It is no surprise this version of Brook has come immediately after he was overlooked as captain.

He was seriously considered by managing director Rob Key and others at the England and Wales Cricket Board before ultimately being overlooked.

I am sure he will have asked himself why that was the case and, after incidents like the one in Wellington and some of the things he has said to the media in the past, it comes back to maturity.

Yes, Brook has shown himself an able tactician and leader of the white-ball team but at no point did I believe he was ready to be England’s Test captain.

That role is about more than purely the decisions made on the field.

It is about representing your country, and sometimes stepping up when needed to talk about difficult topics around the world. We have seen that in the episodes involving Zimbabwe and Afghanistan in the recent past.

Brook has not shown he has the maturity to do that part of the job, meaning Joe Root was the only candidate. The hierarchy had no choice.

But Root’s second stint is unlikely to last long, possibly only until the end of next year’s Ashes, and the ball is in Brook’s court to show before then that he is the best candidate next time around.

Who knows, Jacob Bethell, who is highly rated as a leader, may have overtaken him by then but there is no reason Brook cannot be Test captain when Root leaves the role, especially if he is showing maturity through batting like this.

Of course, some people will view Brook’s innings through the prism of what has come before. They may say it only adds to the frustration around why Brook could not bat more sensibly during the Ashes.

Who knows what may have happened if he did.

I get that argument – the winter was one of the biggest disappointments in recent memory in English cricket – but it is now time to look to the future, and time to put the Ashes behind us.

Lessons have been learned; you can see that by the decisions made and the people now in charge. Root and Stephen Fleming should be more astute operators.

So, with big series on the horizon after this – a winter trip to South Africa and then the Ashes next summer – it has got to the stage where we have to move on.

With that in mind, it was not just Brook’s performance that has been encouraging so far.

Though he will be annoyed to get out misjudging the length of spinner Usman Ali as Brook did, Jordan Cox batted with similar restraint and class for his 73.

Root batted as he does, holding together a more measured batting performance. It was something every England fan will be happy to see.

While two calm days have been most welcome after what we have witnessed in recent months, we do not want England to dispense with everything we saw under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes’ Bazball regime.

This team should retain a lot of their positivity, but do so without delving into the recklessness and inflexibility we saw before.

Ruthlessness was another thing the Bazballers were often lacking and this Test has presented Root’s England the perfect opportunity to show what they have learned.

Pakistan have picked the wrong team. They should have picked another seamer and are desperately missing some pace in their attack.

It means this is as kind an opponent England could have wished for to start their long-awaited reset.

England can now press home their advantage and go 1-0 up in this series. Brook has begun to show them the way.

Jonathan Agnew was speaking to BBC Sport’s Matthew Henry

To support delivery, the Department and Council are proposing to offer a capital grant of up to £5.2 million to help bring forward a high-quality scheme

Investors and developers are being called on to help shape the regeneration of a key site in a Co Down town.

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons announced the launch of a Pre Market Engagement exercise for the redevelopment of the Irish Street site in Downpatrick. The opportunity will be run in partnership with Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.

To support delivery, the Department and Council are proposing to offer a capital grant of up to £5.2 million to help bring forward a high-quality scheme.

The engagement invites developers, investors, and hotel operators to help shape proposals for a landmark regeneration scheme on the prominent town centre site, comprising the former PSNI station, a number of listed buildings along Irish Street and an 83-space Council-owned car park.

Minister Lyons said: “The Irish Street development site has the potential to transform the town centre, creating a vibrant destination that reflects Downpatrick’s rich heritage while supporting a growing tourism economy and strengthening local businesses. This is a significant opportunity to bring forward a high-quality regeneration scheme in one of the most important locations in Downpatrick.

“Through this engagement, we are inviting developers, investors and hotel operators to work with us to shape a scheme that can deliver real and lasting benefits for Downpatrick and the wider region, encouraging growth and improving the tourism offer.”

The Department’s vision for the 2.02-acre site includes a hotel-led regeneration scheme that will enhance the town centre, support tourism, and act as a catalyst for wider regeneration, alongside complementary residential, retail, and public realm uses. It will further enhance the town’s appeal as a place to visit, live, and work, creating new opportunities for investment, regeneration, and sustainable growth.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Glyn Hanna, said: “The redevelopment of this key town centre site will provide a significant social and economic boost for Downpatrick and act as a catalyst for the wider regeneration of the town. This landmark regeneration scheme will support local businesses, create new job opportunities, and enhance the town’s tourism offering.”

