England’s ‘Bazball’ Message Dead – A Turning Point or the End of an Era? When Ben Stokes sat down after the defeat in Brisbane, the tone of the man was unmistakably different to the one who faced cameras after Perth. In the space of four days, something seemed to shift. The defiance was stil...

England 2-0 Down in Ashes After Gabba Hammering Leaves Hopes in Ruins If the Ashes were billed as England’s moment to reclaim an old prize, the reality after fewer than six days of cricket is brutally different. A two-day defeat in Perth was painful; an eight-wicket thrashing at the Gabba feels te...

Matthew Hayden Questions Jofra Archer at the Gabba In the theatre of the Ashes, every detail becomes a talking point, every gesture a symbol. And on the morning of the third day at the Gabba, Jofra Archer walked into the spotlight without bowling a ball. The England fast bowler, under his arm, carri...

Ashes Drama Returns in Four Overs of Chaos Different day, different Test, different city and a whole new ground — yet somehow it felt like déjà vu. The Ashes had barely caught its breath after England were swept aside inside two days in Perth, and already the second Test in Brisbane erupted into...

Helmet reminders, Pope’s honesty, and England’s off-field scrutiny ahead of the second Ashes Test There are few places in world sport where the spotlight burns hotter than an Ashes tour of Australia. From the moment an England squad steps off the plane, every move is filmed, clipped, analysed an...

If the opening Test of an Ashes series is supposed to set the tone, then this one felt like a punch in the stomach for England. A brutal collapse, a couple of bright sparks, and a storm of Australian ruthlessness have left fans already chewing their nails before the second Test has even begun. This ...

Smith Aims Bizarre Jibe at Former Spinner Panesar on Eve of Ashes Opener In the days leading up to a blockbuster Ashes series, you’d typically expect discussions about team strategy, conditions, selection calls, or perhaps the familiar mind games between two of cricket’s most storied rivals. Ins...

‘It Felt Like God’s Hand on My Brain’ – Revisiting Ashton Agar’s Unforgettable Ashes Debut Some Ashes stories feel too wild to be true — and yet they happen anyway. In July 2013, at Trent Bridge, a 19-year-old kid who wasn’t even supposed to be on the tour produced one of the most extr...

Boland Says Root Is England Player to ‘Keep Quiet’ in Crucial Ashes Battle As the Ashes countdown ticks toward the first ball in Perth, the familiar pre-series mind games have begun—and this time, Scott Boland has made it clear who Australia will be keeping an especially close eye on. Accordin...

Why Perth, the Optus & the Ashes Present England’s Moment of Opportunity A sun-drenched Saturday morning at Lilac Hill was supposed to be a gentle pre-Ashes warm-up, a place where England could ease into their preparations under swaying trees and the quiet hum of ex-pat chatter. Instead, it be...