England face daunting task as Ashes series resumes in shadow of tragedy
Adelaide may be 1,300km to the west of Bondi but the sense of pain in the city has been no less for the distance.People are in shock here trying to make sense of the horrors that unfolded on Sunday evening – a day that was supposed to be one of celebration for Sydney’s Jewish community.As the first national public event being staged in Australia since, the third Ashes Test that starts here on Wednesday will play out to a sombre backdrop.The flags at Adelaide Oval will fly at half-mast, a minute’s silence will be observed before the toss, while players are likely to wear black armbands throughout.Inevitably, security for the match has been increased.
It will doubtless be an emotional week for Australia’s players and not least given the number of links to New South Wales within their squad,Nathan Lyon summed up the helplessness many were feeling on Monday, offering thoughts and prayers to those affected before admitting: “Nothing I’m going to say right now is going to make anyone feel any better,”Needless to say, the cricket itself feels pretty trivial right now,But if nothing else, it can play a role in bringing people together at a time of such overwhelming sadness: a reminder of shared values and kinship,The Ashes rivalry has been running hot all series but ultimately this does not reflect the real world, where the two countries stand shoulder to shoulder.
For England, the situation in the series itself is acute, 2-0 down after two self-inflicted defeats.Ben Stokes has followed his head coach, Brendon McCullum, here, insisting now is not the time to think about jobs being on the line.“We both give everything that we possibly can towards the team,” he said.“It will always be like that as long as we are both in these roles.”According to the Association of Cricket Statisticians & Historians, only three teams in the last 100 years of Ashes cricket have won the third Test after going 2-0 down.
The good news for England, at least, is that this current side – changed in places, admittedly – sits among them: the fightback at Headingley in 2023, when incensed by Jonny Bairstow’s stumping at Lord’s.Stokes, though, has been drawing on a more recent Test match to gee up his players, reminding them of the summer just gone and the blow-up with India at Lord’s that spurred them on to a battling victory.The question here is why it has taken them so long to find this sense of urgency; why players have failed to capitalise on the notable absentees from Australia’s attack.Two of those absentees now return this week, bringing a combined 871 Test wickets of experience.Pat Cummins will lead his side for the first time in the series after allowing the potential start of a lower back stress fracture to settle down.
And after just two overs in Perth, and the bench in Brisbane, Lyon is back at the ground that launched his career.This week saw him added to its “Avenue of Honour” for his 12 wickets against India here in 2014.England (confirmed): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Jofra ArcherAustralia (possible): Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Nathan LyonEngland by comparison have swapped out Gus Atkinson, 66 Test wickets, for Josh Tongue, 31, but have otherwise backed the incumbents.It means no place for Shoaib Bashir – Will Jacks still preferred – and with it perhaps the first acknowledgement that two years of hot-housing a stripling with this tour in mind has simply not worked out.Add it to an ever-lengthening list.
Either way, and for all the talk of poor preparation before the series, England have no excuse not to be hardened to the task of playing in Australia by now.Nor can they claim to feel anything but fully refreshed following the break in Noosa.On Monday Harry Brook happily described it as “a belting time” during which apparently next to no cricket was really discussed.And England should be optimistic: the pitch at Adelaide Oval should feel more familiar than the bounce at the previous two venues, while the square boundaries are 13m tighter on either side compared to that monstrous outfield in Perth.The bigger question is how they take 20 wickets, not least given a heatwave that is forecast to span the first two days.
In that respect, playing a spin-bowling all-rounder at number eight feels instinctively defensive.Tongue’s awkward angle and ability to move the ball late should ask fresh questions of Australia’s batters, at least, even if he can at times be wild and expensive.Although the same can be said for Brydon Carse so far, nine wickets yet going at five an over.His retention, ahead of the less demonstrative Atkinson, may well reflect the inner “dog” that Stokes now deems a non-negotiable.
