Cricket

Yesterday I attended a Sussex Supporters Group Lunch where the guest speaker was Lancashire legend Farokh Engineer. The flamboyant wicket keeper was an early hero of mine in the old days of the Sunday John Players League and I had heard he was an entertaining speaker. This we would not know as ill [...]

The phenomenon of a wash-out due to incessant rain is something we expect in England but not in Grenada a country in the throes of a drought. The National Stadium has no floodlights, unlike the football stadium next door, so by 2.00 pm (6pm British time) it was clear that no match would be possible [...]

One of my favourite features of the New Year is the arrival of the ticket application forms for the Lords debenture holders. I would consult my diary, inscribe the fixtures in it and book the hospitality. The executive in charge, an excellent fellow who did much to create a club ambience in our [...]

Reading Simon Heffer’s views in the Telegraph over the decision to shorten the residency qualification for Sussex speedster Jofra Archer, I think that his trenchant right-wing voice got in the way of the facts. The ECB has only brought the qualification period in line with that of the the [...]

In the end the 57 run victory was comfortable, giving England their first series away win since South Africa in 2016 after 4-0 thrashings in India and Australia – but what have we learned from the Tour? 1) This is powerful and talented England team which can afford to omit Jonny Bairstow, [...]

It’s been an absorbing see-saw of a Test but England were the victors yesterday. Joe Root played a captain’s innings. He now has 15 centuries for England but only 4 on foreign soil. None was more necessary than yesterday’s. The England innings did not follow a familiar path. Rory Burns [...]

It was not scintillating cricket but Sri Lanka will not mind. They had their best day of the series to date and their highest score of da Silva when in the afternoon they fought back resolutely. Sit Lanka started the day at 26-1. The morning witnessed two fine pieces of fielding by Ben Stokes, a [...]