Tag: Ashes 2025

England Test vice-captain Harry Brook has issued a public apology following the late-night altercation with a bouncer during the New Zealand tour.

The incident took place before the third ODI in Wellington, as Brook was denied entry to a nightclub because he was suspected of being too drunk.

The batter was involved in an argument with a bouncer and was not injured by the physical contact.

Brook, who is set lead England in the T20 World Cup 2026, self-reported the incident to the team’s security, and later on, he was fined £30,000 by the English Cricket Board (ECB).

The 26-year-old has now issued a public apology for his behaviour during the New Zealand tour.

“I want to apologise for my actions. I fully accept that my behaviour was wrong and brought embarrassment to both myself and the England team,” he said in a personal statement.

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“Representing England is the greatest honour of all, which I take seriously, and I am deeply sorry for letting down my team-mates, coaches and supporters. I have reflected on the lessons it has taught me about responsibility, professionalism, and the standards expected of those representing your country.

Meanwhile, the ECB acknowledged the apology and revealed that the incident was dealt with a confidential inquiry process.

“We are aware of this incident and it has been dealt with through a formal and confidential ECB disciplinary process. The player involved has apologised and acknowledged their conduct fell below expectations on this occasion,” the board said.

For the unversed, Australia defeated England in the Sydney Test to seal a 4-1 Ashes series win, extending their record dominance at home since England’s 2011 triumph.

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SYDNEY: Usman Khawaja, Australia’s first Muslim and Pakistan-born Test cricketer, brought down the curtain on his international career with a ‘sujud’ at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Thursday during the fifth Ashes Test against England.

Khawaja’s final innings, though brief, was a deeply emotional moment for fans and family alike.

Opening with a graceful flick for four off Will Jacks, his fairytale ending was cut short when he chopped on to Josh Tongue, finishing with 17 runs.

Despite the early dismissal, the retiring opener received a standing ovation as he walked off the field, culminating in a touching gesture.

Usman Khawaja knelt, kissed the turf, and offered his farewell to the ground that had witnessed much of his cricketing journey.

 

The moment resonated beyond the boundary ropes as Khawaja’s wife, Rachel, was seen shedding tears in the stands.

Reflecting on his final innings, Khawaja shared, “A little bit of annoyance because I chopped on. You don’t always get the fairy tale ending where you score the runs, and I kind of like that in some respect.”

“When it happened, I got over it after a few seconds. I looked over and saw Rachel. My family was up there, I gave them kisses and all my love.”

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He added, “Without her, I wouldn’t be here today. She’s been my biggest support over the years, mental, emotional, everything. She’s the only one I really open up to. And coming out here at the end, that was my final way to say thank you.”

Usman Khawaja concludes his Test career with 6,229 runs at an average of 43.25, placing him 14th on Australia’s all-time run-scorers list.

Across 88 Tests, he amassed 16 centuries while also representing Australia in 40 ODIs and nine T20 internationals.

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The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said it had launched an immediate and “thorough” review following the tourists’ defeat in the fifth and final Ashes Test on Thursday.

England’s preparations, coaching and off-field behaviour all came under the microscope during a demoralising series in Australia, which they lost 4-1.

As soon as the series was over, ECB chief executive Richard Gould released a statement calling the team’s failure to regain the Ashes “deeply disappointing”.

Gould said there were “moments of strong performance and resilience”, notably victory in the fourth Test in Melbourne, which saved England from a humiliating series whitewash.

But he said, “We were not consistent enough across all conditions and phases of the contest, and Australia ultimately deserved to retain the Ashes.

“We will take many lessons from this tour and are determined to improve quickly. Our focus is on regaining the Ashes in 2027. A thorough review of the campaign is already underway.

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“This will cover tour planning and preparation, individual performance and behaviours, and our ability to adapt and respond effectively as circumstances require.”

While captain Ben Stokes appears safe from the axe, the roles of head of cricket Rob Key and coach Brendon McCullum are set to come under the microscope.

British media, including the BBC, have reported that Key and McCullum are likely to survive to show they can make improvements to the England set-up.

“We will implement the necessary changes over the coming months,” Gould added.

England’s next Test assignment is not until June, at home to New Zealand.

Coming up fast is the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka next month, when McCullum will expect to be in charge of the squad, which will be captained by Harry Brook.

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SYDNEY: Australia won the final Ashes Test against England by five wickets on Thursday to seal a dominant 4-1 victory after a gruelling series, sending the retiring Usman Khawaja out on a high.

