Never before has an Ashes series felt like an afterthought in an English cricket summer.
But when the Test format's two oldest rivals reunite on Thursday, supporters might be forgiven for thinking: “Haven’t we already had the main event?"
In Test cricket, these are middling teams. England are fourth in the ICC’s Test standings, Australia fifth.
And whatever happens in the course of five Test matches over the next month and a half, it has a lot to live up to given what went before.
World champions?
The chaotic two-and-a-half-day Test between England and Ireland last week might have been – as England captain Joe Root tried to suggest – largely down to an iffy wicket at Lord's.
Still, it was fair to assume England were still on a come down after the emotionally-frayed events of the World Cup final – so recent in the mind, and at the same ground, too.
Whether the win over the Irish has got that out of the system remains to be seen, but there is an extra reason for the mind to be focused.
This Ashes marks the start of the first World Test Championship. The home team are already world champions in one form. Now is the first step on the journey to being able to say the same in cricket longest format.
Saving Test cricket
In truth, the new championship feels like just a footnote to this Ashes, a series sustained by greater history and better supported than any other in the long format.
The World Test Championship is not likely to live or die by matches between England and Australia.
The new competition features nine Test sides – so all Full Members apart from Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan – each playing a series against six of the other eight teams.
Teams score a maximum of 120 points from each series – whether there be two, three, four or five matches in it – and the two teams with the most points at the end will contest the final in 2021 – possibly at Lord’s.
Sound fun? Well, at least it is worth a try.
The Edgbaston effect
Australia might hold the Ashes, but they have lost their past four series in England.
That dates back to the seminal 2005 series, which swung on the second Test at Edgbaston.
England have a formidable record at the ground in Birmingham, and memories of recent success there against Australia could not be any fresher.
When the sides arrived to train at Edgbaston ahead of this first Test, the scoreboards at the ground still carried the final details of the last international match played there.
It was a sorry reminder for the Australians of their eight-wicket capitulation to England in the World Cup semi-final last month.
Anderson the great
James Anderson still looks as svelte as anyone in the England side. But he might have started to feel his age while watching, in his role as a radio commentator, the side’s vibrant pace attack at the World Cup.
At one point on commentary, Anderson was reduced to giggles when he spotted that a delivery from Jofra Archer had gone for six after hitting the top of Bangladesh batsman Soumya Sarkar’s stumps.
Now he seems set to be bowling in tandem with him in whites at some point in the series – although not in the opener as England have decided not to risk Archer, with the Barbados-born pace bowler struggling with a side strain.
Anderson turned 37 this week. He requires 25 wickets to become the first Englishman – and the first fast bowler – to 600 in Test matches.
Nineties throwbacks
Reminders of the 1990s generally prompt shudders and cold sweats among England fans. They did not, after all, win one Ashes series in the whole of that decade.
And yet there are a few hints at it around this week. The teams will be wearing names and numbers on the back of their shirts for the first time in Test cricket history when they take the field at Edgbaston.
A novelty for cricket’s oldest format, sure, but something that has been standard elsewhere in English sport since its introduction in 1990s Premier League football.
And then there is the eerie presence of Steve Waugh around the Australia camp. One of England’s greatest nemeses is a consultant to the current Australia side.
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MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Manchester United v Barcelona, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The UAE squad for the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
The jiu-jitsu men’s team: Faisal Al Ketbi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Yahia Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Obaid Al Nuaimi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Mansoori, Saeed Al Mazroui, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Qubaisi, Salem Al Suwaidi, Khalfan Belhol, Saood Al Hammadi.
Women’s team: Mouza Al Shamsi, Wadeema Al Yafei, Reem Al Hashmi, Mahra Al Hanaei, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Hessa Thani, Salwa Al Ali.
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match info
Southampton 0
Arsenal 2 (Nketiah 20', Willock 87')
Red card: Jack Stephens (Southampton)
Man of the match: Rob Holding (Arsenal)
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24
New Zealand
Penalties: Barrett (7)
British & Irish Lions
Tries: Faletau, Murray
Penalties: Farrell (4)
Conversions: Farrell
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Squads
Pakistan: Sarfaraz Ahmed (c), Babar Azam (vc), Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Hasnain, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz
Sri Lanka: Lahiru Thirimanne (c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Avishka Fernando, Oshada Fernando, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka, Minod Bhanuka, Angelo Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara
The years Ramadan fell in May
Netherlands v UAE, Twenty20 International series
Saturday, August 3 - First T20i, Amstelveen
Monday, August 5 – Second T20i, Amstelveen
Tuesday, August 6 – Third T20i, Voorburg
Thursday, August 8 – Fourth T20i, Vooryburg
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Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Henrik Stenson's finishes at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship:
2006 - 2
2007 - 8
2008 - 2
2009 - MC
2010 - 21
2011 - 42
2012 - MC
2013 - 23
2014 - MC
2015 - MC
2016 - 3
2017 - 8
JERSEY INFO
Red Jersey
General Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the leader of the General Classification by time.
Green Jersey
Points Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the fastest sprinter, who has obtained the best positions in each stage and intermediate sprints.
White Jersey
Young Rider Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the best young rider born after January 1, 1995 in the overall classification by time (U25).
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Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
Abu Dhabi card
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5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 2,200m
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
The National selections:
5pm: Valcartier
5.30pm: AF Taraha
6pm: Dhafra
6.30pm: Maqam
7pm: AF Mekhbat
7.30pm: Ezz Al Rawasi
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The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
The view from The National
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
