Whether <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/englands-jason-roy-is-honoured-to-receive-test-cap-from-alastair-cook-239080">Jason Roy turns out to be an inspired choice</a> to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-winner-jofra-archer-in-england-squad-for-ashes-opener-238826">open in the Ashes</a> or fails miserably to transfer his one-day form to Tests is almost an irrelevance, such have been England's struggles at the top of the order in recent years.

When Roy teamed up with Rory Burns against Ireland last week, they were England's eighth different opening partnership in the past three years and the 16th since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012.

"The Australia attack is challenging but Jason's method is a solid one,"&nbsp;said former England opener Alec Stewart who has seen plenty of Roy in his role as Surrey’s director of cricket when he proposed Roy for the job after last winter’s struggles.

"He's a good stroke player and a good hitter of the ball but he can defend well too, which you have to be able to do."

Adam Lyth, Alex Hales, James Vince, Nick Compton, Ben Duckett, Michael Carberry, Sam Robson, Haseeb Hameed, Mark Stoneman, Keaton Jennings all tried and, in varying degrees, failed. England even tried Moeen Ali and Joe Root, to no avail.

For much of that period, with Alastair Cook ever-reliable at one end, they often got away with it. But with his retirement last year things became more serious, as Jennings, Burns and Joe Denly slotted in and out and invariably failed to give England any sort of base.

So, fresh from his heroics in the World Cup, where his aggressive hitting and rapid scoring regularly set up England, Roy became less of a left-field suggestion and more a case of “why not – we’ve tried everything else?”

Despite a paucity of red-ball cricket under his belt in recent years, Roy was given his chance against Ireland, alongside Burns.

When he edged an excellent ball by Tim Murtagh to fall for five the naysayers wasted no time in writing him off -- despite the fact that Murtagh then claimed four more wickets in an acclaimed spell as England were all out for 85.

Coming in at three because England employed a night-watchman, Roy played an excellent second inning, reaching 72, before getting bowled attempting an expansive drive.

For some, that was more evidence that he does not possess the bat-all-day mentality of an opener -- not that many have done that for England in recent years -- but for others, it was an example of the yin and yang that he brings and that has been a key ingredient of the team's ODI success.

Australia’s bowlers are unlikely to be quaking in their boots at the prospect of trying to remove Burns, Jennings or Stoneman.

They might also fancy their chances of tempting Roy into something rash against a moving ball but they will also know that if he gets his eye in, he is more than capable of lashing them to all corners and getting England off to the sort of start that can set the tone for an entire test, or even the series.

Kevin Pietersen agreed, saying a year ago: “He’s got oomph, he’s got guts. It is about how guys score their runs and what their personalities are like. I would be all for Roy at the top of the order."

Whether Jason Roy turns out to be an inspired choice to open in the Ashes or fails miserably to transfer his one-day form to Tests is almost an irrelevance, such have been England's struggles at the top of the order in recent years.

Whether Jason Roy turns out to be an inspired choice to open in the Ashes or fails miserably to transfer his one-day form to Tests is almost an irrelevance, such have been England's struggles at the top of the order in recent years. When Roy teamed up with Rory Burns against Ireland last week, they were England's eighth different opening partnership in the past three years and the 16th since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012. "The Australia attack is challenging but Jason's method is a solid one," said former England opener Alec Stewart who has seen plenty of Roy in his role as Surrey’s director of cricket when he proposed Roy for the job after last winter’s struggles. "He's a good stroke player and a good hitter of the ball but he can defend well too, which you have to be able to do." Adam Lyth, Alex Hales, James Vince, Nick Compton, Ben Duckett, Michael Carberry, Sam Robson, Haseeb Hameed, Mark Stoneman, Keaton Jennings all tried and, in varying degrees, failed. England even tried Moeen Ali and Joe Root, to no avail. For much of that period, with Alastair Cook ever-reliable at one end, they often got away with it. But with his retirement last year things became more serious, as Jennings, Burns and Joe Denly slotted in and out and invariably failed to give England any sort of base. So, fresh from his heroics in the World Cup, where his aggressive hitting and rapid scoring regularly set up England, Roy became less of a left-field suggestion and more a case of “why not – we’ve tried everything else?” Despite a paucity of red-ball cricket under his belt in recent years, Roy was given his chance against Ireland, alongside Burns. When he edged an excellent ball by Tim Murtagh to fall for five the naysayers wasted no time in writing him off -- despite the fact that Murtagh then claimed four more wickets in an acclaimed spell as England were all out for 85. Coming in at three because England employed a night-watchman, Roy played an excellent second inning, reaching 72, before getting bowled attempting an expansive drive. For some, that was more evidence that he does not possess the bat-all-day mentality of an opener -- not that many have done that for England in recent years -- but for others, it was an example of the yin and yang that he brings and that has been a key ingredient of the team's ODI success. Australia’s bowlers are unlikely to be quaking in their boots at the prospect of trying to remove Burns, Jennings or Stoneman. They might also fancy their chances of tempting Roy into something rash against a moving ball but they will also know that if he gets his eye in, he is more than capable of lashing them to all corners and getting England off to the sort of start that can set the tone for an entire test, or even the series. Kevin Pietersen agreed, saying a year ago: “He’s got oomph, he’s got guts. It is about how guys score their runs and what their personalities are like. I would be all for Roy at the top of the order."

Jason Roy's method is solid, says former England opener Alec Stewart

England's star opener Jason Roy took to Twitter and said that it was an honour to receive the Test cap from legendary Alastair Cook in the one-off Test against Ireland.&nbsp;

Roy took to Twitter and wrote, "What an honour it was to receive my cap from this legend. Big boots to fill."&nbsp;

Roy, who was a vital cog for the team's title win in the recently concluded World Cup, will make his Ashes debut, which is scheduled to kick off from August 1.&nbsp;

England coach Trevor Bayliss said that Roy can resolve Test side's top order, which has been their Achilles heel "for the last six or seven years".&nbsp;

In his debut Test match, he played an inning of 5 and 72 against Ireland. England won the only match against Ireland by 143 runs.&nbsp;

And during the World Cup, Roy produced a stunning performance as he amassed 443 runs in seven innings.&nbsp;

Following is the 14-man squad: Joe Root (C), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.&nbsp;

England and Australia will compete in five Ashes Test matches from August 1 to September 16.&nbsp;

England's star opener Jason Roy took to Twitter and said that it was an honour to receive the Test cap from legendary Alastair Cook in the one-off Test against Ireland.

England's star opener Jason Roy took to Twitter and said that it was an honour to receive the Test cap from legendary Alastair Cook in the one-off Test against Ireland. Roy took to Twitter and wrote, "What an honour it was to receive my cap from this legend. Big boots to fill." Roy, who was a vital cog for the team's title win in the recently concluded World Cup, will make his Ashes debut, which is scheduled to kick off from August 1. England coach Trevor Bayliss said that Roy can resolve Test side's top order, which has been their Achilles heel "for the last six or seven years". In his debut Test match, he played an inning of 5 and 72 against Ireland. England won the only match against Ireland by 143 runs. And during the World Cup, Roy produced a stunning performance as he amassed 443 runs in seven innings. Following is the 14-man squad: Joe Root (C), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Olly Stone, Chris Woakes. England and Australia will compete in five Ashes Test matches from August 1 to September 16.

England's Jason Roy is honoured to receive Test cap from Alastair Cook

Former captain Michael Vaughan labelled <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/murtagh-rips-through-hapless-england-as-ireland-take-charge-238387">England</a> an "embarrassment" after they were dismissed for 85 before lunch on the first day of their one-off Test against Ireland.

England won the toss yet were unable to cope with the early movement as Tim Murtagh took 5-13 at Lord's, where the seamer has long been a mainstay for county side Middlesex.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/england-collapse-to-85-all-out-in-ireland-test-238217">Ireland</a>, in just their third Test, were dismissed for 207, with England ending Wednesday's opening day on 0-0, a deficit of 122 runs.

"When the ball does anything you shut your eyes and hope England get through it," Vaughan told Test Match Special.

"There were some good balls but there was also some timid play and poor strokes."

"Let's be honest, it's an embarrassment - you're at 'the home of cricket', in a Test against Ireland and you're all out for 85, there is no other word to describe it," the former Yorkshire batsman added.

England has now lost all 10 wickets in a single session four times since 2016, having previously not done so since 1938.

"All out for 85 against Ireland is probably the lowest of the low out of those," said Vaughan after England came back down to earth with a bump following their World Cup triumph at Lord's 10 days earlier.

The Ireland match is England's last Test before they attempt to regain the Ashes from Australia, starting on August 1 at Edgbaston.

"England have so much talent, they have got the game to be successful, but you worry about the mentality of the team when it becomes tricky and the ball moves around," said Vaughan.

"Unless they change their mentality when playing the moving ball, there are going to be many more days like this over the coming weeks. You wouldn't want to have third-day Test tickets for the Ashes."

But another former England captain, Alastair Cook, said all was not lost for Joe Root's side against the Irish.

"If Ireland get a few early wickets in England's second innings the pressure will be really on them because then they really should win this Test," said Cook, still opening for Essex after retiring from England duty last year.

"England are still in this game, which is remarkable after getting bowled out for 85 batting first.

"They will have to bat very well now but anything over 160-170 will be incredibly hard for this Ireland side to chase."

Former captain Michael Vaughan labelled England an "embarrassment" after they were dismissed for 85 before lunch on the first day of their one-off Test against Ireland.

