LAWRENCE BOOTH AT LORD'S: English cricket is frequently too obsessed with the Ashes for its own good, and the Australians do not arrive until next summer.

There is a portrait in the Lord's Long Room, a water colour of Imran Khan, his head bowed, his face stern and set in concentration, a pen in his hand. It is a beautiful, poignant painting.

Fears grew that Pakistan might not emerge after lunch on day one at Lord's in protest at Sky's interview with the sons of imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan.

LAWRENCE BOOTH AT LORD'S: The heavily politicised PCB are sensitive to any criticism of government policy, and have denied mistreating the 73-year-old Imran.

LAWRENCE BOOTH AT LORD'S: The last time England played a Test match immediately after one of their drinking farragos, they handed the game to New Zealand.

OLIVER HOLT: There were still dark, angry clouds over Lord's when Joe Root walked out to bat just before 1pm.

Thursday morning sees a T20 fixture which has many Irish cricket fans licking their lips - but the development is not as popular behind the scenes.

Carse, 31, was seen in handcuffs in footage which circulated online after he was arrested - then de-arrested - on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly following the incident.

Transgender cricketer Anaya Bangar has been cleared to pursue a place in Australia's Women's Big Bash League from March 2027

England have played so many 'must-win' Tests over the past two years that the phrase is in danger of losing its meaning.

IAN HERBERT: The figure of Ben Stokes, lurking on the fringes of English cricket's latest scandal, said everything about the sense of victimhood we were asked to stomach amid his England exit.