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ScorecardNick Compton took on the extra pace of Uxbridge, and Steve Finn, with aplomb•Getty Images

When Nick Compton was dropped by England, it was suggested that his batting was too slow and stodgy. He didn’t have enough shots and, with Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott also in England’s top three, the side would get stuck.It always seemed a slightly peculiar logic. And slow batting was hardly England’s problem during the Ashes series in Australia.In the first innings Compton scored 94 off 278 balls. Laborious, perhaps, but without those runs – or if he had been taken by Paul Stirling at second slip on 16, when Eoin Morgan was off having been stung be a bee – Somerset may well have lost this game.If Compton felt the need to show Angus Fraser, Middlesex’s director of cricket and the watching England selector, that he could play more expansively, he took the opportunity the last day at Uxbridge presented. He pulled particularly pleasingly, displaying a relish for the short ball that those in England’s Test side have sometimes lacked.”He’s at his best when he’s facing the likes of Steven Finn on these type of pitches when there’s a bit more bounce and a bit more pace,” Marcus Trescothick purred.For Chris Rogers, the upshot of Compton’s defiance was to reflect once again on his declaration. He set Somerset 390 in 72 overs, which sounded on the cautious side, though he had a rapid outfield to consider as well as the memory of Nottinghamshire’s heist of 385 last month.”Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Maybe we could have pulled out a bit earlier but we had a hard loss a few weeks ago and that’s in the back of our minds. I think if we were to lose this game we’d probably fall off that chasing group so it was probably important that we didn’t lose.”Both sides retain title pretensions. Somerset are in third, and have both their games against Northamptonshire to play, while Middlesex go to Scarborough next week to play Yorkshire. “I think they’ll be a bit wary of us and hopefully we can pull off an amazing win and then we’ll be right up there,” Rogers said.The spectre of a drab final day, for all the fine cricket in the match, also prompted discussion over the lack of disintegration in the pitch. “I was hoping for a bit more up and down on day four but it didn’t really do that. It was essential you used the new ball but after that it became a bit lifeless,” Rogers said.”With the sun out the wickets here become a bit dead and then it is hard to bowl teams out, particularly as they don’t seem to be breaking up that much. I’m sure groundsmen are trying their best. They probably just need a bit of rain!”If the crowd felt underwhelmed at the spectre of early handshakes, at least they had a morning of pyrotechnics to enjoy. Paul Stirling, promoted to number five, bristled with stocky intent. He followed an uppercut off Lewis Gregory for six with a bludgeoned straight drive and reached 50 in only 37 balls.It was his fourth in five Championship innings in 2014, seemingly rendering his years marooned in the 2nd X1 all the more curious. But not to Rogers.”He was still developing his own game and he’d be the first to say he had no form with the red ball but he’s come round and he’s doing very well,” Rogers said. “It’s great to say we should have picked him early in hindsight but that’s a rubbish call. I’m just really happy he’s doing well.”Rogers’ new opening partner is also in fine form. Nick Gubbins reached 95, including lofting George Dockrell for six over midwicket, but was run-out after a mix-up with Stirling. Still, on the evidence of his composure and mature shot selection, Gubbins’ maiden first-class century will not be long in coming.Somerset’s prospects of threatening their target always depended inordinately upon Trescothick, especially with Craig Kieswetter missing this game because of a family funeral.He flickered briefly, swatting a few trademark late cuts, but when Eoin Morgan smartly took him at second slip a meandering draw seemed inevitable. With a lively spell that accounted for Chris Jones and Alviro Petersen, Toby Roland-Jones briefly offered the prospect of Rogers being vindicated.But James Hildreth made a second silky half-century of the game, adding 93 with Compton. As he accelerated, unfurling a reverse-sweep, Somerset may have entertained fanciful notions of a run chase. He was caught at long on to end those. No matter: Compton remained unperturbed.

Michael Vaughan hopes Andrew Flintoff can make his Test return during the upcoming series against New Zealand, however he said it was vital that Flintoff not rush back too soon and risk aggravating his ongoing ankle problems. Flintoff has not played a Test since the 2006-07 Ashes loss in Australia and a fourth operation on his left ankle ruled him out of the recent tours of Sri Lanka and New Zealand.”He has got three or four four-day games for Lancashire, so hopefully he will come through those with overs under his belt, runs by his name and give himself a good chance because we want him back,” Vaughan told . “An England side with Freddie in is a better team.”He wants to be there. He is the only one who knows what his anklefeels like. He hasn’t bowled 18 to 20 overs in a day yet and had to go out and bowl five or six the next day yet, so hopefully he will get through that.”Flintoff himself was aiming to be ready for the first Test, which starts on May 15, however that will depend on his progress during Lancashire’s initial games. His first big trial will be in a four-day match against Surrey beginning on Wednesday, and Vaughan said there was no point hurrying him into the national side before he was ready.”We just want him right, whether that means he misses the first game, second game and comes back for the third,” Vaughan said. “I just want him back fit and ready; whether it’s first or third, that will do me. It is so important you listen to your body and know yourself.”Flintoff’s fast-bowling colleagues Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard are also desperate for a successful start to the county season following their axing from the Test side during the tour of New Zealand. Vaughan said Hoggard would undoubtedly be working overtime to put his name back in the frame, while Harmison would be fired up and keen to prove a point.”Harmy has been given a harder time and I wouldn’t want to be a county batsman over the next month having to face him because I think he has got a bit of a bee in his bonnet and a point to prove,” Vaughan said. “That is exactly what I want – I certainly don’t think it is the end of their careers yet.”Regardless of how the attack looks, there could be adjustments to England’s top order for the first Test with Vaughan himself keen to drop down the order. He had a poor series personally in New Zealand, scoring 123 runs at 20.50, and a direct swap with the No. 3 Andrew Strauss might be on the cards.”I wouldn’t say I would carry on opening for England, no,” Vaughan said. “We will have to sit down with Peter Moores and the selectors. Straussy is at three at the minute – he likes opening and I am at two and like batting at three – so maybe that will be a little bit of a change.”

