King Cricket

England’s bowling and some clarification on the current condition of Aleem Dar’s lower face

2 minute readYesterday morning, our cat Monty did a more than passable impersonation of Mark Wood’s backwards press run-up as he exited the house. Despite his unutterably poor track record of predicting cricket matches, we took this as a clear sign that England would beat Ireland. And so it proved. We’ve just

May 5, 2017 Pakistan / West Indies

Shannon Gabriel nicks one for the Windies

< 1 minute readMaybe this is why people have started saying ‘snick’ to mean ‘nick’ – to prevent headlines like this one from being ambiguous. Shannon Gabriel – arguably the finest fast bowler called Shannon currently plying his trade – took 5-11 as the West Indies dismissed Pakistan for just 81 to win

May 4, 2017 Extras

Laurence Elderbrook confronts a new challenge

< 1 minute readPrevious instalment from Laurence Elderbrook Life as a cricketer errant continues to be wearying, but it is the path I have chosen and a path I will continue to walk. This week my squire, Darron-with-an-O, must have asked at more than a dozen clubs whether any team required a dashing

May 3, 2017 Pakistan / West Indies

Misbah-ul-Haq – King of the Daddy Fifty

< 1 minute readEmbed from Getty Images Last week Ian Bell was dismissed for 99 and we wondered whether that was more or less painful than Misbah-ul-Haq being left stranded on 99 not out against the West Indies. Well, it seems Misbah was wondering the same thing. One Test later, he executed a

May 2, 2017 India

Ben Stokes or Sunil Narine?

2 minute readBen Stokes played a handy innings yesterday. With his team, Rising Pune Supergiant, chasing Gujarat Lions’ 161, Stokes made 103 not out, batting at five. Cricinfo said that Stokes “owned the MCA Stadium” – although their use of the past tense implies that he’s since sold it or perhaps had

April 28, 2017 County cricket / England

Zafar Ansari’s “other ambitions” and other tales of premature retirement from cricket

2 minute readEach to his own and all that, but the “new chapter” in Zafar Ansari’s life sounds dull as shit to us. He’s retired from cricket at the age of 25 to pursue another career, “potentially in law”. We’ve been here before. We’ve been here several times. There was James Bruce,

April 27, 2017 County cricket / England

The format of the new ECB T20 competition

2 minute readHere’s a coagulation of plans, proposals, assumptions and best-guesses for the format of the ECB’s new 20-over competition which is due to begin in 2020. Eight sides Eight group matches each Home and away local derbies (to permit that eighth match) IPL style play-offs ECB-produced TV coverage with some matches

April 27, 2017 Pakistan

No, turns out Younus Khan is retiring after all

< 1 minute readLove reporting on Pakistan cricketer retirements. After floating the idea that he might play on if someone asked him to, Younus Khan has now deployed a magnificent barrage of third-personnery to confirm that he really will retire. “Younus Khan will retire even if he scores a hundred in every innings

April 26, 2017 Extras

Laurence Elderbrook refines his method

2 minute readPrevious instalment from Laurence Elderbook Chastened by my uncharacteristically ineffectual performance the previous week, I resolve to prepare properly. Before I depart to find a team in need, I carry out my exercise regime to get the blood pumping. I essay twenty to thirty mad gambols followed by a series

April 25, 2017 County cricket

The Hampshire-incinerating inferno that is Gary Ballance plus Lancashire’s lethal pelt

2 minute readSurrey are still top Despite drawing with Warwickshire who had attained just three points from two Championship games before this fixture. The most striking development was probably Ian Bell’s dismissal for 99. Was this more or less painful than Misbah-ul-Haq being left stranded on 99 not out yesterday? The Curran