South Africa beat England by 51 runs in the third Test at Lord's on Monday to win the series 2-0 and become the world's top-ranked side in place of the hosts.
Jonny Bairstow hit the highest score of the match to lead an England fightback against South Africa on day two of the third and final Test on Friday, keeping alive their hopes of the win they need to square the series.
England captain Andrew Strauss said there would be no knee-jerk reaction to the 3-0 series defeat by Pakistan that has seen his team's lead at the top of the Test rankings slashed to one point.
Sixteen wickets tumbled on the opening day of the third and final Test as England limped to 104 for six after skittling hosts Pakistan for 99.
Persistent rain fell all day, after heavy rain overnight, and play was finally called off at 1535 local time. By that stage almost all of the spectators had left and they will be entitled to a full refund on their tickets.
If there is an England -India match at Trent Bridge, there has to be some controversy or the other.
If there is an England -India match at Trent Bridge, there has to be some controversy or the other.
Former captain Paul Collingwood and wicketkeeper Matt Prior have been dropped from England's squads for upcoming one-day and Twenty20 internationals against Sri Lanka, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Tuesday. Wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter and all-rounder Samit Patel have been recalled for both squads while fast bowler Steven Finn is also a surprise selection.
For the second match in a row, Rahul Dravid found himself at the receiving end of controversial umpiring decisions as he was given out for caught behind in India's second innings in the final Test against England at the Oval.
In no way it could have changed the course of the match. However, it could very much have prolonged it, taking it into a fifth day.
# Ishant Sharma (4/59) recorded his best bowling figures against England, surpassing the 3 for 57 in Chennai in December 2008.
Half centuries from Alistair Cook (96), Eoin Morgan (79) and Matt Prior (73, batting) helped England take control of proceedings on Day 1 of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's on Friday.
Hitting out at the Australian players for their mindless sledging during the Perth Test, former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff described it as "outright abuse".
England selected Craig Kieswetter instead of Matt Prior on Thursday in a one-day squad captained by the returning Andrew Strauss for next week's match against Scotland and the series which follows against Australia. South African-born wicketkeeper-batsman Kieswetter, who completed his four-year qualification process in February, was in explosive form in England's recent Twenty20 World Cup triumph.
# Stuart Broad has recorded his best bowling figures in a Test series, taking 25 wickets at 13.84 runs apiece. He is the top wicket-taker in the series.
# The second wicket partnership of 94 runs between Craig Kieswetter and Kevin Pietersen is Engalnd's best for any wicket against South Africa in the World Cup, obliterating the 55-run partnership between Matt Prior and Owais Shah for the fourth wicket at Cape Town on September 16, 2007.
England wicketkeeper Matt Prior has said that his side could have lost the second Test against India at Trent Bridge on the first day itself but an epic effort, built on resilience and hard work, saw them through to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the series.
England wicketkeeper Matt Prior has said that his side could have lost the second Test against India at Trent Bridge on the first day itself but an epic effort, built on resilience and hard work, saw them through to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the series.
# Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen were associated in a partnership of 162 -- England's highest for the third wicket against India at Trent Bridge.
Indian opener Virender Sehwag was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year for the second time in a row.
England's saviour in the second innings, Matt Prior said he was nervous when he walked out to bat after half of his team had been dismissed in the second innings of the first cricket Test against India at Lord's, London.
England required nine further wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series against world number one side India at the close of the penultimate day of the first Test at Lord's on Sunday. After wicketkeeper Matt Prior had completed his sixth Test century India, set 458 to win, were 80 for one with a maximum 98 overs to be bowled on Monday's final day.
Images from Day 4 in the first Test between India and England, at Lord's.
England's Ashes touring party will have seven batsmen, with six listed to play in every Test, at least until things go wrong, and Eoin Morgan will start as the seventh choice, unless injuries intervene, claims noted cricket writer and commentator Scyld Berry in a write-up for the Sunday Telegraph.
Sri Lanka were 112 for three wickets after England declared their innings on 377 for eight at the close of the fourth day of the third and final Test on Sunday.
Experienced Matt Prior on Wednesday got the nod ahead of Steve Davies as the lone wicketkeeper in England's 15-man squad for the February 19-April 2 Cricket World Cup in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. An out-of-form Paul Collingwood, who was dropped for Sunday's first ODI at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, also found a place as did injured fast bowler Stuart Broad.
England wicketkeeper Matt Prior has insisted that he did not break the Lord's dressing room window during the second Test against Sri Lanka deliberately, saying the incident was a 'freak accident' and he felt 'stupid' about it.
England's Matt Prior has been reprimanded by the ICC but escaped a fine after breaking a window in the Lord's Pavilion following his run-out in the drawn Test against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting, the second most prolific Test batsman of all time, has struggled at the crease so far in the Ashes series against England.
Though England have fought brilliantly in the World Cup so far, they haven't played very well, the team's wicketkeeper and makeshift opener Matt Prior said in Colombo ahead of the quarter-final match up with Sri Lanka on Saturday.
Returning all-rounder Stuart Broad grabbed five wickets to spare England's blushes as they edged to a 16-run win over perennial whipping boys Canada in a World Cup warm-up match on Wednesday.
A dominant Alastair Cook scored 189 and Ian Bell his first century against Australia as England took a commanding first innings lead of 208 at the close of play on the third day of the fifth Ashes Test on Wednesday.
England's Jonathan Trott overcame a painful blow to the knee to strike a brave century, as he and Matt Prior savaged Australia's attack to build a 346-run lead at stumps on the second day of the fourth Test on Monday.
England could go through the entire tour of Australia unbeaten according to wicketkeeper Matt Prior, who scored a century to help the tourists grind out a draw against state side Victoria over the weekend.
Wicketkeeper Matt Prior dug England out of deep trouble with an unbeaten 84 on the first day of the third Test on Wednesday as Pakistan reversed their terrible form of the first two Tests.
England produced another typically inconsistent batting performance as the ghosts of Cardiff returned to haunt them in the second Ashes Test on Thursday. A score of 364 for six on the first day was disappointing after a rock-solid opening partnership of 196.
England will have to make some tough decisions about the futures of some of their most decorated senior players after they were ruthlessly exposed by Australia in a 15-day Ashes capitulation.
In 2007, Kumble achieved the feat in the final Test of the three-match series against England.
England wicket keeper Matt Prior has said that teams spirit has improved massively since skipper Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower assumed charge.
Images from the ICC Champions Trophy 2009, Group B match between England and Sri Lanka in Johannesburg on Friday.
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