The Ashes Archives

Nathan Lyon ruled out of Ashes remainder with ‘significant calf tear’

MELBOURNE: Cricket Australia (CA) on Monday, confirmed that veteran spinner Nathan Lyon has been ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes series due to a significant calf tear.

The confirmation came when CA made tweaks to their squad for the ongoing away Ashes campaign, which they lead 2-0.

The tweaks meant that the reserve batter Matthew Renshaw has also been released from the squad but will remain in England and be available if the touring side suffers an injury scare.

Since the updated 16-player roster does not contain any substitutes for Lyon, fellow off-spinner Todd Murphy is set to enter the lineup after a strong maiden Test series in India earlier this year.

“It’s not looking good at the moment, it’s a significant tear to the calf and it’ll be series ending,” Andrew McDonald said, with Todd Murphy expected to replace him for the third Test at Headingley on Thursday.

“We like to have a spinner in our attack, it’s a different balance, and as you saw (on Sunday) at certain times, we had to do it differently without Nathan Lyon down the other end, which we’ve been so used to.

“At times it looked a bit chaotic, so we do like to have that spin option in the attack.”

No replacements were added to Australia’s squad while Queensland wicketkeeper batter Jimmy Peirson will remain with the team as cover for Josh Inglis, who returned to Perth following the first Test for the birth of his first child.

Earlier on Friday, veteran off-spinner arrived at the Lord’s on crutches for the third day of the ongoing second Ashes Test.

Nathan Lyon, who limped off the field from the second session on Thursday after sustaining a calf injury while fielding, looked distraught as he got medical attention on the boundary while his teammate Steve Smith hinted the off-spinner could be out of action for “a while”.

The incident happened after Nathan Lyon was spotted hobbling out with the physio in the 37th over of England’s innings briefly after completing his spell. Lyon appeared to be in obvious distress as he chased a ball to the fence and was promptly taken off from the field.

Nathan Lyon required crutches to join his teammates at Lord’s on Friday morning, as he limped into the ground’s iconic pavilion. His right calf was also covered in a bandage, with Australia expected to give an update on his fitness shortly.

The off-spinner had incidentally become just the sixth player, and the first-ever bowler, to play 100 consecutive Tests in the same match on Wednesday.

READ: Australia win second Ashes Test despite Ben Stokes century

Major blow likely for Australia as Nathan Lyon reaches Lord’s on crutches

LONDON: Australia’s veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon on Friday, arrived at the Lord’s on crutches for the third day of the ongoing second Ashes Test.

The incident happened after Lyon was spotted hobbling out with the physio in the 37th over of England’s innings briefly after completing his spell. Lyon appeared to be in obvious distress as he chased a ball to the fence and was promptly taken off from the field.

Cricket Australia had provided an update that Nathan Lyon sustained an injury to his right calf while fielding during the final session and will be assessed after the conclusion of the second day’s play.

“Update from the Australian team: Nathan Lyon suffered an injury to his right calf injury while fielding in the final session today. He will be further assessed after play,” cricket.com.au tweeted.

Meanwhile, Nathan Lyon required crutches to join his teammates at Lord’s on Friday morning, as he limped into the ground’s iconic pavilion. His right calf was also covered in a bandage, with Australia expected to give an update on his fitness shortly.

The off-spinner had incidentally become just the sixth player, and the first-ever bowler, to play 100 consecutive Tests in the same match on Wednesday.

“That’s something I’m really proud of. To be able to tick off 100 consecutive Test matches, that’s a proper stat in my head,” Nathan Lyon had said ahead of the Test. “That’s a lot of Test cricket, a lot of ups and downs. No wonder I’ve got no hair.”

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Duckett backs England’s approach as Australia hit back in 2nd Ashes Test

Ben Duckett insisted England had no regrets about their aggressive game-plan after the opener was one of several batters to fall into Australia’s short-ball trap on a dramatic day of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s.

In reply to Australia’s first-innings total of 416, England had seized back the momentum as they raced to 188-1 during Thursday’s second day of the second Ashes Test.

But Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Joe Root all perished playing needlessly attacking hook shots in response to a barrage of Australia bouncers.

That reduced England to 222-4 before captain Ben Stokes restored order with a slightly more cautious approach alongside Harry Brook as the hosts reached 278-4 by the close of play.

Despite handing Australia a lifeline, Ben Duckett was adamant there would be no recriminations in the England dressing room.

“I don’t regret it at all. I would have been gutted with myself if I had gone into my shell and gloved one to the keeper,” Duckett said after he was caught in the deep for 98 by David Warner.

