In just the past ten days I've battled with my home insurer after the price of my policy was hiked by 30 per cent for no reason, chased my old energy supplier for a £174 refund.

From the bank that sent flowers to a recently bereaved widower to the ferry company that waived its strict no-refund policy on pre-paid tickets after a customer went into hospital.

There is no doubt that the most hygienic way to pay for something is with a tap of a contactless card. But if you're spending more than £45 you either have to use a card machine, or hand over cash.

NASSER HUSSAIN AT OLD TRAFFORD: Rory Burns strikes me as the kind of lad who goes away and looks at his issues. He works with a coach he trusts and solves problems.

BUMBLE AT THE TEST: Josh Hazlewood has put Australia in complete control of the fourth Ashes Test after grabbing three quick wickets late on during the third day at Old Trafford.

England have abandoned plans to rest senior players from the two-Test series in New Zealand that begins this winter as they start to again prioritise the ultimate format.

Australian cricketer David Warner has given a quick thinking response to a fan after being sledged in England during the Ashes test. 

RICHARD GIBSON AT OLD TRAFFORD: After the miracle of Headingley kept their Ashes hopes alive, England now need a marathon stonewall across the Pennines to stop Australia killing them off.

NASSER HUSSAIN: The way that England have played their Test cricket in recent years, they were always going to be found out by a high-class bowling attack.

MARTIN SAMUEL - CHIEF SPORTS WRITER: Some time around 2012, an internet movie geek unearthed what was quickly tagged the worst death scene in cinema history.

Steve Smith was already the pantomime villain for England fans but he has riled them even more following Australia's celebrations after they retained the Ashes on Sunday.

Kevin Pietersen has branded England's Ashes cult hero Jack Leach a 'laughing stock' and claims the spinner could have done more to prevent Australia retaining the urn.

Failing to return the Ashes has led to Joe Root's position being discussed, particularly given his batting performances have been somewhat inconsistent.

EXCLUSIVE BY MIKE KEEGAN: Sportsmail understands that hours of revealing footage has been collected from the last year, which includes Australia's trip to England for World Cup and Ashes.

NASSER HUSSAIN: What happens on the field over the next five days is hugely important because a 2-2 scoreline in the Ashes would be far better for England than 3-1 to Australia.

NASSER HUSSAIN AT THE OVAL: Australia opened the door for England here with dropped catches and a wicket off a no ball but they just could not force their way through.

LAWRENCE BOOTH AT THE OVAL: Buttler, whose previous eight innings in this series had produced a best of 41, deposited Josh Hazlewood for three sixes to reach stumps on 64 not out.

IAN HERBERT AT THE OVAL: The Australians have demonstrated in recent years the art of salvaging pride when the long shadows of late summer are falling across The Oval.

PAUL NEWMAN AT THE OVAL: For a short, sweet spell Jos Buttler produced a passable imitation of Kevin Pietersen's famous innings here at the Oval in the greatest of all Ashes series.

Mick Jagger cut a casual figure as he watched England take on Australia in the Ashes on Thursday.

LAWRENCE BOOTH AT THE OVAL: There was a moment when a few critics were lured into the view that Jofra Archer was not, after all, the best thing that has happened to English cricket.

NASSER HUSSAIN AT THE OVAL: The duel between Matthew Wade and Jofra Archer at the Oval typified a fantastically watchable series that has been great for cricket.

England beat Australia by 135 runs in the fifth Ashes test to see the series end as a draw after the tourists had already retained the urn. Sportsmail gives a rating to every player throughout the series.

IAN HERBERT AT THE OVAL: There was something telling about Tim Paine sitting down to say that his terrible record with the decision review system might require him to 'enrol in umpire school'.

Australia may have retained the urn but couldn't do enough to win the 2019 Ashes series as England clinched a 135-run fifth Test victory to level the scores.

