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Articles by Douglas Heath

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About Douglas Heath

Douglas Heath began his lifelong love affair with cricket as an 8 year-old schoolboy playing OWZAT? Whilst listening to a 160s Ashes series on the radio. He later became half-decent at doing John Arlott impressions and is a member of Middlesex County Cricket Club. He holds no truck at all with the T20 version on the game. More Posts

The cricket season previewed

Although the county championship is under way bad weather has already taken its toll. Sussex, after a spirited win over Durham, had draws with Yorkshire and Gloucestershire because of rain. Cricket not only vies with the weather but the conclusion of the Premier League with its long fought-out duel [...]

May 2, 2023 // 0 Comments

South Africa v England – the recent ODI series

This series has somehow slipped under the radar with all the spending in the football transfer window and the forthcoming Six Nations. Yet it was an important series to assess the fitness of Jofra Archer and England’s chances of retaining the World Cup in India this October. The South African [...]

February 2, 2023 // 0 Comments

Ben Stokes & his captaincy.

When it comes to Ben Stokes and his suitability as England captain I willingly confess that I got it totally wrong. He is the finest all rounder we have produced since Ian Botham but his early career was troubled, there was little sign of cricketing nous and – as happened with Botham and [...]

December 6, 2022 // 0 Comments

T20 World Cup semi finals

I wish I could enjoy T20 cricket – I really do. I watched both semifinals. I am deeply unsatisfied. Firstly, the technique is so awful as you constantly see slashing across the line. The only elegant stroke I can recall was a sumptuous six from Virat Kohli. Kohli had his feet in place, [...]

November 11, 2022 // 0 Comments

An absorbing day at the Oval

Yesterday I travelled up from the coast to watch an always thrilling day’s play in which England batted twice and set up victory. I confess I had my doubts about Ben Stokes as captain: a brilliant cricketer indubitably, but not a shrewd enough tactician and probably another Freddie Flintoff or [...]

September 12, 2022 // 0 Comments

An attritional red day at Lords

Attritional is a euphemism for dull and that it was on Friday as England were dismissed for a paltry 165 and the Proteas set to overhaul this. Captain Dean Elgar is in the Gary Kirsten mould – a gritty run accumulator but not a player of expansive stroke play. His partner Serel Erwee came to [...]

August 20, 2022 // 0 Comments

Memories of South African teams

Travelling up by train, with incessant interruptions on the tannoy by the ‘onboard supervisor’ and noisy Spanish adolescents boarding at Gatwick, I blanked them all out by recalling my memories of watching South Africa in Test matches. My first would have been in 1965 at Lords against Peter [...]

August 18, 2022 // 0 Comments

Thoughts on the New Zealand series

One of the ironies of England’s whitewash is the strong New Zealand influence and inspiration. Ben Stokes was born there and new coach Brendan McCullum their finest white ball batter. New Zealand got to the pinnacle by playing the expressive cricket that England have now exposed. This new found [...]

June 28, 2022 // 0 Comments

3rd day of Test

If the first day was too eventful – and the second not eventful enough – the third produced classic Test match cricket. New Zealand went on to score a more than defensible target of 265. England were never favourites with the bookies to achieve this and much depended on the Joe Root, [...]

June 5, 2022 // 0 Comments

2nd day of Test – normal service is resumed

My neighbour was not alone in his disappointment regarding the first day – whilst eventful, not real Test cricket. Technique looked way short of the requirements at this level and so many wickets fell that it seemed unlikely the Test would go the full 5 days. Yesterday New Zealand patiently [...]

June 4, 2022 // 0 Comments

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