• Sarfaraz Ahmed sacked after 194-run loss at Lord’s

• White-ball coach Mike Hesson steps in

Pakistan have decided to rip up their plans during an already chaotic tour of England by announcing that seven players and head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed have been sent home before the third Test at Edgbaston next week.

Already confirmed to lose the series after going 2-0 down with a 194-run defeat at Lord’s on Sunday, Pakistan have now asked Mike Hesson, the New Zealander who runs their white-ball teams, to replace Sarfaraz as head coach. Umar Gul, their bowling coach, has also been swapped out for the Australian Ashley Noffke.

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© Photograph: Saud Ahmed/PPAUK/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Saud Ahmed/PPAUK/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Saud Ahmed/PPAUK/Shutterstock

Little sorcerer calls time on playing for his country six weeks after World Cup final defeat which was marred by brutality of his team-mates

• Cape Town stunt sparks major debate over safety risks

• Airlink insists flyby conducted according to regulations

A pre-game stunt involving two passenger jets flying dramatically low over a stadium in South Africa drew huge cheers from the estimated crowd of 56,000 people, but also sparked a major debate over safety risks. The flyby by two Embraer jets, operated by the local airline Airlink, happened on Saturday before the second rugby union Test between South Africa and New Zealand in Cape Town.

The flight tracking service Flightradar24 estimated that the lead jet passed just 41-46 feet (12-14 metres) above the roof of Cape Town Stadium, with the crowd and the world’s top-ranked rugby teams below. The second jet, which was very close behind, flew through a cloud of pink dust that shot up from the stadium roof as part of the show.

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© Photograph: Jamie Rossouw/Reuters

© Photograph: Jamie Rossouw/Reuters

© Photograph: Jamie Rossouw/Reuters

• Cape Town stunt sparks major debate over safety risks

• Airlink insists flyby conducted according to regulations

A pre-game stunt involving two passenger jets flying dramatically low over a stadium in South Africa drew huge cheers from the estimated crowd of 56,000 people, but also sparked a major debate over safety risks. The flyby by two Embraer jets, operated by the local airline Airlink, happened on Saturday before the second rugby union Test between South Africa and New Zealand in Cape Town.

The flight tracking service Flightradar24 estimated that the lead jet passed just 41-46 feet (12-14 metres) above the roof of Cape Town Stadium, with the crowd and the world’s top-ranked rugby teams below. The second jet, which was very close behind, flew through a cloud of pink dust that shot up from the stadium roof as part of the show.

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© Photograph: Jamie Rossouw/Reuters

© Photograph: Jamie Rossouw/Reuters

© Photograph: Jamie Rossouw/Reuters

• Interim coach Trescothick hopes for unchanged lineup

• England secured series win over Pakistan on Sunday

Marcus Trescothick is determined to sign off as England’s interim head coach with a 100% record and has no plans to meddle with a winning formula in next week’s final Test of the summer, despite securing the series win by beating Pakistan at Lord’s.

Two successful games into a series, the most likely cause of a lineup change would be fatigue, but Pakistan have not forced England to toil unduly over their two wins – last summer the average India innings lasted 107.5 overs; this summer Pakistan’s figure is 43.3. Meanwhile winning the second Test on day four means the players have nine clear days before action resumes at Edgbaston.

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© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

The wicket was not as bad as the one in June but presented enough challenges for the MCC to call in specialists

The performance of the Lord’s pitch during its previous Test, against New Zealand in June, was so appalling that it was followed by an apology from the MCC and a scathing unsatisfactory rating from the International Cricket Council.

The MCC got ahead of the game in this Test by issuing a statement early in the fourth innings, reassuring us that “independent specialists” were “confident that there are solutions to improving pitch quality and performance”.

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© Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

© Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

© Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Ollie Robinson’s metronomic medium-nip represents the new age – sometimes, you just get the heroes you need

Each age makes its own heroes. Two hours from the end of the final day of the second-last Test at the fag‑end of the post‑Bazball summer, the cheer from the Lord’s crowd at deep fine leg had something pointed about it, a crackle of event glamour.

Ollie Robinson turned as he ambled back and raised an arm in gladiatorial salute. “Oh Ollie Ollie, Ollie Ollie Ollie Ollie Robinson” was the response from a scattered, woozy swell, again with something arch and transgressive in it, the smell of anti-hero. What are you rebelling against, Johnny? What have you got? Also, if you really want to know, buzzword culture and enforced fitness regimes. Sometimes, you just get the heroes you need.

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© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

• Team have faced off-field scandals over the last year

• Root: ‘It’s hard to win Test series so enjoy it’

Joe Root has called on his players to “celebrate in a sensible, grown‑up way” after they secured a first multi‑game series win since 2024 by beating Pakistan at Lord’s to take a 2-0 lead with one to play.

England’s recent opportunities for celebration have often resulted in scandal and Root intends to end the scandals rather than the celebra­tions. “It’s important we’re not ­talking about [off-field matters], absolutely,” he said. “But it’s hard to win Test matches, it’s hard to win Test series, so enjoy it and celebrate it, but in a sensible, grown-up way. It’s been a really good start to, I don’t know what you want to call it, this new team.”

