England captain Ben Stokes’ recovery from a broken cheekbone will keep him sidelined for the start of the county cricket season.

The 34-year-old Durham star was was hit by a ball during a training session with academy players early last month, and he had surgery soon afterward.

Stokes has not played since the final game of England’s 4-1 Ashes loss in Australia in January. He’ll miss the Durham’s County Championship opener against Kent next week.

The all-rounder could return for matches against Worcestershire in early May, Durham coach Ryan Campbell said.

England’s first summer test match is against New Zealand beginning June 4. Last week, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced it is sticking with the current leadership following its review of the Ashes tour.

Managing director Rob Key, coach Brendon McCullum, and Stokes as captain kept their jobs after England lost the Ashes in 11 days with two games to spare.

How many agencies does it take to destroy Test cricket? If the current Ashes series is indication, it would involve the local administrators, the International Cricket Council, and the players themselves. Not since the 19th century have two Tests in a series ended within two days. The track for the first Test in Perth was adjudged “very good” by the ICC while Melbourne’s was declared “unsatisfactory.”

Home wins have, in the points system of the World Test Championship — points as a percentage of the total available — become so important that wickets are prepared unabashedly for home bowlers. Still, Australia took a 3-0 lead within 11 days without their best attack of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon all playing together.

England won in Melbourne, but something important was missed. The wicket improved as the match progressed; however, neither team had the batters with the defence to take the match into the fourth or fifth day. The exception, England’s Joe Root, slightly off balance followed the ball and edged in the first innings, while in the second the DRS left it to the ‘umpire’s call’ for leg before.

That England made the highest total of the match to win suggested it wasn’t the 10mm grass on the wicket that was solely responsible for the result. Melbourne had more grass on it for the 2021-22 Ashes Test (11mm), as well as the New Zealand Test of 2019-20 (12mm). Those matches took three and four days respectively.

The 90,000-plus fans in the stadium seemed less inclined to blame the pitch, cheering wildly when opener Ben Duckett played forward defence in the midst of a sword-fight of an innings as England approached a win. At least some of them might have craved a defensive shot with the same keenness with which others screamed for a six.

Not an easy task

The pitch could not have been easy; but Test cricket was never meant to be easy. It is a test as much of technique and temperament as of spirit and the passion to stick it out. In a sense, the batters were playing for Test cricket itself besides their respective teams. Two-day Tests are nearly as ridiculous as two-Test series, although teams often prefer the latter thanks to the points system.

Flaws in the WTC system — and the Ashes has highlighted them — have been pointed out before. ‘Context’, that magic word, cannot be the excuse for teams not playing every other or indeed the same number of matches. Two fundamental changes suggest themselves.

One, split the 12 Test-playing teams into two divisions with the odd-ranked teams in one and the even-ranked in the other. This will eliminate the need for promotions and demotions or one strong group carrying the weak group. The god of telecasts will be propitiated too. If the two-Test series goes, it might be worth considering a three-year cycle rather than the current two.

Compromises with franchise cricket will have to be made. Recently South Africa’s Tabraiz Shamsi took his cricket board to court for denying a No Objection Certificate to play a T20 league abroad. He won the case, to give other boards something to think about.

The CEO of Cricket Australia who was suggesting recently that only Australia, India and England should play Test cricket is now talking about balancing “commercial imperatives and performance” after the Melbourne Test. Losing ten million dollars over a two-day Test can do that to an administrator.

More pertinently, Aussie great Greg Chappell wrote in ESPNcricinfo, “Two Tests failed to reach day three not due to superior skill but a glaring absence of desire. Batters slashed wildly, abandoning technique for bravado, as if playing their ‘natural game’ excused capitulation. They let down predecessors who bled for this rivalry; they shortchanged fans who braved the holiday heat; they betrayed their own generation by forsaking cricket’s core tenets – playing each ball on merit, scrapping for every run, enduring bruises for the greater good. I cannot believe any player left the field thinking they had given their all over those paltry sessions.”

In a match where the highest score was 46, nearly every dismissal diminished the game. Send not to know for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for Test cricket.

