From the first ball to Bazball: everything you need to know about the Ashes

Can Ben Stokes really lead England to victory in Australia? Set your alarms and gird your loins, this one’s not just big, it’s positively BrobdingnagianEither it’s the start of the 2025-26 Ashes or Fred Dibnah’s Age of Steam on BBC Four is more watchable than we realised.England’s coach, the New Zealander Brendon McCullum, whose vibe is usually somewhere between Gen X slacker and Buddhist hippy, has called it “the biggest series of all our lives”. It could be career-defining for England – and career-staining for a great Australia side. All Ashes series are big; this one is positively Brobdingnagian.Well, England’s record on the last three tours is W0 D2 L13

Daly backed by Borthwick for long haul after England recall to face Argentina

Elliot Daly looks likely to remain a pivotal member of England’s squad through to the 2027 World Cup after being recalled to start the final autumn series game, against Argentina on Sunday.Daly is among six changes unveiled by the head coach, Steve Borthwick, who is backing the 33-year-old player to prolong his Test career for at least the next two years.Daly has not played any competitive rugby since breaking his arm against the Queensland Reds on the British & Irish Lions tour of Australia, but Borthwick has wasted no time reinstating him on the left wing and believes the versatile Saracens three-quarter still has plenty of international rugby in him.“I think he is in as good a shape as I have ever seen him,” Borthwick said, having announced a reshuffled selection with Henry Slade, Ben Spencer, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Ellis Genge and Luke Cowan-Dickie restored to the starting XV. “I think he hit very close to his fastest speed ever the other day in training … he can’t wait to go

Ashes 2025-26: Guardian writers’ predictions for the series

From pyrotechnics in Perth to the denouement in Sydney, our team of writers outline their hopes and fears for the five TestsAli Martin A full-blooded Ashes tour – both sets of supporters in the stands watching a hard-fought contest – after the pandemic proved something of a buzzkill four years ago.Mark Ramprakash Talented, adaptable cricketers beating Australia rather than the reckless bravado chance-your-arm bullshit of Bazball.Barney Ronay Jofra Archer to Steve Smith on a pacy deck. We’ve waited six years. They say you can’t go back

Australia enter Ashes series with transition abruptly forced upon an ageing squad | Geoff Lemon

The Ashes may offer one cause for celebration, but this series will also see the Australian team host more birthday parties than Timezone in the 90s. New boy Jake Weatherald had his 31st a day before the squad was announced. Nathan Lyon turns 38 the day before the Perth Test. Beau Webster turns 32 just before Brisbane, Usman Khawaja will be 39 on day two in Adelaide, Josh Hazlewood turns 35 on the fifth day in Sydney, and Mitchell Starc will be 36 before January is out.For two or three years there has been mounting fascination with the age of this team and especially the bowling attack

Stokes wants to be one of ‘lucky few’ England captains to claim Ashes victory in Australia

Ben Stokes is aiming to become one of the “lucky few” England captains to claim an away Ashes victory as he called on his players to forget a 15‑year barren spell in Australia and “create our own history”.After being shut out by the pandemic four years ago, up to 40,000 England supporters are estimated to be descending on Australia over the course of this winter. All are hopeful of witnessing an all-time classic and a change to the story after three winless Ashes tours.Stokes, ready to unleash Mark Wood and Jofra Archer when the series begins in Perth Stadium on Friday, is fully aware of the challenge: succeed and he will become just the sixth postwar England captain to do so after Andrew Strauss (2010-11), Mike Gatting (1986-87), Mike Brearley (1978-79), Ray Illingworth (1970-71) and Len Hutton (1954-55).“I have come here absolutely desperate to get home on that plane in January as one of the lucky few captains from England to have come here and been successful,” Stokes said, having named a 12‑member match‑day squad that includes Shoaib Bashir as the spin‑bowling option

Jake Paul’s Joshua fight is all about fame and bluster, money and eyeballs | Jonathan Liew

“If it’s all straight up and proper, you would worry that he takes this kid’s head off,” reckons Barry McGuigan. “Could get his jaw broke, his head smashed in, side of his head caved in, God forbid he could get a brain bleed,” says Carl Froch on his YouTube channel. “It could be the end of him. It could be his last day on Earth,” David Haye tells Sky News, with the sort of apocalyptic glare I try to give my children when they want to jump in a muddy puddle.Yes, this week everyone appears to be deeply concerned for the wellbeing of 28-year-old YouTube celebrity Jake Paul