England slumped to 107 for 8 in response to Australia's 481 after incisive bursts from Peter Siddle, Mitchell Marsh and Nathan Lyon

David Warner and Steven Smith both scored half-centuries as Australia rediscovered their patience to finish on 287 for 3 at the end of the first day

ESPNcricinfo previews the final Ashes Test at The Oval as England aim for 4-1 and Australia hunt for pride

England all-rounder David Willey has signed a three-year contract with Yorkshire as the club that has led the way in producing its own players has pulled off a spectacular signing

Paul Grayson has been confirmed as Essex coach until the end of the season after the club's general committee overwhelmingly resisted a recommendation from new cricket chairman chairman Ronnie Irani to remove him

Sam Billings has played eye-catching innings in a season that has won him England one-day honours, but the brilliant unbeaten century at Trent Bridge that pronounced Kent's season was not yet dead must surely rank as his best

One of the most traditional counties has been a revelation in this year's Blast. Sam Billings, recently minted as an England international, wants to join the party

Essex lost two home quarter-finals against Birmingham last season, over both 20 and 50 overs. They have now lost a third, outlasted by 24 runs by an efficient Birmingham side in the NatWest Blast quarter-final

Victory for Worcestershire and other non-Test grounds in the quarter-finals will send a defiant message that change to the county game must come alongside a respect for the past

Sussex fans in the NatWest Blast quarter-final at Hove were told by an ECB official to stop protesting about the possibility of T20 city franchises - and the possibility is receding in any event

If stardom is about taking your moments then David Willey surely has a chance at stardom. He turned Northants' quarter-final against Sussex into a rout, striking the fastest century of the season in the NatWest Blast

England regained the Ashes 10.2 overs into the third day at Trent Bridge with a thumping win by an innings and 78 runs in the fourth Investec Test

Ben Stokes' five-wicket haul left England on the brink of reclaiming the Ashes with victory in the fourth Test

Stuart Broad produced one of great Ashes displays as he took 8 for 15 to dismantle a woeful Australia for 60 before lunch on the opening day at Trent Bridge to heighten England's chances of regaining the Ashes

ESPNcricinfo previews the fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge as England seek to regain the urn and Australia aim to stay alive

Anyone who does not know Steven Finn's backstory has probably been living under a rock but now he wants to put the past behind him and become the fast bowler England craves

Jonny Bairstow is back for England in Test cricket for the first time since England's Ashes whitewash and in Yorkshire they will tell you he is much improved after an 18-month lay-off

In roughly the time it took for Australia to dismiss England a second time, Jonny Bairstow struck a hundred against Worcestershire as Yorkshire racked up 353 for 5

A chronicle of the most hedonistic period in English cricket, long before the bosses woke up to professionalism

David Richardson, the ICC's chief executive, has indicated that the ICC will hold further discussions on the possibility of cricket coming taking its place in the Olympics