Former captain Michael Vaughan labelled England an "embarrassment" after they were dismissed for 85 before lunch on the first day of their one-off Test against Ireland. England won the toss yet were unable to cope with the early movement as Tim Murtagh took 5-13 at Lord's, where the seamer has long been a mainstay for county side Middlesex. Ireland, in just their third Test, were dismissed for 207, with England ending Wednesday's opening day on 0-0, a deficit of 122 runs. "When the ball does anything you shut your eyes and hope England get through it," Vaughan told Test Match Special. "There were some good balls but there was also some timid play and poor strokes." "Let's be honest, it's an embarrassment - you're at 'the home of cricket', in a Test against Ireland and you're all out for 85, there is no other word to describe it," the former Yorkshire batsman added. England has now lost all 10 wickets in a single session four times since 2016, having previously not done so since 1938. "All out for 85 against Ireland is probably the lowest of the low out of those," said Vaughan after England came back down to earth with a bump following their World Cup triumph at Lord's 10 days earlier. The Ireland match is England's last Test before they attempt to regain the Ashes from Australia, starting on August 1 at Edgbaston. "England have so much talent, they have got the game to be successful, but you worry about the mentality of the team when it becomes tricky and the ball moves around," said Vaughan. "Unless they change their mentality when playing the moving ball, there are going to be many more days like this over the coming weeks. You wouldn't want to have third-day Test tickets for the Ashes." But another former England captain, Alastair Cook, said all was not lost for Joe Root's side against the Irish. "If Ireland get a few early wickets in England's second innings the pressure will be really on them because then they really should win this Test," said Cook, still opening for Essex after retiring from England duty last year. "England are still in this game, which is remarkable after getting bowled out for 85 batting first. "They will have to bat very well now but anything over 160-170 will be incredibly hard for this Ireland side to chase."

All out for 85 against Ireland is probably the lowest of the low: Vaughan

Alastair Cook believes England can end decades of World Cup disappointment with a triumph on home soil this year.

England have never won the men's World Cup, but with 100 days to go until the start of the latest edition, a team captained by Eoin Morgan are top of the 50-over world rankings.

Former England skipper Cook, who retired from international cricket last year as the country's highest Test run-scorer and most-capped player, said there were several reasons why Morgan's men could go one better than the England teams that lost in the 1979, 1987 and 1992 finals.

"They’re a very settled side, they’ve got 15 players pretty much nailed on for that squad," Cook told AFP at a World Cup event in London's Trafalgar Square on Tuesday.&nbsp;

"Everyone knows their role, they're very comfortable in their role, they've got a lot of strength in depth, they seem to have a lot of options covered and they're an exciting team to watch.&nbsp;

"They are a brilliant one-day side.”

Cook never played in a World Cup, with the left-handed opening batsman dramatically dropped from the squad that then failed to beat a fellow Test nation while suffering a group-stage exit at the 2015 edition in Australia and New Zealand.

But Cook said a change of attitude lay behind England's rise up the one-day rankings since that dismal display.

"Probably over the years we've really concentrated on Test cricket as a nation. Over the last three or four years we've really given the one-day cricket its due," he said.

'Sky's the limit'

It was a point emphasised by former England spinner Graeme Swann, who said: "I just think England are picking the right team these days.&nbsp;

"They're picking one-day specialists and the sky's the limit.&nbsp;

"When they bat, people like Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, they think that (scoring) 400 is feasible rather than an impossible dream. I think England have finally picked a very aggressive team as well, with Eoin Morgan, who's a brilliant captain.

"They've got a team that is putting them in firm contention to win this World Cup," insisted Swann, who added "I never thought we (England) would win it deep down when I was there."

Swann was a member of the only England men's side to have won a major global trophy -- the 2010 World Twenty20 in the Caribbean -- and sees parallels between that team and Morgan's men. &nbsp;

"The only world trophy I thought we had a genuine chance of winning was the World Twenty20 in the West Indies that we did, &nbsp;because we were ahead of the curve there.

"We picked a team of specialists, people like Craig Kieswetter, Michael Lumb -- and I think that's what England have finally started doing in the one-day game as well."

'Never write off India'

But Swann warned that England would face several tough opponents in their quest for World Cup glory.

"You can never write off India, they are an exceptional one-day team, Virat Kohli is a brilliant captain, brilliant player."

As for champions Australia, England's oldest rivals and five-times World Cup-winners, Swann said: "The Aussies are like Germany in the football -- you can never write them off at a World Cup."

Swann though said he was particularly looking forward to watching Pakistan, who won the 2017 Champions Trophy one-day tournament in Britain.

"They are so mercurial, you never know what you are going to get. When they are on fire, they are absolutely explosive and when they're not, they're awful."

Alastair Cook believes England can end decades of World Cup disappointment with a triumph on home soil this year. England have never won the men's World Cup, but with 100 days to go until the start of the latest edition, a team captained by Eoin Morgan are top of the 50-over world rankings.

Alastair Cook believes England can end decades of World Cup disappointment with a triumph on home soil this year. England have never won the men's World Cup, but with 100 days to go until the start of the latest edition, a team captained by Eoin Morgan are top of the 50-over world rankings. Former England skipper Cook, who retired from international cricket last year as the country's highest Test run-scorer and most-capped player, said there were several reasons why Morgan's men could go one better than the England teams that lost in the 1979, 1987 and 1992 finals. "They’re a very settled side, they’ve got 15 players pretty much nailed on for that squad," Cook told AFP at a World Cup event in London's Trafalgar Square on Tuesday. "Everyone knows their role, they're very comfortable in their role, they've got a lot of strength in depth, they seem to have a lot of options covered and they're an exciting team to watch. "They are a brilliant one-day side.” Cook never played in a World Cup, with the left-handed opening batsman dramatically dropped from the squad that then failed to beat a fellow Test nation while suffering a group-stage exit at the 2015 edition in Australia and New Zealand. But Cook said a change of attitude lay behind England's rise up the one-day rankings since that dismal display. "Probably over the years we've really concentrated on Test cricket as a nation. Over the last three or four years we've really given the one-day cricket its due," he said. 'Sky's the limit' It was a point emphasised by former England spinner Graeme Swann, who said: "I just think England are picking the right team these days. "They're picking one-day specialists and the sky's the limit. "When they bat, people like Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, they think that (scoring) 400 is feasible rather than an impossible dream. I think England have finally picked a very aggressive team as well, with Eoin Morgan, who's a brilliant captain. "They've got a team that is putting them in firm contention to win this World Cup," insisted Swann, who added "I never thought we (England) would win it deep down when I was there." Swann was a member of the only England men's side to have won a major global trophy -- the 2010 World Twenty20 in the Caribbean -- and sees parallels between that team and Morgan's men. "The only world trophy I thought we had a genuine chance of winning was the World Twenty20 in the West Indies that we did, because we were ahead of the curve there. "We picked a team of specialists, people like Craig Kieswetter, Michael Lumb -- and I think that's what England have finally started doing in the one-day game as well." 'Never write off India' But Swann warned that England would face several tough opponents in their quest for World Cup glory. "You can never write off India, they are an exceptional one-day team, Virat Kohli is a brilliant captain, brilliant player." As for champions Australia, England's oldest rivals and five-times World Cup-winners, Swann said: "The Aussies are like Germany in the football -- you can never write them off at a World Cup." Swann though said he was particularly looking forward to watching Pakistan, who won the 2017 Champions Trophy one-day tournament in Britain. "They are so mercurial, you never know what you are going to get. When they are on fire, they are absolutely explosive and when they're not, they're awful."

Alastair Cook confident England can end World Cup drought

Former England cricket and rugby captains Alastair Cook and Bill Beaumont headlined sporting personalities in the New Years Honours List with both men receiving knighthoods from Queen Elizabeth II.

Cook -- who has more Test centuries (33) and runs (12,472) than any other England player accrued during a record 161 Test matches -- is the first cricketer to be knighted since legendary all-rounder Ian Botham in 2007.

The 34-year-old opening batsman finished his Test career in the best possible manner with a century against India at The Oval despite having declared there "was nothing left in the tank".

"It's a fitting tribute to a man who has led with distinction on and off the pitch every since he made his England debut," England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Colin Graves said in a statement to Press Association Sport. &nbsp;

Beaumont -- chairman of the sport's governing body, World Rugby, -- skippered England to the 1980 Five Nations Grand Slam as well as captaining the British and Irish Lions.

Following his retirement as a player the 66-year-old became a much loved face on BBC television, his avuncular style adapting well to captaining a team in Question of Sport.

"I am honoured and humbled to receive this accolade from Her Majesty the Queen for services to rugby," Beaumont told World Rugby.

"I have always viewed my work in the sport as an administrator as that of a guardian, driven by a passion to do the very best I can for rugby."

Football did not miss out, with England manager Gareth Southgate and captain Harry Kane rewarded for the national side's run to this year's World Cup semi-finals.

'Thought something was wrong!'

Southgate, whose sartorial elegance in Russia saw sales of waistcoats rocket, received the middle-ranking Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) whilst Tottenham Hotpsur sharpshooter Kane garnered the lesser Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

Kane, who won the World Cup Golden Boot for finishing top scorer with six goals, said he learnt of his award from his fiancee Kate just prior to a Premier League game with Southampton in early December.

"We got a letter to the house, Kate opened the letter." he told Spurs TV.

"Normally we'd talk a little but she would never call me just before the match. I had a missed call and she texted me 'could you answer?'.

"I thought something was wrong! But Kate was excited and told me that we'd had a letter from the Queen saying we'd get an MBE."

Another British sporting success story of the year Welshman Geraint Thomas received an OBE after winning road cycling's showpiece event, the Tour de France.

Beaumont was not the only rugby personality to be honoured with former Scotland lock Doddie Weir, whose courageous battle with motor neurone disease has helped to raise its profile through his 'My Name'5 Doddie Foundation' (attn eds: correct), being awarded an OBE.

Irish rugby legend Willie John McBride -- like Beaumont a Lions captain having skippered the combined outfit's most successful side of all time on the brutal 1974 tour of South Africa, which saw them win the four-Test series 3-0 with one draw -- adds a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) to his MBE.

McBride's fellow Northern Irishman former Manchester United goalkeeper Harry Gregg, who survived the Munich air crash that killed several of the Busy Babes in 1958, received an OBE.

Horseracing, was acknowledged as well with Richard Johnson, who has been British jumps champion jockey the past three years after being runner-up on 16 occasions to legend AP McCoy, receiving an OBE.

But, as ever Johnson, has to give second best to his old rival as McCoy was knighted in 2016.&nbsp;

Former England cricket and rugby captains Alastair Cook and Bill Beaumont headlined sporting personalities in the New Years Honours List with both men receiving knighthoods from Queen Elizabeth II.

