Cricket

England's batting lineup is likely to remain unchanged for their upcoming tour of New Zealand, despite suffering two heavy defeats to Pakistan. Despite being bowled out for 112 in Rawalpindi, captain Ben Stokes expressed confidence in his top six batsmen.After amassing 823 runs in the first Test, England's batting faltered in the subsequent matches, scoring only 814 runs for 40 wickets, with 39 of those dismissals coming to spin. Ollie Pope struggled at No. 3, scoring just 55 runs at an average of 11, while Stokes himself managed only 53 runs in four innings.Despite these setbacks, England are not planning any major changes to their batting lineup. "They're the best players in England," Stokes said. "We play all around the world, and New Zealand will be completely different [to Pakistan]. But there's no doubt in my mind that we have the best top-six players in England."McCullum also indicated that Pope will retain his spot at No. 3. "It is not an easy place to bat," he said. "Popey will be disappointed with his runs, but I expect him to bounce back strongly in New Zealand."England will, however, be forced to make a change at No. 7, with Jamie Smith set to miss at least one Test due to paternity leave. Jordan Cox is expected to deputise for Smith and take over the wicketkeeping duties.Stokes acknowledged that England's fingerspinners had been outbowled by Pakistan's on favorable surfaces, but praised their efforts. "The difference was the understanding of how to bowl in these conditions," he said. "But our spinners have done a fantastic job."Stokes also confirmed that he is fully fit after returning from a torn hamstring in the second Test. "I worked very hard to get back in," he said. "I just didn't feel like my bowling was going to be anywhere near as threatening as the [other] options we had."England's first Test in New Zealand begins on November 27 in Christchurch. Their white-ball squads will depart the UK on Monday for a series against West Indies.

Pakistan vs England Live Score 1st Test Day 3: England Trails by 460 Runs in MultanEngland will resume Day 3 of the first Test against Pakistan in Multan trailing by a massive 460 runs. Pakistan posted a mammoth 556 in their first innings, leaving England with a daunting task to avoid a follow-on.England's hopes rest on the shoulders of Zak Crawley, who will resume on 64 not out. Crawley has been in impressive form, scoring a century in the warm-up match against the Pakistan Shaheens. He will be joined by former captain Joe Root, who is unbeaten on 32.England's start to their innings was hampered by the early dismissal of skipper Ollie Pope. Pope was forced to bat up the order after opener Ben Duckett suffered an injury while taking a catch on Day 2.England need another 261 runs to avoid a follow-on, a target that is achievable on a pitch that has offered little assistance to the bowlers. However, Pakistan's bowlers will be looking to make early inroads and put England under pressure.The match is evenly poised heading into Day 3, with both teams having a chance to take control. England will be hoping to build on their solid start and put themselves in a position to challenge Pakistan's total. Pakistan, on the other hand, will be looking to take wickets and put England under pressure.

England's stand-in captain, Ollie Pope, expressed frustration at missing out on a historic clean sweep in the final Test against Sri Lanka. However, he denied complacency as the reason for their shock eight-wicket defeat at the Kia Oval.Leading 2-0 in the series and following their 3-0 victory over West Indies, England were poised for their first summer's clean sweep since 2004. Ben Duckett and Pope himself had put on 221 for 3 on the first day.But England's batting collapsed thereafter, with a first-innings collapse of 7 for 64 and a second-innings total of 156 in 34 overs. Only Jamie Smith's counterattacking half-century provided any resistance."We want to be a team that wins every game," Pope said. "But at the start of the summer, we would have taken winning five out of six Test matches."England's aggressive approach, dubbed "Bazball," has been credited with their recent success. However, this defeat resembled other avoidable losses, such as at Wellington and Lord's in 2023.England lost their first 13 wickets to attacking strokes, including Pope for 7 in his second innings. Vishwa Fernando's superb left-arm swing bowling, including consecutive lbws against Joe Root and Harry Brook, proved decisive.Pope defended Brook, who has been criticized for his aggressive batting style. "He will never get bored of batting," Pope said. "It's not a lack of hunger."Pope attributed the defeat to England's batting failure on day three. "We weren't able to capitalize on a decent first-innings lead," he said. "Getting bowled out for 140 on a pitch that gets better was the main reason we lost."Root's dismissal for 12 to an inswinging yorker from Vishwa was a turning point. Sri Lanka's interim coach, Sanath Jayasuriya, said they had planned to bowl short and yorkers at Root."Joe Root is the batter who changes the match," Jayasuriya said. "That was a big wicket."

