King Cricket

January 2, 2015 New Zealand / Sri Lanka

Brendon McCullum and Angelo Mathews: Conjoined Lord Megachiefs of Gold 2014

4 minute readWe’re never sure why people are so averse to comparing apples and oranges. They’re both fruit, after all. It’s not like comparing ox heart and communism. Like apples and oranges, Brendon McCullum and Angelo Mathews are quite different, but also have rather a lot in common. Why a dual award?

December 30, 2014 India

MS Dhoni and the will to be in India’s best eleven

2 minute readThe normal reaction when one of cricket’s biggest stars retires from Tests is a kind of pained collective whine, mourning their departure. Never again will we get to see them do all those things that we’ve only just realised we took for granted. But MS Dhoni is different. Everyone –

December 27, 2014 Extras

Liquids, solids, bats, balls AND RELIGION

< 1 minute readPlenty going on in the various Boxing Day Tests, but we can’t be arsed writing a single word about any of them. We’re far too busy actually enjoying them, if we’re honest. Something would have to make way to give us time to write and these liquids and solids won’t

December 23, 2014 Regulars

Mop-up of Christmas

3 minute readIt sounds like a sherry-related incident, but it’s really just a faintly festive version of our Mop-up of the Day not-quite-sure-what-to-write-about-today feature. Boxing Day Eve Eve The most important of the coming days is of course Boxing Day. Few people know that Boxing Day was actually named after the Boxing

December 22, 2014 England

When should a team start planning for the World Cup?

< 1 minute readIn this new Morganian one-day world, with its unexpectedly stumbling approach to a major tournament, we’d like to ask: when should a team start planning for the World Cup? England have often cobbled together a strategy at the 11th hour, bringing in players with little or no experience of high

December 19, 2014 England

Is Alastair Cook a plodder? How long does it take to diagnose ploditis?

3 minute readAlastair Cook says that he’s doing everything he possibly can to try and turn his form around. This begs a rather obvious question. If you’re practising really, really hard and doing everything you possibly can to prepare, but you’re still not scoring runs – what does that actually say about

December 18, 2014 Australia

A double-Marsh five and six does not impress

< 1 minute readIt wasn’t so long ago that Australia’s batting was pretty fragile. Since then, David Warner and Steve Smith have joined Michael Clarke as regular run-scorers, providing more than mere gaffer tape solidity. However, while India’s 408 doesn’t look too imposing, nor does Australia’s new-look line-up. Some players seem underrated by

December 17, 2014 Australia / India

Australia protect some bowlers so that some different ones can get injured

< 1 minute readIf the Gabbattoir is seeing anyone slaughtered, it’s not the Indians but the home team’s bowlers. Ryan Harris was rested because he’s slightly injured and while Peter Siddle was flat-out dropped, he might be back for the next Test because the Aussie bowlers who actually are playing have been attempting

December 16, 2014 England / Extras / Sri Lanka

Muralimania and English cricket’s monomania

2 minute readToday we’re going to direct you towards two pieces of ours which appeared outside the kingdom. First up, our latest King of Cricket is Murali. Don’t worry, it ain’t all numbers. It’s about the joints, the graft and the batting really. Secondly, last week’s Cricinfo piece, entitled English cricket rocked

December 14, 2014 England

Alastair Cook attempts to beat wall down with head

2 minute readOne of Alastair Cook’s problems is that he plays every one-day innings as if it might be his last. He positively clings to the crease, grimly trying not to make a mistake. The better approach might be to play as if he doesn’t give a toss, but say what you