England pace bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad have set their sights on a final Ashes series in Australia before they consider retirement.

Anderson and Broad are first and second respectively in England's list of all-time Test wicket-takers, but both are entering the twilight of their careers.

Anderson is 37 and has endured a series of injury problems over the last 12 months.

Although Broad is four years younger than Anderson, he believes his career will not last as long as his fellow paceman.

With the end in sight, both are eager to keep their England places long enough for a memorable farewell Ashes series in Australia in 2021/22.

When asked by Anderson for his retirement plans during an Instagram Live Q&A, Broad said: "I don't think I could go until your age. Your action's so smooth, it looks a lot calmer on your body whereas mine is a little more forceful through my body I think.

"I'd never want to get to that place where I'm bowling against a 19-year-old and they're going, 'I thought someone said he used to be a good bowler'. I'd hate that. I'd prefer to go that little bit earlier than that little bit later.

"But I'm loving the environment at the minute. I love playing for England.

"I still have huge motivation to keep playing and you just assess that year by year. And we've got that carrot dangling over us of Australia in Australia which looks like an achievable carrot to grab."

Australia are the current Ashes holders after they retained the urn following the drawn series in England last year.

The last time either side won an Ashes series away from home was when England triumphed 3-1 in Australia in 2010/11.

Anderson sees no reason why he should not feature when England next meet their old rivals, as long as he maintains his high standards.

"The big thing is standards. If your standards feel like they're dropping then yeah you might consider finishing," he said.

"But as long as my standards stay high, my fitness levels stay good and my skills stay where I want them to be and my speed stays pretty good which they have been (I'll keep playing).

"We've got an exciting team and a few young guys who are just starting out on their journey, we've got some more established guys and we've got two guys who have been around a long time."

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Oli Scarff

England Test captain Joe Root has said that watching the first few episodes of a documentary about the Australian cricket team has been a "motivator" ahead of the 2021/22 Ashes Down Under.

'The Test' charts Australia's progress from the low of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal in South Africa through to the high of retaining the Ashes in a drawn series in England last year after the hosts and eventual champions beat them in the World Cup semi-finals.

The largely well-received documentary has also been accused of being a public relations exercise given Cricket Australia had editorial control.

But with cricket suspended worldwide because of the coronavirus pandemic, Root decided to take a look.

"Whilst we were away (on tour) I exhausted a lot of the shows that I wanted to watch, it's come round to watching that now," he told reporters in a conference call on Monday.

"It's been a good motivator to get back and train, get back on the bike, use it as a way of incentivising myself.

"I've only got to the start of the World Cup, so we'll see how the rest of it unfolds."

Root, while acknowledging the importance of the World Test Championship, made clear an Ashes series in Australia remains the acid test for an England cricketer.

Under his leadership, England were beaten 4-0 in the 2017/18 Ashes.

But Root said the threat posed by the likes of fast bowler Mark Wood, man-of-the match in the fourth Test victory against South Africa, added an "X-factor" to England's attack.

"We've seen in South Africa that has played a part, it has found us a way to take 20 wickets in foreign conditions."

- 'Hardened' -

Turning to top-order rising stars Dom Sibley and Ollie Pope, Root added: "If we can keep putting experience into a number of the young batters as well, give them game time, then we're starting to build a team that has confidence, experience, is ready and hardened for the challenges Australia will throw at us."

England followed the drawn Ashes campaign with a 3-1 series win in South Africa only to see their tour of Sri Lanka abandoned before the first Test due to the coronavirus.

"There are more important things to concern ourselves with," said Root, now a patron of his local Sheffield Children's Hospital.

"But from a cricketing point of view we were preparing ourselves well for the two Test matches in Sri Lanka and we made big strides in South Africa."

Root, while acknowledging there would be talks regarding leading players taking pay cuts to help English cricket balance its books at a time without fixtures, said "it's not my area of expertise".

But he added the prospect of the 2020 season being abandoned completely had "definitely crossed my mind". 

"It might be that my wife has to start giving me some throw-downs in the back garden but until things become that drastic it will be simply sit tight and wait," said Root.