Former England cricket and rugby captains Alastair Cook and Bill Beaumont headlined sporting personalities in the New Years Honours List with both men receiving knighthoods from Queen Elizabeth II. Cook -- who has more Test centuries (33) and runs (12,472) than any other England player accrued during a record 161 Test matches -- is the first cricketer to be knighted since legendary all-rounder Ian Botham in 2007. The 34-year-old opening batsman finished his Test career in the best possible manner with a century against India at The Oval despite having declared there "was nothing left in the tank". "It's a fitting tribute to a man who has led with distinction on and off the pitch every since he made his England debut," England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Colin Graves said in a statement to Press Association Sport. Beaumont -- chairman of the sport's governing body, World Rugby, -- skippered England to the 1980 Five Nations Grand Slam as well as captaining the British and Irish Lions. Following his retirement as a player the 66-year-old became a much loved face on BBC television, his avuncular style adapting well to captaining a team in Question of Sport. "I am honoured and humbled to receive this accolade from Her Majesty the Queen for services to rugby," Beaumont told World Rugby. "I have always viewed my work in the sport as an administrator as that of a guardian, driven by a passion to do the very best I can for rugby." Football did not miss out, with England manager Gareth Southgate and captain Harry Kane rewarded for the national side's run to this year's World Cup semi-finals. 'Thought something was wrong!' Southgate, whose sartorial elegance in Russia saw sales of waistcoats rocket, received the middle-ranking Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) whilst Tottenham Hotpsur sharpshooter Kane garnered the lesser Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). Kane, who won the World Cup Golden Boot for finishing top scorer with six goals, said he learnt of his award from his fiancee Kate just prior to a Premier League game with Southampton in early December. "We got a letter to the house, Kate opened the letter." he told Spurs TV. "Normally we'd talk a little but she would never call me just before the match. I had a missed call and she texted me 'could you answer?'. "I thought something was wrong! But Kate was excited and told me that we'd had a letter from the Queen saying we'd get an MBE." Another British sporting success story of the year Welshman Geraint Thomas received an OBE after winning road cycling's showpiece event, the Tour de France. Beaumont was not the only rugby personality to be honoured with former Scotland lock Doddie Weir, whose courageous battle with motor neurone disease has helped to raise its profile through his 'My Name'5 Doddie Foundation' (attn eds: correct), being awarded an OBE. Irish rugby legend Willie John McBride -- like Beaumont a Lions captain having skippered the combined outfit's most successful side of all time on the brutal 1974 tour of South Africa, which saw them win the four-Test series 3-0 with one draw -- adds a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) to his MBE. McBride's fellow Northern Irishman former Manchester United goalkeeper Harry Gregg, who survived the Munich air crash that killed several of the Busy Babes in 1958, received an OBE. Horseracing, was acknowledged as well with Richard Johnson, who has been British jumps champion jockey the past three years after being runner-up on 16 occasions to legend AP McCoy, receiving an OBE. But, as ever Johnson, has to give second best to his old rival as McCoy was knighted in 2016.

Former England captains Alastair Cook and Bill Beaumont knighted

Uncapped Surrey batsman Rory Burns is set to replace Alastair Cook at the top of England's order after being named in a 16-man squad on Friday for the upcoming three-Test tour of Sri Lanka.

Left-handed opener Cook, England's all-time leading run-scorer, retired from international duty after bringing down the curtain on his illustrious 12-year Test career with a farewell century against India at the Oval this month.

That left England with an opening batsman vacancy.

They have now turned to Burns, who captained Surrey to the County Championship title this season, with Kent top-order batsman Joe Denly and Warwickshire paceman Olly Stone the other two uncapped players in the squad.&nbsp;

Burns has been the leading run-scorer in the English top flight this season, scoring 1,319 Championship runs at an average of over 69.

"I think Rory Burns has impressed everyone with the consistency of his run scoring.

"Not just this year when he's scored 1300 runs and led Surrey to the title, which are both significant achievements, but over five years he has consistently scored over a thousand runs (a season)," said Smith.

He was speaking to reporters at Trent Bridge on Friday after overseeing a selection meeting at Nottinghamshire's headquarters.&nbsp;

Fellow opener Keaton Jennings was retained despite struggling against Pakistan and India this season, he scored 192 runs in six Tests at a meagre average of 19.20.

"Like every opening batsman this summer Keaton Jennings found opening the batting difficult. There's no secret about that," said Smith, a former England batsman, who took over as selection chief at the start of this season.&nbsp;

"But when&nbsp;it comes to selecting a touring party we felt Keaton was in our best squad to beat Sri Lanka."

The 32-year-old Denly returned to the England set-up for the first time since 2010, when he earned nine one-day international caps and played five Twenty20s.

His leg-spin bowling could also prove useful in Sri Lanka, where pitches often provide plenty of turn.

"I played with Joe Denly when he was a very young man, you could see he was a fantastic natural athlete, a brilliant mover, talented batter, bowled leg-spin, everything came very easily to him," said former Kent captain Smith.&nbsp;

"What's happened to Joe is he's evolved into this really calm, measured performer but that touch of class is still there."

'Exciting Stone'

Warwickshire paceman Olly Stone was the third uncapped player in the squad.

The 24-year-old Stone, who was named in England's squad for the first time earlier this week for the preceding one-day series, has taken 37 wickets at just 12 apiece for Warwickshire in the County Championship this season.

He adds a measure of extra pace to an attack set to be headed up again by James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

But Smith insisted Stone had not been selected to fill a perceived need for a genuine fast bowler.

And he stressed he had been in contact with Warwickshire coach Ashley Giles, who had warned England to treat Stone "like a Ferrari".

"Obviously Olly Stone is a very exciting talent and he has been troubled by injuries, there's no secret there," said Smith.&nbsp;

"We want to catch him when he's at his best, when he's in form, bowling fast, bowling accurately, with skill, but also manage his workload.&nbsp;

"There's always a risk with any fast bowler, injuries can happen. You want to take no risks, you never select anyone for anything.&nbsp;

"However, we believe there's a way of managing his workload so we can get the best out of him without exposing him to unnecessary risks."

Smith added: "It's a bonus the fact he's got that pace. He's not there just because he's fast, he's there because he's doing a really good job and obviously it's a great asset he has that extra pace as well."

England begin a three-Test series against Sri Lanka in Galle starting on November 6.

Uncapped Surrey batsman Rory Burns is set to replace Alastair Cook at the top of England's order after being named in a 16-man squad on Friday for the upcoming three-Test tour of Sri Lanka.

Uncapped Surrey batsman Rory Burns is set to replace Alastair Cook at the top of England's order after being named in a 16-man squad on Friday for the upcoming three-Test tour of Sri Lanka. Left-handed opener Cook, England's all-time leading run-scorer, retired from international duty after bringing down the curtain on his illustrious 12-year Test career with a farewell century against India at the Oval this month. That left England with an opening batsman vacancy. They have now turned to Burns, who captained Surrey to the County Championship title this season, with Kent top-order batsman Joe Denly and Warwickshire paceman Olly Stone the other two uncapped players in the squad. Burns has been the leading run-scorer in the English top flight this season, scoring 1,319 Championship runs at an average of over 69. "I think Rory Burns has impressed everyone with the consistency of his run scoring. "Not just this year when he's scored 1300 runs and led Surrey to the title, which are both significant achievements, but over five years he has consistently scored over a thousand runs (a season)," said Smith. He was speaking to reporters at Trent Bridge on Friday after overseeing a selection meeting at Nottinghamshire's headquarters. Fellow opener Keaton Jennings was retained despite struggling against Pakistan and India this season, he scored 192 runs in six Tests at a meagre average of 19.20. "Like every opening batsman this summer Keaton Jennings found opening the batting difficult. There's no secret about that," said Smith, a former England batsman, who took over as selection chief at the start of this season. "But when it comes to selecting a touring party we felt Keaton was in our best squad to beat Sri Lanka." The 32-year-old Denly returned to the England set-up for the first time since 2010, when he earned nine one-day international caps and played five Twenty20s. His leg-spin bowling could also prove useful in Sri Lanka, where pitches often provide plenty of turn. "I played with Joe Denly when he was a very young man, you could see he was a fantastic natural athlete, a brilliant mover, talented batter, bowled leg-spin, everything came very easily to him," said former Kent captain Smith. "What's happened to Joe is he's evolved into this really calm, measured performer but that touch of class is still there." 'Exciting Stone' Warwickshire paceman Olly Stone was the third uncapped player in the squad. The 24-year-old Stone, who was named in England's squad for the first time earlier this week for the preceding one-day series, has taken 37 wickets at just 12 apiece for Warwickshire in the County Championship this season. He adds a measure of extra pace to an attack set to be headed up again by James Anderson and Stuart Broad. But Smith insisted Stone had not been selected to fill a perceived need for a genuine fast bowler. And he stressed he had been in contact with Warwickshire coach Ashley Giles, who had warned England to treat Stone "like a Ferrari". "Obviously Olly Stone is a very exciting talent and he has been troubled by injuries, there's no secret there," said Smith. "We want to catch him when he's at his best, when he's in form, bowling fast, bowling accurately, with skill, but also manage his workload. "There's always a risk with any fast bowler, injuries can happen. You want to take no risks, you never select anyone for anything. "However, we believe there's a way of managing his workload so we can get the best out of him without exposing him to unnecessary risks." Smith added: "It's a bonus the fact he's got that pace. He's not there just because he's fast, he's there because he's doing a really good job and obviously it's a great asset he has that extra pace as well." England begin a three-Test series against Sri Lanka in Galle starting on November 6.

This uncapped Surrey batsman set to fill Alastair Cook's shoes in Sri Lanka

Former Test captain Alastair Cook played a superb knock and smashed a gritty 70 as England were165 for five at tea on the first day of the opening test against Pakistan at Lord's on Thursday.

Playing in a record-equalling 153rd consecutive test, Cook batted fluently. But wickets tumbled around him after England captain Joe Root had won the toss in overcast conditions at the home of cricket.

