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The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Chris Woakes could reject surgery on shoulder in bid to be fit for Ashes
The 36-year-old has had a scan on his shoulder and while he is still waiting to receive the results, he is hopeful an eight-week period of rehabilitation could be enough to ensure he makes a miraculous recovery to feature in the Ashes, which gets under way on November 21. Will Chris Woakes be fit for the Ashes? 😬 This is what he said 👇 — Test Match Special (@bbctms) August 8, 2025 'I'm waiting to see what the extent of the damage is but I think the options will be to have surgery or to go down a rehab route and try and get it as strong as possible,' Woakes told BBC Sport. 'I suppose naturally with that there will be a chance of a reoccurrence, but I suppose that could be a risk that you're just willing to take sort of thing. 'What I've heard from physios and specialists is that the rehab of a surgery option would be closer to four months, or three to four months. That's obviously touching on the Ashes and Australia so it makes it tricky. 'From a rehab point of view you can probably get it get it strong again within eight weeks. So that could be an option, but again obviously still waiting to get the full report on it.' Woakes is the most experienced member of England's bowling unit after the retirement of Stuart Broad two summers ago and the decision to move on from record-wicket taker James Anderson in 2024.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
ECB not keen on two-tier WTC; fears relegation and no series against India, Australia
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is not keen on the proposal for a two-tier World Test Championship (WTC), but the stand is based less on any altruistic philosophy or as a champion of inclusion and more on vested interest. Despite the much-hyped Bazball philosophy over the last three years, England have struggled to put tangible results on the board, and the ECB is wary of falling into the lower division of a revamped Test structure, thus depriving it of their most storied rivalries. 'We wouldn't want, as England, we may go through a fallow period, and that means, what, we fall into Division Two and we don't play Australia and India? That couldn't happen. There has to be a sense that common sense needs to play out here,' ECB chairman Richard Thompson told BBC's Test Match Special. India, England and Australia are often referred to as the 'Big Three' in cricket. Test series between them are played over five matches and attract a lot of eyeballs and revenue. The just-concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy saw nail-biting contests, high drama and on-field skirmishes in a series that ended 2-2 after a classic at The Oval. The 2023 Ashes in England was also a memorable encounter, also finishing 2-2 after the hosts recovered from a 0-2 deficit. The return series Down Under, starting in November this year, is highly anticipated. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has set up a Working Group under former New Zealand batsman Roger Twose to look into ways of improving the WTC format ahead of the 2027-29 cycle, and one of the options on the table is a two-tier system with promotion and relegation built into it. Instead of backing the two-tier formula, Thompson wants the current WTC structure to be tweaked, citing the underdog story of South Africa emerging as champions in the final in June, beating favourites Australia. 'The World Test Championship could work better than it does. It has definitely improved the narrative, [and] it has created a relevance,' Thompson was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo. 'Seeing what it meant for South Africa to win – who are crushed by rugby in their own country – and seeing players I know really well, like Graeme Smith, in tears on the outfield, that was a real moment seeing them win… It's still good for the game when the underdog wins.' New Zealand, frequently punching above their weight in international cricket, were the inaugural WTC champions in 2021, beating India in the final. That cricket will feature at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is another factor that needs to be considered ahead of the 2027-29 WTC cycle. 'If the WTC was improved upon and certain changes were made, maybe you don't need two tiers of Test cricket. What you do need is a schedule that makes a lot more sense than it currently does, and that must include the volume of bilateral cricket that you play, white-ball and red-ball, and recognising that from 2028, we have an Olympics,' Thompson said. 'So what happens in 2028, when we have an Olympics, and our best 11 cricketers have got to go to LA for two weeks in the middle of July? That is going to throw up some challenges.'
News18
4 days ago
- Sport
- News18
ECB Not Interested In Two-Tier WTC Due To Fear Of Relegation: Report
Last Updated: The ECB is reportedly opposed to a two-tier WTC where England might not be in the same division as Australia or India if there were relegated. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is not interested in a two-tier World Test Championship (WTC). According to a report in ESPN Cricinfo on Wednesday, the 'ECB is not keen on a two-tiered World Test Championship (WTC) in which relegation could lead to England not being in the same division as Australia or India, thus potentially depriving them of their two most lucrative rivalries." The International Cricket Council (ICC) in July 2025 formed a working group to improve the WTC ahead of the next cycle, which begins in July 2027. It has been reported that the two-tier WTC system was among the most significant topics discussed at the ICC annual conference in July. While speaking to BBC's Test Match Special on Day 1 of the fifth India-England Test at The Oval last week, ECB chairman Richard Thompson said the two-tier model for Test cricket was being discussed by the ICC, but he was not sure if it was perfect. 'There are a lot of options that we've got to look at – tiers would be one of them," he said. 'We wouldn't want, as England, we may go through a fallow period, and that means, what, we fall into Division Two, and we don't play Australia and India? That couldn't happen. There has to be a sense that common sense needs to play out here." According to him, a better solution could be tinkering with the existing WTC itself. He gave South Africa's win over Australia in the final of WTC 2025 at Lord's as an example, where, with the right support, smaller countries could emerge as strong contenders. 'The World Test Championship could work better than it does. It has definitely improved the narrative, [and] it has created a relevance," Thompson said. 'Seeing what it meant for South Africa to win – who are crushed by rugby in their own country – and seeing players I know really well, like Graeme Smith, in tears on the outfield, that was a real moment seeing them win. As much as I was critical that they turned up with a 'B' team when they played New Zealand [in 2024], it was still good for the game when the underdog wins." 'But the reality of it is, the World Test Championship, if it was improved upon and certain changes were made, maybe you don't need two tiers of Test cricket. What you do need is a schedule that makes a lot more sense than it currently does, and that must include the volume of bilateral cricket that you play, white-ball and red-ball, and recognising that from 2028, we have an Olympics." view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India.com
4 days ago
- Sport
- India.com
Two-Tier Test Cricket Model: ICCs Proposal Faces Resistance From ECB And CA Over WTC Reforms
Test cricket, the sport's oldest and most revered format, finds itself at a pivotal juncture. With the ICC forming a working group to reimagine the structure of the World Test Championship (WTC) ahead of the 2027-29 cycle, a two-tier model is back on the discussion table. Led by former New Zealand batter and NZC Board representative Roger Twose, the group is tasked with evaluating ways to enhance the competitiveness and relevance of Test cricket in an era increasingly dominated by franchise T20 leagues. This renewed proposal has already triggered polarizing reactions from cricket's powerhouses, particularly the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Australia (CA), who fear that restructuring may dilute the format's commercial and cultural appeal. Speaking during the England-India Test at The Oval, ECB chairman Richard Thompson voiced strong reservations about a two-tier structure, especially one that risks traditional rivalries such as the Ashes or contests against India. His concern: relegation to Division Two could potentially sideline England from marquee bilateral series, leading to significant commercial fallout. 'We wouldn't want, as England, to fall into Division Two and not play Australia or India. That couldn't happen,' Thompson told BBC's Test Match Special. 'There has to be a sense that common sense needs to play out here.' Thompson acknowledged the WTC has injected meaning into the Test calendar but believes improving the current system may offer more promise than restructuring it entirely. He cited South Africa's triumphant underdog story in the 2023-25 WTC final against Australia as proof that lesser-resourced teams can compete and win—if supported adequately. Cricket Australia: Open to Change, But with Caveats Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg struck a more flexible tone but echoed similar concerns. In an interview with SEN Radio, Greenberg emphasized the shared responsibility among top-tier nations to strengthen Test cricket globally, particularly in traditional strongholds like the West Indies, Pakistan, and South Africa. 'My open mind is in reference to: if [the two-tier model] helps grow the opportunities for other countries to be stronger in Test cricket, then I'm open to it,' Greenberg said. 'But if it has the opposite effect, I wouldn't be supportive.' Greenberg noted that many CEOs from Full Member boards are aware that some level of reform is inevitable if Test cricket is to retain its value amid a saturated international calendar and the rise of white-ball dominance. The ICC's Dilemma: Meaningful Reform vs Market Realities The ICC's working group is expected to make recommendations soon, though details remain under wraps. Sanjog Gupta, the newly appointed ICC CEO, is likely to play a key role in steering the discussions, especially with media rights negotiations for the 2027-31 cycle looming. The challenge is multifaceted: How to ensure competitive balance across all Test-playing nations? Can relegation and promotion be fairly implemented without punishing teams going through a temporary slump? Will top-tier broadcasters and sponsors support a model where iconic rivalries may no longer be guaranteed? Olympics 2028: Another Hurdle for Red-Ball Cricket Richard Thompson also flagged a looming scheduling clash with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where cricket will make its debut. 'What happens when our best 11 cricketers have to go to LA for two weeks in the middle of July?' he asked, underlining how a congested international window could further strain bilateral Test engagements.
Kuwait Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Kuwait Times
From sidekick to showstopper, Siraj reinvents himself
LONDON: Mohammed Siraj landed in England as Jasprit Bumrah's trusted sidekick and then produced a stellar display across five gruelling tests to prove that he possesses both the heart and the craft to lead India's pace battery. India arrived with a depleted attack after veteran seamer Mohammed Shami was deemed unfit for the tour and pace spearhead Bumrah available only for three of the five tests as part of his workload management. It meant Siraj had to shoulder a bigger responsibility and the 31-year-old responded with a lion-hearted effort - playing all five tests and finishing the series as its highest wicket-taker. Thanks largely to his never-say-die attitude, India drew the series 2-2, winning in Birmingham and at the Oval - incidentally matches that Bumrah sat out. Siraj bowled a staggering 185-odd overs in the series claiming 23 wickets and drawing 283 false shots - edges or misses - according to data and analytics provider CricViz. England coach Brendon McCullum was among those impressed by Siraj's tireless aggression. 'You got to tip your cap sometimes,' McCullum told Test Match Special after Siraj fashioned India's thrilling six-run win in the series finale on Monday. 'A guy playing his fifth test match (of the series), bowling 30 overs, bowling 90 miles-an-hour in the 30th over to take five wickets to get the job done - fair play.' Siraj not only survived the rigour of playing five tests in a row but was also unrelenting whenever he had the ball in his hand, regardless of the stage of the match. It prompted England batting mainstay Joe Root to call Siraj a 'real warrior' while former India captain Virat Kohli singled out the bowler for his relentless aggression. 'Special mention to Siraj who will put everything on the line for the team. Extremely happy for him,' Kohli wrote on X. Siraj, who won the player of the match award at The Oval, did not fuss about his workload and said his 'body is fine'. '(Whether) you bowl the sixth over or the ninth over, I don't care,' he told reporters on Monday. 'I believe you bowl every ball for your country, not for yourself. (When) you play for the country, give it everything.' — Reuters
