Soccer (FIFA)
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 week agoAustralia v England: fourth Ashes Test, day one live
Ben Stokes' 2025-26 England Ashes touring side lost but recorded the smallest average-run gap to Australia this century: 114 runs.
It's not a complete exaggeration to say that Australia won the 2025-26 Ashes on 15 October 2024. That was when Cricket Australia announced the schedule for the series: Perth first, Brisbane second. Starting the series on the bounciest, most Kryptonicious pitches in Australia and the only major venues where England haven't won a Test since 1986-87 was a masterstroke, especially as Australia also had a day-night advantage at the Gabba. By the time England reached more batting-friendly climes, many of their batters already had scrambled brains.
Faith in technology, certainly, a sentiment shared by both sets of players. But for England there was a broader loss of belief in their attacking philosophy after having it systematically dismantled by Australia. This could have been the day that England finally made a statement with the bat in this Ashes series. It was a 40C (104F) furnace out in the middle for the bowlers, the breeze akin to a hairdryer.