England are set keep faith with Jos Buttler despite defeat to West Indies in the first Test of a three-match series, but time may be up for Joe Denly.

Captain Joe Root is set to return for the second Test starting on Thursday at Old Trafford after missing the four-wicket defeat in Southampton to attend the birth of his second child.

The England selectors have big decisions to make after again losing the game with the bat rather than the ball despite the controversial omission of Stuart Broad.

An under-par 204 in the first innings and the loss of five wickets for 30 runs on the fourth evening set the platform for the tourists to take first blood.

Denly and Buttler were involved in both passages and find themselves increasingly under pressure for their places -- the former being squeezed by Root's return and Zak Crawley's fine 76 on Saturday, the latter from Surrey gloveman Ben Foakes.

England head coach Chris Silverwood, though, has only offered strong reassurance to one of the duo.

Buttler has a Test average of just 23.22 since the start of 2019 and only one hundred in 75 innings.

"I'm not going to go down that road yet of putting Jos under pressure, because I don't think it's going to help him," said Silverwood. "First and foremost, we want to give Jos the best opportunity to succeed.

"But I'm sure he is asking the same questions. He looked brilliant coming into this game, in practice and everything, and he looked very good in the first innings. He just needs to go and make those big scores now, doesn't he? He knows that as well.

"From our point of view, it's just making sure that he feels confident in the environment he's in."

There looks certain to be change higher up the order, though, with Denly's knocks of 18 and 29 doing little to show that he can haul his performances up to the required standard for a long-term Test number three.

At just 22, Crawley is 12 years Denley's junior and by producing England's top score of the match in tense circumstances in the second innings, he appeared to make an irresistible grab for the shirt.

"We're all desperate to see Joe do really well. We can see he's trying hard, he's training hard and he's a great bloke, hence why we all went to see him do well," said Silverwood.

"But obviously, he's under pressure a little bit, yes. Zak is improving constantly. I think he certainly showed maturity and the innings he played was very good.

"We have some young players in that side that seem to have good heads on their shoulders, and he's one of them. That's what we are looking for."

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Mike Hewitt

National selector Ed Smith had no qualms justifying the inclusion of batsman Joe Denly in England's 13-man squad for next week's first Test against the West Indies at Southampton after the experienced pair of Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali failed to make the cut.

With regular England captain Joe Root unavailable for the opening contest of a three-match series after already leaving the hosts' bio-secure bubble to attend the birth of his second child, there was a vacancy in the top order.

But there was still a chance the 34-year-old Denly, averaging a modest 30 from his 14 Tests, could have made way for the uncapped Dan Lawrence in a match that will mark the return of international cricket from lockdown.

Nevertheless, the veteran may need a major score if he is to keep his place, with Root set to return for the final two Tests at Old Trafford later this month.

"As a top-order batter Joe would obviously love to convert those starts into hundreds and big hundreds -- that goes for any batsman -- but also it is fully understood that he has contributed to good team batting performances," Smith told a conference call after unveiling the squad on Saturday.

"The England team has been batting with more consistency and solidity throughout the order and Joe has been a big part of that."

- 'Good performers' -

Bairstow and Moeen have 130 Test caps between them.

But as England try to cram in a full international schedule, despite losing several months of their home season to the pandemic, the pair may both be set for more of a white-ball role this season, with the 50-over world champions likely to field two separate squads because of the impending fixture congestion.

Bairstow's fate for this match was effectively sealed when fellow wicket-keeper Jos Buttler, the current Test gloveman, was named as vice-captain to Ben Stokes after it was confirmed family duties would keep Root away from the game.

And although Moeen has made himself available for Test cricket again after taking a break from red-ball cricket, England have kept faith with rival off-spinner Dom Bess as their specialist slow bowler after he impressed during a series win in South Africa.

"With Moeen and Jonny part of the calculation is obviously that they have been in the white-ball squad and been very good performers in white-ball cricket," added former England batsman Smith.

"You know if they're not in the 11 here it's good that they're playing cricket in the white-ball team.

"Moeen being available is good news for the talent in the spin department but it's also the case that Dom did very well in South Africa.

"We're glad that Moeen is available again but there's no change: Dom Bess is in possession, and Jack Leach takes the reserve spot."

