Ian Bell will replace injured Kevin Pietersen at number four in the England batting order in this week's third Ashes Test against Australia, captain Andrew Strauss said on Monday.
Ian Bell will replace injured Kevin Pietersen at number four in the England batting order in this week's third Ashes Test against Australia, captain Andrew Strauss said on Monday. Strauss also expects paceman Andrew Flintoff to be available after he bowled England to a victory in the second Test at Lord's despite a painful knee.
The 29-year-old right-hander was ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes series following an operation on his troublesome Achilles tendon injury on Wednesday, which is expected to take six weeks to heal.
England's experienced batsman Paul Collingwood reckons his unfinished partnership with Andrew Strauss will serve as an example for his teammates who just have to "change their mindset" when playing in sub-continental conditions.
England extended their overall lead over Australia to 267 with all second-innings wickets intact after declining to enforce the follow-on on the third morning of the second Ashes Test at Lord's on Saturday. At lunch, England were 57 for no wicket in their second innings with captain Andrew Strauss (24 not out) and Alastair Cook (32 not out) taking full toll of some short-pitched bowling from the Australian pace attack.
Australia claimed four wickets in the final session to reduce England from 196 for no wicket to 364 for 6 by close on Day 1 of the second Ashes Test.
England will play five bowlers in the second Ashes Test against Australia starting at Lord's on Thursday after releasing reserve batsman Ian Bell.
England last pair Jimmy Anderson and Monty Panesar proved their country's unlikely batting heroes when the hosts defied the rules of probability by drawing the first Ashes test against Australia on Sunday.
Contrary to media reports, England batsman Andrew Strauss claimed his team-mates are happy to be returning to India for the two-Test series later this month, notwithstanding the Mumbai terror attacks. With the dust gradually settling down, Strauss said it is the right decision to resume the tour.
Mitchell Johnson claimed two wickets as England's top order was dismissed in the morning session on the opening day of the first Ashes Test.
Spinners Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar were both included in the England side while Australia opted to play their only specialist spinner Nathan Hauritz.
The England cricket team has been fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during the fourth and last Test against South Africa in Johannesburg.
Captain Graeme Smith praised South Africa for not running "out of puff" while his England counterpart Andrew Strauss said his team's defeat in the fourth and final Test left a "bitter taste".
England fast bowler Graham Onions has been hailed as a legend after taking his team to an incredible third Test draw against South Africa
South Africa moved into a strong position to win the third Test and level the series after England, chasing an unlikely 466 to win, were reduced to 132 for three at the close on the fourth day at Newlands on Wednesday.
England captain Andrew Strauss described his team's crushing innings victory over South Africa on Wednesday as one of the best away wins he had experienced.
Captain Andrew Strauss defied a lively South African attack to steer England to 88 for one on the second day of the first Test on Thursday. South Africa made 418 in their first innings and claimed an early wicket when Friedel de Wet had Alastair Cook caught behind for 15 but the hosts failed to make another breakthrough.
England coach Andy Flower was keen to praise his captain Andrew Strauss as thoughts turned to the Ashes series against Australia. Strauss led England to an emphatic series victory over West Indies on Monday, their last Test cricket before the battle with Ricky Ponting's Australians begins in July.
England skipper Andrew Strauss has said that his team's transformation into a winning combination is due to the players becoming fearless risk-takers when competing with the best teams in the world.
England are prepared for a South Africa backlash in the fifth and final One-dayer on Friday, said captain Andrew Strauss.
The 35-year-old had put together a record partnership of 307 runs for the sixth wicket with Brad Haddin before the wicketkeeper was caught by Paul Collingwood off the bowling of Graeme Swann for 136.
After showing splendid skills with both bat and ball during the Ashes, Stuart Broad was being touted as Andrew Flintoff's natural heir, but England skipper Andrew Strauss doesn't think so.
Pope, who made his Test debut against India in 2018, is yet to play white-ball cricket for England and Strauss feels although the youngster will fare well in the limited overs format, he should focus on Test cricket for the time being.
New Zealand was not the first-choice venue for Andrew Strauss to relaunch his England career after he was banished to the wilderness two years ago.
West Indies cruised to a six wicket victory over England in a one-off Twenty20 international in Trinidad on Sunday. The hosts' excellent bowling and fielding restricted England to a modest 121 in 19.1 overs before Ramnaresh Sarwan's 59 put them in control and set up victory with two overs to spare.
England team will not fall into the same Ashes trap that snared Michael Vaughan's men four years ago, claims current skipper Andrew Strauss.
England are in no danger of allowing their euphoria at regaining the Ashes to obscure the amount of work still ahead of them, captain Andrew Strauss said on Wednesday.
England will make an announcement on Friday about whether injured all-rounder Andrew Flintoff will return home from the tour of the Caribbean. Flintoff is not playing in the fourth Test in Barbados after suffering a hip injury during the drawn third Test in Antigua last week.
An opening stand of 229 featuring a century from captain Andrew Strauss lifted England to a commanding 301 for three on the first day of the fourth Test against West Indies in Barbados on Thursday. Strauss made an excellent 142 after winning the toss and was well assisted by Alastair Cook, who struck 94, in a record England first-wicket partnership against West Indies.
The Antigua Recreation Ground has been the scene of some magnificent batting performances and while Andrew Strauss's 169 on Sunday was not of the magnitude of some, the value of the innings to England was immeasurable. After the tourists were dismissed for a woeful 51 in their innings and 23 run defeat to West Indies in Kingston last week, the team and their captain badly needed a convincing performance in the rescheduled third Test of the series.
Gautam Gambhir, Mitchell Johnson, Andrew Strauss and Mahendra Singh Dhoni have all been short-listed for the top honour at the LG ICC Awards 2009. In addition, Gambhir, Johnson and Strauss are also short-listed for the Test Player of the Year alongside Sri Lanka's Thilan Samaraweera at the sixth annual LG ICC Awards, presented in association with the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA).
A devastating spell of fast bowling from Brett Lee at Lord's on Saturday helped Australia to a seven wicket win and an unassailable 4-0 lead in the seven-match one-day series against England. Lee claimed five for 49 from nine overs to restrict England to just 220 all out from 46.3 overs after they had won the toss in good batting conditions on a sunny morning.
England captain Andrew Strauss and his Australia counterpart Ricky Ponting reached common accord on Sunday after the home side regained the Ashes on an emotional evening at the Oval.
The bitter circumstances of Kevin Pietersen's step-down from captaincy notwithstanding, newly-appointed England skipper Andrew Strauss says he remains a "positive" person focussed on doing well with the bat.
England cricket captain Andrew Strauss said on Tuesday he trusts players who intend to compete in the lucrative Indian Premier League to remain committed to playing for England as their main priority.
The newly-appointed England captain said he had to think carefully about his decision to take over when approached by England and Wales Cricket Board chiefs on Wednesday.
England's selectors will meet on Friday to discuss the squad and captain for their one-day and Twenty20 games against West Indies after confirming that Andrew Strauss would captain the Test team. Coach Peter Moores was sacked on Thursday and England have yet to decide on his replacement for the West Indies tour or the return home series against them and the subsequent Ashes clash with Australia.
Captains Ricky Ponting and Andrew Strauss were focussing on the positives taken from a fluctuating third Test which ended in a draw on Monday.
England dominated Day 2 of the third Test at Edgbaston, reaching 2-116 at stumps after James Anderson helped skittle Australia for 263.
England fast bowlers James Anderson and Graham Onions dismissed Australia for 263 on the second day of the third Ashes Test. England were 56 for one in reply at tea with captain Andrew Strauss on 33 and Ravi Bopara on 23.
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