Brendon McCullum labels upcoming Ashes as ‘biggest series of all of our lives’

Brendon McCullum, the England head coach, has described the upcoming Ashes series against Australia as "the biggest series of all of our lives". England are aiming to win the urn, which they last captured in 2010-11. The team has only brought the urn back from Australia once since 1986-87. England's recent international action saw them lose to South Africa in a three-match one-day international series, but they finished with a historic and one-sided victory in Southampton. The performance of Jofra Archer, who took four wickets for 18 runs, has set imaginations racing about his potential in the high-profile Ashes series, which begins on 21 November in Perth. Meanwhile, the team's star all-rounder Ben Stokes and fast bowler Mark Wood are "progressing well" after their recent injuries. The Ashes series is seen as a crucial challenge for England, as they aim to regain the urn and overcome their recent struggles in the contest against their traditional rivals.