The nervy hosts saw wickets tumble as they chased their 160 target, which they reached after lunch on day five with Cameron Green not out 22 and Alex Carey on 16 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

For England, it was the final chapter in a miserable series.

Australia lost openers Travis Head (29) and Jake Weatherald (34), along with captain Steve Smith (12) and Khawaja, who made six in his final knock before retirement.

Marnus Labuschagne, dropped on 20, compiled 37 before needlessly running himself out to give Ben Stokes’s men a flicker of hope as they reduced Australia to 121-5.

But victory was never seriously in doubt after England were dismissed for 342 on the back of Jacob Bethell’s stylish 154.

Defeat ended a long tour for the visitors that quickly turned into a horror show when they lost the opening two Tests in Perth and Brisbane by eight wickets and the third at Adelaide by 82 runs.

Stokes’s side had arrived confident they could win their first series in Australia since 2010-11 amid taunts about the hosts having their worst side in 15 years.

Facing heavy criticism over their preparations, discipline and ultra-aggressive “Bazball” style of cricket, they rallied to pull off a stunning four-wicket comeback win in the fourth Test in Melbourne.

It was their first victory in 18 Tests on Australian soil and restored some pride, but another loss in Sydney, albeit close, will see them face a tough inquisition on their return home with coach Brendon McCullum’s job on the line.

Australia achieved their success despite being without pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood for the series and skipper Pat Cummins for all but one Test, while veteran spin king Nathan Lyon played a limited role.

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Nearly 860,000 fans watched the series, with a record 211,032 through the turnstiles in Sydney.

Tempers flared earlier on day five when Weatherald survived a review for caught behind on 16 despite the controversial Snicko technology, which has been unreliable all series, appearing to indicate a faint murmur.

An angry Brydon Carse had to be pulled away from complaining to the on-field umpire by Stokes, and the bowler exchanged heated words with Weatherald.

England finally got their reward when Head swiped Tongue to Carse at midwicket and Weatherald top-edged the same bowler to Matthew Potts.

Smith was bamboozled by a turning ball by spinner Will Jacks, and Khawaja, after being given a guard of honour by England when he walked out for the final time, played on.

England resumed on 302-8 with a 119-run advantage and added 40.

Precocious number three Bethell, trumpeted as the future of English cricket, padded up on 142 with Potts yet to score.

He reached 150 before edging Mitchell Starc to wicketkeeper Carey to end a breakthrough innings, with his marathon 265-ball stay including 15 fours.

Tongue was the last man out for six, again to Starc, with Potts unbeaten on 18.

It was Starc’s 31st wicket of the series, more than any other bowler.

Australia were all out for 567 in their first innings on Wednesday on the back of centuries from Head and Smith in reply to the tourists’ 384, built on Joe Root’s 160.

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SYDNEY: Rock-solid Jacob Bethell plundered a chanceless maiden century on Wednesday as England reeled in Australia, then built a tenuous 119-run lead to leave the fifth and final Ashes Test on a knife-edge.

By stumps on day four at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), the tourists were 302-8 with Bethell not out 142 and Matthew Potts yet to score.

The 22-year-old Bethell saved the day after Zak Crawley fell early and veteran Joe Root cheaply, powering to his hundred in style off 162 balls.

But wickets tumbled around him with Harry Brook (42) and Will Jacks (0) removed in the space of three balls by the part-time off-spin of Beau Webster two overs after Bethell reached the landmark.

A calamitous mix-up then saw Jamie Smith (24) run out.

Ben Stokes (1) came in at seven after limping off clutching what appeared to be his groin while bowling the third over of the day, but only lasted five balls with Webster again doing the damage.

England are desperate for another morale-boosting win after victory in the previous Test at Melbourne. Australia lead 3-1 and have already retained the Ashes.

Remarkably, it was not just Bethell’s maiden Test ton but the only one he has scored in red-ball cricket, with his previous best 96 against New Zealand.

Bethell was recalled for Melbourne to replace the under-performing Ollie Pope, scoring a gritty 40 in difficult batting conditions, with the number three position now his to lose.

His exploits came after the hosts were dismissed for 567 before lunch on the back of Travis Head’s 163 and 138 from skipper Steve Smith. That left England chasing a 183-run deficit after their first innings of 384.

They needed a solid start, but chief tormentor Mitchell Starc once again conjured up a first-over breakthrough, his 29th wicket for the series.

The pace spearhead delivered a beautiful inswinger that Crawley misjudged and left, with the ball smacking his pads, and he was out lbw for one.

