3 minute readIndependent websites are meant to provide a rapid response to news stories, telling the world how things should be based on an unshakeable sense of what is right and what is wrong. However, we long ago concluded that when it came to stories about what might happen to the structure
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‘We played like pretty boys there at one stage’ – Trevor Bayliss
< 1 minute readIt’s been very humid in the North-West these last few days. That probably didn’t have any impact on the outcome of the T20 International between England and Pakistan but we haven’t got much to say about the cricket so thought we’d flesh out this piece by talking about the weather
Continue readingEngland float the idea of picking Haseeb Hameed to see what happens
< 1 minute readThis is what they do nowadays. They say they’re thinking of picking someone as a means of increasing the scrutiny on them and then they see how the player reacts. Earlier in the season, word got out that England were almost certainly going to pick Scott Borthwick. He reacted by
Continue readingOne major worry about England’s one-day team
< 1 minute readThey aren’t due. Aren’t remotely due. This occurred to us midway through yesterday’s run-chase when they were a few wickets down. While they eventually overhauled Pakistan’s total, that’s only postponing the problem. Yes, there are arguably players who haven’t scored too many runs recently, but unfortunately for them, England aren’t
Continue readingYeah, maybe worth taking a look at him in other formats
2 minute readBoundaries are smaller, the white ball does sod all, fielding restrictions are imposed. There are all sorts of reasons why one-day cricket is different from Tests, but all are of secondary importance to the simple fact that it is. England’s quadruple nelson was built around a record hundred for Alex
Continue readingThe ins, outs and merits of England’s one-day plan
2 minute readIt’s not an elaborate plan. It’s not particularly intricate. It is however consistent and that is perhaps of greater importance than anything else. Previously, England seemed to pick 11 players before deciding how to play based on what they ended up with. This led to an ever-changing formula from which
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
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