Cricket

England star Harry Brook has fingers crossed for Mark Wood after the star quick limped off from their practice match on Thursday.

England’s Ashes hopes are already in disarray with Mark Wood injured and their B team fleecing their first-choice bowlers for nearly 400 runs in a day at Lilac Hill Park.

MITCHELL JOHNSON: It’s not the curator’s responsibility to make a Test match drag out - that’s the players’ job.

England’s star quicks have blown out the cobwebs in a lacklustre start to their lone Ashes practice match at Lilac Hill Park.

Josh Hazlewood’s injury scare may open the door for Beau Webster to line up alongside Cameron Green in the first Ashes Test, with Steve Smith open to the possibility of playing both all-rounders.

Steve Smith has indicated he'd rather face England's speedsters this Ashes rather than James Anderson and Stuart Broad, given Australia's lively pitches.

Ben Stokes will protect his Ashes novices, declaring a daunting Australian tour unlike anything else in cricket.

Ricky Ponting has played down his fellow Channel Seven commentator Stuart Broad’s claim the current Australian side is the worst since 2010.

It’s Bazball the Aussie way, as former Test opener Aaron Finch says the exploits of Travis Head show why England’s aggressive style can work Down Under.

Josh Hazlewood is feeling confident about his hamstring ahead of the Ashes, despite both he and Sean Abbott needing to leave a Shield game at the SCG for scans.

DANE ELDRIDGE: We have all moved on from Sandpapergate, except the Barmy Army, who have some misguided notion that their taunts will make any difference as Australia smashes their team during the Ashes.

Australia have avoided an Ashes disaster just nine days out from the first Test in Perth, but will need to make a change to the squad.

Australian and English cricket legends have been exchanging barbs ahead of what will be a blockbuster Ashes series, but the tourists’ captain Ben Stokes has brushed off the hostilities as “quite funny to see”.

England have insisted Joe Root's lack of centuries in Australia is not an issue as the visitors prepare for the first Test in Perth.

England will not play a warm-up game against an Australian State side ahead of the upcoming Ashes series, but one of their coaches has defended their limited build-up as “the way of the modern game”.