In Case You Missed It: Anger at the Ashes, World Cup spots for Sri Lanka and Netherlands

Jonny Bairstow found himself firmly the focus of the second Ashes Test - first for bodily hauling a Just Stop Oil pitch invader off the field on the first day and then triggering a near frenzy on the final day when he got stumped by Alex Carey after wandering out of his crease. It's all fangs and talons out in the third Test, which has become a grudge match as England try to claw back after their 2-0 loss. There was drama in Bangladesh as captain Tamim Iqbal announced his retirement midway through the Afghanistan series, and at the World Cup Qualifier Netherlands blazed their way into the tournament proper, joining Sri Lanka to take the last two slots. Here's all the news and top stories from an eventful week of cricket.

Australia survive a staggering 155 from Stokes to take 2-0 Ashes lead
The final day saw high drama after Jonny Bairstow's stumping by Alex Carey triggered the berserker in Ben Stokes, but whose 155 eventually couldn't get the hosts over the line. Matt Roller says Australia's lessons from Headingley 2019 helped them neutralise the threat of a Stokes gone rogue, while Ian Chappell points to England's reckless shot-making as the reason for their downfall. Mark Nicholas still sees Stokes as one of the most compelling cricketers to ever play the game. And where did Stokes' 155 fall on the list of highest fourth-innings scores? Steven Lynch has the answer in this week's Ask Steven.

Tamim Iqbal retires, then reverses retirement, three months before World Cup
In a surprising and emotional announcement, the Bangladesh ODI captain said he was stepping down a day after losing to Afghanistan in Chattogram, only to make a U-turn after a meeting with BCB president Nazmul Hassan and the country's prime minister, Sheikh Hasina.

Is whiskey or rum the true spirit of cricket? Discuss
Following the furore after the Lord's Ashes Test, Andrew Fidel Fernando is asking the important questions, viz is arrack the better spirit of cricket now that beer is off the table? These and other important points, including Bairstow's narcolepsy and Carey's war crimes, are up for debate in this month's Briefing.

The Magnificent Steven - Smith's Test career, in numbers
Steven Smith brings up his 100th Test at Headingley having already built a legacy as one of the best batters in cricket history - no batter has averaged as much going into his 100th Test. His team-mates also spoke to Alex Malcolm and Andrew McGlashan about what it's like to bat with him, and watch him from the other end.

At the World Cup Qualifier
West Indies' shock exit from the Qualifier marks the first time they'll be absent from any men's senior World Cup since the first one, and ripples are still being felt, with Ian Bishop tracking a slow decline over the years. Firdose Moonda looks at how exactly West Indies botched their chances and how they didn't give themselves a fighting chance.

Also absent from the ODI World Cup for the second consecutive time after missing out in 2019 are Zimbabwe, who narrowly lost out on a berth after their defeat to Scotland in Bulawayo.

Bas de Leede shoots his shot to ignite Netherlands party
Netherlands sealed their ODI World Cup spot thanks to a knock for the ages by de Leede, who scored a flawless 100 and took a five-for against Scotland.

Who was the Player of the Match when Bangladesh stunned Australia in Cardiff in 2005?
And who did Zimbabwe defeat in their very first World Cup game? Test yourself with our quiz on famous upsets.

Abhimanyu Easwaran: 'Very few people are this close to being picked for India. That gives me confidence'
The Bengal and India A batter, who recently missed out on being picked for the national side again, spoke to Shashank Kishore about looking to accentuate the positive.

Yastika Bhatia: 'Playing World Cups showed me what I am and what I need to do better'
At just 22, the India batter has played two World Cups, the Commonwealth Games, and won the inaugural WPL title, but she's just getting started, she tells S Sudarshanan.