“Ten metres either side of him I would have got a hundred. I’m not happy I got out but I’d rather get out like that.

“There wasn’t really any discussion. No one in that dressing room will be disappointed with how Pope got out. They will be gutted it didn’t go for six.

“Pope said ‘I’m going to smack it into the stands’ and I said ‘do it’. He was so unlucky to get a toe end on it.

“It’s the way we play our cricket. If we went into our shells and got bombed out it would be totally against the way we play.”

Duckett’s refusal to change his go-for-broke style cost him dearly as he was caught on the boundary two runs short of his hundred.

However, he defiantly claimed England’s ‘Bazball’ philosophy could eventually leave Australia, already 1-0 up in the five-match Ashes series, fatigued.

“We fought back so well. The way we batted was amazing. We were going at five or six an over even though we lost a couple of wickets,” Duckett said.

“We are in a good position. If they keep bowling bumpers with all four bowlers they are going to be quite tired, especially with back-to-back Tests.”

Earlier, Australia batsman Steve Smith scored 110 with a far more traditional approach.

Smith said Australia’s decision to switch to a short-ball policy was influenced by England’s aggressive inclinations and the change in weather conditions on Thursday.

After overcast skies that blanketed Lord’s for much of Wednesday, 24 hours later there was sunshine and easier batting conditions as a result.

“The pitch looked flat. But we had some nice tactics with some short stuff. It felt like we were in the game there,” Smith said.

“We were setting the fields and they were taking it on. We were creating chances. The way England are playing this really aggressive brand, it was creating opportunities.”

Asked if he agreed with England’s approach, Smith smiled as he said: “It was interesting. If you get under a few you might stop doing it. They stopped a bit when Ben Stokes came in and ducked a few.

“He was the only one looking to ride them, the rest were looking to take it on.

“If you are going to hit it for six, you are going to have to get a good piece of it and we had fielders there to catch it.”

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Rehan Ahmed added to England squad for second Ashes Test

LONDON: Leicestershire leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed has been added to the England Men’s Test squad for the second Men’s Ashes Test against Australia starting at Lord’s on Wednesday.

According to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the young leg-spinner was added to England squad as a cover for veteran all-rounder Moeen Ali, who struggled with a finger injury on his return.

Following his inclusion, Rehan Ahmed will join the England contingent this weekend for the second Ashes Test, which is scheduled to commence on June 28.

His selection came amidst concerns about Moeen Ali’s fitness, who returned to Test cricket after Jack Leach was forced to withdraw due to a back ailment.

Notably, Moeen Ali sustained a blister on his finger in the Ashes opener at Edgbaston which forced him to bowl significantly less in the second innings.

Meanwhile, Rehan Ahmed got a nod in selection at the back of a remarkable debut in Karachi against Pakistan.

Ahmed was the youngest English male cricketer to make his Test debut and he made it memorable by picking up seven wickets and playing a pivotal role in England’s victory over Pakistan.

He took a five-wicket haul in Pakistan’s second innings and became the youngest debut to achieve this feat.

Additionally, the prospect of Rehan Ahmed playing the second Ashes Test would make him the second-youngest player from either side to play in a Test between the two great rivals and the youngest since 1877.

England’s Ashes squad for the second Test against Australia: Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

READ: Pakistan foreign office ‘evaluating aspects’ of WC participation in India

Joe Root backs England’s aggressive tactics after Australia defeat

Joe Root backed England’s aggressive approach in their first Ashes Test defeat against Australia as the former captain admitted he wished he used Ben Stokes’ game-plan at the start of his own reign.

Joe Root was part of the England side beaten by two wickets in a thrilling conclusion to the opening Test of the Ashes series in Birmingham.

England’s commitment to the attacking principles of ‘Bazball’ was criticised in some quarters after skipper Stokes declared on the first day of the match.

But England’s players remain completely supportive of Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.

Now Joe Root has joined the chorus, insisting the only thing he would change if he had his time again would be to bring a similarly aggressive style during his own reign.

Root led England in a record 64 Tests over five and a half years, walking away last April after overseeing a draining run of one win in 17.

Asked if England would like to reverse their decision to make the fastest declaration in Ashes history, Root said: “That’s not what we’re about as a team. If I could go back in time, I’d go back and start my captaincy tenure the way Ben has and try to play in a similar manner to how he does it.

“It’s far more exciting, far more interesting and I think we are getting more out of our team and our individuals. We’re playing better cricket to watch and producing better results overall.”

