England head from Neser to Noosa - an Ashes headline you wouldn’t have predicted a couple of weeks ago

Great for Broncos to get this in tomorrow’s Observer observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

I know players always get better in absence but Woakes would have been handy at 8 in this game, maybe swinging pink ball

Good to see Ch 9 picking up Michael Maguire in the stand at the Gabba (possibly with his son) - although not a flicker of recognition from the cycling commentator doing TNT

Although In Our Time on Shakespeare’s Sonnets was also a very nice listen (and less stressful)

Love this type of morning when there’s cricket on the radio in every room. Compelling watching Root and Stokes battling through til tea / dinner

Great piece www.theguardian.com/sport/no-hel...

A grim but powerful read - the line about him meeting up in Perth with AJ Lamb so poignant. Would love to have seen him facing Marshall in the Hampshire nets www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricke...

A new #parkrun for me today, along the seafront from Cramond. Caught out by the 930 Scottish start, but glorious

Considering a Thanksgiving trip to Edinburgh Zoo. The last time I went, I ended up on the phone to Johnny Vegas, ghosting this piece, surrounded by penguins, and talking about Roy Haggerty - one of the more surreal moments www.theguardian.com/sport/2002/a...

Teuchters Landing, Leith - I can think of a few journos who would have loved this place - drinking to a couple of them now. Also passed a tattoo parlour called Relatively Painless, which amused me

Musselburgh Lagoons (I think - near racecourse anyway). Long-tailed Duck at sea as well as Mergansers; goldeneye, wigeon, teal on ponds, flock of redpoll, a few Turnstones and 1 mystery wader

Good to see Anthony Sullivan still makes the Guardian birthdays list for tomorrow. Same age as Kirsty Young, two years older than Zoe Ball. And now an Ashes free day for Merv Hughes to celebrate his 64th.

It’s the freelances I feel sorry for. Getting paid by the day for Test cricket not what it used to be. And I wonder if TNT will ask for half their rights fee back

Agnew, Mann and Jim Maxwell on a winter morning worth a big chunk of licence fee - surely even brainwashed Telegraph and Mail readers can see that?

Gareth Copley pic on the back of the Guardian - seems to be an Ashes tradition, and sets it all up beautifully - Stokes, the stadium, the blueness of the Aussie sky - roll on 2am 🏏

Lovely to read this as well. I bumped into the Chesterfield MP at the Labour Conference and although a (rugby) union man, he knew all about Cec

So many good people at Bradford, who get unfairly tarnished - this is a huge achievement and strengthens Wheelchair Super League for 26 x.com/officialbull...

Watched Scotland at the Skyrack - proper nostalgia. No Whitbread Trophy or Castle Eden though

Ramprakash is so good on five live Ashes show - especially on Stokes

Never meet your heroes, they say. But Billy very entertaining at @lthanwordsfest.bsky.social in Manchester tonight - even if his Hull KR cameo didn’t make the cut for People’s History

Vintage McRae - and food for thought for those who dance to the tune of the Hearns www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/n...

10 years of Stretford #parkrun - rubbish time, lovely cake 🍰

Love this 🏏 🦉

Funky murmuration above Brockholes (and a singing Cettis)

And what a year for Munster - after all the emotion with his dad during Origin - and almost as good value off the pitch as on it - really does remind me of Wally Lewis. Hope he adds the Golden Boot www.rugby-league.com/article/6440...

Lovely morning after (now afternoon) tunes and chat with Cerys on Six Music. Kendal Mountain Festival sounds great

Headingley resplendent

Lovely mood at Headingley for Kangaroos captains run. Geoff Burrow, Garry Schofield among distinguished guests. The only sad thing is the absence of a group of young Ukrainian league players who were due here with Keighley, but were turned back at the Polish border

Strongly recommend this film for behind the scenes with match officials - a good bunch of people who love the sport, show massive commitment to it, do a hugely demanding job, and need incredible mental strength to handle the abuse they receive www.rugby-league.com/article/6439...

Very much enjoyed Cliffords tonight - and Yes a good venue, if only for proximity to Lass o Gowrie

Really enjoying this (book and beer). I was aware of Close heroics v Hall at Lord’s in 63 - but didn’t know he’d bowled 25 overs for Yorks at Sheffield the next day (6-55). Then kept for a session in the last Test of summer against Windies at Oval. Seems to have been more Botham than Botham.

Tears and trouble: Shaun Wane on England’s narrow defeat to Australia

Duck in the microwave

A really moving afternoon at The Warrington Wolves Community Foundation charity screening of Adam Hills: Grow Another Foot to raise funds and awareness for men’s mental health and suicide prevention through the foundation's initiative Ahead Of The Game.

Two games kicking off at 5am

I’d heard so much about the @bridewell.bsky.social and it didn’t disappoint - a shrine in the middle of Liverpool to rugby league, Whitehaven and Frankie - P Sironen and 2x O’Neills (and Steve Roach’s son), welcome to the Pleasuredome

And Nigeria men play their first game out of Africa against Cumbria in Barrow - after their women beat Ireland, and lost to Fiji, in Toronto. Whatever else you say about RL, it’s not really an M62 sport www.rugby-league.com/article/6436...

Meanwhile in RL, Halifax remains the key on the Gold Coast www.rugby-league.com/article/6436...

Amazing (if grim) story, beautifully written ilovemanchester.com/when-bodies-...

This really pulled me up and made me think - yet another reason why Home such an asset for Manchester

At risk of being dull this is my new favourite car park - certainly at a sports ground

tight game, Eng lead 22-18 early in second half www.nrl.com/news/2025/10...

RL Ashes autumn continues in Carrara, 450am tomorrow - definitely worth getting up for www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeXc...

This easily overlooked given other rl developments today but Dezaria joining Mourgue under influence of Peters at HKR sounds like more good news for France national team - albeit sad that both have left Catalans hullkr.co.uk/news/hull-kr...

I didn’t realise Tim Mander had gone into politics - have a memory of Graham Annesley doing similar - looks like a great function and all helping build momentum for World Cup next year www.nrl.com/news/2025/10...

Cracking picture this. So much International RL happening. I’m told the teams have retired to a brewery on the Sunshine Coast which sounds like a decent place to be www.rugby-league.com/article/6434...

Love this - thanks to Richenda

My last memory of Ged Stokes was a chat in the Craven Park stand, I think at a memorial match for Garry Purdham. I think he’d be amused by, and approving of, Ben presenting shirts to the England RL lads tonight www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/n...

".....will play Crewe Alexandra. That concludes the draw for the 3rd round of the Sherpa Van Trophy. Ties will be played on the 5th and 6th November"