West Australian spinner Corey Rocchiccioli has continued his push for higher honours, producing a superb six-wicket haul as Cricket Australia’s XI took on Bangladesh in a tour match in Darwin.
Big Ashes twist on the cards as Aussie icon centre of England cricket raid
New England Test cricket coach Stephen Fleming has turned his attention to poaching Aussie icon Mike Hussey in a move sure to make waves in the cricket world.
Second Aussie injury blow in two days as fast bowler ruled out of Bangladesh Test series
Australia’s Test squad has suffered its second injury in two days, with fast bowler Michael Neser ruled out of the Top End series against Bangladesh, which begins next Thursday.
Young gun Campbell Kellaway explains key to Aussie Test dream ahead of Darwin audition
After making a significant adjustment in the off-season, Campbell Kellaway is struggling to find the consistency he is after as he prepares to play Bangladesh in Darwin on Thursday.
‘What?’ Stokes’ bizarre call over England drinking, clips Poms over Root as comeback addressed
Ben Stokes has revealed his ambition to coach England in the future, but ruled out any chance of ending his shock retirement from international cricket while addressing several big issues in the wake of his sudden exit from the international scene.
Stokes decoded: his concerns for Joe Root and hopes for ‘great man’ Stephen Fleming | Ali Martin
What England’s former captain did – and didn’t – say in two-hour podcast interview with his old teammates Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler
Over the course of two hours chatting to his old friends Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler on their podcast, Ben Stokes sounded at peace with his decision to retire from England duty five weeks ago. Dare we say it, refreshed and ready to go again.
Beyond playing for Durham and in franchise cricket, Stokes is “definitely” retired, however, and there was not even a hint of a possible U-turn when the home Ashes rolls around next summer. Nor, given his character, was this first interview since calling it a day ever going to be one stuffed with regret.
Continue reading...Ben Stokes rules out 2027 Ashes return but ambition is ‘to coach England one day’
Player has spoken for first time since he quit Test cricket
Former captain expresses surprise Brook not given post
Ben Stokes has trained his sights on becoming England head coach in the future and expressed concerns about Joe Root’s impending second stint as Test captain.
In his first interview since retiring from England duty back in June – a two-hour chat with former teammates Stuart Broad and Jos Buttler on the For The Love Of Cricket Podcast, Stokes once again ruled out returning for next summer’s Ashes.
Continue reading...‘I’d be a 100-Test player…’: Top contender opens up on spin race… and why he can bust Aussie myth
If Corey Rocchiccioli was a national selector, he would be penning his name in the Australian team in every single match.
No more ‘debacles’: Quicks put through paces as summer starts early amid Aussie great’s warning
Australian great Allan Border is hoping for a more even test between bat and ball as the nation’s Test team embarks on a challenging 12 month period culminating in an away Ashes against England.
Aussie connection set to bring Stokes to Big Bash revealed as $600k bidding war erupts
A Big Bash bidding war has erupted with former England Test captain Ben Stokes and New Zealand blaster Finn Allen vying to become the BBL’s most expensive ever signing.
Greatest final ever? WILD scenes in Global Super League as Peter Siddle heroics in vain in all time cricket classic
The Caribbean-based Global Super League has produced perhaps the most extraordinary final in cricket history.
Root promises not to ‘rip up’ Bazball as Aussie great admits ‘surprise’ at captaincy comeback
Joe Root has promised to not rip up England’s Bazball playbook during his second stint as Test captain.
Key talks up Fleming England reset and an imaginary future for Test team
Managing director of men’s cricket wants a team that consistently win while preparing future captains and coaches
After a chaotic and miserable eight months, in which England’s Test team lost the Ashes in Australia, a home series against New Zealand, a captain, a coach, their once rampant self-confidence and a fair amount of respect, the appointment of Stephen Fleming gives them a chance to pivot towards a future that suddenly looks beguilingly bright, if mainly because for now it exists only in the imagination.
On Friday, Rob Key, the managing director of men’s cricket since April 2022, refused to admit to making any mistakes in that time. But as he explained the process behind Fleming’s recruitment, he occasionally and inadvertently damned himself. When he spoke about creating an environment designed to hone “all these players with so much potential who need refinement”, he said: “A lot of it’s about, can we bring someone in who can get this team to do the basics bloody well?” It probably didn’t need to take four years to realise such a person might be useful.
Continue reading...Key keeping England door open for Stokes: ‘Anything’s possible with Ben’
England captain retired from international game in June
Key says Fleming will start as Test coach in September
Rob Key has opened the door for Ben Stokes to return to England’s Test team a month after the former captain’s shock international retirement, saying he “wouldn’t be surprised” if the 35-year-old decides to come back into a new-look red-ball set-up for next summer’s Ashes.
England’s managing director of men’s cricket insisted his relationship with Stokes has not frayed beyond repair should the player decide to return to the international fold. “Not at all, not as far as I’m concerned,” Key said.
Continue reading...‘Rampant cronyism’ fear in Poms coaching pick as Baz-like blunder already called out — UK View
England’s shift into the post-Bazball era has officially begun, with former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming officially appointed as countryman Brendon McCullum’s successor as the nation’s Test coach.