South Africa's Yusuf returns to Durham for second stint
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Daily Mail
44 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Ben Stokes hails Chris Woakes after injured hero came out to bat with one arm - as England captain admits 'bitter disappointment' at drawing series
Ben Stokes saluted the 'unbelievable' bravery of Chris Woakes for coming out to bat with his arm in a sling - despite England falling to a dramatic six-run defeat to draw the series with India. Needing 35 runs on the final day of the fifth Test to clinch a 3-1 series victory, the hosts fell agonisingly short at the Oval when Gus Atkinson was bowled by inspired India hero Mohammed Siraj. Atkinson had shared a 10-run partnership for the final wicket with Woakes, who came to the crease despite dislocating his shoulder on the first day and was in clear pain as he ran between the wickets, although he did not have to face a ball. 'It was unbelievable, but it was never going to be a question for him to go out there,' said England captain Stokes, who missed the match with his own shoulder injury. 'He was in a lot of discomfort running between the wickets, but he went out there to try and get his team over the line with a dislocated shoulder. 'Coming off there, I said, 'Great effort', and he just shrugged his shoulder and was like, 'I wouldn't have done anything else'. It shows what it means to play for your country and to fight to win games.' Asked whether the Woakes situation showed that injury substitutes are needed in Test cricket, Stokes replied: 'I don't see it being a thing. If someone gets injured, tough s***. Deal with it.' Woakes was also praised by his victorious opponents, as India captain Shubman Gill added: 'He was very, very brave. I didn't expect him to come out like that, batting with one hand, the other in the sweater. But good on him for showing that courage.' England had looked set to complete their second-highest successful run chase of 374 when they raced to 301 for three on Sunday, with Harry Brook and Joe Root both hitting centuries. But they lost their final seven wickets for 66 runs, with Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue and Atkinson falling yesterday morning at a packed-out Oval. Man of the match Siraj, who took three of the final four wickets to finish with five for 104, said: 'When I woke up today, I thought I could do it. I downloaded a picture from Google saying, 'Believe'. I feel amazing.' Stokes added: 'I'm bitterly disappointed we couldn't get over the line here, but I'm incredibly proud of my team and everything they've thrown into it. We would have loved to come away with the series win, but it wasn't meant to be. From a cricket fan's point of view, 2-2 is probably fair. 'Myself being a massive advocate of the game of Test cricket, this series has been an unbelievable advert for it across the world. All the doubters saying it's dying a death, this series has said the opposite.' Stokes conceded that dropping six catches in India's second innings 'cost' England, while Brook bemoaned the extravagant shot which brought his downfall on Sunday. 'I wish I didn't play that shot, but at the time I was very confident,' admitted England's player of the series. 'If I got a quick 30 over the next two overs, then the game is done. I always try and take the game on. Obviously, I wish I was there at the end, but you can't write those things.' England coach Brendan McCullum added: 'It has been one of the all-time best Test matches. We are disappointed, but at the same time we have had a hell of a series.'
Reuters
44 minutes ago
- Reuters
England v India 2025 - an all-time classic series
LONDON, Aug 4 (Reuters) - England v India 2025 will go down as one of cricket's greatest test series of all time, five matches crammed into seven weeks of unrelenting, see-saw drama ending in a 2-2 draw after India's extraordinary six-run win in the final game on Monday. Over 7,000 runs were scored, including a record-equalling 21 individual centuries, the sun shone most of the time and every match went into the fifth day. The stadiums were packed and although tensions flared at times on the pitch - perhaps inevitable given the immense pressure - it was a series that featured all the best things that make test cricket such compulsive viewing. With more and more one-day cricket around the world, it was a timely boost for the longest format of the sport which many people believe is fighting for its existence. "It's been an incredible series, all five games going down to day five, so much has been put into this series from both teams," England captain Ben Stokes said. "The commitment and energy has been outstanding. Stood here now, we're bitterly disappointed we couldn't get the series win but, being a massive advocate of the game of test cricket, this series has been an unbelievable advert for it across the world." It all started at Headingley where three India batsmen made centuries, before a collapse that was to become a feature of the series, as they posted 471 and England replied with 465. Rishabh Pant's