Real estate agent Emma McCarthy, 27, shared a photo with the smiling spin bowler captioned: 'Keeping the urn, so proud of you.' Steve Smith was seen sharing a kiss with wife Dani Willis.

Both men have been staples of the cricketing world since their debuts in the 1970s, but were - in their own words - 'being retired' after the TV network did not renew their contracts.

Channel Nine is reportedly 'unsatisfied' with Sunrise host Edwina Bartholomew's apology after she 'defamed' journalist Seb Costello in a since-deleted Twitter post.

England have set a minimum target of 425 points in their quest to reach the inaugural World Test Championship final at Lord's in 2021. Joe Root's team claimed 56 from the 2-2 draw in the Ashes.

Steve Smith assured Jack Leach in the aftermath of the final Test that he was not poking fun at him when he donned glasses to celebrate Australia's Ashes triumph.

Sunrise presenter Edwina Bartholomew resumed her broadcasting duties on Monday, after her 'errant tweet' about Seb Costello earlier this month caused a legal headache for Channel Seven executives

The all-rounder, who took 5-46 in the first innings of the fifth Test against England, was dismissed in a Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania on Sunday and took his frustration out immediately.

NASSER HUSSAIN: Sam Curran is something of an anomaly in the England side who will take to the Bay Oval for the first Test against New Zealand.

After playing an angel and God himself, where else can you go? To the Dark Ages - that's where Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi are headed next in season two of TBS's Miracle Workers.

NASSER HUSSAIN: There is no doubt Joe Root is a phenomenal batsman. The point has always been whether the captaincy is in his or, crucially, England's best interests.

Craig Overton, Olly Stone and Saqib Mahmood are said to be the pace trio identified for the long-term care programmes which the ECB are planning to put in place in a bid to regain the Ashes.

NASSER HUSSAIN: Jofra Archer was so exceptional in the way he burst on to the scene that everyone assumed he was the finished article and would soon be the next Kagiso Rabada or Dale Steyn.

The change has long been debated by cricket pundits and fans but traditionalists have so far been able to resist calls for modernisation. But there is an ever-increasing workload on players.

JOFRA ARCHER: Much was made about the two full tosses I bowled in consecutive balls at Anrich Nortje on the second evening, and they certainly weren't beamers.

Mo Bobat says winning is more important than the strength of the teams defeated when England Lions begin their tour of Australia next week.

EXCLUSIVE BY LAWRENCE BOOTH: Stokes and Leach pulled off an incredible run chase at Headingley in 2019 by chasing more than they had ever managed to keep Ashes alive.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: When Marnus Labuschagne walked out to bat through the Lord's pavilion on the final afternoon of the second Ashes Test last August, he attracted strange looks.

NASSER HUSSAIN: You have to think outside the box at times like this and Sky had the idea of trying to emulate Gogglebox with their look at the last day at Headingley.

The former Saturdays star was given a helping hand by boyfriend Stuart Broad as the couple kept themselves entertained during an extended period of self-quarantine.

Dan Garrett, 30, of London, who founded Farewell, a UK will writing and death specialist, told FEMAIL direct cremations are 'here to stay' and will surpass traditions dating back 'hundreds of years'.

Strictly Come Dancing fans pointed out Motsi's 'fuming' reaction as Catherine, 36, and her professional partner Johannes Radebe, 32, were booted off the show on Sunday evening.

The compère, who has also worked on X Factor, entered rehab last month after celebrities including Simon Cowell and Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly helped pay towards his treatment.

The shot showed a soft focus Kathy - so soft she lacked a belly button - lying in an unmade bed, wearing just a leopard print bra and black panties.

The WAG, 33, took to Twitter on Friday to share a black and white snap with the footballer, 34, as they enjoyed a double date with pals. She tellingly captioned the post 'It's been a while...'

Witnesses said the man, thought to be in his 20s, fell onto the Victoria Line at Oxford Circus in Central London amid a chaotic rush hour bustle on the platform at about 5.30pm.