News about Ashley Giles

Today more than 500 mourners gathered for his funeral at Redditch Crematorium to say a final goodbye to the popular player. Teammates donned flowery shirts and others wore bright colours at the request of the family to 'celebrate his joy and positivity'. His coffin was draped in a flag declaring 'Forever A Pear' - a reference to the nickname of Worcestershire CCC.

The cricket world was sent into shock last week when Baker's club revealed the 20-year-old had passed away before tributes began to flow in for the talented spinner. Baker, who played 47 times for his county after turning pro in 2021, was taking part in a second team game in his home county when he died, with the match abandoned and ruled a draw following the news. With the club still in mourning, Worcestershire have revealed a heartwarming way that they will pay respects to their player for the remainder of the campaign.

The cricket world went into mourning yesterday when the the 20-year-old's club, Worcestershire, revealed he had been found dead in his apartment by a friend after he did not turn up to a game. His parents Lisa and Paul Baker took to Facebook to share their devastation and thank friends and relatives for sharing their memories of their son. They wrote: 'We are both broken. Achieved many of his dreams before reaching 21. Take every opportunity to hug your parents and your children. We've taken great comfort from the many messages received so far - keep sharing and posting your memories please.'

The cricket world was sent into shock on Thursday when Baker's club revealed the 20-year-old had passed away before tributes began to flow in for the talented spinner. Mail Sport has since learned that Baker (pictured) was found dead in his apartment by a friend after he didn't show up for the start of play on the third day of his team's match against Somerset. Baker, who played 47 times for his county after turning pro in 2021, was taking part in a second team game in his home county when he died, with the match abandoned and ruled a draw following the news.

The cricket world was left heartbroken yesterday, May 2 when it was announced that cricket star Josh Baker was found dead at the age of 20. Family and friends expressed concern over the talented Worcestershire spinner after he failed to show up for the start of play on day three of his team's match against Somerset. After attempts to make contact with him fell flat, a friend called by his apartment to find English Spinner dead. Here is everything you need to know about the talented English all-rounder who tragically passed away.

Josh Baker, a talented Worcestershire spinner, had been playing in his county's second XI just yesterday, and was due back on the field in Bromsgrove today. After calls to his phone proved fruitless, a friend found him dead in his apartment, causing shockwaves through the closeknit cricket community. Baker took three wickets against Somerset on Wednesday, with the game abandoned as a draw on Thursday, and previously featured in two Vitality County Championship games last month. His club's chief executive Ashley Giles said the news of Baker's death has left 'us all devastated'.

Cricket is in mourning after the death of Worcestershire spinner Josh Baker a fortnight before his 21st birthday. Baker was playing for his county's second XI as recently as Wednesday, and a statement from club chief executive Ashley Giles said: 'The news of Josh's passing has left us all devastated.' Baker, who appeared in two Under-19 one-day internationals in Sri Lanka at the end of 2021, had made his first-class debut against Warwickshire earlier that summer, claiming future England ODI batsman Sam Hain as his maiden scalp. In all, he took 43 wickets in 22 first-class games with his left-arm spin, and received a morale-boosting text message from Ben Stokes after England's freshly appointed Test captain had hit him for 34 in an over playing for Durham in a championship match in 2022.

When England plucked spinners Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir from the fringes of the county game for the Test squad traveling India, eyebrows were raised. Mail Sport takes a look at some of England's unexpected picks from the past.

KOLKATA: After England's humiliating World Cup defense, Rob Key has admitted that the money stops with him, but that head coach Matthew Mott and captain Jos Buttler should have the opportunity to make it right. India, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand defeated Pakistan in Kolkata on Saturday in their third in nine group games, leaving them on a late flight home.

BY LAWRENCE BOOTH IN PUNE: According to Logan van Beek, the Dutch all-rounder who is something of a authority on the subject, a win for the Netherlands over England on Wednesday will not be a "flash in the pan." Van Beek played with the ball for the final time at a World Cup in Bangladesh, losing three for nine, including Jos Buttler for just six, after the Dutch stunned an England team led by Stuart Broad during the T20 edition in 2014. England had already been knocked out, but the decision led to Ashley Giles' dismissal as a white-ball coach. Now more is at stake, with the Pune game on Wednesday essentially a play-off for the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

During a round of golf at Sunningdale, Stuart Broad had been wondering what went wrong in the 2021-22 Ashes with Zak Crawley, Rob Key, and former tennis player Tim Henman. Cue the humour of a dramatic irony. Following Ashley Giles' dismissal days earlier, I had a WhatsApp call from Andrew Strauss, the ECB's interim managing director, within seconds of getting into my car to drive home. It was a terrible signal that sparked a brief, tumultuous chat, beginning with him reminding me that I would not be heading to the Caribbean.

It's been thrilling to see England's behavior over the past 12 months as a Test-cricket fan, and it's likely to see them clash against an Australian assault who will be keen for their revenge. We're hearing that England needs grass cut off pitches in order to promote ferocious batting, but I'm curious if this particular tactic helps Australia's hands a bit more. Australian bowlers are certainly more suited to bowling on those types of surfaces than English bowlers, whose strength is rooted in their own weather, especially when playing with the Dukes.

BOOTH IN MULTAN: After taking his 100th Test wicket, Jack Leach expressed pride and said the occasion was well-deserved, considering the challenges he faced during his career, which was often marred by sickness and injury. Leach, a well-known sufferer of Crohn's disease, has been hit by sepsis, covid, and concussion, and he was in danger of missing the first Test at Rawalpindi after a virus swept through the England camp. However, he recovered to take the match-winning wicket in the gloom, and on the second day in Multan, he aided Pakistan's middle order with the wickets of Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan, before finishing with four for 98 to earn a priceless lead.

BOOTH IN MULTAN: Leach, a well-known Crohn's disease sufferer, has been struck down by sepsis, Covid, and concussion, and the England camp was in danger of missing the first Test at Rawalpindi. He recovered to take the match-winning wicket amid the midst of a gloomy afternoon in Multan, and on the second day, he helped smash Pakistan's middle order with the main wickets of Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan, before finishing with four wickets for 98, giving England a priceless lead.

Exclusive BY AADAM PATEL: After being part of the prestigious 2005 England team, Ian Bell knows better than most about the challenges of batting in Pakistan, which has been dominated by a tumultuous blend of searing speed and fizzing twist. 'I have a vivid memory of a magnificent swinging yorker from Shoaib Akhtar to Ashley Giles, who knocked out middle and leg stumps,' Bell says. 'Even now, when people ask me who is the fastest bowler I have encountered, it's the sequence that comes to mind.' I had never seen or experienced Shoaib's bowling.'

Rob Key has had a change of heart over the national selector role and will now be involved in selecting England squads. The ECB's head coach said the reappointment of a national selector was of utmost importance when he was appointed in the spring after Chris Silverwood was overwhelmed by combining selection with being head coach. The key took on selection duties, but he was set to take a back seat after someone was named for the position.

When asked if he took Ashley Giles' call to dismiss both him and the position as England's national selector personally, Ed Smith chooses his words carefully. Smith writes, 'My understanding is that they needed to invest all selection in one person, in the head coach.' That was the situation.' So, my response was, 'Good luck, I'll give you some distance and space.' I didn't want to do any interviews, and I didn't want to be reporting on selection in those first months after my resignation.'

EXCLUSIVE: Alex Hales recapped his England career this week, knowing that no one else is to blame but himself for the three-and-a-half years that have been cut out of it. But Hales' exile began earlier this month when he was selected as a replacement for the injured Jonny Bairstow for the seven-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan and the World Cup in Australia next month.