shoulder and 'put his body on the line' for England, with Joe Root confident the hosts will apply the finishing touches to a nail-biting series decider against India. For the fifth Test in a row, the game is going all the way to the final day after a nerve-wracking fourth evening left all results possible. Brilliant centuries from Root (105) and Harry Brook (111) had England cruising towards a remarkable chase, set fair on 301 for three hunting 374, but they lost three late wickets to leave things in the balance. Bad light and rain halted a thrilling conclusion in its tracks, with England needing 35 runs and India seeking four more wickets. One of those belongs to Woakes, who has not featured since badly damaging his left shoulder while fielding on Friday. He was ruled out of the game the next morning but has remained with the team and is willing to bat at number 11 with his arm in a sling if required. 'You probably saw him in his whites in the dressing room. He's all in, like the rest of us,' said Root. 'Clearly, he's in a huge amount of pain. But it means a huge amount to him and it just shows the character and the person that he is, that he's willing to put his body on the line like that for England. 'If it does come to that, hopefully he can get us across the line and win an incredible series.' Root was not surprised to see a dramatic end unfold after almost seven weeks of full-blooded battle but, having done a huge amount of the heavy lifting alongside Brook, still fancies England to triumph. 'It was always going to happen like this wasn't it? Just look at the first four games,' he said. 'It's been amazing to play in and quite fitting that we're going to get that kind of finish. It's been one hell of a series, one hell of a journey, and there's clearly confidence in our dressing room. I'd like to think we've got what we need to get across the line.' Root had earlier marked his 39th Test hundred, and third this summer, with a touching tribute to the late Graham Thorpe. The former Test batter, who took his own life last year, enjoyed a close relationship with Root during his time as England's assistant coach. When he reached three figures, Root produced one of the Thorpe-inspired white headbands Surrey have been selling to raise funds for the MIND mental health charity and wore it as he looked to the skies. 'That was on behalf of our team. It was just a thank you for everything that he's given the game of cricket, and given English cricket, on and off the field,' he said. 'It's been amazing to recognise everything that he's done as a player, as a coach, as a mentor, as a friend to the dressing room and to the game. 'It was really great to see the amount of love that there is for him and for his family.' India's quicks had found wonderful rhythm before the weather intervened and would probably have liked to try and finish the job while the mood was with them. A night's break and an extra use of the heavy roller could play into England's hands but a saturated outfield meant the tourists were not complaining about the umpires' decision. 'We can see it's pretty wet out there,' said bowling coach Morne Morkel. 'In a way that's out of our control so all we can focus on is doing a good warm-up in the morning, get the boys ready to get the ball in the right area and create a little bit of excitement again.'


The Guardian
12 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Charley Hull's major wait goes on as she pushes Miyu Yamashita all the way at Women's Open
Charley Hull is due high praise for at least making this interesting. It may be of little consolation to the English golfer as her wait for a maiden major win goes on but Hull's surge was the only thing that ever looked like halting Miyu Yamashita's Porthcawl procession. What an afternoon of stirring drama this quickly became on the stunning links, which should be rewarded with more high-profile events before too long. To Hull, plenty of plaudits for such a swashbuckling display. Yamashita eventually prevailed, by two, at 11 under par. The Women's Open was denied a British winner for the first time since Georgia Hall lifted the trophy at Royal Lytham & St Anne's in 2018. Still, Hull must feel she is closer than ever to winning one of her sport's biggest prizes. She now has four second places in majors. 'Coming into this week I didn't think I was going to make the cut,' Hull admitted. 'That's the truth of it. I wasn't hitting it very well. I couldn't prepare as well as I wanted to because I was poorly. I obviously collapsed three times in the round at the Evian and then I still wasn't feeling well until Sunday last week. So I think I did pretty well and considering my mindset coming into it. I'm pretty proud of myself. 