Simon Cook to replace retiring Paul Downton as Kent’s director of cricket from October
Kent’s new director of cricket has been named - and it’s someone already part of their coaching staff.
Rob Key Sport News
'Was Approached By England Before Brendon McCullum': Ricky Ponting Makes Shocking Revelation
Australia's World Cup winning captain Ricky Ponting has revealed that he was approached for the England Test coaching role before Brendon McCullum took over last year. After an embarrassing 0-4 Ashes defeat Down Under, the England men's team set up went through a massive overhaul with McCullum and Matthew Mott replacing Chris Silverwood as the Test and white-ball coaches respectively. Test skipper Joe Root also stepped down from captaincy while batting mentor Graham Thorpe and managing director Ashley Giles also lost their jobs.
Ashes diary: Edgbaston turns blue for Bob Willis while Stokes mixes it up
Edgbaston turned Blue for Bob on Saturday, part of a fundraising campaign run by the Bob Willis Fund to raise money for prostate cancer research and awareness. They’ve raised £800,000 in their first two years, part of which has gone towards the development of new, non-invasive tests at the University of East Anglia. The day doubles up as a celebration of Willis, there were hundreds of big bushy wigs on show, and a bowling net behind the RES Wyatt Stand where people were invited to attempt their best impressions of his loping run. Impressive as all that is, the fund’s most remarkable achievement may be that they managed to persuade Willis’s hero, Bob Dylan, to be their Honorary Patron. Dylan is a baseball fan and even wrote a tribute to the New York Yankees’ pitcher Catfish Hunter. His only known contribution to cricket, though, is the brief epitaph he offered Willis: “Bob Willis was a great sportsman who left too soon. I’m happy to keep his flame and cause alive.”
England's 'Bazball' Revolution Faces Ultimate Test In Ashes
Can England regain the Ashes playing their ultra-aggressive "Bazball" brand of cricket or will they come unstuck against battle-hardened Australia? The answer will come over the coming weeks, starting with the first Test of a hotly anticipated five-match series at Edgbaston on Friday. England have forced the rest of the world to sit up and take notice, with 11 wins in 13 Tests since captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum joined forces last year.
Moeen Ali out of Test retirement to join England Ashes squad
All-rounder Moeen Ali came out of Test retirement on Wednesday to bolster the England squad for the first two Tests of the Ashes.
Moeen Ali comes out of Test retirement to join England's Ashes squad following Jack Leach injury
Moeen Ali has come out of Test retirement to join England’s squad for the first two Ashes Tests against Australia. The all-rounder has not played a Test since retiring from the format in September 2021. Ad However, he has returned following an injury to spinner Jack Leach which has ruled him out of the five-match series.
Moeen Ali Reverses Test Retirement, Included In England Ashes Squad
England spinner Moeen Ali, who had announced his retirement from Test cricket back in 2021, has been included in England's squad for the first two Ashes Tests against Australia, starting from June 16 onwards. "Warwickshire spin-bowling all-rounder Moeen Ali has been added to the England Men's Test squad for the first two Ashes Test matches against Australia starting at Edgbaston on Friday, 16 June 2023," said a statement from England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Wednesday.
England's Moeen to come out of test retirement for Ashes
England all-rounder Moeen Ali, who retired from test cricket in September 2021, has been added to the Ashes squad for the first two tests, the country's cricket board (ECB) said on Wednesday, after spinner Jack Leach was ruled out of the series.