If Bazball is dead — and obituaries are being written furiously — it would be a pity. England didn’t invent the attacking, free-flowing style, nor are they the first team to display a passion for the game that seems to go beyond victory and defeat. The great West Indies teams of the past played cricket with similar enthusiasm, each player expressing himself.

However, Bazball seems un-English in the land of Geoff Boycott and Alastair Cook, defensive batters of great skill but all too aware that cricket was livelihood and caution mattered above all.

Skipper Ben Stokes and coach Brendon ‘Baz’ McCullum see cricket as entertainment, feel they owe something to the spectators, thoughts that would not have occurred to earlier generations. It probably helped that they were both born in New Zealand, the land of bungee-jumping and zorbing where it is difficult to take sports too seriously.

According to Michael Brearley, England’s high priest as successful captain and psychoanalyst, Bazball was born out of depression. Stokes came through a court case (for affray), the death of his father and injury, while McCullum, who had lost interest in the game at one time, was keen on players rediscovering the simple joys of playing it. An awareness that asked, like Eliot, “Where is the life we have lost in living?”

Working brilliantly

In Bazball, players “ran towards the danger”; failure didn’t mean excommunication. It has succeeded in its three and a half years now despite the scepticism of those who believed it was all a con. Opponents couldn’t put a finger on what Bazball was, and sometimes neither could England. But it worked brilliantly, with England winning Tests with fabulous fourth-innings chases against Pakistan, New Zealand and India. The sight of Joe Root reverse scooping fast bowlers for six seemed to give Bazball the final stamp of approval from one of the greats who swore by established technique.

Perhaps Bazball is best enjoyed by those who have no skin in the game. It is glorious cricket for those outside England who are not so invested in the result. Would an Indian batter be forgiven for getting out repeatedly because he kept making the same mistake, although on other occasions the identical shot fetched tons of runs and encomiums?

To enjoy, even encourage an approach when it works but call it ‘stupid’ when it fails is bad faith.

And now Bazball is teetering. England’s approach in the Ashes series — it has taken Australia less than six playing days to go two-up — has seen to that. It hasn’t helped that while England ignored some of the traditional methods of preparing, like playing matches, McCullum has spoken of the team’s ‘over-preparation’ that led to the defeats. For a coach who rejects theories, that might be a theory too far.

In the day-night Test at Brisbane, England lost 15 wickets to balls that could have been left alone. Bazball has given batters like the hugely talented Harry Brook a leeway that was denied someone like David Gower in his time. Gower, who failed the same way he succeeded often paid for the failure. Brook, like his team, knows there is a lack of consequence now. This belief can be heady. Entertaining and reviving Test cricket is all fine, the home critics say, but the essence of competition is victory. A dull win for many is preferable to an exciting loss.

Make a choice

McCullum and Stokes have to make a choice. It is easy to stick to a philosophy when it’s working. When it isn’t, do you continue to put your faith in it, or tweak it so the players whose game isn’t suited to it — Ollie Pope is a good example — are given the leeway to play in the manner they are most comfortable with? My way or the highway? Or unity in diversity? India’s two series wins in Australia were founded on the latter. As Brearley pointed out years ago, a cricket team works by dint of differentiation, the skills and temperaments diverse. Not like a rowing team where everyone moves the same way.

Bazball has brought a freshness to contemporary cricket, and revealed greater possibilities. To throw it in the fireplace now and leave the Ashes in Australia would be a shame.

If Bazball is dead — and obituaries are being written furiously —– it would be a pity. England didn’t invent the attacking, free flowing style nor are they the first team to display a passion for the game that seems to go beyond victory and defeat. The great West Indies teams of the past played cricket with similar enthusiasm, each player expressing himself.

However, Bazball seems un-English in the land of Geoff Boycott and Alastair Cooke, defensive batters of great skill but all too aware that cricket was livelihood and caution mattered above all.

Skipper Ben Stokes and coach Brendon ‘Baz’ McCullum see cricket as entertainment, feel they owe something to the spectators, thoughts that would not have occurred to earlier generations. It probably helped that they were both born in New Zealand, the land of bungee-jumping and zorbing where it is difficult to take sports too seriously.