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Fellow opener Ben Duckett was dropped on 38, but failed to capitalise and was bowled by Michael Neser on 42, his highest score in a wretched series.

Root, fresh from his first innings of 160, was terrorised by Starc and Neser. He finally fell lbw after facing 37 balls for his six runs to the relentless Scott Boland, with the 35-year-old trudging off dejected.

But Jacob Bethell proved unmovable. A single off Neser overhauled Australia’s lead soon after tea, and the youngster passed three figures emphatically with a cracking boundary through midwicket.

But Webster then swung the momentum back to Australia with his double strike, trapping Brook lbw before Jacks inexplicably holed out to Cameron Green in the deep.

Jamie Smith’s run-out compounded England’s problems, the wicketkeeper-batter setting off for a single but sent back by Bethell and caught well short by Jake Weatherald’s throw.

Stokes edged Webster to Smith in the slips with Brydon Carse doing the same off Boland on 16.

Earlier, Australia resumed Day 4 at 518-7, with Steve Smith on 129 after his 13th Ashes century and Webster on 42.

Smith flogged Stokes through the covers for a boundary in his first over, while Webster dished out similar treatment to Carse.

But the Australia skipper did not last long, nicking a fuller length delivery from Josh Tongue to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.

Webster reached a fifth half-century in his eighth Test with a single and put on 20 with Starc before the big paceman was bowled by Tongue for five.

Boland suffered a golden duck to leave Webster unbeaten on 71. Tongue ended with 3-97 and Carse 3-130.

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SYDNEY: Australia’s modern-day great Steve Smith produced another masterclass at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), breaking multiple records with an unbeaten century in the fifth Ashes Test against England.

Leading the side in Pat Cummins’ absence, Smith struck his first hundred of the series and remained unbeaten on 129 at stumps on day three, guiding Australia to 518 for 7 in reply to England’s 384.

The hosts ended the day with a commanding 134-run lead as Smith once again dictated terms in cricket’s oldest rivalry.

With this knock, Smith moved past England legend Jack Hobbs to become the second-highest run-scorer in Ashes history, taking his tally to 3682 runs, now trailing only Sir Don Bradman’s seemingly untouchable mark of 5028.

Most Runs in Ashes History

• Don Bradman (AUS) – 5028 runs in 37 matches

• Steve Smith (AUS) – 3682* runs in 41* matches

• Jack Hobbs (ENG) – 3636 runs in 41 matches

• Alan Border (AUS) – 3222 runs in 42 matches

• Steve Waugh (AUS) – 3173 runs in 45 matches

It also lifted him to second place on the list of most Ashes centuries, with 13 hundreds, again behind only Bradman, who scored 19.

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The century was Smith’s 18th as captain, six of which have come against England, the most by any skipper against a single opponent.

Most Ashes Hundreds

• Don Bradman (AUS) – 19

• Steve Smith (AUS) – 13

• Jack Hobbs (ENG) – 12

• Steve Waugh (AUS) – 10

• Wally Hammond & David Gower (ENG) – 9

Smith’s run aggregate against England across formats now stands at 5085, placing him behind only Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli on the list of most international runs scored against a single opponent.

Additionally, Smith has now amassed 1225 runs at the SCG at an average of just over 72, including five centuries, figures surpassed only by former Australia captain Ricky Ponting.

Moreover, Smith also moved past Rahul Dravid to climb to seventh on the all-time list of Test centuries and is now just one hundred shy of equalling Kumar Sangakkara.

Most Test Hundreds

• Sachin Tendulkar (IND) – 51

• Jacques Kallis (SA) – 45

• Ricky Ponting (AUS)/Joe Root (ENG) – 41

• Kumar Sangakkara (SL) – 38

• Steve Smith (AUS) – 37

• Rahul Dravid (IND) – 36

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SYDNEY: Run-machine Travis Head hit a swashbuckling 163 and Steve Smith a composed unbeaten 129 as Australia built a 134-run lead over England to seize control on day three of the fifth and final Ashes Test on Tuesday.

It was a destructive opener Head’s third ton of the series, to go with the phenomenal match-winning 123 he made in Perth and 170 at Adelaide.

Smith was equally impressive, with his first hundred of the series driving the hosts to 518-7 by stumps at a packed Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in reply to England’s 384.

Beau Webster was alongside him on 42 at the close.

Australia lead the series 3-1 and have already retained the Ashes, with England desperate for another morale-boosting win after victory at the previous Test in Melbourne.

Head brought up three figures off just 105 balls and seemed destined to score 200.

