< 1 minute readWe understand why Kevin Pietersen is going to play a couple of matches for Kwa-Zulu Natal, but what the hell is he blathering about? “These two matches would enable me to work on my game against the Kookaburra ball in southern hemisphere conditions, which is the ideal preparation for Australia.”
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Giles Clarke – an unfair but fairly amusing comparison of two pictures
< 1 minute readCharged with massive fraud involving $8bn investment scheme Alleged to have bowled a deliberate no-ball
Continue readingHow do you feel about the Pakistan betting scam?
< 1 minute readWe just feel depressed. Cricket is joyful escapism and this kind of thing just knackers it up. Questioning on-field events Assuming it’s true (and having seen Mohammad Amir’s giant no-ball, we’re pretty sure it is) the real damage is in the fact that people question everything that happens in a
Continue readingJonathan Trott and Stuart Broad v Pakistan – what a partnership
< 1 minute readOne’s a balding, short-arsed, right-handed batsman. The other’s a boyish, lanky bowler who bats left-handed. Together they gave James Anderson the longest wait of his career. Trott and Broad caused Pakistan’s bowlers no little distress as well, which was entirely unexpected given the circumstances. Mohammad Amir started the day taking
Continue readingLord’s getting two Test matches in 2011 as usual
< 1 minute readMost grounds are pleased if they get even one Test match, let alone two. Lord’s is the home of cricket What does that even mean? People just bandy the phrase about mindlessly. It’s propaganda. We grew up with cricket and have followed it our whole adult life and never went
Continue readingThe Lord’s Test – it’s the social event of the season
< 1 minute readWe went to Lord’s once. It was fairly normal until we went round the far side of the ground and heard a guy talking about real tennis. Lord’s has a real tennis court.
Continue readingAlastair Cook’s footwork and TV analysis
< 1 minute readTV analysis can get a bit nit-picking and it turns us all into experts. Alastair Cook was in poor form and there had to be a reason: “His footwork’s not good. Here’s an example of that.” There’s your proof. Case closed. Only it doesn’t exactly work like that. Technique can
Continue readingCost of a day at the cricket | Test match, ODI, Twenty20, County Championship
< 1 minute readFollowing on from yesterday’s post about poor Test match crowds and why it’s mostly a ticket price issue, we thought we’d make a page to try and gauge the cost of a day at the cricket. If you go to a match this year, try and keep a rough tally
Continue readingTest match crowds in England – what can be done?
< 1 minute readWorried that Test matches aren’t selling out? Make tickets a bit cheaper. You can make other changes – maybe allow people to bring a few beers in, stuff like that – but basically it’s just too expensive. It’s 40-odd quid for the cheapest ticket at the Oval. Whether it’s down
Continue readingLooking too far forward to the Ashes
3 minute readIf England are playing cricket, we’re supporting them. That’s the rule. However, if it came down to it, we’re wondering whether a Pakistan win in the third Test might not be the worst thing in the world. Why? Because of the Ashes. It’s almost Monday We know someone who sometimes
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