2 minute readThere are two main reasons why cricketers are annoying. (1) They play for your team and they aren’t very good. (2) They play for the opposition and they are very good. The first is self-evident. The second is rather more nuanced and deserves a little bit of elaboration. So let’s
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England have been freed from Alastair Cook’s mindless batting but sadly also from Alastair Cook
2 minute readAlastair Cook has looked jaded. The modern way is to throw things away when they’re past their best. They left it too late, but we’d have had a go at recycling. A routine can be a great way to continue doing things well. Once things start to deteriorate, it can
Continue readingCould India actually be better tourists?
< 1 minute readDepends on your perspective really. They’re a competitive and exciting side who could quite easily be 3-1 up. Their batsmen are better than England’s, their four main bowlers have been brilliant – but they’ve lost the series. From our perspective this is pretty much tourist perfection. We absolutely do not
Continue readingHas anyone ever looked more serious than Sam Curran?
< 1 minute readThis was Sam Curran’s face midway through yesterday’s innings at the Rose Bowl. Has anyone in the history of the world ever looked more serious than this? We’re aware that sometimes people’s facial expressions don’t accurately reflect their state of mind, but this is no fleeting thing. This is what
Continue readingHow to leave an in-swinger by Keaton Jennings
< 1 minute readIf you’re going to get out LBW, get out LBW in style. Here’s Keaton Jennings’ four-step guide to doing so. Step one: fail to leap into action Step two: leap into action Step three: start falling over Step four: run away and hope no-one notices
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Should Jonny Bairstow be freed from the wicketkeeping gloves?
2 minute readJonny Bairstow’s been one of England’s few semi-competent batsmen in recent times. This has given rise to the very obvious conclusion that England’s batting woes are pretty much entirely down to him because if he wasn’t keeping wicket he’d be making even more runs. Would Bairstow make more runs if
Continue readingAt least James Vince gives you a focus
2 minute readSocial media has been alive with pleasure this week at the news that James Vince has returned to the England squad. It’s gratifying to see that fans’ views of him have in no way cemented and that there is universal near-desperation to see him given a third chance at Test
Continue readingDo England need a bit more oomph from their opening batsmen?
2 minute readLast week, writing about Alastair Cook, George Dobell briefly made the case that he maybe isn’t the easiest guy to open the batting with. The gist of the argument is that Cook’s quite a passive batsman and “novice openers see the scoreboard going nowhere and bowlers allowed to settle into
Continue readingWhen Virat Kohli edged to Keaton Jennings – a breakdown of the finest missed catch you’ll ever see
4 minute readThere’s basically nothing left as an England fan other than to become a connoisseur of missed catches. Keaton Jennings failing to make meaningful use of his own hands when Virat Kohli edged the ball to him on 93 was one of the greatest misses we’ve ever seen. There are three
Continue readingFour reasons why you should never challenge England to a collapse-off
2 minute readIndia were foolish to challenge England to a collapse-off. No matter who you are, you aren’t going to out-collapse England. Don’t get us wrong, India do have some real collapsing pedigree. Their performance at Lord’s was borderline exceptional, but the spectacular nature of that particular showing shouldn’t distract from the
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