England’s all-guns-blazing style has revitalised their form after a dismal run prior to McCullum’s arrival.

Far from shying away from those principles, Root believes England will be even more committed to putting pressure on Australia when the teams meet in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s next week.

“A lot of times that would peter out to a draw. The wicket we had was very slow, it could have made for a long, mundane game, but the way we went about it we gave ourselves a great opportunity to win the Test match,” Joe Root said.

“If are going to grow as a team we can’t just look at a couple of moments going against us and say ‘we need to do things differently’.

“If anything we need to double down on how we do it, completely back ourselves and make sure we get those one percents right at Lord’s.

“We feel like we’ve ran the game for five days and we might be on the wrong end of it but there’s still so much more to come in that dressing room. It’s a great spot to be in.”

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ICC penalizes England, Australia after Ashes opener

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday sanctioned both Australia and England for slow over rates during the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston.

“Australia and England have lost two points from their World Test Championship tally after they were found guilty of maintaining slow over rates during the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston,” said ICC in a statement.

The players from both sides were also fined 40 percent of their match fees.

Andy Pycroft of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanctions after both teams were ruled to be two overs short of their targets after time allowances were taken into consideration.

Australia captain Pat Cummins and England counterpart Ben Stokes accepted the sanctions, meaning there was no need for formal hearings.

The sanctions see Australia lose two World Test Championship points, leaving Cummins’ side with a total of 10 points after their first Test of the new cycle.

England are also deducted two points, meaning they are behind all eight of their rivals in the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle.

Cummins’ Australia beat India to win the WTC23 crown at The Oval earlier this month, and the current Ashes series is the first of six series that will determine Australia’s qualification chances for the next WTC Final – scheduled to be held at Lord’s in London in June 2025.

Both Australia and India were penalised for slow over rates in the WTC23 Final.

In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined 20 percent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

In addition, as per Article 16.11.2 of the ICC World Test Championship playing conditions, sides are penalised one point for each over short. Consequently, two World Test Championship points will be deducted from both teams’ points total.

READ: ‘No regrets’ Ben Stokes defends early declaration in Ashes opener

‘No regrets’ Ben Stokes defends early declaration in Ashes opener

BIRMINGHAM: England’s Test captain Ben Stokes opened up on his early declaration on the first day of the Ashes opener, stating that England wanted to “pounce” on Australia.

Opting to bat first in the Ashes opener, England put on a decent show with the bat in the first innings thanks to a brilliant 30th century by Joe Root.

With England at 393/8 in the closing minutes of the opening day and Joe Root still unbeaten on 118, England skipper made a surprising decision of calling for the declaration from the dugout.

Meanwhile, Stokes’s decision of an early declaration did not favour England as Australia, at the back of Usman Khawaja’s century, managed to finish just seven runs short.

England then piled up 273 in the second innings, setting a 281-run target for the recently-crowned World Test Champions.

Australia looked in trouble while chasing 281 when their first inning star Usman Khawaja walked back after scoring 65.

The visitors still needed 72 runs with just three wickets in hand with England sniffing the victory but Pat Cummins’s masterclass with the bat propelled Australia to an astonishing triumph.

Following England’s defeat, captain Ben Stokes came under fire on social media for the declaration but he justified the move, claiming that England wanted to “pounce” on Australia.

“I saw (the declaration) as an opportunity to pounce on Australia. No one likes to go out for 20 minutes at the back end of a day,” Stokes said following the match, as quoted by Sky Sports.

“Scoring 390 and then being able to declare sends a message to Australia about how we want to take them on.

“If we didn’t declare, would we have got that excitement like we did at the end? I’m not 100 per cent sure but I’m not going to be looking back at this game as what ifs. We just didn’t manage to get over the line.”

Ben Stokes went on to say that there were numerous points in the game where things could have gone the other way.

“I mean, look, you play cricket over five days. There’s so many things that goes on that you could look back at, you know, sort of 20 individual moments, which you could go like, ‘oh, if that happened, if that went our way could this game have been different?’ But, you know, I don’t like to look at things like that.

“We’ve managed to stand up to Australia and being in control for most of it makes it hurt a little bit more that we’ve lost but there are four more games left,” Stokes concluded.

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Pat Cummins sees Australia to thrilling win in Ashes opener

Australia captain Pat Cummins led his side to a dramatic two-wicket win over England in the first Test at Edgbaston on Tuesday.

