I'm sad to see him leave, what a great all rounder he's been for the England test team.

Meanwhile Ireland beat world champions India for the second time this week to take the T20 series 2-0. Great bowling from them in both matches to defend relatively low scores batting first.

Ben Stokes has rejected suggestions he could reverse his international retirement for next year's Ashes, saying he is "done".

Stokes, 35, announced his shock retirement on Sunday and his storied international career ended on Monday when his side's defeat by New Zealand in the third Test was confirmed.

Asked if there is any chance he could return to play Australia next summer, he told BBC Test Match Special: "I am incredibly content with everything right now.

"It is a decision I don't take lightly. It has taken a lot of time. I am done. I am very happy."

Asked again if he was sure, Stokes replied: "Sure."

Ben Stokes' storied England career ended in a series defeat by New Zealand, who wrapped up the third and deciding Test on the final day in Nottingham.

The day after captain Stokes announced this Test would be his last, England's 160-run loss at Trent Bridge - and a 2-1 series reverse - highlighted the mess they now find themselves in.

In the aftermath of the Stokes news on Sunday, England slumped to a self-inflicted 103-4 by the close of day four, leaving an inevitability about their chances of chasing 373 on Monday.

And any sense of a prolonged fight was extinguished in the fourth over of the day, when Emilio Gay departed and, crucially, Joe Root was run out by an extraordinary direct hit from Henry Nicholls.

Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson at least staved off humiliation with a battling stand of 75, ended when Atkinson was out just before lunch.

Smith completed only his second half-century in 11 months, but Josh Tongue was the victim of another sublime New Zealand direct hit, this time by Mitchell Santner, before Smith was caught at long-off to leave England 212 all out.

It means New Zealand, heavily depleted by injuries, have earned a famous series win, only their fourth in this country.

The Black Caps were the last visiting team to win a series here, in 2021, and now they are the first tourists to win a series of three or more Tests in this country in 14 years.

Harry Brook would accept the England Test captaincy and believes it is possible to lead the country in all three formats.

England are looking for a new Test skipper after Ben Stokes' retirement and Stokes gave his "100%" backing to Brook becoming his successor.

Brook told BBC Sport: "I don't think you can turn down being an England Test captain.

"It would be an honour and a privilege to be Test captain – the pinnacle of our sport.

"It's not up to me to make that decision. It's up to people well above me. I'd be happy to do it if I did get asked."

England's attempt to move on from a dreadful start to the summer was hit by the weather as their first T20 against India was abandoned.

Two days after Test captain Ben Stokes retired with defeat by New Zealand, England got halfway through the opener to a five-match series against India at Chester-le-Street before the rain set in.

India, the world champions, recovered from 6-2 to post 189-7 in a first innings that was played through steady rainfall.

Heavier rain came during the interval, bringing the covers on to the ground. The latest England could have started a five-over chase was 21:00 BST, but the match was called off at 20:15.

England are through into the Women's T20 World Cup final and they will play Australia.

Indeed they are after a brilliant partnership between Nat Sciver Brunt and Heather Knight. Also, the fielding has improved recently.

Good luck to England Women completing in the Women's T20 World Cup final against Australia. Live on Sky Mix for free-to-air viewers in the UK.

England to bat first in this final.

Australia have already reduced the target to double figures and they’re only in the 5th over.

Australia are the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup champions.

Disappointing as this result is, it is an improvement on the last T20 World Cup back in 2024. Positives are the improved fitness and the fielding.

However, we do need changes. Not sure whether Knight and Wyatt Hodge will continue. There are also questions over the long term captaincy of the side. Charlie Dean has done very well this summer when she has taken over through Sciver Brunt's injury.

Another issue, is the wicketkeeper position. Amy Jones (bar one good innings at the beginning of the tournament) has not batted well in the opening position. Should they be looking for a permanent replacement soon? I was surprised they didn't have a seasoned second wicketkeeper in the squad. I think all the other sides (except Australia who had their second wicketkeeper as a travelling reserve) had a second wicketkeeper in the squad.

Next summer is the Ashes and hopefully we shall see further improvements in the test format. Their next fixture is a one-off Test at Lord's.

Tammy Beaumont has announced she will retire from international cricket after the first ever Women's Test at Lord's. Scored centuries across all three formats and has the highest amount of ODI hundreds for England (12). Also the first Englishwoman to score a double century in a Test back in 2023.

She will continue to play domestically.

Many thanks Tammy.

England sealed their first-ever T20 series victory over India as their opponents suffered a record fifth straight defeat in completed 20-over matches.

Set 159 to win, Phil Salt and captain Harry Brook put on an unbroken second-wicket partnership of 144 as England cruised to their target in 13.5 overs in the fourth T20 at Bristol.

Brook powered 79 from 35 deliveries, while Salt hit 59 from 42 despite not scoring off his first nine balls.

England now hold an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, winning the past three games in fine fashion after the first fixture at Chester-le-Street was washed-out.

The run of defeats for India, coupled with two surprise losses to Ireland prior to this series, heaps the pressure on Shreyas Iyer, who took over the India T20 captaincy in early June.

England will face no action from the International Cricket Council (ICC) over Ben Stokes' retirement video.

The ICC wrote to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) about the video in which former England captain Stokes told team-mates of his decision to retire after the third Test against New Zealand.

The footage was filmed in the England dressing room prior to the fourth day at Trent Bridge, then shared with broadcasters and on social media during play later that day.

In publishing the footage and audio before the conclusion of the third Test, the ECB risked contravening standards for the players' and match officials' areas (PMOA) at international matches. PMOA rules are designed to support anti-corruption protocols.

Sophie Ecclestone became England's all-time leading wicket-taker across all formats as the hosts fought back late on day one against India of the first women's Test at Lord's.

Ecclstone claimed 3-68, to move above Katherine Sciver-Brunt with 338 wickets, as India were bowled out for 285 after Nat Sciver-Brunt surprisingly chose to bowl first in scorching conditions.

England were faced with a tricky 11 overs in the final hour and finished 21-1, having lost Tammy Beaumont for two in her final international appearance to leave the match evenly poised.

England recovered from a shaky opening session where their bowlers looked rusty and tired after a short turnaround from the T20 World Cup final at the same venue last Sunday

Former England captain Heather Knight has announced her retirement from international cricket.

Knight, 35, joins batter Tammy Beaumont in stepping down from England duty at the end of the ongoing Test match against India at Lord's.

The batter finishes with 320 international appearances, which is an England women's record, and led her country to a famous World Cup win at Lord's in 2017 having replaced the legendary Charlotte Edwards as captain in the previous year.

Brendon McCullum has been sacked as England men's Test head coach after four years in the role.

England suffered a 270-run thrashing in the one-off women's Test at Lord's as India sealed the emphatic victory before lunch on the final day.

Though defeat was inevitable as England started the day 130-6 and needing another 328 for victory, any hopes of prolonged resistance were ended when overnight batter Amy Jones was caught at mid-wicket for 54.

With the pitch turning, India had fielders crowded around the bat as their spinners then mopped up the tail with England skittled for 186.

It is England's second-heaviest defeat in terms of runs in Test cricket after their 347-run loss against the same opposition away from home in 2023.