Sri Lanka's bowlers staged a remarkable comeback on the second morning of the first Test against England at The Oval, bowling out the hosts for 325 and reducing their deficit to 324 runs.Resuming at 221 for 3, England collapsed to 6 for 35 in 56 balls, with poor shot selection and falling into Sri Lanka's traps. Ollie Pope, who had scored a dazzling 103 not out overnight, pushed his score to 154 before being dismissed by Vishwa Fernando.Harry Brook, who looked streaky on 8, added just four runs before skying a catch to Asitha Fernando. Vishwa Fernando also dismissed Jamie Smith, while Dhananjaya de Silva removed Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson.Pope brought up his 150 in just 151 balls, but Vishwa ended his knock with a short ball that Pope hooked to deep square leg. Debutant Josh Hull and Shoaib Bashir were the last two wickets to fall, giving Sri Lanka eight wickets in the morning session.Sri Lanka's fast-bowling coach, Aaqib Javed, had suggested his charges would "rest and come up with something better than this" after a dire opening day. The bowlers responded with greater patience and probing lines, making the ball swing and setting traps for the England batters.By lunch on the second day, Sri Lanka had one run on the board for no loss after batting just one over before the break. The tourists will be hoping to continue their improved performance and make further inroads into England's lead in the afternoon session.

Ollie Pope's resurgence as England's captain continued on Friday as he notched his maiden century in the role during the first day of the third Test against Sri Lanka at The Oval.Pope, playing on his home ground, rediscovered his batting touch, scoring an unbeaten 103 off just 103 balls. His innings propelled England to a strong position of 221-3 at the close of play, despite poor light conditions forcing an early end to the day.Sri Lanka, who trail the three-match series 2-0, won the toss and opted to field first. However, they failed to capitalize on the overcast skies and green-tinged pitch, as England's openers made a solid start.Ben Duckett, who missed out on a century on Friday, struck consecutive fours off Milan Rathnayake's deliveries. However, Dan Lawrence, playing as a makeshift opener, struggled and was dismissed for just five runs.Pope, batting at number three, got off to a positive start, cutting a loose delivery from Rathnayake for four and later hooking a six off Lahiru Kumara. Duckett raced to a brisk fifty in just 48 balls, including seven boundaries.Despite the floodlights being on, the umpires deemed conditions too unsafe to continue and halted play due to bad light. Rain further delayed the match, which resumed at 1410 GMT.Duckett continued his aggressive approach, ramping Kumara for six over fine leg and then uppercutting him high over third man. However, he fell short of his fourth Test century when he mistimed a scoop off Rathnayake and was caught by wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal.Pope, 26, had a stroke of luck when a top-edged six off Kumara went his way. He completed his seventh Test hundred - and his first at The Oval - when he elegantly square-drove Asitha Fernando for his 13th boundary.However, bad light once again forced the players off the field, and no further play was possible on Friday.England, who have already secured a 3-0 victory against the West Indies earlier in the season, are now aiming for their first clean sweep in a home Test campaign since 2004.

