Captain Alastair Cook set his sights on regaining the Ashes at Trent Bridge after England brushed aside Australia inside three days to take a 2-1 series lead.

Another Alastair Cook failure overshadowed Gary Ballance’s second Test century, against India at Lord’s yesterday.

Alastair Cook admitted the rain slightly dampened England’s celebrations after they retained the Ashes when play was abandoned at a soggy Old Trafford yesterday.

Graeme Swann believes the Old Trafford pitch will not offer too many surprises for the remainder of the third Investec Test.

Ian Bell’s third hundred in successive Ashes Tests underpinned England’s partial recovery from their false start on an eventful first day at Lord’s.

England captain Alastair Cook credited the irrepressible James Anderson and some judicious use of the review system for delivering victory in a classic first Ashes Test.

Ashton Agar’s record-breaking Test debut will give Englishmen nightmares for years to come, but was just a “dream come true” for the Australian teenager.

The Ashes doesn’t just ask that you set one five-day or two-week stint aside, it demands you ring-fence just under seven weeks of your life.

Pace man Steven Finn was delighted to play a key role in England’s fightback against Australia on a frenetic opening day of the Ashes series.

Had life taken a different turn, James Morrison may well have been occupying the crease at Trent Bridge today.

The Pakistani cricket team ploughed on with their British tour today, dogged by accusations of match-fixing, after the man at the centre of the alleged plot was bailed by police.

A QUITE inspirational batting display by skipper William Porterfield helped Ireland to a thoroughly convincing seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first game of the RSA Series at Stormont yesterday.

Andrew Flintoff was appropriately involved in the pivotal moment as England bowled out Australia to reclaim the Ashes at the Oval today.

Ireland coach Phil Simmons has admitted the loss of early wickets has cost his side dearly as they bid to improve their fortunes in the World Twenty20.

IRELAND captain William Porterfield insisted his players were still benefiting from the World Twenty20 experience after they suffered their second heavy defeat in two days yesterday, this time at the hands of New Zealand in the Super Eights.

Ireland missed the opportunity to register another giantkilling by slipping to an emphatic 83-run defeat against injury-hit New Zealand in the second stage of the World Twenty20 tournament.

Captain William Porterfield remains confident his Ireland team can cause another World Twenty20 upset – despite their eight-wicket defeat against champions India.

IRELAND captain William Porterfield has targeted a famous victory over New Zealand later today despite watching his side slip to an eight-wicket defeat against reigning World Twenty20 champions India at Trent Bridge.

Ireland left injured pair Niall O’Brien and Trent Johnston out of their team to face India in their final ICC World Twenty20 Group A match at Trent Bridge tonight.

Ireland’s cricketers have nothing to lose but perhaps a fortune to gain in their final World Twenty20 Group A match against champions India today.

Ireland’s match-winner Niall O’Brien cannot wait to take on world champions India tomorrow after dumping Bangladesh out of the World Twenty20 yesterday.

The Ireland cricket team have qualified for the World Twenty20 Super Eights after beating Bangladesh by six wickets at Trent Bridge.

IRELAND coach Phil Simmons admits he would be “very disappointed” if his team do not make the quarter-finals of the World Twenty20.

JACQUES KALLIS has promised a different South Africa side will turn out today after a rare one-day loss opened their NatWest Series campaign against England.

IRELAND became the first team to qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 2009 in England when they laboured to a four-wicket victory against Kenya in the first semi-final of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier at Stormont yesterday.

PHIL SIMMONS will be looking for an Ireland victory over Scotland today in the European Championship decider at Clontarf to banish memories of the lowest point of his 15 months as national coach.

KEVIN PIETERSEN hit a defiant 10th hundred at the highest level as England saved the final Test against India at the Brit Oval yesterday.

MICHAEL VAUGHAN is relishing the prospect of choosing between an increasing pool of outstanding bowlers as competition for places increases among England’s attack.

ENGLAND coach Peter Moores has refused to blame their under-par over-rate as a reason for England’s failure to wrap up the opening npower Test before bad weather came to India’s rescue.

SRI LANKA capped a fine summer by breaking the world record for a one-day international total, posting 443 for nine against the Netherlands in Amstelveen.

PREVENTING another Kevin Pietersen show was hot on the agenda as England and Sri Lanka prepared for the third npower Test at Trent Bridge.

AUSTRALIA’S gamble with the weather provided England with encouragement they could still complete an historic Ashes success despite struggling to remain competitive in the deciding Test at the Oval.

England’s hopes of mounting a fightback in the deciding Ashes Test were frustrated by Australia’s best opening partnership of the summer at The Oval.

ENGLAND are hoping to prove their point to Glenn McGrath in person next week as they enter the final Test seeking to end 16 years of Ashes torment.

ENGLAND survived a superb Shane Warne spell to win the fourth Test against Australia by three wickets and go 2-1 up in the Ashes after a dramatic finale at Trent Bridge yesterday.

Simon Jones struck twice in as many balls in a stunning start to the third day’s play of the fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge.

AUSTRALIA are hoping their bowling attack is not a case of out with the old and in with the new when the fourth npower Ashes Test begins at Trent Bridge tomorrow.

Richard Gibson

JUSTIN LANGER believes Australia’s selectors have been left with a headache when they choose the bowling attack for this week’s fourth Ashes Test.

Richard Gibson

NASSER HUSSAIN ended any doubts about his desire to continue playing international cricket with a trademark century which guided England into a commanding position against South Africa in the crucial third nPower Test.

CHRIS SILVERWOOD touched down in Tasmania determined to make the most of his opportunity on this Ashes tour, even if that signals the end of county team-mate Matthew Hoggard’s run in England’s Test line-up.

INDIA’S determined batting line-up prevented England claiming a fourth successive Test win and spared them the embarrassment of narrowly missing out on victory because of their reluctance to play on two nights earlier.