Mark Stoneman, Root and Dawid Malan fell cheaply to the Pakistan seamers in the morning, leaving England struggling at 43 for three before Cook and Jonny Bairstow steadied the innings with a partnership of 57.

Bairstow, however, was bowled after lunch for 27 by a fine delivery from&nbsp

Faheem Ashraf and Cook's three-hour vigil ended when Mohammad Amir produced an excellent ball that clipped his off stump.

Ben Stokes unfurled a few trademark attacking strokes to reach 36 not out at the tea interval with Jos Buttler on 13, but England have plenty of work to do as they look to move on from a heavy Ashes defeat in Australia and a rare loss to New Zealand.

Pakistan had dominated the first session of the two-match series.

Root, who could have been run out before he had scored, played carefully to get to four before driving rashly at a wide ball from Hasan Ali and nicking a catch to wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed.

But Cook's hopes of a 33rd test century ended when he failed to get fully forward to a good-length delivery from Amir, leaving the left-hander to trudge slowly back to the pavilion to a standing ovation.&nbsp

Playing in a record-equalling 153rd consecutive test, Cook batted fluently

Former Test captain Alastair Cook played a superb knock and smashed a gritty 70 as England were165 for five at tea on the first day of the opening test against Pakistan at Lord's on Thursday. Playing in a record-equalling 153rd consecutive test, Cook batted fluently. But wickets tumbled around him after England captain Joe Root had won the toss in overcast conditions at the home of cricket. Mark Stoneman, Root and Dawid Malan fell cheaply to the Pakistan seamers in the morning, leaving England struggling at 43 for three before Cook and Jonny Bairstow steadied the innings with a partnership of 57. Bairstow, however, was bowled after lunch for 27 by a fine delivery from Faheem Ashraf and Cook's three-hour vigil ended when Mohammad Amir produced an excellent ball that clipped his off stump. Ben Stokes unfurled a few trademark attacking strokes to reach 36 not out at the tea interval with Jos Buttler on 13, but England have plenty of work to do as they look to move on from a heavy Ashes defeat in Australia and a rare loss to New Zealand. Pakistan had dominated the first session of the two-match series. Root, who could have been run out before he had scored, played carefully to get to four before driving rashly at a wide ball from Hasan Ali and nicking a catch to wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed. But Cook's hopes of a 33rd test century ended when he failed to get fully forward to a good-length delivery from Amir, leaving the left-hander to trudge slowly back to the pavilion to a standing ovation.

1st Test: Alastair Cook's gritty 70 helps England reach 184

Trent Boult made an early breakthrough to increase the pressure on England in the first test against New Zealand as the visitors went to the dinner break on the fourth day on 38 for one, still needing 331 runs to make the hosts bat again.

Boult, whose 6-32 in the first innings helped bowl England out for 58, had a woefully out-of-form Alastair Cook caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper BJ Watling for two.

Mark Stoneman (18) and Joe Root (14) managed to take their side through to the break without further loss, despite facing some testing moments from New Zealand`s new-ball attack of Boult and Tim Southee.

Earlier, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson had declared his side`s first innings at 427-8, a lead of 369 runs, about an hour into the middle session of the rain-affected day-night test.

Rain had washed out virtually all of the previous two days, with only 23.1 overs bowled by England on Friday and just 17 deliveries on Saturday.&nbsp;

Finally able to enjoy a period of uninterrupted play, Henry Nicholls advanced from his overnight score of 52 to reach his highest test score of 145 not out as England`s bowlers made scoring difficult for the home side on Sunday.

The 26-year-old left-hander brought up his second test century with two runs punched in front of point off spin bowler Moeen Ali shortly before the tea break.

Watling (31), Colin de Grandhomme, whose 29 included five boundaries and a six, and Todd Astle (18) were all dismissed in the first session, with Stuart Broad taking two wickets.

Southee fell in the middle session for 25 when he was caught and bowled by Root shortly before the declaration. Neil Wagner was nine not out.

The second test, a standard daytime match, is at Hagley Oval in Christchurch from March 30-April 3.

The visitors still need 331 runs to make the hosts bat again

Trent Boult made an early breakthrough to increase the pressure on England in the first test against New Zealand as the visitors went to the dinner break on the fourth day on 38 for one, still needing 331 runs to make the hosts bat again. Boult, whose 6-32 in the first innings helped bowl England out for 58, had a woefully out-of-form Alastair Cook caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper BJ Watling for two. Mark Stoneman (18) and Joe Root (14) managed to take their side through to the break without further loss, despite facing some testing moments from New Zealand`s new-ball attack of Boult and Tim Southee. Earlier, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson had declared his side`s first innings at 427-8, a lead of 369 runs, about an hour into the middle session of the rain-affected day-night test. Rain had washed out virtually all of the previous two days, with only 23.1 overs bowled by England on Friday and just 17 deliveries on Saturday. Finally able to enjoy a period of uninterrupted play, Henry Nicholls advanced from his overnight score of 52 to reach his highest test score of 145 not out as England`s bowlers made scoring difficult for the home side on Sunday. The 26-year-old left-hander brought up his second test century with two runs punched in front of point off spin bowler Moeen Ali shortly before the tea break. Watling (31), Colin de Grandhomme, whose 29 included five boundaries and a six, and Todd Astle (18) were all dismissed in the first session, with Stuart Broad taking two wickets. Southee fell in the middle session for 25 when he was caught and bowled by Root shortly before the declaration. Neil Wagner was nine not out. The second test, a standard daytime match, is at Hagley Oval in Christchurch from March 30-April 3.

Eng vs NZ, Day 4: Trent Boult captures Cook as England battle to save test

England won the toss and chose to bat against Australia in the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. After a rain delay and an early lunch, the play was started a bit late.

&quot;It looks a good wicket, there is a bit of weather about but if we bat well enough in the first few sessions I expect the pitch to deteriorate and spin will come in the game later on,&quot; England captain Joe Root said.

Seamer Chris Woakes has been ruled out with a side strain, opening the way for young leg-spinner Mason Crane to make his debut for England.

&quot;Mason is a very excited young man and we expect him to do really well in his first Test,&quot; Root said.

Australia captain Steve Smith said he was in two minds about what he would have done if he had won the toss. &quot;I&#39;m not too bothered and not too disappointed to lose the toss,&quot; Smith said.

&quot;There&#39;s a bit of moisture in the wicket coupled with overhead conditions and the wicket is a pretty good one.&quot;

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Pace spearhead Mitchell Starc returns to Australia&#39;s bowling line-up. Left-arm Starc is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 19 despite only playing three Tests.

Australia has already clinched the Ashes with an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-Test series ahead of the Sydney finale.

England is bidding to save face in Sydney, where they have won twice in the last four Ashes Tests.

England were 122&nbsp;for three&nbsp;at tea on the opening day of the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday.

&nbsp;

England won the toss and chose to bat against Australia in the final Ashes Test, England were 122-3?at tea

England won the toss and chose to bat against Australia in the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. After a rain delay and an early lunch, the play was started a bit late. "It looks a good wicket, there is a bit of weather about but if we bat well enough in the first few sessions I expect the pitch to deteriorate and spin will come in the game later on," England captain Joe Root said. Seamer Chris Woakes has been ruled out with a side strain, opening the way for young leg-spinner Mason Crane to make his debut for England. "Mason is a very excited young man and we expect him to do really well in his first Test," Root said. Australia captain Steve Smith said he was in two minds about what he would have done if he had won the toss. "I'm not too bothered and not too disappointed to lose the toss," Smith said. "There's a bit of moisture in the wicket coupled with overhead conditions and the wicket is a pretty good one." England have won the toss and elected to bat as the 5th and final #Ashes Test finally gets underway. Follow LIVE: https://t.co/zIa7LHi9S8 #AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/QvMRupT1C3 — ICC (@ICC) January 4, 2018 × Pace spearhead Mitchell Starc returns to Australia's bowling line-up. Left-arm Starc is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 19 despite only playing three Tests. Australia has already clinched the Ashes with an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-Test series ahead of the Sydney finale. England is bidding to save face in Sydney, where they have won twice in the last four Ashes Tests. England were 122 for three at tea on the opening day of the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday.

Cricket: England is bidding to break through in the final Ashes Test

Selectors would have dropped me over poor form, says Alastair Cook&nbsp;

England opener Alastair Cook on Thursday said the situation for him was such where he could have been dropped for the final Ashes Test had he not performed.&nbsp;

Cook&#39;s masterful double-century has put England in a winning position.

England scored 491/9 at stumps, taking a 164-run lead against the hosts on the third day of the fourth Ashes Test match.&nbsp;

The former captain managed to score only 83 runs in six innings before making 244 not out at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test.

&ldquo;(They) would have been entitled just because I literally hadn&#39;t scored a run since Edgbaston,&rdquo; Cook said, referring to his 243 against the West Indies in August.

&ldquo;I always feel I&#39;ve got the backing of the selectors but you&#39;ve still got to deliver the goods, I hadn&#39;t done that on this tour. It was very frustrating,&quot; the 33-year-old added.

With this score, Cook surpassed the highest score by a visiting batsman in a Melbourne Test, bettering the 208 by West Indian Viv Richards in 1984.