Malachy McGrady, Chair of the Downpatrick Regeneration Working Group, said: “The Irish Street site is widely recognised as a key opportunity to drive regeneration in Downpatrick town centre. The Working Group welcomes this important step forward and looks forward to seeing proposals that reflect the ambition and potential of Downpatrick as a place to live, work and visit.”

Developers, investors, hotel operators, and other interested parties are encouraged to participate in the Pre-Market Engagement process. For further details, please go to eTendersNI Portal at https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps/home

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Attorneys who represented a worker alleging he was undercompensated for supervising a renovation project at the Malibu home of Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, are asking a judge to dismiss claims filed against their law firm.

Handyman Tony Saxon maintained in his initial Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit that the 49-year-old musician agreed to pay him $20,000 per week under a 2021 agreement. However, Ye provided only one $20,000 payment in addition to $100,000 intended for construction costs. Judge Brock T. Hammond previously upheld a March 11 jury decision that awarded Saxon $140,000.

Ye, alongside his company, Shore Drive Holdings LLC, launched a separate lawsuit targeting Saxon and West Coast Trial Lawyers APLC, the firm representing the handyman. Their amended complaint filed July 10 asserts that a $1.8 million lien placed on Ye’s property in January 2024 was a “fabrication and the defendants who prepared it, verified it and stood behind it knew as much.”

Ye’s suit calls the lien a “pressure device recorded to cloud the property’s title and to coerce payment of the unrelated employment claims (Saxon and West Coast) were pursuing in the underlying action.”

Ye is asking that the lien be declared void, and he is also seeking $2.27 million in damages.

On Wednesday, attorneys for Saxon and West Coast filed court papers with Hammond asking that the portion of the complaint pertaining to the law firm be dismissed. The West Coast lawyers state that the Ye pleadings are “uncertain, ambiguous and unintelligible” and improperly combine multiple parties and theories without apportioning conduct, making it impossible to discern which allegations are directed at which defendants.

The West Coast attorneys also contend that all of Ye’s claims are barred by the litigation privilege because they arise from “protected petitioning activity.”

In his lawsuit filed in September 2023, Saxon maintained he was forced to sleep on the mansion floor while acting as a security guard and fired in November 2021 for not complying with Ye’s “dangerous requests” that could cause the plaintiff to be injured.

Saxon said he often complained to Ye about various dangers during the remodeling.

Hayden Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, has addressed the star’s death through his lawyers.

The statement comes four days after the actress, 36, was found unresponsive in a South Carolina apartment. 

‘Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed,’ said Hickerson’s attorney Sloan Ellis, from the Ellis Hinton law firm.

‘As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play.

‘Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.’

Hickerson, 37, was at the apartment where Panettiere died, along with his brother Zach Hickerson, police confirmed on Tuesday.  

A Greenville police officer who responded to the residence Sunday afternoon was met by the brothers and then observed paramedics performing CPR on an unresponsive woman, according to a police report. 

‘The patient did not seem to have any obvious physical reasons to be unresponsive,’ the officer noted. After attempting lifesaving measures, the emergency workers declared Panettiere dead at 2:31 pm on Sunday.

The Greenville County Coroner’s Office has said Panettiere’s cause of death remains under investigation, however a dispatcher said she had a ‘cardiac arrest’ during a 911 call from her apartment.

The dispatcher could be heard in the audio saying that Panettiere had suffered a suspected overdose, and sources told TMZ that Narcan – a nasal medication used to treat an opioid overdose – was also found on a mattress at the property.

Panettiere, who soared to fame in the TV shows ‘Heroes’ and ‘Nashville’ while enduring struggles with alcohol addiction and depression, would have turned 37 on Friday.

She first began dating Hickerson in 2018, however, their on-off relationship became tumultuous as he was arrested several times on domestic violence charges. 

Panettiere had spoken of her troubled childhood in the spotlight in recent months and revealed intimate details of her relationship with Hickerson in her memoir published three months before her death. 

She had an 11-year-old daughter with her ex-partner, Wladimir Klitschko, a former boxer turned Ukrainian government official who has full custody of the youngster.  

In her memoir, titled This Is Me: A Reckoning, Panettiere alleged that Hickerson once beat her so severely that she had to remain in her house for weeks to keep her injuries from the public. 

She said she tried to keep the alleged abuse from the police because she feared the public would find out, and described her relationship as a ‘very dark and complicated time in my life.’

The 36-year-old actress was found unresponsive in a South Carolina apartment on Sunday

Hickerson and his brother Zach were also at the Greenville property, police say

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Hickerson was arrested for one alleged incident in May 2019, and court records show he was charged with injuring a spouse or girlfriend. 

He pleaded no contest to the allegations in April 2021, and he was sentenced to 45 days in county jail and four years’ probation. 

Just three days before Panettiere’s death, Hickerson’s request to reduce his past felony charges was denied by a judge.  

Panettiere’s relationship with Hickerson appeared to end in 2020, and in July of that year, she filed for a restraining order against him. The outcome of her request is not stated in court records. 

The Greenville Police Department said in a statement that ‘the preliminary investigation’ into Panettiere’s death ‘has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.’

An autopsy found ‘no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death.’ 

The man in his 40s has since been charged with dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, failing to provide an evidential specimen and driving without insurance along the A64.

Officers said they had initially received calls about a man driving while under the influence of alcohol at a Scarborough caravan park late on Wednesday (August 19).

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North Yorkshire Police said: “Officers located the vehicle on the westbound A64 at Scagglethorpe and attempted to stop it after York Road, where the dual carriageway merges into a single carriageway.

“However, the driver failed to stop and instead continued driving dangerously, including travelling on the wrong side of the road and exceeding the speed limit.

“A stinger was successfully deployed at Barton Crossroads, but the vehicle continued for a further eight miles towards Hopgrove Roundabout.

“Despite both front tyres rapidly deflating, shredding and eventually being reduced to the wheel rims, the driver continued his attempts to evade police.”

The pursuit had come to an end at Hopgrove Roundabout, police said, when the vehicle collided with a nearside verge.

A force spokesperson said: “Let us be clear: failing to stop for police and putting other road users at risk is completely unacceptable.

“Last night’s incident demonstrated the determination and professionalism of our Operational Support unit, who safely brought this pursuit to a conclusion.

“24/7 day in day out we are relentless in our pursuit of those who choose to evade us, and we will do everything we can to bring them before the courts.”

George Shuttleworth (Tony Maudsley) is back next week in Coronation Street and quickly learns two people he loves dearly are struggling.

The character has been away from the cobbles visiting family. Initially, George and Christina Boyd (Amy Robbins) were going to go, but they had a row and George went alone.

While he’s been away, Christina has been busy worrying about Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce). He had spent time abroad following the abuse he suffered at the hands of Theo Silverton, and the discovery that friend Sarah Platt (Tina O’Brien) killed him, but it seems the trip hasn’t done a lot of good.

Todd is often seen at the moment drinking alcohol, and the fact that he becomes defensive when his mates comment on his booze intake is perhaps the biggest sign that he’s not really coping.

Next week, Christina begins to fear for her relationship with George as she tells Glenda Shuttleworth (Jodie Prenger) that he’s barely messaged since he’s been away.

Turning to drink to drown her sorrows, Christina ends up falling over while in the ginnel. Jake (Bobby Bradshaw), Gary Windass’ (Mikey North) lad, finds the whole thing hilarious and films Christina before pouring his water over her.

Watching this is Ollie Driscoll (Raphael Akuwudike). Assuming the worst, Ollie chases after Jake, and Christina and Glenda soon find Ollie with Jake pinned to the floor.

Christina tells Ollie to stop, revealing that Jake actually only poured water over her.

In the week, as a nervous Christina tidies the house in preparation for George’s return, Todd heads to work and is surprised to find him already there.

George wastes no time in having a go at Todd for trying to bury his problems with alcohol, so Todd turns the tables and tells George about Christina’s drunken antics in the ginnel.

Pondering over the past couple of weeks, George heads home and tells Christina that he’s had time to think.

Will George give their relationship another go?

And what will happen next with him and Todd?

MORE: All Coronation Street spoilers for next week as a confession destroys a family forever

MORE: Christina’s sudden accident prompts serious consequences for Ollie in Coronation Street

MORE: Coronation Street ‘confirms’ who will save Sarah from prison nightmare

The 2026 Darlington Arena Car Boot Sale opened on Sunday, August 16, and will run every Sunday at the Neasham Road venue.

Here’s everything you need to know:

When and where is the car boot sale?

The next Darlington Arena Car Boot Sale will take place on Sunday, August 23.

It is held at Darlington Arena on Neasham Road, Darlington, DL2 1DL.

What time does the car boot sale open?

Sellers can arrive to set up between 9am and 1pm.

Early-bird shoppers can enter from 10am until noon, while general public entry begins at noon.

How much does it cost?

Sellers pay £10 per stall, regardless of vehicle size.

Payment is cash only on arrival and no advance booking is needed. Organisers say there is unlimited space, no extra cost for trailers and no restriction on vehicle size.

Early-bird entry costs £3 per person between 10am and noon.

Entry costs £1 per person from noon onwards.

Visitors have been asked to bring the correct change to help reduce queues.

Is parking available?

Free on-site parking is available for shoppers.

The sale takes place on a hard-standing surface, which is available for stallholders and visitors.

Can I bring my dog?

Yes, the Darlington Arena Car Boot Sale is dog-friendly.

Dogs must be kept on leads at all times, and owners are asked to clear up after their pets and dispose of any mess responsibly.

Will there be food, drink and toilets?

Street-food vans will be on site, offering visitors a choice of food and drink.

Indoor toilets are also available at the arena.

What can shoppers expect to find?

Organisers are promising bargains, vintage finds and antiques at the weekly market.

The arena has hosted car boot sales previously. The earlier events, called The Big Darlington Car Boot Sale, were organised by National Car Boot Sales and began in September 2025 before continuing into 2026.

The market has since been relaunched as the 2026 Darlington Arena Car Boot Sale, with revised opening times and pricing.

‘I heard you missed me. Here I am.’

That was the punchy eight-word opener delivered by Melania Trump with a broad smile as she made her first public appearance with her husband Donald in more than a month.

The outing came amid a slew of headlines about the president’s close personal aide Natalie Harp after vicious innuendo leveled by Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff at a rally in Georgia last week.

The couple appeared together in the White House‘s Rose Garden to celebrate Melania’s ‘Fostering the Future’ initiative. 

She announced a partnership with IndyCar and Fox Sports to expand scholarship opportunities for kids aging out of the foster care system. The effort includes funding for programs at Indiana University and Purdue University. 

The timing comes just ahead of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, DC, that IndyCar is hosting to celebrate the nation’s birthday.

‘Fostering the Future graduates will build new companies, launch new industries, and redefine what is possible for all Americans,’ Melania declared. ‘Fostering the Future is more than an educational initiative; it is generational investment in America’s talents pipeline.’

It marked a rare public outing for the presidential couple after the two have not been spotted together since the July 19 FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey. 

Melania and Donald heading to the Rose Garden on Thursday

Trump, from right, first lady Melania Trump, Roger Penske, chairperson and founder of Penske Corp., and his wife Kathy Penske attend an event in the Rose Garden

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(L-R) IndyCar driver Alexander Rossi, first lady Melania Trump, and driver Scott Dixon

Trump appeared to close his eyes during the event while sitting next to Melania 

Their Thursday joint appearance comes amid heightened scrutiny on the president’s blonde, 35-year-old executive assistant, Harp, who by contrast is a near-constant presence at Trump’s side. 

A Daily Beast analysis found that Melania has only been spotted publicly 38 times this year, while she was seen 140 times in the first 18 months of her husband’s first term.

Harp, meanwhile, is constantly seen in the Oval Office, boarding Air Force One, spending weekends with the president at his eponymous clubs and at his speaking engagements.  

While Melania has seemingly shifted her focus from public appearances to championing policies impacting children reports have indicated she has been upset by the coverage of Harp. 

‘The first lady doesn’t like these types of things,’ a source close to the White House told Semafor.

