2 minute readSo some of the bowlers did know? “Uh … yeah, look, I think, yeah, I think it’s pretty probably self-explanatory.” It’s hard to say whether Cameron Bancroft finally grew weary of pretending that it was only he, Steve Smith and David Warner who knew about the sandpapering or whether he
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Why it would apparently be a “tragedy” if Steve Smith didn’t get to be Australia captain again
2 minute readInternational cricket’s longest-serving stand-in Test captain, Tim Paine (oh come on, he is), has been talking about whether Steve Smith could one day replace him. Paine told Cricinfo that when he first came into the Australia Test team, Smith was, “growing into that role and getting better and better. Then
Continue readingThree great bowlers’ run-ups – but do you have a favourite?
9 minute readCan we talk about bowlers’ run-ups? We’ve picked out three great ones. They’re not necessarily our favourites, but we feel like each one says something in particular about how bowlers get to the crease and what we as viewers feel as they’re doing so. But before that, please can we
Continue readingGet ready for a ridiculous fucken Ashes
< 1 minute readLast month we asked which series we should cover next on our Ridiculous Ashes podcast. The results are in. (The results were in a month ago.) We’re going to be doing the 2013/14 series. We nominated 2009 and 2013 as the other possibilities and for a long time the three
Continue readingWhich ridiculous Ashes series should we cover next?
< 1 minute readAs we’re sure you’re aware, the Ridiculous Ashes – the parallel England v Australia competition we first ran over at Cricket 365 for the 2019 series – is now a podcast. Series 1 was about the 1997 Ashes and we thought you’d like a say on which series we cover
Continue readingFour of the weirdest eight-fors of the last 25 years (plus one nine-for and one ten-for)
8 minute readThere have been 28 occasions in the last 25 years when a bowler has taken eight wickets or more in a Test innings. Some of these were weirder than others. At what point does a bowling performance become really, truly, freakishly remarkable? We’d say at the seventh wicket. Five-fors are
Continue readingThe 1997 Ridiculous Ashes – all six episodes
2 minute readHopefully you’re aware that we (Alex Bowden and Dan Liebke) are doing The Ridiculous Ashes Podcast. Series 1 is about the 1997 series and you can find all six episodes below. The Ridiculous Ashes is an alternative trophy that is awarded to the side that produces the most hilarious and
Continue readingThree things India needed for The Storming of the Gabba
4 minute readTo storm a fortress you need three things: numbers, a tenderiser and at least one person who is not averse to progress. This is the story of how India took the Gabba. Not all fortresses are hard to take. England turned up at a fort earlier this week and were
Continue readingThe autopilot: Why Cheteshwar Pujara is unconsciously exceptional
5 minute readPlease can we tell you why Cheteshwar Pujara is so special. It’s too do with how little he thinks. Most of us are waging a war against conscious thought at the moment. Holed up with the same people we’ve been cooped up with for most of the last year, good
Continue readingWhat Ben Stokes, Jack Leach and Headingley 2019 tell us about Test cricket
5 minute readEngland v Australia, third Test, day four It’s six or out… … It’s six! Jonathan Agnew, Test Match Special Have you seen No Country For Old Men? You should watch No Country For Old Men. No Country For Old Men is a striking and excellent film and while the ending
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