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© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Robinson’s Victorian-style bowling figures secure series victory over Pakistan

• 2nd Test, D4: England, 290 & 208, bt Pakistan, 110 & 194, by 194 runs

• Robinson’s 4-24 earns match figures of 8-35; Tongue takes 3-46

Tempting as it is to wince at the state of Pakistan’s Test team, England’s completion of a breezy series victory with a match to spare was not entirely insignificant for Joe Root and his men given the backdrop of their chaotic summer.

Until Josh Tongue finally nicked off Mohammad Ali at 5.45pm on Sunday to claim this second Test by a yawning margin of 194 runs, England had not won a series since late 2024. For Root it was his first as Test captain for more than five years. To have struggled at home against a touring side in such obvious disarray itself would have been practically to invite the sky to fall in over Lord’s.

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© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Updates from day four at Lord’s; play starts 11am BST
County cricket – live | Sign up for The Spin | Mail James

48th over: England 182-7 (Lawrence 54, Robinson 3) Mohammad Abbas, who has performed well here and remains a fine bowler to watch, starts us off at the Pavilion End. After four dots, Robinson nudges one off his hips for the day’s first single. It brings Lawrence to the strike and he promptly crunches a square cut to the ropes at the Grandstand for four.

47th over: England 177-7 (Lawrence 50, Robinson 2) Mohammad Ali bowls the remaining ball of his over to Lawrence, who plays an orthodox forward defensive. No run.

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© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

© Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

• England all-rounder ‘desperate’ to establish himself

• Lawrence hits second fifty of Pakistan series at Lord’s

Dan Lawrence said he was “desperate to establish myself in an England shirt” after taking some solid steps in the right direction on a rain-affected third day of the second Test against Pakistan.

In a chill breeze and with frequent interruptions from the weather, the battle for England’s batting spots heated up in the continued absence of the injured Jacob Bethell. Emilio Gay’s hard-fought 31 was ended by a grubber before Lawrence scored his second half-century of the series – matching Jordan Cox on that metric – to put England in control, 177 for seven at stumps to stand 357 ahead.

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© Photograph: Sam Mellish/Getty Images

© Photograph: Sam Mellish/Getty Images

© Photograph: Sam Mellish/Getty Images

Rob Valetini filled in for skipper Harry Wilson at No 8 but Fraser McReight’s display will give Australia coach Les Kiss just as much food for thought

Rob Valetini bulldozed, barged through and brought the hammer down on home hopes in San Salvador de Jujuy during the Wallabies’ 27-21 win over Argentina, Australia’s fourth victory on the trot.

It was a rare start for Valetini, filling in for captain Harry Wilson in the gold No 8. The man they call Bobby V turns 28 this week and looks to be building towards his peak just in time for next year’s home World Cup. The person Valetini may have damaged more than anyone with his brutal performance, however, was the rested captain.

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© Photograph: Ramiro Vega/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Ramiro Vega/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Ramiro Vega/AFP/Getty Images

Кто на самом деле пишет ваш проект

Что происходит, когда разработку незаметно передают по цепочке - и почему проблема не в самом субподряде, а в потере контекста и ответственности.

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Tom Hooper scores decisive try in a messy game as Les Kiss earns biggest scalp of his early tenure

Gordon gets us underway!

After Australia’s anthem it’s Argentina’s retort.

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© Photograph: Ramiro Vega/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Ramiro Vega/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Ramiro Vega/AFP/Getty Images

• Second Test, day three: England 280 & 177-7; Pakistan 110

• Lawrence’s unbeaten 50 extends England’s advantage

It was one of those days at Lord’s. Rain meant just 24.5 overs were bowled and England’s already dominant position in this second Test meant overall jeopardy was in short supply. The spectators got a 50% refund but this only mildly offset their general frustration of following a sport that is so weather-dependent.

Yet for all this, it may in time prove a significant one for Dan Lawrence. During the two hours of play that were possible, and in hugely challenging conditions for the batters, Lawrence delivered an unbeaten 50 off 66 balls that cut through the gloom and showed his desire to make this latest stab at Test cricket count.

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© Photograph: Ben Whitley/PA

© Photograph: Ben Whitley/PA

© Photograph: Ben Whitley/PA

Lawrence seizes his opportunity on rain-ruined day at Lord’s

• Second Test: South Africa 33-26 New Zealand

• Head coach changes front-row just before start

The Boks are back. Level at one apiece in the series after a return to what they do best. Blending power and directness, blood and thunder, to edge far enough ahead of New Zealand and withstand a gutsy comeback from the All Blacks. Throw in some brazen mischief from Rassie Erasmus, who swapped his entire front-row just an hour before kick-off, and this was much closer to a trademark Springboks performance after they were unrecognisable a week ago.

South Africa were far from flawless but constantly ferocious. It was not a knockout blow – not least given how the All Blacks finished the match – but it was some counterpunch after last week’s humbling. The third Test is scheduled for Johannesburg but they may consider relocating to Manila.

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© Photograph: Rodger Bosch/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Rodger Bosch/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Rodger Bosch/AFP/Getty Images

Springboks level Greatest Rivalry series with blood-and-thunder victory over All Blacks

• Updates from the second Test (4.10pm BST)

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Pieter-Steph du Toit walks out with his wife and children on the occasion of his 100th Test.

I got to chat with him back in 2021. He has quite the story:

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© Photograph: Gallo Images/Getty Images

© Photograph: Gallo Images/Getty Images

© Photograph: Gallo Images/Getty Images