The joint appearance comes against the backdrop of a deluge of press coverage about Harp. 

Trump’s executive assistant has been thrust into the limelight since Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia noted how the president would rather ‘build his ballroom and travel with Natalie’ than his job.

The glamorous 35-year-old Trump aide, a former news personality for One America News, has a long reported fixation on pleasing the president and being in close proximity to him. 

A cancer survivor, Harp credits Trump’s first term initiative called the Right to Try Act – legislation allowing sick patients access to non-FDA approved drugs – with saving her life. 

She has written the president affectionate handwritten notes, with one proclaiming that ‘you are all that matters to me,’ and has ridden in the trunk of a motorcade SUV to maintain her close proximity to the executive when she did not have an assigned seat.

Harp has also been labeled the ‘human printer’ for her habit of carrying around a portable printer used to make hard copies of articles and social media posts flattering of the president, which she hand delivers to him. 

Melania smiles as she heads to the Rose Garden

Donald and Melania hold hands as they arrive for the event

The First Lady wore a powder blue shirt and long scarlet skirt

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The First Lady and the President on Thursday

Harp stands behind Trump at a dignified transfer event in Dover, Delaware, to honor soldiers who have died in the Iran war. Melania was noticeably absent from the July 22 event

Harp is a near-constant present at the president’s side. She frequently travels with him to his clubs and on Air Force One

She reportedly takes little time off and often travels with the president, and she is known to type his social media posts after the president dictates them to her. 

After Ossoff’s pointed attack against Harp, outlets have rushed to publish a deluge of reports about the omnipresent executive assistant.

Despite the spotlight on Harp’s affection for the president, Melania put on a united front with her husband on Thursday afternoon at the White House. 

In the Rose Garden, IndyCar executives and racers presented Melania with a racing helmet with her name emblazoned on it. It will be worn during the race on Sunday. 

Perched next to the First Lady was an IndyCar decked out in signage championing Melania’s ‘Be Best’ campaign.  

In addition to her foster care efforts Melania has advocated for the safe use of AI for children and reuniting children with their families who were separated due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

Earlier this week, the First Lady announced that she worked to reunite another group of Ukrainian children with their mothers, marking the 34th reunion of a mother and child separated by the over four-year war. 

Kevin Kennedy, best known for playing Curly Watts in ITV’s award-winning soap Coronation Street for over 20 years, will appear at Darlington Hippodrome in October as part of the cast of The Picture of Dorian Gray – A New Musical.

The production is a brand-new adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s famous gothic novel and will see Kennedy take on the role of Mr Issacs.

The show, which premieres on October 19, also stars Christopher Twyford as Dorian Gray, and Kingsley Judd as Lord Henry Wooton.

Christopher Twyford as Dorian Gray. (Image: Darlington Hippodrome)

The musical follows Dorian Gray, a young man blessed with youth, beauty and charm, whose life changes when a wish links his fate to a mysterious portrait.

As he falls under the influence of Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian is drawn into an increasingly hedonistic lifestyle, with every sin and wrongdoing reflected in the portrait rather than on his own appearance.

Kennedy will play Mr Issacs, a theatre manager who introduces Dorian to the talented young actress Sibyl Vane.

Although initially dismissed by Dorian, the character plays an important role in bringing him into Sibyl’s world, setting in motion events that help drive the story’s dramatic descent into obsession, vanity and moral corruption.

Picture of Dorian Gray Musical. (Image: Dorian Gray Musical)

The 64-year-old TV star shared his excitement in a video on social media, and said: “Get your tickets. It’s brand new. Be the first.”

Kennedy is no stranger to musical theatre, having previously starred in productions including Rock of Ages and We Will Rock You.

His appearance is expected to be draw in a large crowd when the show premieres for the first time at the Darlington Hippodrome.

The original novel, first published in 1890, is one of Oscar Wilde’s most celebrated works and explores themes including vanity, morality, influence and the consequences of pursuing pleasure without limits.

Audiences can expect a dramatic retelling of the story, complete with a few more gothic twists and a new original soundtrack.

The Picture of Dorian Gray – A New Musical will be performed at Darlington Hippodrome on Monday, October 19.

Tickets are on sale now and in high demand, with locals encouraged to secure their seats as soon as possible.