The home side had already regained the Ashes urn after they thrashed the visitors by an innings and 41 runs in Perth to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

The former captain managed to score only 83 runs in six innings before making 244 not out

Selectors would have dropped me over poor form, says Alastair Cook England opener Alastair Cook on Thursday said the situation for him was such where he could have been dropped for the final Ashes Test had he not performed. Cook's masterful double-century has put England in a winning position. England scored 491/9 at stumps, taking a 164-run lead against the hosts on the third day of the fourth Ashes Test match. The former captain managed to score only 83 runs in six innings before making 244 not out at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Day 3 of the Boxing Day Test. “(They) would have been entitled just because I literally hadn't scored a run since Edgbaston,” Cook said, referring to his 243 against the West Indies in August. “I always feel I've got the backing of the selectors but you've still got to deliver the goods, I hadn't done that on this tour. It was very frustrating," the 33-year-old added. With this score, Cook surpassed the highest score by a visiting batsman in a Melbourne Test, bettering the 208 by West Indian Viv Richards in 1984. The home side had already regained the Ashes urn after they thrashed the visitors by an innings and 41 runs in Perth to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

Selectors would have dropped me over poor form: Alastair Cook on his double-century

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/about-100-cases-of-triple-talaq-have-come-to-light-after-sc-verdict-ravi-shankar-prasad-27957">About 100 cases of Triple Talaq have come to light after SC verdict: Ravi Shankar Prasad</a>

&#39;&#39;When Islamic countries have regulated provisions of Triple Talaq then why can&#39;t we a secular nation do it? We are not interfering in Shariat,&#39;&#39; Prasad said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/govt-doesnt-want-air-india-to-go-kingfisher-airlines-way-raju-27960">Government doesn&#39;t want Air India to go Kingfisher Airlines way: Civil aviation minister</a>

The airline has a debt of more than Rs 52,000 crore and is surviving on a Rs 30,000 crore bailout package extended by the erstwhile UPA government in 2012.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-successfully-test-fires-supersonic-interceptor-missile-in-odisha-27954">India successfully test-fires supersonic interceptor missile in Odisha</a>

&#39;It was a direct hit and grand success,&#39; Defence sources said after the test launch.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/osama-bin-laden-moved-to-afganistan-to-supervise-plot-to-assassinate-benazir-bhutto-say-reports-27963">Osama Bin Laden moved to Afganistan to supervise plot to assassinate Benazir Bhutto, say reports</a>

Bhutto was killed in a gun-and-bomb attack during an election campaign rally on December 27, 2007.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/cricket/selectors-would-have-dropped-me-over-poor-form-says-alastair-cook-27965">Selectors would have dropped me over poor form, says Alastair Cook</a>

The former captain managed to score only 83 runs in six innings before making 244 not out.&nbsp;

About 100 cases of Triple Talaq have come to light after SC verdict: Ravi Shankar Prasad ''When Islamic countries have regulated provisions of Triple Talaq then why can't we a secular nation do it? We are not interfering in Shariat,'' Prasad said. Government doesn't want Air India to go Kingfisher Airlines way: Civil aviation minister The airline has a debt of more than Rs 52,000 crore and is surviving on a Rs 30,000 crore bailout package extended by the erstwhile UPA government in 2012. India successfully test-fires supersonic interceptor missile in Odisha 'It was a direct hit and grand success,' Defence sources said after the test launch. Osama Bin Laden moved to Afganistan to supervise plot to assassinate Benazir Bhutto, say reports Bhutto was killed in a gun-and-bomb attack during an election campaign rally on December 27, 2007. Selectors would have dropped me over poor form, says Alastair Cook The former captain managed to score only 83 runs in six innings before making 244 not out.

WION evening news brief, December 28, 2017

Alastair Cook completed a sparkling century in a stellar return to form as England savoured a rare day of domination in the fourth Ashes test against Australia on Wednesday.

Cook raised his 32nd Test ton with a pull-shot to the fence in the final over before stumps, and strode off the ground unbeaten on 104, having pushed England to 192 for two on day two at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

His successor as captain, Joe Root was 49 not out, the pair having reduced Australia`s lead to 135 runs.

English cheer has been in short supply this series after Australia took back the urn by winning the first three tests but Wednesday`s fightback thrilled sun-baked Britons in the raucous crowd of 67,882.

Stuart Broad, another Englishman under the microscope after playing a negligible part in the first three tests, captured 4-51 as Australia`s day one resistance melted in the morning heat.

The hosts started the day in a position of strength at 244 for three but were bowled out for 327, losing their last seven wickets for 67 runs.

After labouring on a slow and flat pitch on day one, England`s bowlers were transformed in the morning, with debutant paceman Tom Curran proving the unlikely catalyst.

The 22-year-old Surrey seamer bowled Steve Smith for 76 with the second ball of his first spell, having the skipper drag a wider, short delivery onto his stumps.

It not only secured Curran his first test wicket but ended Smith`s unbeaten reign at the MCG since his last dismissal in the Boxing Day test against India in 2014.

It was also a huge relief for Curran, who had opener David Warner caught on 99 on day one but missed out on the wicket for over-stepping his mark.

ACROBATIC DISMISSAL

Smith was one of three Australian batsmen out chopping onto the stumps, with all-rounder Mitchell Marsh (nine) and wicketkeeper Tim Paine (24) falling in the same fashion.

Shaun Marsh dug in to raise his third half-century of the series before being trapped leg before by Broad for 61, the wicket awarded after the bowler demanded a review.

James Anderson bowled Paine for his 520th test wicket, pulling past West Indies great Courtney Walsh to fifth on the all-time list, and grabbed a third victim for the innings by dismissing Nathan Lyon lbw for a duck.

Broad capped off a dominant morning for England by trapping tail-ender Jackson Bird lbw for four and having Pat Cummins caught at slip for four after lunch.

England`s rookie top order batsmen Mark Stoneman (15) and James Vince (17) fell cheaply but Cook carried the fight to Australia, riding his luck when Smith dropped him on 66 in the slips.

He and Root combined for a 112-run partnership to give England hope of mowing down Australia`s first innings total and taking a substantial lead.

Starting England`s response after lunch, Cook and Stoneman fended off Australia`s opening pace salvo before Lyon intervened with a brilliant caught and bowled.&nbsp;

The off-spinner coaxed a leading edge from Stoneman and leaped high to pull down a one-handed catch, reviving memories of his acrobatic dismissal of Moeen Ali during the second test at Adelaide Oval.

Vince was given out lbw when paceman Josh Hazlewood sent a full, straight ball thudding into his pads.

He neglected to review the decision and would have regretted it later, with the `snicko` technology showing he had nicked the ball with his bat.

Root and Cook then frustrated Australia for most of the final session, the hosts` task made heavier with sickly seamer Pat Cummins hampered by a stomach ailment.

Cook raised his 32nd Test ton with a pull-shot to the fence in the final over before stumps

Alastair Cook completed a sparkling century in a stellar return to form as England savoured a rare day of domination in the fourth Ashes test against Australia on Wednesday. Cook raised his 32nd Test ton with a pull-shot to the fence in the final over before stumps, and strode off the ground unbeaten on 104, having pushed England to 192 for two on day two at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. His successor as captain, Joe Root was 49 not out, the pair having reduced Australia`s lead to 135 runs. English cheer has been in short supply this series after Australia took back the urn by winning the first three tests but Wednesday`s fightback thrilled sun-baked Britons in the raucous crowd of 67,882. Stuart Broad, another Englishman under the microscope after playing a negligible part in the first three tests, captured 4-51 as Australia`s day one resistance melted in the morning heat. The hosts started the day in a position of strength at 244 for three but were bowled out for 327, losing their last seven wickets for 67 runs. After labouring on a slow and flat pitch on day one, England`s bowlers were transformed in the morning, with debutant paceman Tom Curran proving the unlikely catalyst. The 22-year-old Surrey seamer bowled Steve Smith for 76 with the second ball of his first spell, having the skipper drag a wider, short delivery onto his stumps. It not only secured Curran his first test wicket but ended Smith`s unbeaten reign at the MCG since his last dismissal in the Boxing Day test against India in 2014. It was also a huge relief for Curran, who had opener David Warner caught on 99 on day one but missed out on the wicket for over-stepping his mark. ACROBATIC DISMISSAL Smith was one of three Australian batsmen out chopping onto the stumps, with all-rounder Mitchell Marsh (nine) and wicketkeeper Tim Paine (24) falling in the same fashion. Shaun Marsh dug in to raise his third half-century of the series before being trapped leg before by Broad for 61, the wicket awarded after the bowler demanded a review. James Anderson bowled Paine for his 520th test wicket, pulling past West Indies great Courtney Walsh to fifth on the all-time list, and grabbed a third victim for the innings by dismissing Nathan Lyon lbw for a duck. Broad capped off a dominant morning for England by trapping tail-ender Jackson Bird lbw for four and having Pat Cummins caught at slip for four after lunch. England`s rookie top order batsmen Mark Stoneman (15) and James Vince (17) fell cheaply but Cook carried the fight to Australia, riding his luck when Smith dropped him on 66 in the slips. He and Root combined for a 112-run partnership to give England hope of mowing down Australia`s first innings total and taking a substantial lead. Starting England`s response after lunch, Cook and Stoneman fended off Australia`s opening pace salvo before Lyon intervened with a brilliant caught and bowled. The off-spinner coaxed a leading edge from Stoneman and leaped high to pull down a one-handed catch, reviving memories of his acrobatic dismissal of Moeen Ali during the second test at Adelaide Oval. Vince was given out lbw when paceman Josh Hazlewood sent a full, straight ball thudding into his pads. He neglected to review the decision and would have regretted it later, with the `snicko` technology showing he had nicked the ball with his bat. Root and Cook then frustrated Australia for most of the final session, the hosts` task made heavier with sickly seamer Pat Cummins hampered by a stomach ailment.

Alastair Cook grabs ton as England savour dominant day

Former Australian paceman Mitchell Johnson on Tuesday took a dig at England opener Alastair Cook and paceman Stuart Broad, saying Australia&#39;s star spinner Nathan Lyon&#39;s wish to see the end of some England careers after another Ashes whitewash will come true if the tourists&#39; struggling senior players fail to lift quickly.

Johnson took 37 wickets in the 5-0 sweep of Alastair Cook`s England in 2013-14 which sparked the exits of several senior players and staff. &nbsp;

Following the loss, England spinner Graeme Swann retired after the third test of that ill-fated series, while batsmen Michael Carberry and Kevin Pietersen were never seen again in test whites.

&quot;Going to the next test I think England will have to think about changes. &quot;I`m not sure if (paceman) Stuart Broad is up to it at the moment. There will be some question marks around him, (as) a senior player, Johnson said.

