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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

1st day of Test: no new dawn, same old precipitation.

The first day at Lords is always a magical event. I always arrive early, not just to avoid the queues, but to take in the atmosphere and to look down at the sward of green and impressive modern and Victorian architecture. Ticket prices were not on my mind but by the end of an eventful day there was [...]

June 3, 2022 // 0 Comments

Sussex v Middlesex (second day)

Ivan Conway kindly invited me to the second day at Hove because of my Middlesex allegiances. Stumps were drawn with Middlesex trailing by 108 runs with 6 wickets down. As Shaheen Afredi was so effective from the Cromwell Road End down the slope, so was Ollie Robinson, taking 3 wickets. Anderson and [...]

May 7, 2022 // 0 Comments

Root & Branch?

The dominant view appears to be that Joe Root should give up the captaincy but I do not share this. It should wait for a new Director of Cricket (yet to be appointed) and Head Coach (yet to be appointed) and Chairman of the ESB (yet to be appointed). There is talk of Ed Smith coming back after he [...]

March 30, 2022 // 0 Comments

English cricket – the winners & losers

After the report into the Ashes debacle the winners and losers have emerged. The clearest winner is skipper Joe Root. There seems no viable alternative. He is by some distance our most effective batter and is popular in the group. So he stays with if anything his position strengthened. His weakness [...]

February 10, 2022 // 0 Comments

Thoughts on the Ashes

I’m sure readers would not appreciate another depressing piece on the Ashes debacle down under. I will merely quote that model of concision after a Cabinet reshuffle Clement Attlee: “Not good enough” I will highlight the coverage. Normally I follow TMS during the night but yesterday, as I [...]

January 17, 2022 // 0 Comments

Coverage of the Fourth Test

As I write this towards the end of the third day with England struggling, I would rather post on the coverage particularly the Aussie contribution. When I was last in Australia 5  years ago there was no journalist I enjoyed more than Gideon Haigh in The Australian. The newspaper was given out free [...]

January 7, 2022 // 0 Comments

Thoughts on the second test

That Joe Root led from the front after a painful injury amidships and the England resistance extended to the second session of the final day must not disguise the fact that this was an inept performance against an Aussie side bereft of their captain and two key bowlers – Pat Cummins and Josh [...]

December 21, 2021 // 0 Comments

The Ashes

I really enjoy following the Ashes during these wintry nights snug under my duvet. Being a poor sleeper, waking regularly through the night, it’s a boon and I keep the radio on beside me. Early on Wednesday morning I tuned to the inevitable batting collapse. England were 62-5 with Joe Root, Ben [...]

December 9, 2021 // 0 Comments

Duck into the bouncer, Doug!

In 1993 I was on the beach at Bridgetown Barbados facing a skinny 11 year old with a mean bouncer. At the other end was my friend Wayne Daniel who advised me to “duck into the bouncer”. The young tyro must have heard him as the next ball kept low and struck me amidships. Cue forward 21 [...]

December 1, 2021 // 0 Comments

Thoughts on the T20 World Cup

Although not intuitively a white ball fan, I have been avidly watching the T20 World Cup. I am proud of the well-oiled winning machine that the England team is. They and Pakistan have dominated the early stages and are undefeated. Much credit must go to captain Eoin Morgan. The Middlesex man did [...]

November 2, 2021 // 0 Comments

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