‘Every chef should train here’: Turkish restaurant ranks fourth on list of London’s top food spots
On a list of London’s best restaurants, you would expect to see the usual Michelin-starred suspects such as The Ledbury, Ikoyi and The Ritz. But high among these culinary heavyweights sits a humble salonu tucked away in the depths of north London.Neco Tantuni, a small Turkish eatery specialising in the foodie delights of Mersin, a city located on the southern coast of Turkey, has been crowned the fourth best restaurant in London by Vittles, the trendy food magazine that has become a bible for those looking for the best (and more off-the-radar) grub in the capital.“I’m totally shocked,” says Eren Kaya, whose parents hard graft has resulted in their restaurant, situated in a far-flung corner of Enfield, being placed near the top of the 99-strong list.The small shop, which was a greasy spoon cafe before being transformed into the hugely popular food hotspot, hasn’t fully shed the character of its former self
Ho, ho, Hamburg: bringing the flavours of a true German Christmas market home
From glühwein to lebkuchen, bratwurst to stollen, recreating the delicacies I sampled in the city’s festive markets is wholly achievable. Plus, a new digital cookbook for a good cause Sign up here for our weekly food newsletter, FeastWithout wanting to sound tediously Scrooge-like, the German-style markets that have become seasonal fixtures in many British cities over the last few decades never make me feel particularly festive. What’s remotely Christmassy – or German – about Dubai-chocolate churros and Korean fried chicken, I grumble as I drag the dog (who enjoys all such things) around their perimeters.Hamburg’s markets, however, which I was myself dragged around last weekend, are a very different story. For a start, the city has many of them, mainly fairly small – and some, such as the “erotic Christmas market” in St Pauli, with a particular theme
Christmas gift ideas for drinks lovers, from champagne to canned cocktails
Don’t get pulled in by silly gadgets: buy presents you’d be happy to receive yourselfThe Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.Alcohol is an unavoidable part of a festive spread (for more advice on which wines, beers and other drinks I like for each and every occasion, take a look at last week’s Christmas drinks guide), but, sometimes, a drink deserves a place under the tree as well as around it – especially if it’s an easy win for a drinks devotee for whom you need to buy a prezzie.The Guardian’s journalism is independent
Nine bring-a-plate ideas for Christmas drinks, barbecues and dinner parties this summer – recipes
Like nibblies, the concept of bringing a plate to a social event or a host’s home can be deeply confusing across cultures and generations. Are you carting canapes? Are you slinging salad? Are you delivering dessert? If we’ve learned anything from the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, it’s that communication is key. So if you’re unsure about what your host expects, just ask.Below are nine summer-friendly recipes to suit various bring-a-plate scenarios: one-bite snacks that go with cocktails, salads to bring to barbecues and make-ahead dessert for dinner parties, arranged in each category from easiest to most ambitious.And if time is seriously short, you could throw together a pleasingly arranged antipasto-ish plate comprised of Guardian Australia’s top supermarket taste test products: crackers, feta, salami and pickles
Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband no longer called ‘chocolate’ after recipe change
Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband bars can no longer be called chocolate after Nestlé reformulated their recipes due to the increasing cost of ingredients.The Swiss conglomerate now describes the treats as being “encased in a smooth milk chocolate flavour coating”, rather than being covered in milk chocolate.In the UK, a product needs to have at least 20% cocoa solids and 20% milk solids in order to be described as milk chocolate, a level each product fell below after a higher amount of cheaper vegetable fat was used.Nestlé said the changes were necessary due to higher input costs but were “carefully developed and sensory tested”, adding there were no plans to alter the recipes of other chocolate products.A spokesperson for Nestlé said it had seen “significant increases in the cost of cocoa over the past years, making it much more expensive to manufacture our products
How to use a spent tea bag to make a boozy, fruity treat – recipe | Waste not
Save a used teabag to flavour dried fruit, then just add whisky for a boozy festive treatA jar of tea-soaked prunes with a cheeky splash of whisky is the gift you never knew you needed. Sticky, sweet and complex, these boozy treats are wonderful spooned over rice pudding, porridge, yoghurt, ice-cream or even panna cotta.Don’t waste a fresh tea bag, though – enjoy a cuppa first, then use the spent one to infuse the prunes overnight. Earl grey adds fragrant, citrus notes, builders’ tea gives a malty depth, lapsang souchong brings smokiness, and chamomile or rooibos offer softer, floral tones. It’s also worth experimenting with other dried fruits beyond prunes: apricots, figs and/or dates all work beautifully, too
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