&quot;Alastair Cook is someone who I think has been thinking about retirement. I just wonder now with the scoreline being 3-0 whether that will take a bit of pressure off him and he`ll just go out there and score runs. I`m not sure,&quot; he added.

The 36-year-old further said that &quot;the scars are there from the last series.&quot;

Cook managed only 83 runs in the current campaign. While Broad has only five wickets from the three matches. &nbsp;

Cook managed only 83 runs in the current campaign while Broad has only five wickets from the three matches ?

Former Australian paceman Mitchell Johnson on Tuesday took a dig at England opener Alastair Cook and paceman Stuart Broad, saying Australia's star spinner Nathan Lyon's wish to see the end of some England careers after another Ashes whitewash will come true if the tourists' struggling senior players fail to lift quickly. Johnson took 37 wickets in the 5-0 sweep of Alastair Cook`s England in 2013-14 which sparked the exits of several senior players and staff. Following the loss, England spinner Graeme Swann retired after the third test of that ill-fated series, while batsmen Michael Carberry and Kevin Pietersen were never seen again in test whites. "Going to the next test I think England will have to think about changes. "I`m not sure if (paceman) Stuart Broad is up to it at the moment. There will be some question marks around him, (as) a senior player, Johnson said. "Alastair Cook is someone who I think has been thinking about retirement. I just wonder now with the scoreline being 3-0 whether that will take a bit of pressure off him and he`ll just go out there and score runs. I`m not sure," he added. The 36-year-old further said that "the scars are there from the last series." Cook managed only 83 runs in the current campaign. While Broad has only five wickets from the three matches.

Mitchell Johnson takes dig at Alastair Cook, Stuart Broad after Australia reclaims Ashes urn

Alastair Cook has stepped down as England&#39;s Test captain but plans to carry on as a player, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Monday.

Cook, who was appointed captain in 2012, led England in 59 Tests, which includes Ashes victories at home in 2013 and 2015 as well as series wins in India and South Africa.

ECB has started the process to appoint the next Test captain with batting mainstay Joe Root regarded as the favourite for the job.

&quot;Stepping down has been an incredibly hard decision but I know this is the correct decision for me and at the right time for the team,&quot; Cook said in a statement.

&quot;I&#39;ve had time to reflect after the India series and this weekend I spoke to Colin Graves, the Chairman, to explain and offer my resignation,&quot; England`s most capped test captain said referring to last year`s 4-0 loss in India.

The 32-year-old has scored more test centuries than any of his predecessors and is also the country&#39;s most prolific test batsman with 11,057 runs in 140 tests.

&quot;Playing for England really is a privilege and I hope to carry on as a Test player, making a full contribution and helping the next England captain and the team,&quot; he added.

In November, Cook was asked about his captaincy while on the Test series tour of India which England lost 4-0.

Cook said his captaincy was reviewed on a series-by-series basis.

&quot;It could be the end of this series, it could be six months, it could be the end of the next one, it could be two years.. so that&#39;s kind of the answer. And obviously, the headlines been made, wasn&#39;t intentional and stuff, so like everything I have gone about business in last two years, it will be series-by-series judgement, always has been,&quot; he said.

(Reuters)&nbsp;

ECB has started the process to appoint the next Test captain with batting mainstay Joe Root regarded as the favourite for the job

Alastair Cook has stepped down as England's Test captain but plans to carry on as a player, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Monday. Cook, who was appointed captain in 2012, led England in 59 Tests, which includes Ashes victories at home in 2013 and 2015 as well as series wins in India and South Africa. ECB has started the process to appoint the next Test captain with batting mainstay Joe Root regarded as the favourite for the job. "Stepping down has been an incredibly hard decision but I know this is the correct decision for me and at the right time for the team," Cook said in a statement. "I've had time to reflect after the India series and this weekend I spoke to Colin Graves, the Chairman, to explain and offer my resignation," England`s most capped test captain said referring to last year`s 4-0 loss in India. The 32-year-old has scored more test centuries than any of his predecessors and is also the country's most prolific test batsman with 11,057 runs in 140 tests. "Playing for England really is a privilege and I hope to carry on as a Test player, making a full contribution and helping the next England captain and the team," he added. In November, Cook was asked about his captaincy while on the Test series tour of India which England lost 4-0. Cook said his captaincy was reviewed on a series-by-series basis. "It could be the end of this series, it could be six months, it could be the end of the next one, it could be two years.. so that's kind of the answer. And obviously, the headlines been made, wasn't intentional and stuff, so like everything I have gone about business in last two years, it will be series-by-series judgement, always has been," he said. (Reuters)

Alastair Cook steps down as England Test captain

Jonny Bairstow said England had a &quot;scrappy&quot; opening day after his half-century remained the only bright spot for the visitors who faltered against a persistent Indian bowling attack in Mohali on Saturday.

Bairstow hit a gritty 89 to salvage some pride for England&#39;s batting after they were reduced to 87 for four in the morning session following their decision to bat first.

Indian bowlers put up a combined effort as Umesh Yadav, Jayant Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja claimed two wickets each.

The visitors, who trail the five-match series 1-0, were 268 for eight at stumps with Adil Rashid (4) and Gareth Batty (0) battling on. &quot;It&#39;s been a scrappy day but we&#39;ve dealt with worse in the past and we will carry on to work hard within the game,&quot; Bairstow told reporters.

&quot;After winning the toss, it was disappointing to lose wickets, at the same time it could have been a disastrous day as well. &quot;We&#39;ve also got to take positives from that.&quot;

Bairstow, who recorded his 13th Test fifty, built crucial 50-plus partnerships with Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler (43) to thwart the opposition&#39;s bowling.

Bairstow remained calm during his 177-ball stay at the crease before being trapped lbw off Jayant Yadav in the last half hour of play.

The batsman, who survived a seemingly close umpire review on an lbw shout off Jadeja on 72, could not overturn his own referral as the on-field umpires call was upheld. Jadeja halted England&#39;s revival twice in the innings only to see Bairstow steady the ship with his composed batting.

Jadeja got Ben Stokes stumped for 29 in the afternoon session and then denied Buttler, who batted with positive intent during his 80-ball stay, his fifty. While trudging back to the pavilion Stokes had an angry exchange of words with India skipper Virat Kohli, with the on-field umpire jumping in to pacify the two players.

&quot;I don&#39;t know what was said, I don&#39;t get involved with all that stuff,&quot; said Bairstow. &quot;You got to respect the fact that you have got guys out there who are very passionate, representing the country in the heat of the battle and at some point there are going to be words.&quot;

Bairstow and Buttler put on 69 runs for the sixth wicket to give England a shot of getting past the 300-run mark, a total which might prove fighting on a pitch that is expected to turn from day two. Chris Woakes&#39; resilience ended in the penultimate over of the day as Umesh Yadav bowled him on 25.

Morning blitz&nbsp;

Earlier the Indian bowlers rattled England&#39;s top order by claiming four wickets in the morning session including that of skipper Alastair Cook. The Indian quicks bowled at a lively pace after the visitors elected to bat as Umesh Yadav struck first to get teenage opener Haseeb Hameed out for nine.

Cook failed to capitalise on two dropped chances on three and 23 to eventually fall to Ravichandran Ashwin, who had dropped him the second time, for 27. &quot;In cricket, it happens. Teammates will take brilliant catches and drop some easy ones. It&#39;s part and parcel of the game,&quot; said Umesh Yadav.

Ali and Bairstow put on 36 runs for the fourth wicket but Shami struck just before lunch to help India dominate the first session of play. Shami, who was at the receiving end of Cook&#39;s two spilt catches, got Ali to mistime a hook as the batsman was caught at fine leg for 16.

(AFP)

England, who trail the five-match series 1-0, were 268 for eight at stumps

Jonny Bairstow said England had a "scrappy" opening day after his half-century remained the only bright spot for the visitors who faltered against a persistent Indian bowling attack in Mohali on Saturday. Bairstow hit a gritty 89 to salvage some pride for England's batting after they were reduced to 87 for four in the morning session following their decision to bat first. Indian bowlers put up a combined effort as Umesh Yadav, Jayant Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja claimed two wickets each. The visitors, who trail the five-match series 1-0, were 268 for eight at stumps with Adil Rashid (4) and Gareth Batty (0) battling on. "It's been a scrappy day but we've dealt with worse in the past and we will carry on to work hard within the game," Bairstow told reporters. "After winning the toss, it was disappointing to lose wickets, at the same time it could have been a disastrous day as well. "We've also got to take positives from that." Bairstow, who recorded his 13th Test fifty, built crucial 50-plus partnerships with Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler (43) to thwart the opposition's bowling. Bairstow remained calm during his 177-ball stay at the crease before being trapped lbw off Jayant Yadav in the last half hour of play. The batsman, who survived a seemingly close umpire review on an lbw shout off Jadeja on 72, could not overturn his own referral as the on-field umpires call was upheld. Jadeja halted England's revival twice in the innings only to see Bairstow steady the ship with his composed batting. Jadeja got Ben Stokes stumped for 29 in the afternoon session and then denied Buttler, who batted with positive intent during his 80-ball stay, his fifty. While trudging back to the pavilion Stokes had an angry exchange of words with India skipper Virat Kohli, with the on-field umpire jumping in to pacify the two players. "I don't know what was said, I don't get involved with all that stuff," said Bairstow. "You got to respect the fact that you have got guys out there who are very passionate, representing the country in the heat of the battle and at some point there are going to be words." Bairstow and Buttler put on 69 runs for the sixth wicket to give England a shot of getting past the 300-run mark, a total which might prove fighting on a pitch that is expected to turn from day two. Chris Woakes' resilience ended in the penultimate over of the day as Umesh Yadav bowled him on 25. Morning blitz Earlier the Indian bowlers rattled England's top order by claiming four wickets in the morning session including that of skipper Alastair Cook. The Indian quicks bowled at a lively pace after the visitors elected to bat as Umesh Yadav struck first to get teenage opener Haseeb Hameed out for nine. Cook failed to capitalise on two dropped chances on three and 23 to eventually fall to Ravichandran Ashwin, who had dropped him the second time, for 27. "In cricket, it happens. Teammates will take brilliant catches and drop some easy ones. It's part and parcel of the game," said Umesh Yadav. Ali and Bairstow put on 36 runs for the fourth wicket but Shami struck just before lunch to help India dominate the first session of play. Shami, who was at the receiving end of Cook's two spilt catches, got Ali to mistime a hook as the batsman was caught at fine leg for 16. (AFP)

Cricket: Bairstow hits 89 but England falter in 2nd Test vs India

Debutant Haseeb Hameed struck his maiden fifty and shared an unbroken century partnership with captain Alastair Cook to push England&#39;s lead over India to 163 runs on day four of the first test on Saturday.