The Ashes holders were 209-7, still 72 runs shy of a victory target of 281, when fast bowler Pat Cummins came in to bat after first-innings century-maker Usman Khawaja fell for a painstaking 65.

And after Alex Carey was out to leave Australia 227-8, the tourists still required another 54 more runs.

But Cummins and Nathan Lyon’s unbroken stand of 55 saw Australia home in a match to rival the tension of England’s two-run win in a celebrated 2005 Ashes clash at Edgbaston.

Pat Cummins, who finished on 44 not out, hit the winning boundary when he edged Ollie Robinson to third man where a diving Harry Brook knocked the ball over the rope.

Lyon, whose missed run out contributed to England’s stunning one-wicket win at Headingley in the drawn 2019 Ashes series in England, was 16 not out.

The victory left World Test champions Australia 1-0 up in the five-match series as they bid for a first Ashes campaign win in England in 22 years.

Pat Cummins had promised Australia would stick with their traditional game rather than get caught up in the hype surrounding England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach.

“One of the beauties of this series is the totally contrasting styles,” Cummins said after the nail-biting win.

“We both played to our strengths. You don’t necessarily know which style is better but it makes for good entertainment.”

Australia’s method was exemplified by player of the match Khawaja, with Cummins saying: “He showed composure in both innings, playing at his own pace, playing his own method and didn’t get caught up in anything else.”

This was just England’s third defeat in 14 Tests under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.

England were left to rue a series of missed chances throughout the match, none more so than when Lyon was dropped on just two by Stokes at square leg, after the skipper failed to hold a one-handed diving chance from a pull off Stuart Broad as he hit the turf.

Stokes had made a surprising decision to declare before stumps on the first day at 393-8.

But the unrepentant all-rounder told the BBC: “Scoring 390 and then being able to declare sends a message to Australia about how we want to take them on…

“We’ve managed to stand up to Australia and being in control for most of it makes it hurt a little bit more that we’ve lost, but there are four more games left.”

After Tuesday’s morning session was washed out by rain, Australia resumed on 107-3 with veteran seamer Broad having removed Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, the world’s two top-ranked Test batsmen, late on Monday’s fourth day.

But Khawaja was still there on 34 not out as the 36-year-old opener became only the second Australian, after Kim Hughes at Lord’s in 1980, to bat on all five days of a Test.

After nightwatchman Scott Boland fell to Broad, spinner Moeen Ali, struggling with a finger injury, struck on his Birmingham home ground.

Moeen’s first ball of the day, a rank long hop, was pulled for four by Travis Head.

But his fifth was a classic off-spinning delivery to the left-hander, taking the outside edge on its way to Joe Root at slip as a near capacity crowd erupted in celebration.

Australia reached tea at 183-5 but were quickly reduced to 192-6 when Robinson had all-rounder Cameron Green (28) chopping on to end a stand of 49 with Khawaja.

Meanwhile, Stokes, capable of swinging the old ball at a lively pace, brought himself on to bowl as the floodlights came on.

Stokes struck when he had Khawaja, who made 141 in Australia’s first innings, chopping on to end a 197-ball stay.

Part-time off-spinner Root dropped two tough and caught bowled chances offered by Carey and Cummins.

But he made no mistake with a third chance as he clung on to remove Carey for 20.

Pat Cummins, however, reignited Australia’s pursuit by launching Root for two straight sixes before finishing the job himself.

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Stuart Broad revives England’s victory bid in Ashes opener

England’s Stuart Broad took two late wickets to pile pressure on Australia as the opening Ashes Test at Edgbaston headed for a dramatic finish.

Australia were making steady progress at 78-1 in pursuit of a victory target of 281 when veteran paceman Stuart Broad removed both Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith — the world’s two top-ranked Test batsmen — to leave the Ashes holders 89-3.

At stumps on Monday, the World Test champions were 107-3, still needing a further 174 runs to win on Tuesday’s final day.

Usman Khawaja, who ended his decade-long wait for an Ashes hundred in England with 141 in Australia’s first-innings 386, was 34 not out.

And that meant the left-handed opener was set to become only the second Australian, after Kim Hughes against England at Lord’s in 1980, to bat on all five days of a Test.

Usman Khawaja, however, should have been out to just the fifth ball of the innings when he edged James Anderson but neither wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow or first slip Joe Root moved for the catch.

Usman Khawaja and fellow opener David Warner then settled in on a pitch previously labelled “soulless” by Broad.

But the breakthrough England needed came when Warner fell for 36, with Ollie Robinson’s superb seaming delivery taking the outside edge on its way to Bairstow.

