England’s white-ball success risks baking in a divide with future Test setup Finding a candidate to lead the red-ball side is no easy task, with Ben Stokes gone and Brendon McCullum still around The Guardian - UK · Jul 20
Andy Flower rules out return as England Test coach after Brendon McCullum sacking Flower coached the England team between 2009 and 2014, winning the Ashes three times The Independent UK · Jul 17
RIP Bazball: McCullum’s philosophy burned bright but all too briefly The sacked England Test coach reinvigorated an ailing team in 2022, but his super-aggressive style proved unsustainable The Guardian - UK · Jul 12
The death of Bazball: Why Brendon McCullum’s reign as England’s Test coach had to end Comment: McCullum was the right man for England’s ailing Test team when he took the job in 2022, but he failed to show he could transform them from entertainers into elite performers The Independent UK · Jul 12
RIP Bazball: McCullum sacked as England Test coach Brendon McCullum's controversial reign as England Test coach is over, though he'll continue to lead the country's white-ball teams. AAP · Jul 12
‘Gutted’ Brendon McCullum departs his role as England Test coach McCullum, famed for his ‘Bazball’ style, will remain in charge of the white-ball teams. The Independent UK · Jul 12
England Test team hit with new drinking rules but midnight curfew won’t fix a broken team culture COMMENT: Players have been told not to appear drunk during men’s cricket series, writes Lawrence Ostlere, as the ECB bids to improve the optics around Brand England The Independent UK · Jul 10
Enough is enough – Michael Vaughan calls for England coaching changes England have now won just two of their last 10 Test matches over the last year. The Independent UK · Jul 1
Ben Stokes backs Brook ‘100%’ to succeed him as McCullum restates England commitment Brendon McCullum has insisted that ‘the project isn’t finished yet’ as he pledged to stay on as England head coach The Guardian - UK · Jun 29
England are losing the wrong man – McCullum and Key can’t survive while Stokes quits BEN STOKES RETIREMENT: England are losing their Test captain, writes Lawrence Ostlere, while the head coach and ECB director continue to plod on despite poor planning and results The Independent UK · Jun 29
Classic Ben Stokes – Joe Root not surprised friend ended England career in style Between them Stokes and Root have captained England for the last nine years. The Independent UK · Jun 28
Brendon McCullum hails Ben Stokes after international retirement The 35-year-old said he would pull up stumps after the third Test against New Zealand. The Independent UK · Jun 28
Someone’s about to switch the music off, leaving Rob Key without a chair to sit on The future of Rob Key, England’s managing director, looks perilous given he’s more expendable than Stokes or McCullum The Guardian - UK · Jun 27
Ben Stokes is back – but England’s sorry situation just got even messier Ben Stokes will return to captain England at Trent Bridge – but can he, Brendon McCullum and Rob Key still present a united front? The Independent UK · Jun 22
The Independent UK · Jun 21 Ben Stokes ‘blameless’ in nightclub incident as he returns to England squad as captain Stokes, who will return for England’s third Test against New Zealand, was found to not have been involved in the altercation
Evening Standard · Jun 21 England confirm Ben Stokes captaincy decision for New Zealand Test after latest scandal Former Three Lions captain was caught up in an incident at a nightclub involving Saracens rugby players after violating curfew
The Independent UK · Jun 21 Ben Stokes ‘will be back and he’ll be captain’ in third Test – Brendon McCullum Stokes and Gus Atkinson are to return after being left out of the second Test against New Zealand for breaking a team curfew.
The Guardian - UK · Jun 18 New Zealand claim upper hand after Phillips century and late wickets jolt England The Black Caps’ disciplined attack made late inroads into their hosts’ batting to leave England 222 for 6 at the close on day two in reply to New Zealand’s 391
The Guardian - UK · Jun 17 Stokes and McCullum under pressure as England struggle to block out speculation Behind those shades at the second Test it is impossible to tell what the England head coach is thinking in the enforced absence of his captain
The Independent UK · Jun 16 The week of ‘chaos’ that has changed England’s series against New Zealand “There’s been a bit of chaos,” England coach Brendon McCullum said with a forced smile and a tone of grim understatement after a week that all involved would wish to forget. As in politics, seven days can be a long time in cricket but one can scarcely remember a situation…
The Independent UK · Jun 16 Ben Stokes has ‘earned the right’ to keep England captaincy, insists Michael Vaughan Ben Stokes will miss England’s second Test against New Zealand this week
The Independent UK · Jun 11 Rob Key refuses to rule out stripping Ben Stokes of England captaincy after curfew breach IN FULL
The Guardian - UK · Jun 11 England’s cricketers could face alcohol ban with Stokes captaincy still in doubt The ECB is weighing up a total ban on alcohol as it considers how to respond to a Chelsea nightclub incident that led to Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson being dropped
The Independent UK · Jun 11 Rob Key considers England alcohol ban as he breaks silence on Ben Stokes nightclub incident Ben Stokes has been dropped from the England squad for next week’s Test against New Zealand
International Business Times UK · Jun 9 Why Is Ben Stokes Being Investigated? England Captain Faces Uncertain Future After Nightclub Incident Ben Stokes is under investigation by the ECB for a potential breach of team protocols following a nightclub incident after England's Test victory over New Zealand.