The 19-year-old Hameed was unbeaten on 62 at the close with Cook on 46 as England reached 114 without loss, virtually ruling out the prospect of an India win on the final day.

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid earlier picked up four wickets to help the touring side dismiss India for 488 and take a first-innings lead of 49 runs. India&#39;s Ravichandran Ashwin made 70 to deny England a bigger advantage.

Right-hander Hameed, the youngest opener to play a test for England, reached his half-century with a delicate late cut for four off leg-spinner Amit Mishra. He hit five fours and a six.

England, who made 537 in their first innings, earlier picked up the wickets of India captain Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane in the first session and looked on course for a sizeable lead.

All-rounder Ashwin and wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha (35) added 64 for the seventh wicket to reduce the deficit.

Resuming on 319-4, Kohli and Rahane appeared untroubled, picking up singles and twos as well as occasional boundaries.

Rahane missed a straight delivery playing across the line to left-arm spinner Zafar Ansari and was bowled for 13, ending their 30-run partnership.

Kohli, India&#39;s best batsman, looked in fine touch and struck crisp boundaries in his 40 before the right-hander was out hit wicket, his back leg brushing the stumps as he tried to pull a Rashid delivery.

Kohli stood in disbelief before trudging off with his team on 361 for six.

Rashid took the wickets of local boy Ravindra Jadeja and Umesh Yadav to take his innings tally to four.

England captain Cook dropped number 11 batsman Mohammed Shami at slip off Stuart Broad and India adding another 29 runs for the final wicket.

Ashwin, who hit seven boundaries, was the last man out when he holed out at deep midwicket, giving off-spinner Moeen his second wicket of the innings.

(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

England reached 114 without loss after dismissing India for 488, virtually ruling out the prospect of an India win on the final day

Debutant Haseeb Hameed struck his maiden fifty and shared an unbroken century partnership with captain Alastair Cook to push England's lead over India to 163 runs on day four of the first test on Saturday. The 19-year-old Hameed was unbeaten on 62 at the close with Cook on 46 as England reached 114 without loss, virtually ruling out the prospect of an India win on the final day. Leg-spinner Adil Rashid earlier picked up four wickets to help the touring side dismiss India for 488 and take a first-innings lead of 49 runs. India's Ravichandran Ashwin made 70 to deny England a bigger advantage. Right-hander Hameed, the youngest opener to play a test for England, reached his half-century with a delicate late cut for four off leg-spinner Amit Mishra. He hit five fours and a six. England, who made 537 in their first innings, earlier picked up the wickets of India captain Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane in the first session and looked on course for a sizeable lead. All-rounder Ashwin and wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha (35) added 64 for the seventh wicket to reduce the deficit. Resuming on 319-4, Kohli and Rahane appeared untroubled, picking up singles and twos as well as occasional boundaries. Rahane missed a straight delivery playing across the line to left-arm spinner Zafar Ansari and was bowled for 13, ending their 30-run partnership. Kohli, India's best batsman, looked in fine touch and struck crisp boundaries in his 40 before the right-hander was out hit wicket, his back leg brushing the stumps as he tried to pull a Rashid delivery. Kohli stood in disbelief before trudging off with his team on 361 for six. Rashid took the wickets of local boy Ravindra Jadeja and Umesh Yadav to take his innings tally to four. England captain Cook dropped number 11 batsman Mohammed Shami at slip off Stuart Broad and India adding another 29 runs for the final wicket. Ashwin, who hit seven boundaries, was the last man out when he holed out at deep midwicket, giving off-spinner Moeen his second wicket of the innings. (Reuters)

India vs England: Debutant Hameed hits maiden fifty, England lead by 163

Alastair Cook has indicated the upcoming Test series against India could be his last as England captain.

But the 31-year-old Essex left-hander said that whatever his future as skipper, he would like to continue his Test career purely as an opening batsman.

Cook is set to break Michael Atherton`s record of 54 Tests as England captain when he leads the tourists in the first of five-match series against India in Rajkot on Wednesday.

&quot;Deep down I don`t know how much longer I am going to carry on,&quot; he said in an interview with this month`s Cricketer magazine quoted by The Times newspaper.

&quot;It could be two months, it could be a year.&quot;

Cook became England captain in 2012 and promptly led his side to a 2-1 series win in India that year.

In total, Cook has won 24 of his Tests as captain, a tally that includes two home Ashes series triumphs.&nbsp;

His tally of 10,688 runs in 135 Tests is the highest by any England batsman and includes a century on debut, against India in Nagpur in 2006.

That was the first of 29 Test hundreds, another England record, and Cook would like to return to the ranks before he retires from international cricket.

&quot;I do look forward to the day when hopefully I can play a Test match as just a batter, there`s no doubt about that,&quot; said Cook.

&quot;If that happens I am going to really enjoy standing at first slip and being the bloke who makes suggestions to whoever`s in charge and not being the bloke who has to make the final decision.

&quot;There have been some tough moments and amazing moments and you can enjoy that success that little bit more because of what you go through as England captain.&quot;

Former England captain Michael Vaughan told BBC radio on Monday that Cook could relinquish the leadership of the team either following the India series of after the 2017/18 Ashes tour of Australia.

&quot;These next six or seven weeks are not crucial for Cook, he is breaking records and he has four or five years left as a batsman, if his mind wants to play that long,&quot; said Vaughan.

&quot;He`d be a real good sounding board and be able to see when the new captain is under stress. He would be the perfect foil.&quot;

&nbsp;

(AFP)

&nbsp;

England's captain said it his future as skipper was uncertain but he would definitely continue his Test career as an opening batsman

Alastair Cook has indicated the upcoming Test series against India could be his last as England captain. But the 31-year-old Essex left-hander said that whatever his future as skipper, he would like to continue his Test career purely as an opening batsman. Cook is set to break Michael Atherton`s record of 54 Tests as England captain when he leads the tourists in the first of five-match series against India in Rajkot on Wednesday. "Deep down I don`t know how much longer I am going to carry on," he said in an interview with this month`s Cricketer magazine quoted by The Times newspaper. "It could be two months, it could be a year." Cook became England captain in 2012 and promptly led his side to a 2-1 series win in India that year. In total, Cook has won 24 of his Tests as captain, a tally that includes two home Ashes series triumphs. His tally of 10,688 runs in 135 Tests is the highest by any England batsman and includes a century on debut, against India in Nagpur in 2006. That was the first of 29 Test hundreds, another England record, and Cook would like to return to the ranks before he retires from international cricket. "I do look forward to the day when hopefully I can play a Test match as just a batter, there`s no doubt about that," said Cook. "If that happens I am going to really enjoy standing at first slip and being the bloke who makes suggestions to whoever`s in charge and not being the bloke who has to make the final decision. "There have been some tough moments and amazing moments and you can enjoy that success that little bit more because of what you go through as England captain." Former England captain Michael Vaughan told BBC radio on Monday that Cook could relinquish the leadership of the team either following the India series of after the 2017/18 Ashes tour of Australia. "These next six or seven weeks are not crucial for Cook, he is breaking records and he has four or five years left as a batsman, if his mind wants to play that long," said Vaughan. "He`d be a real good sounding board and be able to see when the new captain is under stress. He would be the perfect foil." (AFP)

Cricket: Cook hints at nearing end as England's captain

England&#39;s one-day captain Eoin Morgan said he hopes the test series win against Sri Lanka will provide the foundations for victory in the shorter format of the game, starting with the first ODI at Trent Bridge on Tuesday. 
 
England have recalled Jonny Bairstow into the ODI side following his superb form, which saw him named man of the series in the 2-0 test series victory against Sri Lanka. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s an unbelievable start. Cookie [test captain Alastair Cook] hands the baton over to me and hopefully I don&#39;t let him down,&quot; Morgan told reporters on Monday. &quot;Confidence is a big thing, and it&#39;s crucial to build on that confidence we&#39;ve had going forward.&quot; 
 
Morgan added that the absence of hard-hitting all-rounder Ben Stokes through injury would be a big blow for the side. 
 
&quot;It does affect us because Ben bats at five, doing both roles very well,&quot; he added. &quot;We don&#39;t have an answer to back up at the moment, but it does create an opportunity for someone else.&quot; 
 
Sri Lanka will have to cope without paceman Shaminda Eranga, who was banned for an illegal action by the International Cricket Council on Sunday just hours after he had been taken to hospital to undergo tests on his heart. 
 
Morgan said that though conditions have posed a challenge to Sri Lanka, he expects a tough fight in the shorter format of the game. 
 
&quot;They (Sri Lanka) have found it tough work since they came here, but ODI cricket comes more naturally to them,&quot; he said. &quot;They are ranked above us, so we won&#39;t take them for granted and we are looking to ourselves to build and put performances in.&quot; 
 
England play Sri Lanka in five ODI&#39;s and a one-off Twenty20 game in Southampton on July 5. 
 
