Cricket

“It’s been great being on a similar journey with teammates I’ve known for years”: Surrey’s Ollie Pope on his hot start to the cricket season and sharing a dressing room with friends

by Ben Morse - 0556

Despite the fledgling County Cricket season, there have already been a number of noteworthy incidents.  We’ve seen Peter Siddle bowling in a beanie. We’ve seen the aforementioned beanie-wearing Siddle break Rilee Rossouw's bat in quite hilarious fashion.  And we’ve also seen the coming-of-age of a young Surrey team that are ready to

“I was not put on this earth to play cricket”: Lewis Hatchett on missing half a rib cage, the stigma of body image and an extraordinary drive to defeat adversity

by Nick Friend - 01943

Sat opposite Lewis Hatchett in a coastal tearoom bustling with activity on a rare sun-drenched afternoon, it is difficult to fathom that the former Sussex seamer is anything but the archetypal fast bowler. Tall, broad shouldered with a confident stride, his retirement two summers ago at the age of just

Sarah Taylor: cricket, anxiety and a dog

by Emily Victoria - 0322

On first impressions when England wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor met me on a busy southwest London road, she emanated a bubbly confidence. So, it surprised me when she told me later during the interview she had been feeling anxious about our meeting. Her friendly nature was infectious. She insisted on carrying a rather

“Success breeds popularity – people want a piece of it”: why women’s cricket continues its rapid rise

by Nick Friend - 0607

It was mid-afternoon on a muggy July Sunday when Anya Shrubsole put the finishing touches to the gold standard of World Cups. For one day shy of a month, English cricket put on a show like no other. It would be a spectacle with a fitting conclusion, with Shrubsole’s yorker

Cricket’s Great Regression

by Danny Ruddock - 0441

Teams from all over the world have touched down in Zimbabwe for the month-long ICC World Cup qualifiers.  You can imagine the only concern in ICC headquarters for the next month is the very real possibility the rebranded Windies will fail to make it to the champions trophy.. I mean World Cup, in England 2019.  They’re in group A alongside

“Fast bowling is something that is born within someone”: Steven Finn on the Ashes, dealing with disappointment and bowling quick

by Nick Friend - 01334

Since Steven Finn made his Test match bow against Bangladesh in 2010, 36 Englishmen have been handed their debuts in cricket’s toughest format. A debutant just seven months after Jonathan Trott made his international entrance and more than two years before Joe Root arrived on the scene, it is easy

“Being in Division One is massive” – Joe Clarke on Worcestershire promotion and an Ashes winter with the Lions

by Nick Friend - 01043

There is always a sense of interest surrounding an England Lions squad announcement. Who’s the next kid on the block? Who’s been left out of the main squad? Is there space for the old-stager having the season of his life? So, when the lucky seventeen had their names announced on 2nd