According to Michael Brearley, England’s high priest as successful captain and psychoanalyst, Bazball was born out of depression. Stokes came through a court case (for affray), the death of his father and injury while McCullum, who had lost interest in the game at one time was keen on players re-discovering the simple joys of playing it. An awareness that asked, like Eliot, “Where is the life we have lost in living?”

Working brilliantly

In Bazball, players “ran towards the danger”; failure didn’t mean excommunication. It has succeeded in its three and a half years now despite the skepticism of those who believed it was all a con. Opponents couldn’t put a finger on what Bazball was, and sometimes neither could England. But it worked brilliantly, with England winning Tests with fabulous fourth-innings chases against Pakistan, New Zealand, India. The sight of Joe Root reverse scooping fast bowlers for six seemed to give Bazball the final stamp of approval from one of the greats who swore by established technique.

Perhaps Bazball is best enjoyed by those who have no skin in the game. It is glorious cricket for those outside England who are not so invested in the result. Would an Indian batter be forgiven for getting out repeatedly because he kept making the same mistake although on other occasions the identical shot fetched tons of runs and encomiums?

To enjoy, even encourage an approach when it works but call it ‘stupid’ when it fails is bad faith.

And now Bazball is teetering. England’s approach in the Ashes series — it has taken Australia less than six playing days to go two-up — has seen to that. It hasn’t helped that while England ignored some of the traditional methods of preparing, like playing matches, McCullum has spoken of the team’s ‘over-preparation’ that led to the defeats. For a coach who rejects theories, that might be a theory too far.

In the day-night Test at Brisbane, England lost 15 wickets to balls that could have been left alone. Bazball has given batters like the hugely talented Harry Brook a leeway that was denied someone like David Gower in his time. Gower, who failed the same way he succeeded often paid for the failure. Brook, like his team, knows there is a lack of consequence now. This belief can be heady. Entertaining and reviving Test cricket is all fine, the home critics say, but the essence of competition is victory. A dull win for many is preferable to an exciting loss.

Make a choice

McCullum and Stokes have to make a choice. It is easy to stick to a philosophy when it’s working. When it isn’t, do you continue to put your faith in it, or tweak it so the players whose game isn’t suited to it — Ollie Pope is a good example — are given the leeway to play in the manner they are most comfortable with? My way or the highway? Or unity in diversity? India’s two series wins in Australia were founded on the latter. As Brearley pointed out years ago, a cricket team works by dint of differentiation, the skills and temperaments diverse. Not like a rowing team where everyone moves the same way.

Bazball has brought a freshness to contemporary cricket, and revealed greater possibilities. To throw it in the fireplace now and leave the Ashes in Australia would be a shame.

Makeshift opener Travis Head smacked an explosive 69-ball century to power Australia to victory in a high-octane first Ashes Test on Saturday as England meekly surrendered in the Perth Stadium cauldron.

Chasing 205 to win, Head slammed 123 as the hosts romped home on day two by eight wickets in an electric start to the five-match series. Marnus Labuschagne was not-out 51 and Steve Smith on two.

Head’s heroics came on the back of a blistering spell from marauding pace pair Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc after lunch that sparked a stunning England collapse.

The tourists were cruising at 65-1 and building an ominous second-innings lead, but Boland and Starc left them reeling with four wickets in as many overs.

A ruthless Boland accounted for Ben Duckett (28), Ollie Pope (33) and Harry Brook (0) in the space of 11 balls, then two deliveries later Starc sent Joe Root packing for eight.

When Starc removed skipper Ben Stokes (2), England were flailing at 88-6 and the veteran paceman had bagged a 10-wicket haul for only the third time after his first innings 7-58, a career-best.

England were partially rescued by a crucial 50-run stand between Gus Atkinson (37) and Brydon Carse (20) before being rolled for 164 at tea.

When they returned Usman Khawaja again failed to show as opener as he battles back stiffness, with Australia signalling their intent by sending in Head.

Head, who has opened nine times previously in Test cricket, quickly got into his destructive rhythm, crunching some lovely boundaries including big sixes off Carse and Mark Wood.

