Ben Stokes, the hero of England's dramatic World Cup triumph and the miracle of Headingley last summer, has been named the leading cricketer in the world.

COMMENT BY LAWRENCE BOOTH: In the editor's notes in this year's Wisden I suggested the English game has a problem with unconscious bias - which is not the same as overt racism.

Wisden is published on Thursday for the 157th time. It is full of joy, and staring into the abyss. The Almanack's arrival usually coincides with a spring in cricket's step. But this year, not so much.

The ECB are considering a re-draft of players if they postpone the Hundred for 12 months - due to changes in status of Kolpak cricketers and the availability of overseas stars.

JOFRA ARCHER: Being chosen as one of Wisden's five cricketers of the year is one of the most prestigious awards imaginable. Even being nominated alongside some big names feels great.

Ashley Giles says England's players will have 'no excuses' for not being fully fit to start a truncated cricket season he still believes can take place later this summer.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY TIM RICH: Ian Gould has just been walking on the seafront at Hove. It is eerie; empty. He retired as an international umpire after 13 years following last summer's World Cup.

With no cricket to fill the live schedules as a result of the coronavirus lockdown, Ben Stokes rewatched his 'miracle of Headlingley' for the first time with his epic 135 not out performance.

Coco Cuhna made the mistake of suggesting to her cricket coach boyfriend that it might be fun to see if he could show her how to bat when she saw him whacking a few tennis balls into a net.

The dream of becoming the first brothers to play Test cricket together for England since the Hollioakes is sustaining Tom and Sam Curran as they endure being apart during lockdown.

Phil Neville played alongside former all-rounder Andrew Flintoff for Lancashire's age-group sides, and also went on to make an appearance for their second XI before turning to football.

EXCLUSIVE: The ECB are preparing to postpone England's Test series against West Indies, put back the Twenty20 Blast until later in the summer and cancel the inaugural Hundred.

Fears over international teams getting stuck at this year's Twenty20 World Cup will feature prominently in the ICC's teleconference talks between chief executives next Thursday.

Sportsmail columnists Nasser Hussain and David Lloyd answer your questions including who were the hardest batsmen to plan for and will England lift the T20 World Cup?

LAWRENCE BOOTH: Rashid will turn 35 during the next World Cup in 2023 but with the tournament set for the spin-friendly pitches of India, he says he'd love to be involved.

Can you guess the England cricket star who posted a throwback picture of himself alongside his sister on Instagram? He's wearing his first Nottingham Forest shirt in the photo.

If cricket returns while Covid-19 is still a threat, bowlers will be asked to throw clothing and other things such as sunglasses beyond the boundary rope instead of handing to officials.

EXCLUSIVE BY DAVID COVERDALE: Eoin Morgan's side are scheduled to face the Aussies in three Twenty20s and three one-day internationals from July 3-16.

The ECB have been given a free run at reorganising their international summer plans after West Indies prioritised their three Tests in England over home series against New Zealand and South Africa.

EXCLUSIVE BY DAVID COVERDALE: The ECB are under pressure to save counties by paying them their full instalments for the Hundred despite the competition's imminent postponement.

Almost the whole squad were stricken by two sickness bugs, the first a type of flu and the second a stomach problem, that weakened England in their heavy first Test defeat over Christmas.

There are fears that the current restrictions put in place by their federal government preventing Australians flying abroad in all but essential circumstances will last into final quarter of this year.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: Sportsmail has learned that the ECB are insured for the value of all tickets sold up until April 1 if the Tests do not take place as planned.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: Sportsmail has learned that all players are entitled to 12.5 per cent of their deals even if the competition does not take place.

The four-week tournament remains in its scheduled slot of an October 18 start, although Cricket Australia have reserved the right in the circumstances to reassess the situation as late as August.

SPECIAL REPORT: There are growing concerns that the new franchise-based tournament is unaffordable given the challenges facing cricket amid the coronavirus pandemic.

COMMENT: The postponement of the controversial new format for at least a year - which will be confirmed on Friday - gives the ECB the opportunity to admit their mistake.

Sportsmail revealed in November that assistant coach Paul Collingwood had already been earmarked to take charge of the one-day home series against Ireland, scheduled for September.

The ECB have delayed the 2020 season until at least July 1, leaving just three months to complete the remaining nine County Championship rounds, the Twenty20 Blast and the new Hundred competition.

The prospect of the sanctioned use of artificial substances to alter the condition of the red ball, under the supervision of umpires, has been debated this week by the ICC's medical committee.

Next month is the 10th anniversary of England's first global title with the World T20 which they won with a resounding victory over the Australians at Kensington Oval, Barbados.

Last year's tournament was where Archer rose from relative obscurity to a household name, finishing as England's leading wicket-taker with 20 scalps at an average of 23.05.

Lockdown has offered extended periods of reflection for sports people and Joe Denly has had a lot to ponder. Not least how spectacularly things have transformed for him in the last decade.

ECB chief Tom Harrison revealed on Friday that he had offers 'on the table' from both New Zealand and Australia, as English cricket explores all options in a bid to fulfil its fixture list.

England paceman Jofra Archer has finally found his missing World Cup winner's medal after going 'mad' looking for it following a recent house move.

MIKE KEEGAN - SPORTS AGENDA: It would appear that the England and Wales Cricket Board can do no wrong at the moment when it comes to dealing with the Press.

Australia were due to play three ODIs and three Twenty20s against England from July 3 and ECB chief executive Tom Harrison last week expressed hopes that they would still go ahead.

LAWRENCE BOOTH: Hampshire are willing to host more than one Test this summer, with chief Rod Bransgrove confident club can help get cricket up and running again in a biosecure environment.

NASSER HUSSAIN and DARREN GOUGH come together for Sportsmail via Zoom to talk about old times, this England team and what the Dazzler did next…

One of the deepest thinkers in the England squad has concerns over the safety of players and concerns about playing cricket while so many people are losing their lives.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: The ECB instigated a review into Watmore's appointment last week after revelations that he had been subject of an independent whistleblowing report.

Eoin Morgan's world champions are now eight points clear of India following their dominance in the format over recent years with New Zealand, the defeated finalists at Lord's last July, in third.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: The ECB will become the first governing body or league in the country to lose domestic television income as a result of the coronavirus lockdown.

Sportsmail understands that while the ECB have not been involved directly in talks with the Board of Control for Cricket in India they are aware of the various contingencies being drawn up.

England were scheduled to play Tests in Galle and Colombo in March before the coronavirus outbreak shut down sport worldwide as countries introduced lockdown measures to prevent the spread.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY RICHARD GIBSON: Stuart Broad will be ready to play for England in any situation that the ECB's medical experts deem appropriate.

Joe Root has been involved in talks to reschedule England's Test series amid news that the recently-abandoned tour of Sri Lanka is inked in for next January.

EXCLUSIVE: England hope to play six Tests this summer at only two venues, in a new proposed schedule for the season that could exclude all county and women's cricket. 

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY PAUL NEWMAN: Key winces at the revelation that his close friend Andrew Flintoff believes he was one of the great English batsmen against fast bowling.

Morgan insists 'the door is still open' for Hales to return to England's white-ball cricket - but says he has yet to rebuild the trust lost when he was dropped from last year's World Cup squad.