Veteran new-ball bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad are among a group of five seamers along with Barbados-born Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Chris Woakes. But only three are likely to play given Stokes is himself a seam-bowling all-rounder.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Lakruwan Wanniarachchi

Half-centuries from Joe Denly and Ben Stokes breathed life into England who reached 241 for four at stumps after a slow start on the first day of the opening Test against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui on Thursday. 

With England intent on occupying the crease as long as possible -- although captain Joe Root's stay was very brief -- and New Zealand bowling tight lines, run-scoring was not a priority but the day was not without its drama.

Denly, who claimed the honours in a fascinating battle with New Zealand's short-ball maestro Neil Wagner, fell for 74 when the second new ball was taken. 

New Zealand-born Stokes, who punished Trent Boult with four boundaries off consecutive balls, including one from a dropped catch by Ross Taylor at first slip, was unbeaten on 67 with Ollie Pope on 18.

Denly put on 83 with Stokes for the fourth wicket as England added 120 in the final session, doubling the score, for the loss of only Denly's wicket.

He was caught behind off Tim Southee after earlier ducking and weaving his way through a fascinating battle with Wagner, showing no sign of the ankle injury which kept him out of the Twenty20 series.

Throughout the onslaught, the edges fell short of the cordon, and balls that did beat the bat then missed the stumps, but Denly refused to be intimidated as he smacked five rising balls to the fence. 

England's top three played their part in getting a safe start with Surrey pair Rory Burns and Dom Sibley putting on 52 for the first wicket before Burns and Denly added 61 for the second.

'Bat long'

Debutant Sibley, the only wicket to fall in the morning session, started his Test career with a four off the first ball he faced on his way to 22, while Burns was out for 52 before tea. 

His dismissal brought Root to the crease for what turned out to be a short-lived stay.

Having recited the England mantra of "bat long" when he won the toss, Root took 21 balls to get off the mark with a two and then wafted at a wide next delivery from Neil Wagner and was caught behind. 

In his last eight Test innings Root now has three ducks and a two. 

Burns might also have been removed cheaply but a caught behind appeal when he was on 10, and the total 14, was turned down.

New Zealand, to their cost, did not review the decision and replays showed there was a faint edge. 

Burns offered further chances on 37 and 44 but luck stayed with him until he reached his well-grafted 52, when he gave up his wicket pushing at a wide de Grandhomme delivery and edged it to wicketkeeper BJ Watling.

De Grandhomme, with gentle medium pacers drifting away from the batsmen, finished with two for 28 while Southee and Wagner had a wicket each.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / David Gray

Joe Denly will open the batting for England in the fourth Ashes Test with the struggling Jason Roy to drop down the order, the batsman told the BBC on Monday.

England will hope that Denly can add some solidity with Rory Burns when the fourth Test gets underway at Old Trafford on Wednesday, as the latter's Surrey team-mate Roy has accumulated just 62 runs in the three Tests so far.

Roy, who has failed to adapt to the five-day format since the World Cup-winning campaign earlier in the season, will drop down to four.

Denly scored his first-half century of the series in England's miraculous run chase in the third Test, inspired by Ben Stokes, which levelled the five-match series at 1-1.

"I got a call from (captain) Joe Root after a bit of time off and he said he'd like me to go at the top of the order and try to get us off to a good start," Denly told BBC Radio.

Denly made scores of six and 17 as an opener on his Test debut against the West Indies in January before dropping down the order.

But he thinks his partnership with Rory Burns could enable Roy to attack the Australian bowling.

"Obviously Jason is going to bat four and that's great for English cricket," said the 33-year-old Denly.

"With Jason Roy in the team we are a better team and with him coming in at four, hopefully with the new ball worn off and myself and Rory Burns doing our job at the top, it allows him to come in and play his way. He's a great player to have there."

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis

Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne has made quite an impact after becoming the sport’s first concussion substitute, having replaced Steve Smith during the second innings of the drawn second Ashes Test at Lord's.

Since then, the 25-year-old South African-born has scored three half-centuries in as many innings. And although he missed out on his maiden Test ton during Australia’s second innings in the third Ashes Test at Headingley, his knock of 80 runs helped his team to post a mammoth 359 onboard for England to chase.

Batting first, Australia rode on the back of an impressive 111-run stand between Labuschagne and David Warner, and it is safe to say the five-time World Cup winners are well on course of retaining the Ashes.

