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Lord's pitch does not benefit Test format – Stokes

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Analysis – Alison Mitchell, Michael Vaughan and Phil Tufnell discuss Lord's pitch

England captain Ben Stokes said the Lord's pitch on which his side won the first Test against New Zealand is not helpful for the future of the game's longest format.

The home side began their post-Ashes rebuild by beating the Black Caps by 115 runs before lunch on the fourth day.

On a surface that was incredibly difficult for batting, the match would have been concluded inside two days had it not been for bad weather.

The 166 overs it took to complete the Test makes it the second-shortest to produce a positive result in the 150 matches held at Lord's, while it was the third-shortest at any ground when all 40 wickets have fallen.

"From someone who loves Test cricket, is that something that will benefit Test cricket? I don't think so," Stokes told BBC Test Match Special.

"But nobody's doing it on purpose. It's a tough job to be a groundsman."

England begin Ashes rebuild with win over NZ

'Comebacks don't get much better' – first Test ratings

The rapid nature of the first Test against New Zealand was in keeping with a recent trend of matches involving England.

The first and fourth Ashes Tests in Australia were both completed inside two days.

"I get asked questions all the time about longevity of this format, people even talk about saving Test cricket, which for me is a bit far," said Stokes.

"The game is played over five days and without a little bit of weather this wouldn't have finished on day four.

"For someone who believes Test cricket should be the best format and should never disappear, that's not ideal from that point of view."

In damp conditions at Lord's, with the match often played under grey skies and floodlights, the ball moved sideways throughout.

The challenge for batters was compounded by some alarming uneven bounce from early in the match. In England's second innings, both Jacob Bethell and Jamie Smith were bowled by deliveries that kept low.

All 40 wickets in the match fell to seam bowlers – this was the first completed Test to be played in England since 1988 where neither side opted for a single delivery of spin bowling.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan said he "felt sorry" for the batters involved, while BBC chief cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew said the pitch was "really poor".

Vaughan explains why wickets are falling at Lord's

In response to the criticism of the pitch, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), owners of Lord's, admitted the surface had fallen short of expectations.

"We recognise that the pitch for this Test has shown more variable bounce than we would have wanted," said MCC chief executive and secretary Rob Lawson.

"We hold ourselves to the highest standards and are naturally frustrated when a surface falls short of those expectations.

"MCC invests significantly each year in the preparation of the main square at Lord's, as well as in research, technology and expertise aimed at producing pitches that provide a fair and consistent contest between bat and ball.

"The unusually hot and dry weather during May, followed by wetter conditions in the lead-up to the match, presented a number of challenges in preparing the pitch."

Lord's regularly hosts two England men's Tests each summer and this year will stage its first women's Test, when England meet India.

After holding the final of the World Test Championship last year, it will also host the final of the Women's T20 World Cup in July.

In February, the MCC published its cricket strategy, when it stated the "square must be at the forefront of the club's priorities".

The MCC has copied a technique of "steaming", which is used by the All England Lawn Tennis Club for the courts that host Wimbledon.

It involves pumping "200 degrees of steam" seven inches into the turf. The club said the process will result in "positive improvements", but also admitted the need to re-lay the square. The MCC is also experimenting with drop-in pitches, which are heavily used in Australia.

For England and Stokes, perhaps the manner of victory was not important following their 4-1 defeat on the Ashes tour of Australia.

All of the skipper, coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key remained in their posts despite the heavy loss down under.

And Stokes admitted he was aware the increased pressure the management may have come under had England been on the wrong end of another defeat.

"I'm not going to lie, I'm very, very happy that we've won this week," he said. "I knew how big this game was in terms of the result and how it was going to be perceived externally if it didn't go well.

"I won't be really happy until I get to share a beer with the boys.

"We've won the first game of the summer, it's great we've managed to do it, but we've got five more to go. We're one Test down, and there's a long way to go still."

Highlights: Atkinson bowls England to 115-run victory over NZ

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Zelensky criticises 'vile' Chornobyl drone strike ahead of London talks

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UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will host Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street later on Sunday, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, for talks on European support for Ukraine.

Ahead of the meeting, Kyiv officials said a Russian drone had hit a storage facility for spent nuclear fuel near the Chornobyl nuclear plant in the north of Ukraine.

They said a fire was put out and there were no injuries, with officials adding that radiation levels remained stable. Zelensky labelled it a deliberate and "vile Russian strike".

Separately, at least three people were killed in a Russian strike in a village outside Zaporizhzhia in the south-east of the country, authorities said.

