King Cricket

October 12, 2010 Extras

Off season cricket training – another senseless attempt to make people laugh

< 1 minute readWe’ve not had any high-minded criticism of our latest Cricinfo piece yet, which is a bit disappointing. In case you’re wondering what it’s about, it’s about two of our greatest interests: gravy and depression. If we could have squeezed ‘worrying about whether we’ve offended somebody by accident’ in there too,

October 11, 2010 India

Taking Sachin Tendulkar for granted

< 1 minute readIt is so easy to take Sachin Tendulkar for granted. He’s 191 not out against Australia. You see that and you think: “Of course he’s 191 not out against Australia. Why wouldn’t he be?” The statistics are everywhere. Picking some pretty much at random, this was his eighth hundred in

October 10, 2010 India

Kings and Royals shunted from their IPL thrones

< 1 minute readThere is only one acceptable way to get a royal title: by going along with what everyone’s calling you because you can no longer be arsed explaining that Brian Lara’s the king, not you. Royalty through exasperated resignation. Any other route to a title is flat-out wrong. If you self-apply

October 8, 2010 Regulars

Laurence Elderbrook departs

2 minute readLaurence Elderbrook is beginning his Odyssey and Laurence Elderbrook will return as king of Ithaca. After an unexpected issue with my flights, I instead opt to travel to Australia by ship, the way all the greats did. The long hours during the trip give me plenty of time to practise,

October 7, 2010 County cricket

Rob Key and “ha ha”-gate

< 1 minute readRob Key’s on Twitter now. We knew we had to make contact, but we were painfully aware that we’ve spent the last three or four years being mental about him on the internet. This made the situation a little awkward. We knew Rob had seen the greatest post of all

October 6, 2010 Match report

Over 40s match report – Davenham v Grappenhall

2 minute readOur mum writes: Had an early tea in preparation for the long journey to the ground (five minutes’ walk round the corner). Noticed in passing an excellent crop of sloes in the hedgerow – will know where to come if our own fall short for the gin in the autumn.

October 5, 2010 India

Why a run chase needs context and another reason why Tests are best

< 1 minute readRun chases are exciting. Why? Some people think that run chases are exciting because there are fours and sixes, a target and an eventual victor. These people brought us one-day cricket in all its forms. These people just don’t get it. Run chases are exciting because we care what happens.

October 5, 2010 Australia / India

India v Australia Tests still clearly a big deal

< 1 minute readA warm-up for the Ashes in the eyes of some of the Australians. A dying form of the game in the eyes of a few Twenty20 fans who think they see an inevitability about the spread of that format, despite it being ridiculously early days. India v Australia Tests still

October 4, 2010 India

Ishant Sharma benefits from Care in the Community

< 1 minute readIndia are right to persevere with spindly, lank-haired Rubik’s Cube swallower, Ishant Sharma, but of late it’s seemed a bit like a Care in the Community obligation rather than a forward-looking show of faith. There comes a point where you’re not encouraging a player, you’re just putting him on a

October 1, 2010 Regulars

Laurence Elderbrook takes stock

< 1 minute readDespite the captain’s promise following my moment of triumph, I was not called upon to bat at three the following season. In fact, I was not called upon to bat at all. Having spent the entire season resplendent in my cream flannels on the wrong side of the boundary, I