Labuschagne, out for a golden duck in the first innings, reverse-swept fours off successive deliveries from off-spinner Moeen Ali.

Stuart Broad, however, proved his undoing on 13 when he poked outside off stump and was caught behind.

Smith fell in similar fashion for just six to the raucous delight of the crowd.

Australia sent in Scott Boland rather than specialist batsman Travis Head and the nightwatchman survived 19 balls to reach 13 not out at stumps.

Earlier, Australia captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon took four wickets each in England’s second-innings 273.

There were times when England looked as if they might build an impregnable lead.

But their desire to bat in the aggressive ‘Bazball’ style that has proved destructive to opponents in a run of 11 wins in 13 Tests cost them several wickets on this occasion.

England were also up against an impressive attack, fast bowler Cummins leading the way with 4-63 and off-spinner Lyon taking 4-80.

Lyon’s haul included the key scalps of Root and Harry Brook, both out for 46, as he closed in on 500 Test wickets.

England had resumed on 28-2, with both Ollie Pope and Root, who made an unbeaten 118 in the hosts’ first-innings 393-8 declared, yet to get off the mark.

Root signalled his intentions from the very first delivery, when he failed to make contact with an audacious reverse scoop off Cummins, the ball just missing his off stump.

The former England skipper was undaunted and reverse-ramped seamer Boland for six in the next over.

But Cummins hit back when he bowled Pope (14) with a thunderbolt yorker that left England 77-3.

Lyon made the breakthrough when the advancing Root slogged and missed, with wicketkeeper Alex Carey completing a neat legside dismissal as the star batsman was stumped for the first time in his Test career.

Australia were then rewarded for keeping Brook tied down when he miscued a pull off Lyon to Labuschagne.

Stokes also fell in the 40s, lbw to Cummins for 43.

Australia were now into England’s tail but the last two wickets added 44 runs before Robinson holed out in the deep off Cummins.

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Stuart Broad dismisses David Warner for the 15th time in Tests

BIRMINGHAM: England’s veteran pacer Stuart Broad continued his dominant record against David Warner by dismissing the Australian opener for the 15th time in Test cricket.

On the second day of the opening Ashes Test, Stuart Broad once again managed to get rid of his old foe David Warner, whose miserable run in red-ball cricket continued.

Australia, resuming at an overnight score of 14/0 after Ben Stokes boldly declared England’s first innings on 393/8 on Day 1, were in a state of bother when Stuart Broad castled David Warner early in the first session of Day 2.

The right-arm pacer bowled a wide and tempting delivery outside off and lured Warner to play a booming cover drive.

Warner, however, failed to execute the drive with no footwork and dragged a thick inside edge back onto the stumps before walking with a shake of the head.

It's happened again! 😅

Live clips/Scorecard: https://t.co/TZMO0eJDwY

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #ENGvAUS 🇦🇺 #Ashes pic.twitter.com/qhtIvpAYmn

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 17, 2023

Warner’s dismissal sent Broad in jubilation as the veteran pacer marched on to celebrate with his teammates.

Before the start of the Ashes, David Warner hinted at his potential Testretirement, announcing that the Sydney Test against Pakistan in January next year can be his final red-ball appearance.

Interacting with the reporters ahead of the World Test Championship Final against India at Lord’s, scheduled to commence on June 7, David Warner revealed that he wants to play his farewell Test match at his home ground Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) against Pakistan next year.

Australia are poised to take on West Indies in a two-match Test series briefly after Pakistan Tests but David Warner made it clear that he will not be a part of the Australian squad.

“You’ve got to score runs,” Warner told reporters, according to cricket.com.au.

“I probably owe it to myself and my family — if I can score runs here and continue to play back in Australia — I can definitely say I won’t be playing that West Indies series. If I can get through this [WTC final and Ashes] and make the Pakistan series I will definitely finish up then,” he said during the interaction.

In response to his plans regarding taking retirement from international cricket as a whole, David Warner hinted 2024 World Cup could be his last international outing but shared that he will continue to play franchise cricket around the world.

“I’ve always said the [2024] World Cup would probably be my final game,” shared Warner.

It is worth mentioning here that David Warner is going through a rough patch in the longest format for more than 12 months.

According to some reports, his Test future with Australia was dependent on how he coped with the Stuart Broad challenge in the Ashes.

The left-handed opener, however, would be hoping to find himself back in the runs in the next innings of the first Ashes Test in a bid to retain his spot in the Playing XI.

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