2 minute readRegular readers will know we rather like Ravi Bopara. We don’t think he’s the next Bradman or owt, but we do think he’s probably England’s sixth best batsman. People don’t like picking the sixth best batsman. They have it in their heads that there must be someone better out there
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Ravi Bopara’s back
< 1 minute readAs in ‘returned’. He hasn’t got anklosing spondylitis or anything. “He’s late to meetings, or he wears the wrong clothing to a function, or forgets his passport.” – Essex coach, Paul Grayson. Ravi Bopara – a man with qualities we can all get behind.
Continue readingAre you happy with Ravi Bopara being in England’s World Cup squad?
2 minute readWe are. We’d rather have Eoin Morgan, but if he’s got a knackered finger, we’ll settle for Bopara. This is a somewhat unfashionable opinion at the minute and we’re pretty sure it’s because of that phenomenon where Ashes performances are almost wholly responsible for forming people’s opinions. In 2009, Ravi
Continue readingRavi Bopara, Essex: first-class batsman to watch in 2010
< 1 minute readThe plight of Ravi Bopara makes an interesting case study. He’s trying to establish himself as a Test cricketer and only Test runs will really persuade anyone that he’s ready. He gets a series of ducks in Tests in Sri Lanka and gets dropped. He promptly makes a one-day double
Continue readingRavi Bopara is keen but not too keen
< 1 minute readHe’s confident without being arrogant; humble without being meek; aggressive without being irresponsible; watchful without being bogged down. That’s what he’d say anyway. England’s cricketers know they have to say the right things and it’s painful to hear at times. They have to remain positive otherwise the media call them
Continue readingRavi Bopara lowers himself from Test cricket to county cricket
< 1 minute readThere’s a big step up from county cricket to Test cricket, which means there’s a big step down when you get dropped. Ravi Bopara’s returned to Essex and has promptly made 201 against Surrey. Essex play in the second division, so it’s no so much a step down as a
Continue readingAshes players to watch tomorrow
2 minute readYou might have noticed a certain jaded world-weariness about our recent Ashes coverage as a result of mindless media coverage smotheration. It feels right that we should return to our natural demeanour at a time when everyone else is bouncing about like there’s a lot of bouncing to be done
Continue readingRavi Bopara and Alastair Cook
< 1 minute readRavi Bopara and Alastair Cook have batted together for Essex for ten years or so. They make an odd, but effective, couple. Cook’s a gangling left-handed posho who’s lumpen at the crease and nervy in front of the camera. Bopara’s a podgy, right-handed bloke, who’s often aggressive at the crease
Continue readingRavi Bopara celebrates
< 1 minute readIt’s nice to have a batsman who celebrates his hundreds through the lost art of mime. In Barbados he did a funny bow and arrow thing upon reaching three figures. Yesterday, he outlined the Lord’s honours board and scribbled his name on it. Ravi Bopara could have played flawlessly for
Continue readingRavi Bopara: England number three
< 1 minute readWe like it. Let’s put some mundane banalities into bullet point format to in no way support that. Ravi Bopara Proper batsman who bats at three for his county One of the few batsmen in county cricket who you could consider to have been exceptional over the last few years
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