Asked if his wife was giving him throw-downs, he replied: "Not yet. I'll do a lot of fielding and given Alfie (Root's son) a lot of throw-downs. He's about 500-4 at the minute, bit of a flat track here.

"I haven't picked a bat up yet, so I'm sure at some point I'll be raiding the garage and shadow-batting in the house."

But Root stressed it was impossible to replicate the environment of the dressing room. 

"You spend a long time working towards something collectively and when that comes back round, it's a very special thing.

"At times you can take that for granted, especially when you play as much as we do."

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Lakruwan Wanniarachchi

Australia captain Tim Paine has blasted England all-rounder Ben Stokes for taking a "cheap shot" at David Warner, claiming he was using the controversial opening batsman to spike sales of his new book.

In his book, which is being serialised in a British newspaper, he claims Warner's sledging motivated Stokes during his match-winning heroics in the third Ashes Test this year.

Stokes's incredible unbeaten 135 at Headingley steered England to a record run chase and thrilling one-wicket win to square the five-match series at 1-1.

"He just wouldn't shut up for most of my time out there," Stokes said of Warner, who insists he has reformed and is no longer the brash character who was banned for a year over a ball-tampering scandal.

"I could accept it from just about any other opponent. Truly. Not from him, though," Stokes added.

"The changed man he was adamant he'd become, the one that hardly said boo to a goose and even went as far as claiming he had been re-nicknamed 'Humble' by his Australia team-mates, had disappeared."

Paine disputed the characterisation and was adamant Warner did nothing wrong.

Asked if it was a cheap shot by Stokes, Paine replied: "Oh absolutely.

"I was obviously standing next to David the whole time (at first slip) and you are allowed to talk on the cricket field," he told reporters on Sunday in Brisbane ahead of a Test series against Pakistan.

"But by no means was he abusing him or sledging him.

"It just seems to be a common trend in England that they like to use Davey's name to spike book sales."

Featured image courtesy: AFP/ Glyn Kirk

English cricket authorities must make the most of the thrilling World Cup triumph in July to encourage youngsters to take up the sport over the long term, according to England pace bowling star Jofra Archer.

The 24-year-old Barbados-born bowler -- who made an immediate impact when he became eligible to play for England earlier this year -- showed remarkable nerve bowling the decisive Super Over in the World Cup final against New Zealand.

England won the trophy due to countback on the amount of boundaries scored after the match ended tied and the sides were level after the Super Over.

Archer said it was encouraging to see the way young people were inspired by the World Cup win to start playing the game, but he said authorities needed to find ways to keep them interested over the long term.

"I've seen many videos of kids playing, doing their celebrations in the back garden," he said.

"I think the World Cup is going to get spoken about for many years to come.

"We do need to use it. I think we need to push it a lot further.

"Look at the kids. It's wet and muddy but I don't think they care. It makes us happy to see them playing and wanting to do better."

Archer, who plays his county cricket for Sussex, said his message to aspiring cricketers is their success or belief in being able to succeed has to come from within. 

"Never give up," he said. "If no one believes in you, you have to believe in yourself.

"You never know where cricket can take you in two weeks, two months or a year... Anything is possible."

Archer said on an international front he hoped England would build on the World Cup victory and the drawn Ashes series.

"We want to climb the rankings in the Test Championship. I think we can make history," he said.

"We have started already. Hopefully we can win back-to-back (World Cups).

"Who's to say we can't? Everyone is around the same age in the group we have got together. We will be together for a lot more years."

Featured image courtesy: AFP/ Oli Scarff

New England coach Chris Silverwood says his priority is to help Test captain Joe Root as they target a successful Ashes campaign in Australia in two years' time.

The 44-year-old was this week promoted from fast bowling coach to replace World Cup-winning head coach Trevor Bayliss, who stepped down last month at the end of his contract.

Read: England name Chris Silverwood as head cricket coach

Silverwood will take charge of the tour of New Zealand, which includes a five-match T20I series, starting on November 1, and two Tests.

"I think (there's a good) relationship between myself and the two captains (Root and Eoin Morgan), and I've got a strong relationship with all the players and backroom staff," Silverwood said at his unveiling press conference on Thursday.

"I understand how the system works, how the team works. That continuity is key."

Silverwood said improving the fortunes of the Test team under Root's captaincy would be his top priority.

England won the 50-over World Cup in July for the first time but failed to wrest back the Ashes from Australia, who retained the urn after a 2-2 draw.

Their next Test tour of Australia is in 2021-22.

"Job number one is helping Joe -- we've got a lot of support around Joe, but to keep moving forward so that in two years' time we can go to Australia and make a real impact," he said.

England's aim is to become the most successful team in international cricket across all formats.

Silverwood said the Test team would have to learn to bat for long periods, build on their bowling success and become more consistent away from home.

Ashley Giles, managing director of England men's cricket, explained why he labelled Silverwood "the standout candidate".

"His character, his values, he's a winner," said Giles.  "You can only prove that in the environment you're in and he's proven that in the domestic game."

Silverwood, who played six Tests and seven one-day internationals for England between 1996 and 2002, coached Essex to the County Championship title in 2017 before joining the England set-up.

"The job he did at Essex was fantastic and we're still seeing that legacy now. I think the sign of a good coach is leaving the club better than you found it and that seems to be in evidence," Giles said.

"The relationship, the knowledge of what we're doing -- we've got an exceptional bloke who cares deeply about what we're doing."

Feature Image Courtesy: AFP/ Paul Faith

Ben Stokes has been voted the Professional Cricketers' Association players' player of the year after starring in England's maiden World Cup win and repeating his heroics during the Ashes series.

@benstokes38

@NatWest_Cricket PCA Players' Player of the Year.

The Champion of 2019

Stokes' summer!#PCAawards50 pic.twitter.com/ZQK8AMc7k1

�PCA (@PCA) October 2, 2019

Somerset's Tom Banton picked up the PCA young player of the year award, while England bowler Sophie Ecclestone collected the women's prize.

@Sophecc19

NatWest Women's Player of the Summer.

The first ever player to win two NatWest Women’s Player of the Summer awards.#PCAawards50 pic.twitter.com/4TPK0MWLHj

�PCA (@PCA) October 2, 2019

@TomBanton18

PCA Young Player of the Year

How good is this 20-year old cricketer going to be #PCAawards50 pic.twitter.com/fBZo7FdBri

�PCA (@PCA) October 2, 2019

Highlights of the English cricket season for Stokes included an unbeaten 84 in the World Cup final and a sensational 135 not out to win the third Test against Australia at Headingley. 

All-rounder Stokes, 28, was England's top run-scorer in the Ashes, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Speaking at the PCA awards ceremony in London on Wednesday, Stokes told the Press Association: "In terms of reflection, I think there will come a time where I will be able to take it all in but I don't think that will come until I retire really because it all comes so thick and fast. 

"This will definitely be a summer that I will be able to look back on forever."

He added: "Winning the World Cup was an amazing feeling to be a part of -- seven weeks of hard toil to then walk away with the World Cup was brilliant, and then a great Ashes series to be part of."

England Test skipper Joe Root paid tribute to his "awesome" team-mate, who is the Test vice-captain.

"He's a massive driving force of this team, one of the senior players across the board," Root said.

Young player of the year Banton has been included in England's T20I squad for the winter tour to New Zealand after amassing more than 1,000 runs across the two domestic limited-overs competitions.

Feature Image Courtesy: AFP/ Glyn Kirk

Director of cricket Ashley Giles says England need to address the balance between the red-ball and white-ball teams after the side's World Cup triumph. 

Trevor Bayliss ended four years in charge as head coach this month and while he led the team to a maiden World Cup 50-over win, the Test team has lacked consistency.

Joe Root's men fought back to draw 2-2 in the Ashes series on Sunday, but the urn remains in the hands of Australia after their 4-0 home win during the 2017-18 series.

"We need to address the balance between red and white-ball cricket," Giles told the Press Association.

"When we appoint a new head coach, it's a good chance for those guys to sit down even with me and even the selectors and map out what the future looks like and the sort of cricket we want to play as a Test team."

Jofra Archer's performances for England in the World Cup and Ashes have earned the paceman Test and white-ball central contracts for the first time.

He is one of 10 players to receive a Test deal for the 2019-20 season, as is opener Rory Burns, who cemented his spot at the top of the order with some battling performances in the Ashes.

Spin duo Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid have lost their central Test contracts but are in a list of 12, also including Joe Denly, to be handed white-ball deals.

"The way the central contracts are lined up, with 10 Test contracts and 12 white-ball, does not mean white-ball is more important," Giles said.

"But there is more room for manoeuvre in red-ball contracts and places up for grabs, so good opportunities for people and a chance for them to take them."

Jason Roy, who played a key part in the World Cup triumph in July, before flopping during the Ashes, has been awarded a white-ball deal but not a red-ball contract.

Surrey seamer Liam Plunkett missed out on a white-ball contract despite a prominent role in the World Cup, with England winning all seven matches when the 34-year-old was part of the side.

Test contracts: James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes.

White-ball contracts: Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Joe Denly, Eoin Morgan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

Increment contracts: Tom Curran, Jack Leach

Feature Image Courtesy: AFP/ Ben Stansall

Captain Tim Paine has predicted a "very exciting era" for Australian cricket after the team retained the Ashes against England while revealing he broke his thumb in the final Test.

The series was drawn 2-2, with Australia keeping the Urn as the Ashes holders, despite losing the last Test at the Oval by 135 runs.

"I'm looking forward to Australia, seeing how far we've come this summer," Paine said in a column for ‘The Australian�newspaper, referring to the upcoming home Tests against Pakistan and New Zealand.

"Last year, we were a bit lost and were finding our way," he added after the side struggled in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.

"I know we have found it now and I am confident this group is the beginning of a very exciting era in Australian cricket.

"We've got the best bowling attack in the world and the basis for a great batting line-up."

Australia retaining the Ashes was built on the back of an incredible series by former skipper Steve Smith, who scored 774 runs in just seven innings and an impressive bowling attack led by Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.

Paine called Smith "a freak" while also praising Marnus Labuschagne as having "a huge future" after he too enjoyed a stellar tour with the bat.

But he revealed the last Test was a struggle for himself and fast bowler, Peter Siddle.

"My thumb was broken towards the end of that Test but it is not displaced, so I should be right to get back into training early," said Paine, while praising workhorse Siddle who was battling a hip injury.

"He has copped a bit of criticism for not bowling as well as... we know he can, but the team knows just how heroic he was.

"A lot of other people wouldn't have bowled again in the match, but he pushed on because he didn't want to leave Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins to do extra work."

Coming off a long overseas tour and with five home Tests starting from November 21, Paine said he needs to rest and will not play the domestic Big Bash League Twenty20 competition this season.

"Being captain is draining and I think I should take every chance to recharge my batteries," he said.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Glyn Kirk

England cricket chiefs on Tuesday rallied round star all-rounder Ben Stokes after he criticized a British newspaper report about a family tragedy more than 30 years ago.

Tom Harrison, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), said he was "disgusted and appalled" by the front-page story in The Sun tabloid on Tuesday.

Stokes, who helped England win the World Cup this year and played a starring role in the just-completed drawn Ashes series against Australia, has called the report "utterly disgusting" and said it touched on "deeply personal and traumatic events" involving the deaths of members of his New Zealand-based family more than 30 years ago.

Stokes, 28, was born in New Zealand but moved to England as a boy.

In an ECB statement, Harrison said: "We, like the wider sporting world, are disgusted and appalled at the actions taken in revealing the tragic events from Ben's past.

"We are saddened that an intrusion of this magnitude was deemed necessary in order to sell newspapers or secure clicks. Ben's exploits at Lord's and Headingley cemented his place in cricket history this summer -- we are sure the whole sport, and the country, stands behind him in support."

In his own statement, Stokes said: "It is hard to find words that adequately describe such low and despicable behavior, disguised as journalism. I cannot conceive of anything more immoral, heartless or contemptuous to the feelings and circumstances of my family.

"For more than three decades, my family has worked hard to deal with the private trauma inevitably associated with these events and has taken great care to keep private what were deeply personal and traumatic events."

The Sun defended its approach, saying the story had received extensive media coverage in New Zealand at the time.

A spokeswoman for the newspaper said: "The Sun has the utmost sympathy for Ben Stokes and his mother but it is only right to point out the story was told with the co-operation of a family member who supplied details, provided photographs and posed for pictures.

"The tragedy is also a matter of public record and was the subject of extensive front-page publicity in New Zealand at the time.

"The Sun has huge admiration for Ben Stokes, and we were delighted to celebrate his sporting heroics this summer. He was contacted prior to publication and at no stage did he or his representatives ask us not to publish the story."

The story has also revived a debate about the ethics of the British press.

Press regulation campaign group Hacked Off condemned the story. Hacked off board member Steve Barnett told BBC radio the story was "graphic evidence" of a newspaper "driving a coach and horses through their own code of conduct".

"He's done absolutely nothing wrong and his own family history is dragged through the mud. I can't see any justification for this other than the fact it will sell papers. It was a brutally commercial decision which took no account of their own code of conduct, which says everyone deserves respect for their private and family life," Barnett said.

Feature Image Courtesy: AFP/ Glyn Kirk

It's too early to say that the Ashes was the most exhilarating series we witnessed in 2019. But it would take some beating if a series manages to evoke as much attraction and hooks viewers to their television sets in this World Test Championship. As the series comes to an end with Australia retaining the Ashes and England levelling the series, we take a look at some fun moments and talking points from the series.

283561000511

No, this isn't a UK telephone number. It's Warner's Ashes 2019 scores written down in a straight line with no commas. In 10 innings, the Australian opener managed only 12 digits combined with just one of the nine innings going past the double-digit mark. Making a mockery of the Australian was Stuart Broad who dismissed him a whopping seven times in the series. Guess Glenn McGrath isn't the only Ashes bowler who could pinpoint his bunny before a series began.

The ugly, the beast and the dupe

The best batsman in the world against the raw pace of a newbie seamer became the toast of the series this year and perhaps, even the turning point. When Smith was struck down by an Archer lifter, few expected him to not roar back and score a double hundred. It was almost inevitable, a historic occurrence that was waiting to happen. With 774 runs in the series and a ball that struck him down from Archer, Smith had an unforgettable series. The battle with Archer will perhaps go down as one of the most exciting phases of play in Ashes history.

If Smith's concussion episode seemed like the ideal chance for England to edge ahead, Marnus Labuschagne, the concussion substitute made the hope futile by emulating Smith with his extraordinary diligence. After two Tests, it seemed unfathomable that substitute Labuschagne would be dropped.

Things only England all-rounders can do

We know about Botham's Ashes and Ben Stokes nearly made this Ashes his own with a stupendous display at Headingley. Single-handedly taking his team to a difficult win on day five of an Ashes Test with only the tail supporting, Stokes gave England a sniff at a time they had zero hopes. If his partnership with Jack Leach does not find a place in somebody's top 10 Ashes moments ever, we'd all be surprised.  

The spectacle

Yes, the Ashes was a spectacle but the word was used in its plural form more often, thanks to the England tail-ender.

If one object made this series an act to remember, it was Jack Leach's spectacles. During the epic run chase at Headingley with Stokes, Leach called someone on to the ground to wipe his spectacles in the most obvious, yet justified, delaying tactic. He would later go on to take a crucial single to level the team scores before Stokes hit a boundary to seal the deal.

In that memorable night, Leach would imitate that single on the centre pitch alongside his mates during the celebrations. A miffed Steven Smith was later seen mocking him by wearing spectacles on the field after Australia retained the Ashes.

No wonder SpecSaver, the sponsorers, offered Leach lifetime free services.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Glyn Kirk