After rain-marred ICC T20 World Cup preparation, England pacer Mark Wood insisted that the Three Lions will make 'no excuses' and said few players are gaming to get more runouts at the Oval to boost their confidence.
Newcastle United registered a 2-0 home win over Chelsea on Sunday that moves the Magpies a step closer to Champions League football next season.
Manchester City and Chelsea both secured their Champions League places with victories on the final day of the English Premier League season and Newcastle United joined them despite stumbling to a last-day defeat.
Some reporters later returned to the conference room, although local press strongly condemned the player's actions, adding to criticism of the team's poor form this season, which has left them sitting 10th in the Liga MX table.
Alongside old war horses James Anderson and Stuart Broad, Jofra Archer, Matthew Potts, Saqib Mahmood, Ollie Robinson, Sam Curran and Olly Stone are also likely to fight for a place in the team for the Ashes, which will begin with the first Test at Edgbaston on June 16.
'It's also a great opportunity for myself and it's good to pass on a little bit of knowledge to the younger guys who haven't played as much Test cricket. And I am also learning from them.'
Round-up of matches from the opening weekend of the English Premier League 2024-25
Brighton & Hove Albion and Nottingham Forest maintained unbeaten starts to the Premier League season with a topsy-turvy 2-2 draw as the visitors finished with 10 men and both managers were shown red cards in a feisty clash on Sunday.
K L Rahul would look to make the most of his first red-ball outing in months ahead of the upcoming Test series against England.
England head coach Brendon McCullum believes India have arrived well-prepared and full of belief for the upcoming five-match Test series
England have named two uncapped players in Essex duo Sam Cook and Jordan Cox in the squad for the one-off Test match against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge later this month.
A superb 75 from Harry Brook and some big hitting from tailender Mark Wood earned England a pulsating three-wicket victory in the third Ashes Test.
Images from Sunday's action in the Premier League.
Images from Saturday's FA Cup quarter-finals.
PSL match between Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi in Rawalpindi rescheduled
With Stuart Broad, Jofra Archer and Chris Woakes already missing the series due to injuries and Ben Stokes taking an indefinite break to focus on his mental well-being, England fielded a depleted team, and now Wood, too, could join the list of absentees.
England pacer Brydon Carse is expecting the transitioning Indian team to put up a strong fight in the five-match Test series despite the recent retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, thanks to their "huge depth".
Mark Wood's fiery spell with the ball was instrumental in England's eight-wicket victory in the third T20 International against India in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.
England's stand-in captain Ollie Pope has no doubt that Chris Woakes will expertly spearhead their pace attack in the three-test series in Pakistan beginning in Multan on Monday.
A round-up of Saturday's action in the Premier League.
England should not be overly reliant on express pace in the next two Tests against West Indies and must consider alternating Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, former quick Darren Gough said. England opted for the express speed of Archer and Wood and the experience of James Anderson in Southampton but lost by four wickets in the series opener.
England fast bowler Mark Wood has been ruled out of the third Test against India with a jarred right shoulder.
Jannik Sinner defeated Carlos Alcaraz in a high-octane final to claim his maiden Wimbledon trophy and fourth Grand Slam crown on Sunday.
Images from Saturday's action in the Premier League.
England's Dan Lawrence will open the batting in place of the injured Zak Crawley in the first test against Sri Lanka and seamer Matthew Potts will replace Ben Stokes, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Monday.
IMAGES from the Premier League matches played on Sunday
However, with six back-to-back Tests against the Windies and Pakistan, the rotation policy could be used to keep the paces fresh.
PHOTOS from the 3rd Test Between England and West Indies on Sunday.
Liverpool moved back to the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 victory at struggling Burnley
Wood, who has 11 one-day international caps but missed the winter tour of India, is joined by fellow paceman Liam Plunkett who is yet to play for Yorkshire this season because of a calf injury.
Wood was also given a break after the series in the island nation where he went wicket-less in the first Test and took three wickets in the second.
IMAGES from the Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Sri Lanka's decision to bat first backfired when they were all out for 236 on Day 1 of the first Test.
In the absence of the injured Ollie Pope, big-hitting Harry Brook has been promoted to No 3 in what is a must-win Test for the hosts.
IMAGES from the Premier League matches played on Tuesday.
Costa Rica edged past 10-man New Zealand 1-0 in their intercontinental playoff
World No 1 Tiger Woods fired a two-under-par 70 in damp, cool conditions at Sherwood Country Club to slip one shot behind the Australian.
Images from the third T20 International between India and England, in Ahmedabad, on Tuesday.
PHOTOS from Day 1 of the third and final Test between England and the West Indies at Edgbaston on Friday.
Vice-captain Jos Buttler is expected to keep wicket following a hip problem for Friday's World Cup clash against West Indies.