Ben Stokes, England's Test captain, has expressed his disappointment with the "culture" of English sport, which he believes has led to excessive criticism of stand-in captain Ollie Pope. Pope has taken over the captaincy in Stokes' absence due to a hamstring injury and has led England to two comprehensive victories in the ongoing Sri Lanka series. However, his batting has suffered, leading to criticism from former England captain Michael Vaughan.Stokes defended Pope, stating that he has done "fantastically well" in leading the team and that his batting struggles are due to the added responsibility of captaincy. He also criticized the media for being too quick to criticize Pope, saying that it is "just English culture towards sport."Stokes has a history of defending his teammates and believes that athletes should support each other. He also spoke about his interest in business and his belief in the power of teamwork, which he sees as a key factor in his success on and off the field.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has raised concerns about Ollie Pope's suitability as the Test captain, despite his recent victory over Sri Lanka. Vaughan believes Pope lacks the confidence and experience necessary for the role, citing his poor batting form and excessive use of unsuccessful reviews.Pope's leadership has been under scrutiny after England's 190-run victory at Lord's, where he scored only 1 and 17. His fidgety manner at the crease and questionable field placements have also raised eyebrows. Vaughan argues that Pope is better suited as a vice-captain, providing tactical advice and support to Ben Stokes."Ollie Pope is the ideal vice-captain for England," Vaughan wrote in his column for The Telegraph. "He is a very good guy, trains well, and is a real team man. But he is better kept in that role than elevated to captain."Vaughan believes that Pope's insecurity stems from his lack of experience as a leader. He points out that not all vice-captains are capable of becoming captains, and that Pope may not have the necessary authority to command the respect of his teammates."I would be happy to be proven wrong on Pope," Vaughan added. "But I think he is someone who is a bit insecure. I can see why they gave him the vice-captaincy to give him a boost, but he really did not need the captaincy at this stage of his career."Vaughan also suggests that Harry Brook would be a better fit as England's next Test captain, due to his natural leadership qualities and aggressive approach. He also proposes that Joe Root could take up the mantle on an interim basis if necessary."Looking ahead, Harry Brook would be a better fit as captain for this side," Vaughan said. "But if there is another interim period when Stokes is injured and there are concerns about whether Brook is ready, what is wrong with giving the captaincy to Joe Root?"

Ollie Pope, England's stand-in captain, has vowed to ignore criticism of his batting after a disappointing performance against Sri Lanka. Despite England's perfect record under his leadership, Pope has come under fire for failing to reach 20 in four innings.Pope's dismissals in the first Test at Lord's raised concerns about his ability to balance captaincy and batting. However, he insists that he will not use his new role as an excuse for his poor form."I'm not going to put down my average shot to the fact that I was captain," Pope said. "I'll learn from it and move on."Pope acknowledges that his nervous starts have been an issue, but he is working to improve them. "It's something that I'm still trying to improve in my game," he said. "I want to keep on improving, especially the way I start my innings."Despite the criticism, Pope remains confident in his abilities. He has sought advice from Joe Root, who has been in excellent form for England. "Any batter in England can learn a fair bit off him," Pope said.Pope is excited to play his first Test at The Oval, his home ground. "It's always special getting back to The Oval," he said. "Hopefully there will be a great crowd in."England are aiming for a summer sweep, having not won every Test in a home season since 2004. "It would be a pretty cool thing to look back on," Pope said. "We've played some really good cricket throughout this summer."

England's decision to halt bowling spin on the third day of the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's has drawn criticism from former captain Eoin Morgan. With Sri Lanka struggling at 24 for 1, England opted to bring on seamers Shoaib Bashir and Joe Root instead of continuing with spin from both ends.Morgan questioned the decision, citing the poor light conditions and Sri Lanka's vulnerability. "It's a questionable decision," he said. "The reason behind that is just the whole context of the last hour or so: it is dark. There's a reason the seamers can't bowl: it is dangerous for everybody concerned."He emphasized the advantage England had with Bashir, England's premium fingerspinner, and the fact that Sri Lanka had promoted Prabath Jayasuriya, a No. 9 batsman, to No. 4. "They're bowling at a No. 9 at one end. Everything is in England's favor," Morgan said. "I question the decision… you have runs to play with, you have two or three new balls, everything in your favor. And yet you're sitting in the changing room."England's decision to come off the field left a near-capacity crowd at Lord's disappointed. Captain Joe Root expressed the team's desire to entertain fans, but acknowledged the safety concerns. "We pride ourselves on wanting people to come into the ground and feel like they've had a really enjoyable day of cricket, and can walk away wanting to come back for more Test cricket," he said.Ollie Pope, who is deputizing for Ben Stokes as captain, has faced criticism for his leadership. After scoring only 30 runs in four innings across the first two Tests, he was caught in the deep for 17 on Saturday.Sri Lanka's batting coach Ian Bell expressed hope that his team could still save the game. "The more we can spend time in the middle and that ball gets a bit softer…" he said. "This wicket has been quite a new-ball wicket, if you can get through that. There's still plenty of batting, and that's probably been the strength so far this tour: that middle-lower order have got some good runs."