'At the end of the day, it's just a game. That's what I think about and I enjoyed it out there. I just love that adrenaline feeling. It's so good, it's like a massive hit.' Minami Katsu tied Hull's aggregate but was never a threat to the winner. Hull sat 11 adrift after 36 holes of this major. With three front-nine birdies in round four, Hull closed to within one of the leaderboard's summit. What happened next turned the Women's Open back in Yamashita's favour. As she delivered birdies at the 8th and 9th, Hull could only par the 9th and 10th. The leader's advantage was three. Hull displayed typical tenacity over the closing stretch. She had promised to play like a kid, to attack every hole and stayed true to her word. Her iron into the par three 12th was laser-like, setting up a birdie. The 29-year-old picked up another shot at the 14th, outstandingly so after finding thick grass from the tee. Was Yamashita now feeling the heat? A drive into the bunker at the par-five 13th, followed by a tame greenside chip, suggested so. Yamashita steadied herself and jabbed back at Hull with a wonderful, converted par putt from long range. The final, key moments were still to arrive. Hull hit into sand from the 16th tee. She could barely advance the ball far from there before overshooting the putting surface with her third. Hull bravely rescued a bogey, just as Yamashita slammed home an 8ft par putt two holes behind. Yamashita was two clear with four to play. Another Hull dropped shot at the penultimate hole meant Yamashita doing likewise made no material difference. Yamashita is the third player from Japan to win this tournament but the second since it was afforded major status. Her swing is so stable one wonders how she can ever miss. A putting wobble towards the end of round three proved the exception to Yamashita's 2025 Women's Open rule. That she withstood everything Hull threw at her on a gusty afternoon says so much for the new champion's mentality. 'To win such a historic tournament in front of all these amazing fans is such an incredible feeling,' said Yamashita. Victory came the day after her 24th birthday. South Korea's Kim A-lim and Japan's Rio Takeda shared fourth at seven under. Lottie Woad's tournament closed with a 71 and four-under total for a top-10 finish. Woad will have learned a lot in Wales, including what it is like to play under such a burden of expectation. Victory at last weekend's Scottish Open on her first professional start meant she was in uncharted territory here. She will relish settling into the United States and the LPGA Tour over the coming weeks. 'I don't think it affected my golf but there was definitely a lot more attention, a lot more eyes on me,' Woad said. 'I feel like I handled it pretty well overall and was just sticking to my game, just trying to focus on the preparation really and not let it distract me too much. It was a pretty good week overall, it was pretty solid.'


Daily Mail
12 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Joe Root pays emotional tribute to former mentor Graham Thorpe after reaching 39th Test century
Joe Root paid tribute to the late Graham Thorpe after reaching his 39th Test century on Day 4 of the fifth Test against India. Thorpe died on the morning of August 4, 2024, after being struck by a train at a railway station in Surrey, with a coroner ruling the death a suicide. The inquest at Surrey Coroner's Court in Woking heard he had 'spiralled into depression ' after losing his job as a batting coach in 2022, and he had tried to take his own life on another occasion. Root brought up his century in the 69th over of England's second innings, flicking a length delivery to deep backward square leg for two runs, as the hosts pursued a target of 374. He celebrated by putting on a headband and pointing to the sky in tribute to his late mentor. Root told BBC Sport afterwards: 'I wish I had it in pocket from the start of my innings, but I put it there at tea. 'He's someone that has impacted the game in this country as a player, as a coach, as a mentor as a friend. 'That gesture wasn't just from me, it was from our whole dressing room. 'It's been great to see everyone show the amount of love for him throughout this week because he's a real legend of English cricket and has done so much good for so many people whether that be on or off the field and rightly to be remembered in the right way.' Thorpe served as Root's mentor and batting coach during the early stages of his career. The two shared a strong relationship, with Thorpe notably playing a key role in backing Root's selection for the national team. At the Oval on Friday, on what would have been Thorpe's 56th birthday, England paid tribute to the legendary left-hander who scored 6,744 Test runs at an average of 44.66 in 100 matches from 1993 to 2005. The players wore headbands during the warm-up, depicting a silhouette of Thorpe and his initials. A round of applause was then conducted, with Root in particular visibly emotional. Thorpe's widow, Amanda, and daughter, Emma, also rang the bell ahead of the second day.