Zaporizhzhia has come under relentless Russian attacks recently, with at least two people killed there on Saturday.

The Russian strike on Chornobyl "partially destroyed" a spent nuclear fuel storage building, according to Ukraine's state-owned nuclear operator, Enerhoatom.

The operator said there were no injuries, and a fire in the building was put out, adding that radiation remained at a normal level.

The body also criticised Moscow for what it called a deliberate threat to nuclear safety, in words echoed by Zelensky.

"Russia deliberately struck this particular nuclear infrastructure facility," Zelensky said in a post on X, describing the building as an "as extremely critical infrastructure facility" and the attack as "vile".

He went on to detail Russian overnight strikes in 13 regions, adding that Moscow had launched 88 missiles, more than 3,250 drones and 1,800 guided bombs over the past week.

On Saturday, Ukraine targeted St Petersburg and the surrounding area as the city hosted the final day of a major economic forum, in a drone attack described as "unprecedented" by Russian authorities.

Days earlier, Kyiv had attacked the outskirts of the same city – some 1,000km (620 miles) from Ukraine – as Russian President Vladimir Putin's flagship forum was getting started, sending a large plume of black smoke over the city's skyline.

In the four years since Moscow's invasion began, Ukraine has developed its defence sector, with Kyiv now able to regularly hit targets within Russia.

The three Western powers represented at Downing Street – the so-called E3 group – are some of Kyiv's strongest allies. The UK and France lead the "coalition of the willing" initiative to provide security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a future potential peace process.

The group had previously convened in London in December, at a time when the US was pushing hard for Moscow and Kyiv to sign up quickly to a plan to end the war in Ukraine.

Since then US efforts to mediate a truce have petered out, and Washington's focus has shifted to the Iran war.

On Friday, Putin rejected a proposal by Zelensky for face-to-face talks on ending the war, saying he did not see any point in meeting the Ukrainian leader.

Zelensky sent an open letter calling for a direct negotiations, writing that it would be "wrong to simply wait" for the conflict to once again become the focus of US attention.

Speaking at the economic forum on Friday, Putin refused the request for a meeting with Zelensky and reiterated his position that a truce would only allow Ukraine to regroup.

He said he would only end the war when Russia's goals had been met.

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England begin Ashes rebuild with win over New Zealand in first Test

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Highlights: Atkinson bowls England to 115-run victory over NZ

First Rothesay Test, Lord's (day four of five)

England 140 (Brook 56; Jamieson 5-62) & 226 (Gay 57; N Smith 6-70)

New Zealand 113 (Jamieson 38*; Robinson 5-39,) & 138 (Phillips 44*; Atkinson 5-30)

England won by 115 runs, lead three-match series 1-0

England took less than a session on the fourth day of the first Test against New Zealand to begin their post-Ashes rebuild with a much-needed victory.

In their first Test since their 4-1 defeat in Australia, England exploited the devilishly difficult batting conditions on a poor Lord's pitch to beat the tourists by 115 runs and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

From 55-5 overnight in their chase of 254, New Zealand's disappointing week was complete when they were hustled out for 138, thanks chiefly to Gus Atkinson's 5-30.

After Saturday's third day was almost entirely lost to rain, England required only seven deliveries on an overcast Sunday to resume their wicket-taking -Josh Tongue getting one to skid into the prone pads of Tom Blundell.

With the ball moving up and down, and side to side, Glenn Phillips began an overdue New Zealand counter-attack.

Phillips and Devon Conway added 53 for the seventh wicket, helped by Harry Brook putting down Conway at second slip.

But after England captain Ben Stokes induced a miscue from Conway, the end came quickly.

Nathan Smith edged behind, Kyle Jamieson clipped to mid-wicket and last man Matt Henry was bowled, all by Atkinson, giving the Surrey man yet another place on the Lord's honours board.

The rapid, seam-dominated nature of this match followed a recent trend of matches involving England. Two of the Ashes Tests were done in two days, while this was the first Test in this country without a single delivery of spin bowled by either team since 1988.

The hope is the surface for the second Test at The Oval, beginning on 17 June, produces a more satisfactory contest.

'Comebacks don't get much better' – first Test ratings

England beat Black Caps in bowler's paradise at Lord's

England pick up five wickets before lunch on day four for victory over NZ

The 150th Test at Lord's was a poor spectacle because of the pitch. New Zealand were also uncharacteristically sloppy, missing five chances in the field.

England will not care. After the dismal winter, the retained management structure needed any sort of victory to begin to justify the faith that has been shown in them.

Before this match, Stokes said only the result mattered and now England have the opportunity to win the series at The Oval.

