< 1 minute readPakistan have actually achieved an even more impressive feat than becoming the top-ranked Test side. It takes a particular kind of artistry to become the top-ranked Test side while also maintaining ninth position in the one-day rankings. Hats off. So what’s the difference? An obvious answer would be ‘Misbah-ul-Haq and
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Pakistan are slightly number one
< 1 minute readIf there is one great benefit to the ongoing turmoil at the top of the ICC’s Test rankings, it is that it is slowly starting to dawn on people that rankings are relative. Top can mean ‘out on your own, everyone else trailing in your wake’ or it can mean
Continue readingWhat are they feeding them in Northamptonshire?
< 1 minute readIt must be very calorifically dense. Earlier in the year, we pointed out that Rory Kleinveldt’s nickname could never be Kleinsvelte, but the South African doesn’t appear to be an outlier. He plays in a muscular-yet-flabby team that appears to be getting most its protein from pork belly and fried
Continue readingThe Nottinghamshire Nosedives – another fairly half-arsed County Championship round-up
2 minute readSome really important stuff to come on this site later in the week, so let’s crack on with this. First things first – what the hell are Surrey doing in third? They beat Warwickshire It’s not really happened for Warwickshire so far this year – and this with Ian Bell
Continue readingShaun Marsh and his duck tax
< 1 minute readIt’s common for people to ask: if Shaun Marsh is the answer, what is the question? As often as not, the question is “who’s the selectorial equivalent of a last desperate roll of the dice?” Australia have not been making runs in Sri Lanka. In the first two Tests their
Continue readingSeven things we learned from England v Pakistan
2 minute read We’ve been trying to provide some sort of pithy and insightful summary of the Test series for 24 hours now, but it’s not really happening. We’ll instead content ourself with a vague collage of observations. If these are our workings-out, maybe you can provide the conclusion yourself. Specialists and
Continue readingYasir Shah the best bowler in the world again – shortly after being worthless
2 minute readIt’s hard to say whether memories are fading faster these days – because who can honestly remember how things were previously? This was nevertheless a thought that has crossed our mind a few times of late – generally when some commentator or other has claimed that England have ‘worked Yasir
Continue readingYounus Khan knows what he’s doing – even if it doesn’t look like it
< 1 minute readWe really wanted Younus Khan to get runs in this Test. A lot of commentators who have at no point in their lives been able to bat even half as well as him have not just been criticising his batting during this series, but actually making fun of it. We’ve
Continue readingThe beard that smeared – Moeen Ali enjoys the evening session
2 minute readSmeared with exquisite timing and grace, we should say. It was poetic smearage. Smearage without breaking sweat. Smearage that involved all moving parts working in perfect harmony to pan the ball to the fence. Morning session It’ll be interesting to read the reports about this morning’s play. Was Alex Hales
Continue readingWhere is the ICC’s Test mace?
2 minute readNot much more than a week ago, Australia captain Steve Smith was presented with the ICC Test Championship mace in a closed ceremony. The media and public would of course have been clamouring to attend such a spectacular and meaningful event. The nature of the presentation gave rise to an
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