He made it look easy, making a mockery of the struggles other batsmen had on the bouncy track, bringing up his half-century in 36 balls, passing 4,000 Test runs in the process.

Looking to emulate him, debutant Jake Weatherald also went on the attack, but it cost him, out for 23 after a mistimed pull shot was taken by Ben Duckett off Carse.

An unruffled Head kept the pressure on, slamming four boundaries in one Stokes over and sending a six back over the head of Jofra Archer on his way to a 10th Test ton.

He eventually fell to Carse going for another big hit.

Mitchell Starc stars

Australia resumed on a paltry 123-9 in their first innings and added just nine before Nathan Lyon was removed by Carse for four to leave England with a 40-run advantage.

Stokes was the star of the show, claiming 5-23 off just 36 balls to give England a golden opportunity to win a Test in Australia for the first time since the 2010-11 series.

They had been all out for 172 at the hands of Starc on day one.

Australia were banking on the 35-year-old to emulate his exploits in the second innings and he whipped the sold-out Perth Stadium crowd into a frenzy when he removed Zak Crawley in his first over.

The veteran consigned Crawley to a pair, diving to his left in an incredible feat of athleticism for a memorable caught-and-bowled.

Duckett and Pope settled in, safely reaching lunch at 59-1.

But Scott Boland began to find his radar when they returned.

Duckett edged to Steve Smith in the slips then Pope did the same to wicketkeeper Alex Carey before Brook repeated the feat to Khawaja.

After a first innings duck Joe Root was desperate for runs, but he was no match for the relentless Starc, dragging a thick edge onto his stumps to cap a miserable start to the series.

Brendan Doggett then cleaned up Jamie Smith, (15), Carse and Archer (5).

Captain Ben Stokes told England not to be afraid of Australia as selectors kept their options open Wednesday by naming off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in a 12-man squad for the first Test.

Four frontline pace bowlers were also included for the Ashes opener in Perth on Friday — Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse, who was preferred to Josh Tongue.

Ollie Pope, as expected, kept his place at number three ahead of Jacob Bethell.

Veteran pace ace Wood unleashed a fiery spell in the nets on Tuesday after an injury scare last week to prove his fitness, with selectors likely waiting until the last minute to make a call on whether he plays.

But with Perth Stadium head curator Isaac McDonald predicting a typically fast and bouncy wicket, it would favour England opting for an all-out speed blitz.

Should that be the call, Stokes would offer support and Joe Root a part-time spin option.

“Jofra and Woody are amazing bowlers and they’ll be huge for us this series,” Atkinson told reporters, adding that he was happy to play a support role.

“It’s been like that a bit throughout my career so far, sort of in the background, and I don’t mind at all.”

‘Look it in the eyes’

Wood, Root, Stokes, Pope and opener Zak Crawley are the only players in the squad to have experienced Ashes cricket in Australia before.

It raises the prospect of some of the newcomers being overawed by the occasion.

Stokes said he had emphasised how big the series was and they should embrace it.

“I think if we were to come out and sort of not accept that and go, ‘Oh nah, it’s just another series’, then we’d only be lying to ourselves and lying to the fact of what the series is,” he told Sky Sports before the squad was announced.

“Facing what that feels like, looking it in the eyes, taking it on and not being afraid of the challenge that we have ahead of us,” he added of his advice to the novices.

England have not won a series in Australia since 2010-11. Since then they have lost 13 Tests and drawn two Down Under.

Atkinson said not having played in Australia could actually work in his favour.

“So there are no scars for me. For some others, I wouldn’t speak for them, but history would say it’s probably a good thing,” he said.

Australia head into the opening Test on the backfoot with pace spearheads Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood both out injured, leaving 100-Test veteran Mitchell Starc to shoulder a major burden.

He will be joined by fellow quick Scott Boland and spin king Nathan Lyon, with seamer Brendan Doggett likely to be handed a debut ahead of Michael Neser.

“Sadly, injuries in fast bowling happen,” Starc said. “But good to see the depth in the squad.

“We know what Scotty Boland can do, ‘Doggie’s’ coming off a hot streak at the moment and ‘Nes’ has been around for a while.”

England squad: Ben Stokes (capt) Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Mark Wood