(Reuters)

England take on Sri Lanka in the first ODI at Trent Bridge on Tuesday

England's one-day captain Eoin Morgan said he hopes the test series win against Sri Lanka will provide the foundations for victory in the shorter format of the game, starting with the first ODI at Trent Bridge on Tuesday. England have recalled Jonny Bairstow into the ODI side following his superb form, which saw him named man of the series in the 2-0 test series victory against Sri Lanka. "It's an unbelievable start. Cookie [test captain Alastair Cook] hands the baton over to me and hopefully I don't let him down," Morgan told reporters on Monday. "Confidence is a big thing, and it's crucial to build on that confidence we've had going forward." Morgan added that the absence of hard-hitting all-rounder Ben Stokes through injury would be a big blow for the side. "It does affect us because Ben bats at five, doing both roles very well," he added. "We don't have an answer to back up at the moment, but it does create an opportunity for someone else." Sri Lanka will have to cope without paceman Shaminda Eranga, who was banned for an illegal action by the International Cricket Council on Sunday just hours after he had been taken to hospital to undergo tests on his heart. Morgan said that though conditions have posed a challenge to Sri Lanka, he expects a tough fight in the shorter format of the game. "They (Sri Lanka) have found it tough work since they came here, but ODI cricket comes more naturally to them," he said. "They are ranked above us, so we won't take them for granted and we are looking to ourselves to build and put performances in." England play Sri Lanka in five ODI's and a one-off Twenty20 game in Southampton on July 5. (Reuters)

Morgan looking to carry on England's winning momentum

Pakistan&#39;s Mohammad Amir said match-fixers should be banned for life as he prepares to return to Test cricket at Lord&rsquo;s, where an infamous 2010 spot-fixing scandal landed him a jail term and a five-year ban. 
 
The fast bowler backed comments from England captain Alastair Cook, who said anyone caught match-fixing should be thrown out of the sport for good. 
 
&quot;If fixing is still happening then it&#39;s really alarming,&quot; Amir said in an interview before his departure for the four-test tour of England. &quot;I fully back that fixers should be banned for life.&quot; 
 
The 24-year-old left-armer can expect a cool reception from fans at Lord&#39;s, where he was caught bowling no-balls to order in a sting operation carried out by a tabloid newspaper. 
 
But Cook said earlier this month that he had no problem playing against Amir, who has served his ban and returned to international cricket in January. 
 
Amir and new-ball partner Mohammad Asif bowled no-balls to order on the instructions of their captain Salman Butt. All three received five-year bans and, together with sports agent Mazhar Majeed, jail terms. 
 
Since his ban expired, Amir has played only limited-overs matches,but now he will come full circle with a Test return at Lord&#39;s -- a twist of fate that he called a &quot;blessing&quot;. 
 
&quot;To be honest I never thought about my comeback and I feel seriously lucky to be back in the role to play Test cricket again,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;I was all excited for Test cricket because that is where my career was held back and I still can&#39;t believe that this is happening.&nbsp;You call it a coincidence or whatever but for me it&#39;s a blessing that I am restarting (Tests) right at Lord&#39;s from where I stopped in 2010.&quot; 
 
&#39;My real comeback&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Amir&#39;s pace and wicket-taking ability make him an automatic choice for the Test series opener from July 14, when he hopes to be able to put his past behind him. 
 
&quot;I may have registered my comeback months ago but Test cricket is actual cricket, and playing it again is what I was looking forward to and this is my real comeback,&quot; said Amir. 
 
&quot;I won&#39;t say that I have forgotten my past and those incidents won&#39;t come back to haunt me, but I am looking at it positively as I want to replace the past with a better future.&quot; 
 
&quot;My memory still holds those moments from 2010 but I want to perform well, want to get my name (on) the honour board at Lord&#39;s once again,&quot; said Amir, whose haul of 6-84 in the tainted Test of 2010 features on the honours board, where outstanding play is chronicled. 
 
Amir also said he will be ready for on-field sledging and the inevitable chants by England fans. At a Twenty20 international in New Zealand in January the stadium announcer played the sound of a cash register before one of Amir&#39;s overs. 
 
&quot;Crowds in general get nasty sometimes but you are professional only if you handle any kind of situation wisely. It&#39;s my duty to be focused on the game,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;Sledging is a part of the game and it indeed isn&#39;t new. But I don&#39;t want to think a lot about this. I will think about my performance,&quot; added Amir. 
 
Amir also said his experiences had made him a stronger person than he was before the events of 2010, when he was still a teenager. 
 
&quot;I went through tough times which actually taught me a lot of good lessons and now I am much stronger than before. I have got enough in my life to stand strong,&quot; he said. 
 
Pakistan will also play five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international during the tour. 
(AFP)

His own involvement in a 2010 spot-fixing scandal had landed him the 5-year ban and a jail term

Pakistan's Mohammad Amir said match-fixers should be banned for life as he prepares to return to Test cricket at Lord’s, where an infamous 2010 spot-fixing scandal landed him a jail term and a five-year ban. The fast bowler backed comments from England captain Alastair Cook, who said anyone caught match-fixing should be thrown out of the sport for good. "If fixing is still happening then it's really alarming," Amir said in an interview before his departure for the four-test tour of England. "I fully back that fixers should be banned for life." The 24-year-old left-armer can expect a cool reception from fans at Lord's, where he was caught bowling no-balls to order in a sting operation carried out by a tabloid newspaper. But Cook said earlier this month that he had no problem playing against Amir, who has served his ban and returned to international cricket in January. Amir and new-ball partner Mohammad Asif bowled no-balls to order on the instructions of their captain Salman Butt. All three received five-year bans and, together with sports agent Mazhar Majeed, jail terms. Since his ban expired, Amir has played only limited-overs matches,but now he will come full circle with a Test return at Lord's -- a twist of fate that he called a "blessing". "To be honest I never thought about my comeback and I feel seriously lucky to be back in the role to play Test cricket again," he said. "I was all excited for Test cricket because that is where my career was held back and I still can't believe that this is happening. You call it a coincidence or whatever but for me it's a blessing that I am restarting (Tests) right at Lord's from where I stopped in 2010." 'My real comeback' Amir's pace and wicket-taking ability make him an automatic choice for the Test series opener from July 14, when he hopes to be able to put his past behind him. "I may have registered my comeback months ago but Test cricket is actual cricket, and playing it again is what I was looking forward to and this is my real comeback," said Amir. "I won't say that I have forgotten my past and those incidents won't come back to haunt me, but I am looking at it positively as I want to replace the past with a better future." "My memory still holds those moments from 2010 but I want to perform well, want to get my name (on) the honour board at Lord's once again," said Amir, whose haul of 6-84 in the tainted Test of 2010 features on the honours board, where outstanding play is chronicled. Amir also said he will be ready for on-field sledging and the inevitable chants by England fans. At a Twenty20 international in New Zealand in January the stadium announcer played the sound of a cash register before one of Amir's overs. "Crowds in general get nasty sometimes but you are professional only if you handle any kind of situation wisely. It's my duty to be focused on the game," he said. "Sledging is a part of the game and it indeed isn't new. But I don't want to think a lot about this. I will think about my performance," added Amir. Amir also said his experiences had made him a stronger person than he was before the events of 2010, when he was still a teenager. "I went through tough times which actually taught me a lot of good lessons and now I am much stronger than before. I have got enough in my life to stand strong," he said. Pakistan will also play five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international during the tour. (AFP)

Pak's Amir returns after five years, says fixers should be 'banned for life'

Cricket Australia (CA) will push for up to two day-night Tests at next year&#39;s Ashes series despite the misgivings of captain Steven Smith and his England counterpart Alastair Cook. 
 
Both skippers said they felt the game&#39;s most enduring series could survive without being played under lights but CA CEO James Sutherland said he felt it was a &quot;natural progression&quot;. &quot;I respect the views of Steven and Alastair,&quot; he told reporters in Melbourne today. 
 
&quot;The Ashes is a great contest and will no doubt attract a huge audience both at the grounds and on television, but the facts of the matter are by playing day-night Tests, we&#39;re going to get even bigger audiences at the game and on television.&nbsp;The Ashes series is still a long way off and we want to get through this summer first but we will play somewhere between zero and two day-night Tests during the Ashes in 18 months&#39; time.&quot; 
 
Australia played the maiden day-night Test against New Zealand at Adelaide Oval last November and have just agreed another flood-lit match with South Africa at the same venue during the home summer. 
 
The hosts will also play their series-opener against Pakistan with the pink ball in Brisbane for the first time in December. 
 
Smith has backed day-night cricket repeatedly but said he did not feel it necessary for the Ashes, which reliably draws big crowds.&nbsp;&quot;I think it works pretty well with the red ball,&quot; he told media while on tour in the Caribbean.&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s been around for years and I think playing against England we always get the viewers and the crowds out,&quot; added Smith. 
 
Cook echoed Smith&#39;s position. &quot;It&#39;s probably not a series where you need to do it exactly at this time,&quot; he said. 
 
England and Wales Cricket board chairman Colin Graves has also backed day-night cricket, saying it was only a matter of time that a match would be played in England.

Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland believes that day-night tests will draw bigger audiences to the game and on television

Cricket Australia (CA) will push for up to two day-night Tests at next year's Ashes series despite the misgivings of captain Steven Smith and his England counterpart Alastair Cook. Both skippers said they felt the game's most enduring series could survive without being played under lights but CA CEO James Sutherland said he felt it was a "natural progression". "I respect the views of Steven and Alastair," he told reporters in Melbourne today. "The Ashes is a great contest and will no doubt attract a huge audience both at the grounds and on television, but the facts of the matter are by playing day-night Tests, we're going to get even bigger audiences at the game and on television. The Ashes series is still a long way off and we want to get through this summer first but we will play somewhere between zero and two day-night Tests during the Ashes in 18 months' time." Australia played the maiden day-night Test against New Zealand at Adelaide Oval last November and have just agreed another flood-lit match with South Africa at the same venue during the home summer. The hosts will also play their series-opener against Pakistan with the pink ball in Brisbane for the first time in December. Smith has backed day-night cricket repeatedly but said he did not feel it necessary for the Ashes, which reliably draws big crowds. "I think it works pretty well with the red ball," he told media while on tour in the Caribbean. "It's been around for years and I think playing against England we always get the viewers and the crowds out," added Smith. Cook echoed Smith's position. "It's probably not a series where you need to do it exactly at this time," he said. England and Wales Cricket board chairman Colin Graves has also backed day-night cricket, saying it was only a matter of time that a match would be played in England.

Cricket Australia pushing for two day-night Ashes Tests

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