A big week for... Jonny Bairstow and Tykes everywhere

FARE COP?

LAWYER Peter Barnett could today become Britain’s biggest fare dodger as a court decides how much he avoided in travel costs by duping ticket inspectors over two-and-a-half years.

The 43-year-old pretended he had only travelled from Wembley, north west London, rather than Oxford to avoid higher fares for travelling in and out of the capital.

Chiltern Railways claim he dodged up to £23,000 in train tickets. However, Barnett argues it was less than £10,000, as the amount should be based on the cost of a weekly ticket, and take into account annual leave.

JONNY’S TEST

The third Ashes Test between England and Australia gets under way in Birmingham on Wednesday with Alastair Cook’s team anxious to make amends for their capitulation at Lord’s, which allowed the Australians to level the series at 1-1.

Yorkshire’s Jonny Bairstow replaces out-of-form county team mate Gary Ballance in the side and will hope to continue an astonishing run that has seen him score one double hundred, four centuries and four 50s in 11 first-class innings.

TASTE OF THE COUNTRY

Friday will see Harewood House in Leeds play host to the CLA Game Fair. The biggest celebration of field sports in Britain it will feature everything from international gun dog competitions to clay pigeon shooting, fishing, falconry, field archery and more.

The three-day event attracts hundreds of exhibitors covering country sports, clothing and lifestyle as well as hosting a dedicated food show.

TIMELY TRIAL

A group of barons and bishops are to stand trial for treason this Friday in a mock hearing as part of the commemorations to mark the 800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta.

First drafted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the document made peace between the unpopular King and a group of rebel barons.

It promised the protection of church rights, protection for the barons from illegal imprisonment, access to swift justice and limitations on feudal payments to the Crown.

TYKE THAT

Yorkshire Day, the annual celebration of all things to do with the White Rose county, is on Saturday, with events taking place across the region.

This year marks its 40th anniversary, the event having been started to raise the county’s profile at home and abroad.

The Yorkshire Post will celebrate the occasion with a special Yorkshire Day-themed Saturday magazine.

Cruise control

Ever since that appearance on Oprah Winfrey when he declared his undying love for Katie Holmes by jumping on a sofa it’s been hard to look at Tom Cruise without an involuntary cringe.

Still, the marriage to Holmes lasted just a few years and the Hollywood A-lister is back to doing what he does best - carrying out preposterous stunts in the name of acting. This week sees the release of Mission Impossible Rogue Nation and the one scene everyone will be talking about sees the 53 year old hanging off the side of an Airbus A400M as it takes off.

The fifth instalment of the Mission Impossible franchise is the big release of the week, so don’t expect to turn on the radio or television over the next week without seeing a typically animated interview from Cruise. He will be everywhere. You have been warned.