Charl Langeveldt, the South Africa fast bowler, has opted out of the Test series in India beginning next week, saying the controversy over the selection of the squad so upset him he feels he won’t be in the right frame of mind for the matches.Langeveldt was picked ahead of Andre Nel in the 14-man squad for the three-Test series, a move seen by many as pandering to Cricket South Africa’s transformation policy. Nel was reportedly disappointed after his exclusion, and there was speculation over his future with South Africa.Gerald Majola, the CSA chief executive, said Joubert Strydom, the convenor of selectors, had accepted Langeveldt’s request to withdraw from the touring party, and that the selectors were considering a replacement.”Charl Langeveldt called me today in an emotional state saying he wanted to withdraw from the tour of India so that he can consider his international future in the right frame of mind,” Majola said. “He said that the public controversy over the selection of the Proteas team to tour India had upset him to the extent that he would not be in the right frame of mind to tour India and do his best.””Charl said he wanted to use this time instead to consider his future in international cricket in a cool and calm manner.”I have assured Charl that he is very much in the plans, and is regarded as one of our best fast bowlers in both ODI and Test cricket.”We will have in-depth discussions with him, and hopefully he will continue to be available for international selection.”No replacement has been named as yet for Langeveldt in the squad, which arrives in India later this week.

Mitchell Starc has backed Nathan Lyon to go through another rehab and be able to resume his Test career after suffering an Ashes-ending hamstring injury in Adelaide.Lyon hobbled off on the final morning after diving to field a ball at long leg. He went for scans, leaving and returning to the ground on crutches, although briefly got rid of them to join the team song after victory to retain the Ashes.Related

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Having had such a fine fitness record that he was able to play 100 consecutive Tests from 2013 to 2023, Lyon has now suffered two significant muscle injuries in two-and-a-half years having had his previous Ashes in England ended when he ripped his calf at Lord’s.Lyon, 38, has previously spoken of playing until at least the 2027 Ashes tour. After the Sydney Test which concludes this series, Australia do not play Tests again until next August against Bangladesh which begins a hectic period of up to 21 matches in 10 months.Lyon took five wickets in the match on his return to the side having been left out of the day-night Test in Brisbane. He claimed two in his first over to move past Glenn McGrath into second place on Australia’s all-time list then broke England’s resistance on the fourth afternoon with the key wickets of Harry Brook, Ben Stokes and Zak Crawley.”Really unfortunate for him,” Starc said. “I’m sure it’s a tough one to take. He contributed a lot in this Test match. So he should first and foremost enjoy the moment. He’s helped us get to this victory.”He’s obviously had a layoff with his calf through England, so he’s sort of more on board with the fast bowlers in terms of what rehab takes. I think he’s still got that hunger to give more to Australia. So that’s all for him to think through. Hopefully it’s not a huge layoff. But, yeah, obviously disappointed for him. Hopefully he’s back sooner than later.”Starc, for his part, had no doubts about being able to back up for the remainder of the series. “[Feeling] good, ready to go,” he said. “I think my average speed was better than anyone’s, so good to go.”Nathan Lyon returned to the ground on crutches•Getty Images

Lyon and Starc have been among a host of senior figures in this Australia side, with some questions raised pre-series about the age of the team given Cameron Green was the only player under 30. As it’s transpired, though, England’s inexperience, especially in Australia, has been a significant factor in their poor performances in a series that came with huge hype in the build-up.”I think a lot was made about how old the group is and how experienced they are,” Starc said. “Perhaps that’s played into our hands. Having been through some good times and some not so good times over the course of our careers together, I think certainly in the last number of years it’s been a pretty level group. Things have never gotten too high or low.”If we haven’t had a good day, it’s pretty easy to move on from and learn from. Absolutely a feature of our group and to guys that have come in, less experienced or younger, the freedom to express themselves as players but also learn from that experience has been beneficial in the way we’ve played our cricket.”Starc admitted he is not great at allowing himself to soak up big moments but hoped he could this time, although for now the sights were firmly set on 5-0.”I’m not a great reflector, so hopefully I can reflect on this one a bit,” he said. “With a lot being made outside the groups, whilst we don’t pay too much attention to it, once things get heard and whatnot, there will be a lot of pleasure with being in the situation where we are. We want to win the next two, but to have won the Ashes is always going to be very special.”This will surely be Starc’s last home Ashes, but 2027 in England remains on the radar having given up T20Is in a bid to extend his red-ball career. “I’m not thinking two years down the track just yet,” he said. “Let’s just think about Melbourne and then on to Sydney. But, yeah, it’d certainly be nice to win an Ashes series in England.”