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Bonus Ashes Daily: Archer injured, Pope out, Bethell in and Duckett retained for the MCG

·21 min·2 clips

On Christmas Eve, Jacob Bethel bats three for England at the MCG as the Ashes tour hits a crisis point.

This bonus Ashes Daily episode covers England's team changes and the deteriorating mood during the 2021-22 Ashes tour in Australia. Hosts Yaz Rana and Matt Roller, a journalist reporting from Melbourne, provide immediate reaction to the latest squad news. Roller describes the tour reaching a chaotic "crunch point" with injuries and off-field issues. The episode confirms Jofra Archer is out of the series entirely with a side strain, which the hosts label a major blow. They note Ollie Pope has been dropped from the team for the upcoming Melbourne Test. Jacob Bethell is named as his replacement, batting at number three in the lineup. Roller observes that players are now going home injured and references an ongoing "boozing inquiry" within the camp. He characterizes the cumulative events as the "wheels properly off" for England on tour. The hosts acknowledge Archer had bowled very well, particularly in the first innings of the first three Tests. They express that seeing him back near his best in Test cricket was a positive development. A surprising insight is Roller's personal relief that England is not requiring journalists to attend Christmas Day media duties. He shares his own Christmas plans to have beers with other journalists and mates in Melbourne instead. The tone is one of a tour unraveling, with Roller calling the mounting crises a "rite of passage" for an England tour of Australia. The conversation is informal and immediate, reflecting the daily podcast format focused on breaking news. The hosts blend factual squad updates with candid, on-the-ground perspective about the tour's atmosphere. Cricket fans following the Ashes closely will appreciate this quick update on major team changes and the insider's view of the tour's state. Listeners seeking in-depth tactical analysis or a polished production might find this brief, news-driven episode too sparse.

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