Archive August 6, 2025

Chris Woakes said he “wouldn’t have been able to live with himself” had he not tried to bat for England in the extraordinary finish to the fifth Test against India.

The 36-year-old suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder on the first day at The Oval, yet still emerged to bat with his left arm in a sling on a dramatic final morning.

England needed 17 runs when Woakes came out at number 11. He did not face a ball but ran four runs, before Gus Atkinson was bowled to give India a six-run victory and leave the series level at 2-2.

Speaking to The Guardian, Woakes said: “I’m still gutted, devastated really, that we couldn’t get the fairytale. But I never considered not going out there, even if it had been 100 runs still to win or whatever.

“But any other player would have done the same. You couldn’t just call it off at nine wickets down.”

Woakes was the only member of the England pace attack to play in all five Tests against India. On the first evening of the fifth Test, he chased the ball to the boundary and suffered the suspected dislocation.

Before the second day, the hosts ruled him out of the remainder of the match, but Woakes offered to bat in England’s first innings, only to be knocked back by coach Brendon McCullum.

On Sunday’s fourth day, with England chasing a record 374 to win, he was pictured in the home dressing room in his whites, ready to bat.

Woakes had practised in the nets, first in his usual right-handed stance, only to find that method was too painful. The Warwickshire man instead opted to bat left-handed, in order to put his healthy right arm at the top of the handle in control of the bat, and his injured left arm as far away from the ball as possible.

“I defended one normally [right-handed] and it was agony,” he said. “We soon worked out that a left-hander’s stance would shield the shoulder and at least allow me to sort of block with my top hand in control. I hit a few, missed a few, but it felt like the only way to survive.”

“I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I didn’t try,” he admitted.

“You just know you’re part of something bigger. It’s not just you that you’re playing for out there. It’s your team and your team-mates, all the hard work and the sacrifices they put in, the people watching at home and in the ground. You just feel a duty to do it for everyone.”

While Atkinson attempted to protect Woakes from the strike, he was still required to run. On the first occasion, a bye through to wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, Woakes was instantly in clear discomfort.

“The first one was the worst,” he said. “All I had taken was codeine and it was just so sore. Instinct took over here – even with my arm strapped down I tried to run as you naturally do. I genuinely worried my shoulder had popped back out again, hence you saw me throw my helmet off, rip the glove off with my teeth, and check it was OK.”

Woakes ran three more runs during his 16-minute stay at the crease. Despite his bravery, England missed out on a 3-1 series triumph and instead had to settle for a share of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

“It was bitter-sweet in the end,” he added. “Part of me wondered what it might be like, to see if I could have defended the ball, seen out an over maybe, squeezed a run or carved a four.

“But the other side of it was, ‘Thank God I didn’t face a 90mph bouncer, one-handed, facing the wrong way around’.

“And I knew I was going to have to wear a few bouncers if I did get on strike. Those were the anxious feelings, really. You’re still pretty exposed out there.”

Woakes is now waiting to discover the full extent of the injury, with his participation in this winter’s Ashes series in severe doubt.

His actions have been praised across the sporting world and he said “the love from the public has helped”.

“It’s not the way you want to be front-page news – you’d sooner it was for five wickets or a century,” added Woakes.

Despite being a pre-season friendly against Villarreal, there was still a sense of excitement and anticipation as Arsenal supporters watched Viktor Gyokeres, who had just been signed for £64million, in action.

Fans are frantically hoping that the 27-year-old striker will be the catalyst for the Gunners’ first-ever trophy-winning season since 2020.

Gyokeres received the loudest cheers before kick-off when his name was read out in the starting lineup; only his introduction to talented 15-year-old Max Dowman made the same noise.

Every time the ball struck the Sweden international, there was anticipation, and Gyokeres’ teammates were trying to ensure his first start, and at his new home ground, appeared to be doing it.

With Christian Norgaard and Martin Odegaard both scoring in each half, Arsenal fell to the La Liga team, which did not happen.

However, there were encouraging signs, and Gyokeres’ hour of physical activity will determine his fitness before the new Premier League campaign begins at Manchester United on August 17.

Manager Mikel Arteta predicted the forward will “100%” be ready for the Old Trafford test after missing out on two training sessions with the team since leaving Sporting and another one against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

He will be 100% or more, according to the statement, “I think mentally and fully aware of what he needs to do.” added Spain.

I have no doubts that he will be in a really good place because he is so eager and confident that he can deliver right away.

We already violated that statement today because I believe it was crucial for him to begin a game and establish a strong emotional connection with the team.

“He’s only been with us for about a week,” he said, but I already saw a lot of things and a lot of purpose, particularly the way he attacked in particular areas.

As they play to Gyokeres’ strengths, Arsenal seem to be trying to get the ball into the box much more quickly.

Before waving a leg at an awkward delivery and being denied by a strong save when played into the area in the second period, he was close to scoring a first-half cross.

When questioned about how long the former Coventry City forward would settle into his new life, Arteta expressed optimism.

He smiled and said, “I hope days.” I believe he is experiencing a very positive feeling throughout the training.

He is establishing relationships with players who will enable him to fill the void that he needs to fill, which is really important.

Emirates Old Trafford’s Hundred men’s competition

Manchester Originals 131-4 (100 balls): Salt 60 (41), Mills 3-22

Southern Brave 133-9 (100 balls): Roy 30 (22), Currie 4-28

By a wicket, Southern Brave won.

The Hundred’s Southern Brave defeated Manchester Originals in a thrilling one-wicket victory thanks to a late flurry of runs from their tailenders.

With eight wickets left, Brave struggled to get past 132 and needed 26 from the final 11 balls.

However, Brave was brought back into contention after Tymal Mills’ six, which was followed by three more Craig Overton boundaries, before Mills was snatched off Lewis Gregory with three deliveries required.

Reece Topley, the dugout’s last man, cut his team’s lead with one ball for four as they came out on top.

In the originals innings, Mills had impressed, taking three crucial top-order batters, including opener Phil Salt, who scored 60 in the top three.

After the powerplay, the home team struggled, finishing with a score of 134 runs from 74 deliveries.

Scott Currie, a seamer for the originals, took 4-28 as six Brave batters each hit singles.

After Matty Hurst was dismissed, England duo Salt and Jos Buttler made a strong start, leading their team to 49-1 after 26 deliveries.

The Brave bowlers’ ability to effectively throttle their opponents only served to make it four more times for Originals to break the ropes.

Mills was parsimonious while also mentioning the three most dangerous batters in Originals.

For a caught behind, Buttler was caught at deep cover from his second ball, and he induced a leading edge from Heinrich Klaasen, who was also hit.

With 20 balls left, Originals captain Phil Salt would have felt compelled to carry on after reaching 60 from 39.

He hit the next Mills delivery for four, but Salt pulled a short, fine-leg leg before the Brave veteran struck once more next up.

James Anderson, 43, and Farhan Ahmed, 17, both made their Hundred debuts under the originals, with Currie, 24, the key bowler.

Anderson started the Brave innings, but Jason Roy, an ex-England batter, did the same, and Anderson finished with 0-36 innings on the ground.

In the span of three balls, Currie removed Laurie Evans, Chris Jordan, and Michael Bracewell before dismissing Leus du Plooy to put an end to a promising 32-run second-wicket partnership.

On Thursday, Northern Superchargers take on Welsh Fire in a second double-header in Headingley.