But he came undone in the third over after lunch by the part-time spin of Jacob Bethell, who was bowling for the first time in the series.

In his second over, Bethell trapped the 32-year-old lbw attempting a sweep shot to end a magnificent knock.

Skipper Smith treated Bethell with contempt, launching him for a big six on his way to a 37th Test hundred.

It was Smith’s 13th Ashes century to move past England legend Jack Hobbs. Only Donald Bradman with 19 has more.

Usman Khawaja, in his 88th and last Test after announcing his retirement, fell lbw to Brydon Carse for 17 while Alex Carey made 16 before Josh Tongue enticed an edge.

Nightwatchman Michael Neser made 24 and Cameron Green 37.

Head resumed on 91 and Neser on one after Jake Weatherald (21) and Marnus Labuschagne (48) were out on Monday.

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Head clattered an early midwicket boundary off Ben Stokes and reached three figures with his 17th four, crunched through the covers from Tongue, windmilling his bat in celebration.

It was his 12th century and first in Sydney to cement his reputation as one of the game’s most versatile batsmen.

Head only moved to the top of the order in the second innings of the first Test in Perth due to Khawaja’s back injury, but he has made the position his own.

With his hundred secure, he banged three straight fours off Matthew Potts then had a massive let-off on 121 when he pulled Carse and Will Jacks dropped a sitter near the ropes.

Neser ably stuck around for 90 balls to foil England, who wasted their last two reviews on him.

Batting like a top-order batsman, he smacked four boundaries before getting a thin edge to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith off Carse.

Smith, on 12, was dropped at leg slip by Zak Crawley but safely made it to lunch and passed 50 with a drive down the ground.

When Khawaja departed, Carey produced a series of textbook strokes before being dismissed in similar fashion to his last two Tests.

Unruffled, Smith slammed Stokes to the ropes for four to put Australia in the lead for the first time and, steely eyed, kept going to yet another stylish century.

All-rounder Green came into the Test under increasing pressure after failing to fire with either bat or ball through the series, with his automatic selection being questioned.

He produced a glorious cover drive and a big six to show flashes of what he can do.

But he then needlessly spooned Carse to Ben Duckett in the deep to throw away his wicket.

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SYDNEY: An imperious Joe Root hit a magnificent 160 to drive England to 384 in the fifth and final Ashes Test on Monday before Travis Head let rip to haul Australia back into the contest with a quick unbeaten 91.

Root’s superb innings, his 41st ton to match Ricky Ponting, was only ended courtesy of a brilliant caught-and-bowled by Michael Neser, who finished with 4-60.

Australia were left to negotiate the final session of day two at a sold-out Sydney Cricket Ground, which they did for the loss of Jake Weatherald (21) and Marnus Labuschagne (48).

By stumps, the hosts had raced to 166-2 with nightwatchman Neser on one alongside Head.

Weatherald, who needed a big score to stave off the critics, again failed to live up to expectations since making his debut at the first Test in Perth.

He was dropped twice in the space of three balls, by Root and then Ben Duckett, before Ben Stokes trapped him lbw.

But Head, who, like Root, has slammed two centuries in the ongoing Ashes, was in the zone.

He clattered three boundaries off the second over from Matthew Potts, in the side for the injured Gus Atkinson, and there was no let-up, blitzing a quickfire 50 off 55 balls.

Labuschagne was also in good touch, stroking seven boundaries before thick-edging Stokes to Jacob Bethell at gully.

Australia lead the series 3-1 and have already retained the Ashes, with England desperate for another win after victory at the previous Test in Melbourne.

England resumed at 211-3 but lost Harry Brook (84), Stokes (0) and Jamie Smith (46) before lunch.

Will Jacks (27), Brydon Carse (1) and Josh Tongue (0), along with Root, departed in the second session.

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The day belonged to Root, who started on 72 and reached an almost chanceless century off 146 balls to reaffirm his status as an all-time great.

The 35-year-old had begun the series under pressure after failing to make a hundred in Australia over three previous Ashes tours.

He snapped the drought with an unbeaten 138 in the day-night Test at Brisbane, and his exploits in Sydney drew him level third with Australia’s Ponting on the all-time century-makers’ list, with 41.

Only India’s Sachin Tendulkar (51) and South Africa’s Jacques Kallis (45) have scored more Test centuries.

Root and Brook came together with England in trouble at 57-3 on Sunday, with both eyeing big centuries on an ideal batting deck.

