What we learned as Tongue makes his mark at Lord’s

India. Josh Tongue will be hoping he doesn’t face the same fate. The 25-yearold Worcestershire bowler got a five-for at Lord’s on debut and has since been named in the squad for the Ashes.

The injury to Jofra Archer could be the best thing that’s happened to Tongue, giving the youngster a chance to play his second ever Test in the Ashes opener.

In 2022-23, City won the league by five points with 89. Guardiola’s side –who this season claimed their third consecutive title – won 28 matches. Both sides secured the second trophy of their season in the FA Cup. On the way to the final, United scored 12 goals and conceded three in their eight games – including sixth round and semi-final replays against Chelsea and Arsenal respectively – while City’s six games to glory came conceding just one goal and scoring 19. Each side, too, were or could have been on for a quadruple if they were to win the League Cup but the competition became the Achilles heel for both.

Guardiola’s men lost to Southampton in the fifth round, while United lost in the same round. United came second to Bayern Munich in their Champions League group but beat the German giants in the final that same year. City came top of their group and face AC Milan this weekend in the final.

City, currently on course for the treble, and United had remarkably similar seasons in 1998-1999 and 2022-23. The difference so far being United went on to win trophy No3. All eyes on Istanbul, then, to see if City can replicate that feat.

ENGLAND quite simply swept aside Ireland at Lord’s this weekend. Their 10-wicket win came inside three days and showed how impressive England are right now. But with the Ashes on the horizon, what did we learn?

Record Goes On

There will come a point where we must simply stop calling the current England Test regime a new era, but while its elongated and successful start continues there will be few plans to suggest the honeymoon period is over. The win was Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum’s 11th win in 13 Tests, an incredible feat.

It was also the first time in history a captain had won a Test match without bowling, batting or keeping wicket.

Amid concerns over Stokes’s fitness, this featresult will be one of comfort to England with the Ashes on the horizon. England were dominant, and could have been aggressive and declared early on day two, but they stuck with their batting order and gave their hitters some much needed practice given it’s had been three months since their last Test.

And while all eyes were on Zak Crawley, the opener delivered – albeit he was a little bit lucky to reach his 56 in the first innings and left runs on the Lord’s pitch. He will take a lot of confidence from the last couple of days.

Tongue Impresses

Four years ago, in the Test against Ireland ahead of a home Ashes series, England blooded Olly Stone. The now 29-year-old took three wickets at Lord’s and made 19 runs.

Stone was not picked for two years, until the 2021 tour of

But with With James Anderson set to come back, and the likes of Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson and Matthew Potts in the mix, it is a tough wall to breach for Tongue.

But being part of the Ashes squad will be as much a learning curve as having another good season with Worcestershire, so the 25-year-old will undoubtedly be relishing every moment of the coming weeks.

Ashes Countdown On

The squad for the opening two Ashes Tests was announced over the weekend and it was unchanged from the side which faced Ireland.

Jack leach pulled out of the side last night, however, with a back fracture. That means Tongue remains in the squad group alongside the likes of Crawley and Ben Duckett, while Ben Foakes misses out. Foakes is widely seen as the best wicketkeeper in England and his exclusion, at the expense of Jonny Bairstow, will see the Ashes hosts without a key keeper-batsman.

There were discussions as to whether there could be room for both Bairstow and FokesFoakes in the same side but that would see the former potentially moved to a spot asup to being an opener, Stokes and McCullum are confident in their side and will be keeping an eye on Australia as they take on India in the World Test Championship final at the Oval this week.

England are on a run of 11 wins in 13, but the biggest test is on the horizon. An Ashes series, at home, against the holders. Is there anything better?

Tongue got a five-for on debut at Lord’s