second hundred of the game led India to 364 before Ben Duckett's stroke-laden 149 inspired England's textbook chase of a huge target of 371 to complete a five-wicket win. The second test at Edgbaston was by far the most one-sided. India captain Shubman Gill made a brilliant 269 in his side's first-innings 587. Harry Brook's 158 was the foundation of England's 407 in reply, but Gill made 161 to take his match tally to 430 runs and the hosts could muster only 271 as India levelled the series with a crushing 336-run triumph. On to Lord's and as if to prove how well matched the teams were, they posted identical first-innings totals of 387, only the ninth time in test history that has happened. Joe Root's 104 and KL Rahul's 100 were the major contributions on a tricky wicket devoid of pace. England could manage only 192 second time around but, as happened so often, the pendulum swung when they then reduced the touring side to 58-4 at the close on day four. At lunch on the final day, India were teetering on 112-8 but Ravindra Jadeja batted for well over three hours, and it was deep into the last session when spinner Shoaib Bashir bowled Mohammed Siraj to complete a 22-run England win. At Old Trafford, the bat dominated once more. India made a respectable 358 before England racked up a massive 669, highlighted by Root's 150 and 141 from Stokes. Chris Woakes then took two wickets in the first over to reduce India to 0-2 before Rahul and Gill led a brilliant recovery. Gill made another hundred but when they both fell on the final morning England had plenty of time to take the six remaining wickets with India facing a seemingly impossible run chase. Jadeja and Washington Sundar had other ideas, however, and doggedly resisted, both reaching three figures after England effectively gave up and were reduced to bowling part-timer Harry Brook to allow the batsmen to get to their milestones quicker. The draw left England 2-1 up going into the final game at The Oval with the exertions of the series taking a heavy toll on both teams. England were missing all-rounder Stokes and fast bowler Jofra Archer while India were forced to leave out Pant and the world's top-ranked bowler in Jasprit Bumrah. England skittled India for 224 before eking out a narrow first-innings lead of 23. Yashasvi Jaiswal's second century of the series lifted the touring side to 396 and left England needing 374 for victory with two days remaining. The hosts stumbled to 106-3 before twin centurions Root and Brook shared a superb fourth-wicket partnership of 195 to put England firmly in the driving seat with only 66 runs required. Brook's reckless dismissal, however, gave India hope and, led by the tireless Siraj, they picked up two more wickets before bad weather forced an early close to leave England needing 35 runs on the final day. The Oval was packed for an incredible one-hour cameo that encapsulated the entire series as England began the day with a more than 80% chance of victory, according to the Winviz predictor. But Siraj was inspired again and with England's batsmen losing their heads and their wickets, Woakes arrived at the crease wearing a sling to protect his dislocated shoulder. Even then, England edged towards their target as Gus Atkinson farmed the strike and hit Siraj for six, only for the abrasive fast bowler to end proceedings with a brilliant yorker. It was just reward for India, who lost the toss in all five matches, as they claimed their narrowest-ever test win. "All the doubters saying test cricket is dying a death, this series has said the opposite," Stokes added.
BBC News
44 minutes ago
- BBC News
Farhan, 17, gets Hundred deal with Originals
Seventeen-year-old off-spinner Farhan Ahmed, the younger brother of England international Rehan, has been signed as a late replacement for Manchester Originals in The replaces Gloucestershire left-arm quick Marchant de Lange while the Originals have also signed New Zealand batter Mark Chapman as cover for four games while his international team-mate Rachin Ravindra is on Black Caps Indies spinner Akeal Hosein has been signed by Trent Rockets for two games while George Linde is away with South left-armer Mohammad Amir will replace Ben Dwarshuis at Northern Superchargers for the entire competition, with the Australian away on international the women's competition, uncapped Australian all-rounder Charli Knott has replaced Deepti Sharma at London Spirit for the full competition, which begins on have also confirmed some of England men's Test player availability for the Bethell, Ben Duckett (both Birmingham Phoenix), Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton (both London Spirit), Harry Brook, Zak Crawley (both Northern Superchargers), Sam Cook and Joe Root (both Trent Rockets) will be available for the Ollie Pope will miss Spirit's first two games and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith their opener against Oval Invincibles on Tuesday. Chris Woakes has been ruled out entirely with his shoulder availability of bowlers Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue's will be confirmed in due course.