But Brook only lasted five balls on Monday, adding six to his overnight 78 before dabbing at a Scott Boland delivery and edging into the safe hands of Steve Smith at slip.

It ended a 169-run partnership, not just England’s best of the series but the biggest by either team, surpassing Head and Alex Carey’s 162 in Adelaide.

Stokes only survived 11 balls before getting the faintest of edges off Mitchell Starc to Carey.

Jamie Smith lived dangerously and was fortunate to survive after chipping Cameron Green to Labuschagne at cover on 22. He began walking off, but replays showed Green overstepped, and it was a no-ball.

He added another 24 before medium-pacer Labuschagne bagged him in his first over.

The run rate slowed significantly after lunch when the new ball was taken, but Root persisted, passing 150 for a 17th time, just one behind the legendary Don Bradman and three short of Tendulkar.

He and Jacks put on 52 for the seventh wicket until Jacks sent a leading edge to Green in the gully off Neser. Root was the ninth man out, and Tongue followed without any addition to the score.

READ: Joe Root equals Ricky Ponting’s record in fifth Ashes Test

SYDNEY: Joe Root added another landmark to his illustrious career on Monday, drawing level with Australia great Ricky Ponting on the all-time list of men’s Test centuries during the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

The former England captain brought up his 41st Test hundred with a composed knock that stood out in an otherwise challenging innings for the tourists, who entered the match trailing 3-1 in the five-Test contest.

Resuming on 72 on the second day after rain curtailed play on the opening day, Root batted with characteristic control despite increased intensity from the Australian bowlers and a surface that offered variable bounce.

He reached the three-figure mark with a push for two off Michael Neser, bringing up his 41st Test century in his 163rd Test.

At 35, Root now shares third place on the all-time Test century list with Ponting, with only South Africa’s Jacques Kallis (45) and India legend Sachin Tendulkar (51) ahead of him.

While wickets continued to tumble at the other end, with Harry Brook (84), Ben Stokes (0) and Jamie Smith (46) all departing, Joe Root remained unflustered.

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He went to lunch unbeaten on 138 before extending his innings further in the middle session, eventually passing the 150 mark.

Root’s resistance finally ended on 160 when Michael Neser produced an athletic caught-and-bowled effort to remove the England mainstay.

Notably, it marked Root’s second century of the tour, having failed to register a hundred in his previous 14 Test appearances in Australia before this Ashes series.

England were eventually dismissed for 384, with last man Josh Tongue falling in the same over as Root.

For Australia, Neser led the bowling effort with four wickets, while Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland chipped in with two apiece.

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SYDNEY: Seamer Matthew Potts and spinner Shoaib Bashir were included in a 12-man England squad on Friday for the fifth Ashes Test against Australia as the tourists look to finish the series on a high.

Potts is the only unused fast bowler from their original 16-man squad and gets his chance after Gus Atkinson limped off with a hamstring issue at the previous Test in Melbourne, which England won inside two days.

Fellow quicks Jofra Archer and Mark Wood have similarly succumbed to injury.

Wood (knee) only played the first Test in Perth while Archer was ruled out after the third Test in Adelaide with a side strain.

Australia have already won the series and retained the urn.

Potts is expected to add to his 10 caps in Sydney on Sunday, having last played a Test in December 2024, as a direct replacement for Atkinson.

Bashir and Will Jacks will vie for the final spot.

Bashir was considered England’s top spinner when they arrived in Australia but has yet to play with all-rounder Jacks preferred.

Australia lead the five-Test series 3-1, but England gained confidence from their frantic, four-wicket Melbourne victory.

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Opener Zak Crawley said it would be a “pretty good series” if they managed to end it 3-2 down.

“I think there’s a big difference just internally in the group,” he said when asked the difference between losing 4-1 or 3-2.

“It just shows a lot about our group and how united we are if we can get a win.

“It might not go our way, but if we can put up a good performance this week, that says a lot about the group.”

The Sydney Cricket Ground’s head curator, Adam Lewis, is under pressure to produce a pitch that helps both bat and ball after the Melbourne wicket was heavily slanted in favour of the fast bowlers.

Batting on that track, which was labelled “unsatisfactory” by the International Cricket Council, was treacherous.

Lewis told reporters his ground staff were aiming for six millimetres of grass, compared to the 10 in Melbourne.

“The only thing we can’t control is the weather,” said Lewis, with rain showers expected on Sunday and Monday.

“We’re just trying to prepare a pitch that’s a great balance for bat and ball.”

England squad for fifth Ashes Test

Ben Stokes (c), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue

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