Category: Cricket

• ‘The nicest man in cricket’ closes 15-year England career

• Dislocated shoulder ruled him out of winter Ashes tour

Chris Woakes has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing to a close a near 15-year England career that delivered two World Cup wins and an abundance of memories in the Test arena.

The 36-year-old had been eyeing a spot on this winter’s Ashes tour as the senior pro among England’s fast bowlers, only for the dislocated shoulder suffered during the fifth Test against India this summer to rule him out.

• Key all but confirms Woakes’ international career is over

• Brook replaces Pope as vice-captain for Ashes series

Rob Key has all but confirmed Chris Woakes has played his last game for England and insisted Harry Brook’s promotion to vice-captain for the Ashes is not “an elaborate scheme” to oust Ollie Pope from the team.

Speaking a day after naming a 16‑man squad to take on Australia, Key, the team director, clarified the selections – not least the late switch in deputy for Ben Stokes – and confirmed Woakes missed out because of the dislocated shoulder sustained during the final Test of the summer.

While he could be funny, he was also firm and players knew where they stood with umpire who became as famous as them

Dickie Bird may well have been the most consistent, the most famous and the most loved umpire in cricket history and yet when he pitched up at the grounds of ambitious county teams in the 1970s and 80s there would often be groans in the home dressing room.

Dickie’s presence was bound to enliven the game but it would also make it harder to win. Dickie was a cautious umpire, who required certainty before he raised his finger to send a batsman back to the pavilion (often with a bellowed “That’s Out”). To win games, which usually meant taking 20 wickets, the bold captain would prefer one of the more cavalier umpires on the circuit, who might later boast of his hundred victims by the end of May, to be officiating.

• Wood, Archer, Atkinson, Carse and Tongue lead attack

• Will Jacks gets nod over Rehan Ahmed as reserve spinner

Already the quickest scoring team in Test cricket, England will hit Australia with their fastest bowling attack in a generation – perhaps all time – after announcing their 16-man squad for this winter’s Ashes.

A late curveball from Rob Key’s panel is the inclusion of Surrey’s Will Jacks, offering an attacking option with the bat and serving as the reserve spinner to Shoaib Bashir. Otherwise the squad is largely as expected, including confirmation that Harry Brook, not Ollie Pope, will be vice-captain to Ben Stokes when the first Test begins in Perth on 21 November.

• Chris Woakes a risk after dislocating shoulder

• Rehan Ahmed also in frame as second spinner

Matthew Potts could be handed a spot in England’s main Ashes squad when Rob Key and the selectors finalise their plans for Australia. While the head coach, Brendon McCullum, has said to expect few surprises after a settled period for the Test side, Jamie Overton’s withdrawal from first-class cricket – plus uncertainty over the fitness of Chris Woakes – does mean there are final decisions to be made this week as regards the seamers.

The core of this group picks itself, with Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue all considered bankers – none are expected to play the final round of the County Championship – and optimism that Mark Wood is on track for a return after undergoing knee surgery in March.

The remarkable Phil Salt fell just short of another century as England chased 197 down with 14 balls remaining

1st over: Ireland 7-0 (Stirling 5, Adair 1) Luke Wood takes a couple of deliveries to get going. His first ball is a wide; his first legal delivery is larruped to the cover boundary by Stirling.

The rest of the over is better. An inswinging yorker is well defended by Stirling, who then inside edges past the stumps.