England are up to their old tricks before this week's Ashes opener in Cardiff by selecting a specialist substitute fielder.

England pace bowler Graham Onions said it felt "unbelievable" to have retained his place in the squad for Wednesday's first Ashes Test against Australia in Cardiff.

Mohammad Yousuf hit a fluent century on his return to big-time cricket to put Pakistan ahead after two days in the first Test against Sri Lanka.

We continue our 30-day countdown to the first Ashes Test with Australia's two 5-0 whitewashes, which were completed 86 years apart.

Nathan Hauritz is still a serious chance of playing in the first Ashes Test in Cardiff despite his lean pickings on tour.

The traditional Lilac Hill festival match in Perth will not go ahead in 2009 due to a cramped domestic season.

We continue our 30-day countdown to the first Ashes Test with Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain who has a point or two to prove in England this year.

Australia coach Tim Nielsen says his side are in the best possible shape ahead of the first Ashes Test after the tour match against England Lions ended in a draw.

Off-colour Nathan Hauritz received a vote of confidence from Australia coach Tim Nielsen despite taking just one wicket in his final audition for an Ashes berth in Cardiff.

Phillip Hughes has one less thing to worry about after England avoided the temptation of recalling Steve Harmison for this week's first Ashes Test.

With just a few days remaining before the start of the 2009 Ashes series, and the opener in Cardiff, players from both sides have been looking back at the past two series. Obviously 2005 has been mentioned once or twice,

ERE as a website has been in existence since 2000 and as a concept since 1991 and over the years I’ve got to know many people whom otherwise I wouldn’t have met. We meet, we chat but for most I

Martyn Williams has won his first British Lions Test start, on his third and final tour. The Wales flanker is has been to all three Southern Hemisphere tours, Australia in 2001, New Zealand in 2005 as well as this year

With the first Lions test showing how difficult it can be for front row forwards in the scrum, and with Phil Vickery's excellent turn-around in the third test, regular poster Loosehead has written about this area of the game that

this week its about Films - film stars and all that - which is strange for someone who hasn’t been inside a cinema since they banned smoking - and apparently dialogue on screen - replacing what made the experience pleasurable

PAKISTAN'S fast bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Abdur Rauf sparkled on their debuts but it was Sri Lanka who walked off with the advantage on day one of the first Test in Galle

A NEW beginning for Scotland was always going to involve growing pains rather than a soothing transition. There will be occasions when erratic tendencies - batting aberrations

ENGLAND are expected to follow the successful framework established in 2005 when they select their line-up for the first Ashes Test in Cardiff on Wednesday.

SCOTTISH cricket chiefs are set to launch an inquest after a physical confrontation between rival players almost led to a match being abandoned. The flashpoint happened during

IN part two of our interview, Australia's king of spin says home side are relying on one man to reclaim the Ashes