Relatively unknown before his introduction at Lord’s, the 25-year-old has garnered several accolades of late. And while his performance on the field has been quite unique, his last name has congregated equal attention amongst the neutrals.

Still unsure how to pronounce ‘Labuschagne�? Have a look at how to ace it ft. the Australian players.

I would like us all to learn the Afrikaans pronunciation of Labuschagne //t.co/fcy8gORF2a

�?Richard Dixon (@drdickdixon) August 20, 2019

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis

England captain Joe Root restored a measure of batting pride for his side with an unbeaten 75 in the third Test at Headingley as Australia were denied an Ashes-clinching win inside three days on Saturday.

At stumps, England were 156-3, still needing a further 203 runs to reach a target of 359 made all the more imposing after they had collapsed to a woeful 67 all out in the first innings -- their worst Ashes total for 71 years.

Their second innings threatened to go the same way at 15-2.

But Root, out for ducks in his previous two knocks, was still there at the close after a third wicket stand of 126 in 53 overs with Joe Denly (50).

Ben Stokes was two not out from 50 deliveries.

Read | Boycott slams England for 'batting without brains'

An Australia victory would see the holders retain the Ashes at 2-0 up with two to play in a five-match series.

The odds were still in their favour but England now had an outside shot at a win that would rival their celebrated '500/1' success of 1981 when they beat Australia at Headingley after following-on.

Only three sides, however, have made more than 300 to win in the fourth innings of a Test at Headingley -- Australia (404-3 in 1948), England (315-4 against Australia, 2001) and the West Indies with 322-5 two years ago.

No one was consulting that page in the record books, though, when England slumped to 15-2 by losing two wickets for no runs in four balls.

Left-hander Rory Burns (seven) edged Pat Cummins to David Warner at first slip before Surrey team-mate Jason Roy, yet to convince as a Test match opener for all his World Cup heroics, was bowled playing down the wrong line to Josh Hazlewood, who took 5-30 in the first innings.

Denly, the only England batsman to reach double figures in the first innings with 12, repeatedly played and missed either side of being hit on the head by a Cummins bouncer but hung on in there.

The more-assured Root cover-drove off-spinner Nathan Lyon, long a thorn in England's side, for four to complete a 120-ball fifty acclaimed by the Yorkshireman's adoring public.

Root had a brief scare on 59 when given out lbw to Hazlewood but his immediate review revealed a clear edge which had somehow escaped the attention of New Zealand umpire Chris Gaffaney.

Denly's single off Lyon saw him to fifty in 134 balls.

But when Hazlewood defied the increasingly slow pitch by getting a bouncer to lift, Denly was in no position to hook and gloved the ball to Australia captain and wicketkeeper Tim Paine, with England now 141-3.

- Labuschagne stars again -

Earlier, Marnus Labuschagne missed out on a maiden Test hundred as he top-scored with 80 in Australia's second-innings 246.

Read | Australia Labuschagne joins elite Test batting club

It was his third successive fifty since becoming world cricket's inaugural concussion substitute in place of star batsman Steve Smith in the drawn second Test at Lord's.

Australia resumed on 171-6 with Labuschagne 53 not out after making 74 -- seven more than England managed between them -- in the first innings.

Labuschagne had made 60 when he was dropped for the third time in his innings by diving wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow when an edge off Stuart Broad appeared to be heading Root's way at first slip.

Labuschagne had moved on to 70 when, as happened with his second ball at Lord's, he was hit on the helmet grille by a Jofra Archer bouncer.

But he was cleared to bat on by Australia's team doctor.

There was now a risk that wickets at the other end might deprive Labuschagne of a hundred but he ran himself out instead.

Ignoring the old rule of 'never run on a misfield' when Denly fumbled at third man, Labuschagne failed to beat a throw to Bairstow as his valuable 187-ball innings came to an end. 

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis

In what can be termed as a ‘must-win�?game for England, Joe Root’s men failed to deliver anything noteworthy in only the second day of the third Ashes Test, as Josh Hazlewood’s five-fer, followed by Pat Cummins’s three and James Pattinson’s two bowled England out for a mere 67.

Apart from Joe Denly, who scored 12, none of the other players even managed to reach double figures. However, England's slump was no great surprise, but rather the latest in a line of recent Test collapses that have seen them dismissed for 58 by New Zealand (Auckland 2018), 77 by the West Indies (Bridgetown 2019) and 85 by Ireland at Lord's last month.