Has much been learned in this match? Seamer Ollie Robinson was outstanding on his return to Test cricket, though his skills were never in doubt – particularly in conditions such as these. His challenge is now to prove his durability.

Debutant opener Emilio Gay looked to have the temperament for Test cricket and his second-innings 57 was the highest individual score of the match. The Durham man will be asked to kick on and make the place his own.

Beyond that, the chaotic nature of this match made it hard to draw conclusions. It was concluded in 166 overs – the third-shortest in history where all 40 wickets have fallen.

England have previously thrived in anarchy – their only win in Australia came in two days of pandemonium in Melbourne. Can they now find the technique, resolve and patience to prevail when a more conventional style of Test cricket is required?

Lord's pitch does not benefit Test format – Stokes

Atkinson bowls Henry to seal England victory

Robinson took two important wickets in the 9.4 overs that were possible on Saturday and it was Tongue who struck in the first full over of Sunday. Pinned to the crease, Blundell did not bother with a review.

Robinson and Tongue might have thought of bowling unchanged until England's job was finished, and may have done had Brook not parried Conway's poke off Tongue. England's first fielding blemish of the match gave Conway a life on 24.

Stokes introduced himself and Atkinson, who troubled Phillips with the ball spitting off a length. Just as New Zealand's momentum was building, Stokes found the breakthrough.

The captain reinforced his leg-side catchers to Conway, on 41. From round the wicket, Stokes targeted the pads of the left-hander, whose leading edge was well caught millimetres off the turf by Jacob Bethell at gully.

In the next over, Nathan Smith tickled Atkinson into the gloves of Jamie Smith – the England wicketkeeper has had an encouraging week after a disappointing Ashes.

Atkinson is another who underwhelmed in Australia, yet he is at home at Lord's. In three Tests on this ground, Atkinson's 26 wickets have come at average of 9.5, including four five-wicket hauls and a 10-wicket haul to go with a century.

Tongue gets an early breakthrough as Blundell goes for four

With England vulnerable following the Ashes, New Zealand appeared to be dangerous opponents, only for the Black Caps to be well below their best.

They were hampered by a back injury to key bowler Henry and severely harmed their cause with the dropped chances in the field- vital in a low-scoring game.

New Zealand were also passive with the bat. With run-scoring so difficult, the best approach looked to be to attack the bowling, yet only Phillips and Jamieson seemed willing to be aggressive.

In the past 12 years, the Black Caps are the sole visiting team to win a Test series in this country – a 1-0 triumph in 2021.

Now, New Zealand have lost seven of their past nine Tests against England, all since Kiwi Brendon McCullum took charge of England.

Bethell takes a good low catch to end Conway's resistance

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M&S launches new traineeship for 1,000 young people

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Marks and Spencer is launching a new training scheme for young people trying to get on the career ladder in a bid to tackle the "growing youth unemployment challenge".

Aimed at 16 to 24-year olds, it will create 1,000 training places in the UK and Ireland over the next 18 months.

M&S said the paid scheme was intended to help tackle the rising number of young people not in employment, education or training – so-called "Neets".

The latest official figures show more than a million young people are Neets – the highest level in more than 12 years and equating to roughly one in eight young people.

Last month, a key review warned one in six will be Neet in five years if action is not taken.

The review found job and career opportunities for those hoping to enter employment were "not growing, they're shrinking". Its author, former minister Alan Milburn, warned of a potential "lost generation".

It said there was no one single factor causing the crisis, citing the Covid-19 pandemic, smartphones, health issues and the current jobs market, which has seen a sharp drop in the number of entry-level positions.

High Street retailers and hospitality businesses such as restaurants, cafes and pubs often offer the first experience of work for many.

M&S said its new scheme will provide six months of training, with successful participants then receiving further training to become a store manager.

People do not need a degree to be eligible.

Retail director Thinus Keeve said: "We want more young people to see retail not just as a first job, but as a career with real opportunity, real responsibility and real progression…

"This programme is about opening doors for the next generation and giving talented young people the chance to thrive."

It comes as the government announced a partnership with industry and trade unions examining how artificial intelligence (AI) was affecting entry-level roles.

It will look at how entry-level jobs are changing and give businesses advice on how to redesign roles while maintaining routes into the workforce.

The government said 400,000  students in disadvantaged schools in the UK will get AI and tech training to help them into further education, training and employment.

Last year, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that young people who had been out of a job or education for 18 months will be offered a guaranteed paid work placement to help them prepare for a full-time job.

📰 மூல செய்தி (Source): https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr7xr3dvxp9o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

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