England fast bowler Gus Atkinson has been ruled out of the fifth and final Ashes Test in Sydney after tearing his left hamstring, the team said on Monday.
Cricket Australia has decided against centralising control over Test pitch preparation, maintaining that local curators are best suited to create unique and high-quality surfaces, despite criticism following the Ashes series.
Ben Stokes calls England's 4-1 Ashes loss his toughest phase as captain but vows to restore pride in the upcoming home Test summer, with ECB backing leadership.
If selected, it would be the fast-medium pacer's first Test since taking five wickets in a heavy defeat by New Zealand in Hamilton a year ago.
England lost both matches by eight wickets and will relinquish all hopes of regaining the Ashes if they are unable to win the third Test, which begins at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday.
England called up spinner Shoaib Bashir and seamer Matthew Potts for the final Ashes Test against Australia beginning on Sunday with one of them set to fill the void created by Gus Atkinson's injury-induced absence.
Tongue claimed a five-wicket haul in the first innings to help skittle Australia for 152 with best figures of 5-45, and then triggered a batting collapse in the second innings with fellow pacer Gus Atkinson leaving the pitch due to injury.
Fast bowler Jofra Archer was ruled out of the rest of the Ashes series with a left side strain.
England captain Ben Stokes was forced off the field because of injury on Day 4 of the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia on Wednesday.
Australia finished marginally on top at the end of a chaotic opening day of the fourth Ashes Test after an extraordinary 20 wickets fell in front of a record crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
Mitchell Starc, who picked up 26 wickets in four matches with an average of 17.42, has moved one rung up to share the second spot with Pakistan spinner Noman Ali.
England have not won a first Ashes Test in Australia in nearly 40 years, nor beaten the hosts in Perth since 1978.
Australia dominated day two of the second Ashes Test on Friday with a punishing batting assault on a lifeless Gabba pitch as England fumbled their chances in the field.
As 20 wickets fell on the first day of the fourth Ashes Test on Friday, the carnage prompted sharp criticism from former England cricketers.
Former England captain Hussain won the toss in the first Ashes Test of the 2002/03 series, electing to field first at the Gabba in a decision that dumbfounded some of his teammates.
It was a relieved Ben Stokes bidding good riddance to more than a decade of pain for English cricket in Australia on Saturday as his team rallied from the depths to complete a drought-breaking Test win in Melbourne.
'Bowl fast when there's nothing going on, champion,' Smith snapped after Archer let him know he wasn't easing up despite the situation.
England must look to stamp their authority on the Ashes series in Australia early or risk succumbing to yet another defeat Down Under, former England bowler Stuart Broad has warned.
Australia stormed to an eight-wicket victory in the second Ashes Test on Sunday to take a 2-0 series lead as England succumbed on day four to a pace blitz from unlikely hero Michael Neser.
Their last eight Tests in Perth have all been defeats, with the most recent setback a bitter innings and 41-run capitulation in 2017 that saw Joe Root's team surrender the urn.
Surrey seamer Matthew Fisher has been added to the squad and will link up with the group this week, having been in Australia with the England Lions.
The hosts lost six wickets in the first session for 94 runs after resuming on four for no loss on Day 2 of the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne.
Batting at No. 8, Gus Atkinson smashed an unbeaten 74 off 81 balls, including four sixes and five fours, punishing the Sri Lankan bowlers in the final session.
Gus Atkinson took a hat-trick as England stayed on course for a dominant victory in the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday, reaching 378 for 5 at the close of play on Day 2 with an imposing lead of 533.
The Ashes could be decided within days at an Adelaide Oval furnace where England's hopes of wresting back the urn will fire anew or flame out entirely against a strengthened Australia.
Mark Wood, who was one of England's standout bowlers in the 2021-22 series when he claimed 17 wickets, had been sidelined since February due to a knee injury and was hoping to build up match fitness in this week's warm-up match ahead of the Ashes.
Four-Test-old all-rounder Jacob Bethell was awarded his maiden central contract by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) which offered two-year deals to 14 multi-format cricketers, including Test captain Ben Stokes and injury-plagued pacer Jofra Archer.
'The tailenders should have looked to bat with Jamie Smith. Really poor from the batters towards the end. The plan should have been to give him the strike and let him do the heavy lifting.'
England 'quietly confident' heading into Ashes series, says Wood
Spin-bowling all-rounder Will Jacks will replace paceman Mark Wood in an otherwise unchanged England side for the second Ashes Test against Australia in Brisbane.
Mitchell Starc made a late-career bid for all-rounder status when he scored a half-century and grabbed two wickets under the Gabba floodlights to push Australia to the brink of victory at the close of day three of the second Ashes Test.
Vampires, murders, superheroes and romantic reunions galore, it's quite a package of emotions on OTT this week.
In the midst of crime and cop shows all over, a family comedy comes as a relief, notes Deepa Gahlot.
Taking his 17th Test five-wicket haul, he finished with 7 for 58 off 12.5 overs.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 1st Ashes Test played in Perth on Friday.
Cameron Green's versatility -- the ability to bat anywhere in the order, bowl seam and contribute with superb fielding -- makes him one of the most sought-after names in this year's IPL auction.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 1st Ashes Test in Perth on Saturday.
Gus Atkinson scored a superb maiden century as England's lower order collected quick runs against a ragged Sri Lanka bowling attack to post 427
Australia have suffered another blow ahead of the Ashes opener against England after fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was ruled out due to a hamstring injury on Saturday, further weakening their bowling attack after the loss of captain Pat Cummins.
Fast bowler Gus Atkinson and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith will make their red-ball debuts for England in the first of the three-match home series
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