Their slump, understandably, hasn’t been taken well by the supporters. For the Australian fans and the neutrals, they have become the ‘troll of the town�?after such a questionable performance.

The England batsmen will end up injuring Archer soon. Over-reliant on him during a day in the field and now he's going to have to bowl again. His workload is already extreme. #ENGvAUS

�?Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) August 23, 2019

England innings highlights. (Again) pic.twitter.com/UfzZOXonDH

�?Fred Boycott (@FredBoycott) August 23, 2019

England all out for 67, their lowest #Ashes total since the 52 at The Oval in 1948. It's also the lowest Ashes total at Headingley, beating the 87 by England in 1909.

�?Samuel Ferris (@samuelfez) August 23, 2019

England’s batting order..#Ashes pic.twitter.com/5gjyFfCamf

�?Michael Rowland (@mjrowland68) August 23, 2019

Top three scorers this match.
1. Marnus Labuschagne 74
2. England 67
3. David Warner 61#Ashes

�?Heath Kelly (@HeathKellyDT) August 23, 2019

Shambles from England! Big changes needed, throughout the whole of English cricket

�?4D (@Fordamous) August 23, 2019

Shocking. I couldn't watch it. That's how much pain England put me through. All very well winning a world cup, but would love to see a coach who concentrates on English test cricket & brings them up to standard #Ashes

�?Mish Holman (@mishjholman) August 23, 2019

Surely the repeated collapses can't just be blamed on individuals or even the coaching? This is a cultural problem which has to lay at the door of the captain first up. Selection too. #England

�?Thomas Rutherford (@Tom__Rutherford) August 23, 2019

Steve Smith could probably beat this england team on his own #AUSvENG

�?FFP (@robhlufc) August 23, 2019

Understand Jofra Archer has enquired about requalifying for the West Indies. News report said he wanted to play for a side who could set the opposition a decent target to bowl at. #bbctms #TheAshes #ENGAUS

�?Quentin Colborn (@qcpeople) August 23, 2019

Test Match Batting at an all time low this week ... #Ashes

�?Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) August 23, 2019

Saving the best for the end:

Jofra Archer tweeted this in 2014, and today England all out for 67 with Warner took a screamer at slips. pic.twitter.com/Kcf1SzphCq

�?سفیان (@AlpSufyan) August 23, 2019

While the English fans will hope that the current World Champions do rise from the ashes, their Australian counterparts are basking in glee.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis

World Cup-winner Jofra Archer will have to wait for his Test debut after the fast bowler was left out of the England side named on Wednesday for the Ashes opener against Australia at Edgbaston.

The Barbados-born pacer, who has been struggling with a side injury, was omitted from an original 14-man squad along with fellow pacemen Sam Curran and Olly Stone, who both featured in last week's lone Test against Ireland.

James Anderson, England's all-time leading Test wicket-taker, returns to the side following a calf injury and will team up again with regular new-ball partner Stuart Broad. All-rounders Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes will provide seam-bowling support in the match starting Thursday.

Australia hold the Ashes but have not won a Test series away to England since 2001.

England team for first Ashes Test: 

Rory Burns, Jason Roy, Joe Root (C), Joe Denly, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow (WK), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.

Feature image: AFP/ Lindsey Parnaby

Barbados-born Archer only became qualified for England in March and has played just three one-day internationals.

He edged out left-arm quick David Willey, a veteran of 46 ODIs, after both pacemen featured during England's 4-0 series win at home to Pakistan which concluded Sunday.

There was no place also in a squad again captained by Eoin Morgan for back-up spinner and batsman Joe Denly, with Hampshire slow left-armer Liam Dawson -- who did not feature against Pakistan -- recalled as cover for Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali.

James Vince came in for Alex Hales after England decided against picking the Nottinghamshire batsman following a ban for recreational drug use.

England, the world's top ranked ODI side, are bidding to win the World Cup for the first time. They launch the tournament against South Africa at The Oval on May 30.

England World Cup squad:

Eoin Morgan (Middlesex, capt), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire/wkt), Tom Curran (Surrey), Liam Dawson (Hampshire), Liam Plunkett (Surrey), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), James Vince (Hampshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham)