New Zealand need 254 runs to defeat England in the opening Test of the three-match series after bowling the hosts out for 226 in their second innings at Lord's on Friday.
Ollie Robinson marked his return to England's Test side with a four-wicket haul as New Zealand slid to 61-6 at stumps, trailing by 79 runs after a see-saw opening day of the three-match series at Lord's on Thursday.
Mitchell Starc and Ben Stokes set the scene for a dramatic Ashes series.
'I'm sure if it ever ... comes to it, I'll be asked my opinion and he'll be getting my full support and backing.'
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.
Two New Zealand radio presenters were suspended on Wednesday for bringing in Ben Stokes' mother on-air without her knowledge after England's four-wicket loss to West Indies in the ICC World Twenty20 final on Sunday. When Deborah Stokes, who resides in New Zealand where her son Ben was born and raised, called in to complain about her son being "bagged" on the station, she was put straight to air despite assuring that she was off-air. Ben's mother was heard accusing the station of having fun at his expense where many star cricketers backed the young all-rounder. Mrs Stokes, who was herself a prominent cricketer in NZ, continued on to stand up for her son, the broadcasters tricked her saying they were writing down her complaint to alert the station head and the hosts. But they kept misleading her; assuring the conversation was off-air.
England captain Ben Stokes dismissed claims his team was "arrogant" following their capitulation in the first Ashes Test against Australia in Perth last week as preparations for the second game in the five-match series continued on Saturday.
England's Ashes hopes rest largely on the all-round performance of talismanic captain Ben Stokes, who took 17 wickets against India in the recent home series.
The astronomical fee paid for Ben Stokes at the IPL auction is a confirmation of his status as the modern game's finest all-rounder.
Only three England captains have secured the urn in Australia in the last 50 years, with Andrew Strauss the last in 2010/11.
England's Ben Stokes has been ruled out of the fourth and final Test against Pakistan at The Oval due to a calf injury but the all-rounder refused to write off his chances of playing in the subsequent limited overs matches against the same opponents.
England all-rounder Ben Stokes, born in New Zealand, played a crucial role in England's World Cup victory and he starred for the hosts in the final match against New Zealand.
Brendon McCullum will continue as England's head coach in all three formats, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Monday, despite the team's lacklustre performances and lingering questions about their dressing-room culture.
Batting great Alistair Cook says England's 2-2 home series draw against Shubman Gill-led India was against "not a great Indian side", flagging concerns over the team's preparation for the Ashes.
Captain Ben Stokes brushed off concerns about England's Ashes preparations on Wednesday, saying there was no way the squad could prepare in the same way touring teams of the past had, given the demands of the modern game.
Both Stokes and McCullum are contracted until 2027 and have publicly expressed their desire to stay on beyond the current tour.
It is understood that Rajasthan Royals will 'wait' for Stokes to get back to the management and only if the cricketer confirms his availability for the second half, it will take things forward.
England trail 2-0 in the five-Test series after being outplayed with bat, ball and in the field during the eight-wicket loss in the day-night match in Brisbane.
'Stokes, to me, has been a phenomenon this season'
England captain Ben Stokes tried to focus on the positives after his team's agonising six-run loss to India in their riveting final Test at The Oval on Monday.
England's Stokes praises Australia's Head, supports his own errant batters
England captain Ben Stokes broke his own record for the most overs bowled by himself during a Test series.
Ben Stokes, who played a few memorable knocks this year, especially at the ICC World Cup final and then powering England to victory at Headingley in the Ashes, beat Lewis Hamilton, Raheem Sterling among others to win the coveted crown.
With this the classy all-rounder has achieved a rare milestone that few legends of the game can boast of.
Ben Stokes becomes 3rd all rounder to have 7,000 runs, 200 wickets in Test cricket
Virat Kohli celebrated his first run against KKR passionately after scoring consecutive ducks in his previous two matches and slammed a magnificent hundred to steer RCB home.
Ben Stokes acknowledged that missed opportunities early in the match allowed India to take firm control of the second Test at Edgbaston
The England players have come in for heavy criticism since Australia wrapped up an 82-run win in the third Test in Adelaide on Sunday to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.
The 33-year-old Stokes had surgery on his left hamstring in December after suffering a tear during the third Test against New Zealand, which ruled him out of action for a prolonged period.
'Sometimes vice-captains aren't brilliant captains.'
Ben Stokes thrives on his battles with some of the sport's most competitive players as it tends to bring out the best in the feisty England all-rounder, who is hoping to recover quickly from his nightmare end to the World Twenty20 tournament.
Ben Stokes' lengthy bowling spells against India in the third Test shows the England all-rounder has full confidence in his body after coming through injury layoffs, batter Joe Root said.
Ben Stokes' lengthy bowling spells against India in the third Test shows the England all-rounder has full confidence in his body after coming through injury layoffs, batter Joe Root said.
'We thought they deserved a century there (about the decision to not shake hands). Every match going till the last session on the last day.'
Jonny Bairstow supports Liam Livingstone's criticism of the England cricket hierarchy's level of care for players, highlighting concerns about the system's support for those outside the core group and the need to rebuild connections with county cricket.
Fast bowler Jofra Archer was ruled out of the rest of the Ashes series with a left side strain.
Former captain Michael Vaughan is astonished by England's decision to bowl first on a dry Headingley wicket, a decision that backfired as India finished at 359 for 3 on day one of the first Test in Leeds.
'What a player he is. He bowls, bats and executes a crucial run out of Rishabh Pant but there is no talk of workload management. But with India it is not like that.'
England Captain Ben Stokes was involved in a heated on-field exchange with Australia's No.3 Marnus Labuschagne, an incident that drew strong reactions from former players in the commentary box.
'I thought, I've just lost the World Cup. I couldn't believe it.'
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances