Three Tests were played in the opening week of 2022, in Mount Maunganui, Sydney and Johannesburg. Each of them was truly memorable, demonstrating why Test … Read More
Drama at the ‘G: Boland’s Triumph Transcends England’s Pitiful Defeat
The Boxing Day Test saw Test cricket at its best. No, really. And I am not echoing Chris Silverwood’s inevitable call to take comfort from … Read More
Same Old Story
“…Anderson and Broad declined to pitch the ball up.” This is from Lawrence Booth’s match report of the second Test between Australia and England at … Read More
The Fight for The Ashes 2021-22
Had this preview been written earlier, it would have been very different. The sudden and unexpected announcement that the England all-rounder Ben Stokes had been … Read More
Take Your Pick
“It is not the strongest squad England have taken to Australia – nor is it the weakest.” This was Mike Atherton’s decidedly non-committal verdict, published … Read More
All Square: The Ashes Classics of 1972 and 2019
England and Australia achieved something very rare at The Kia Oval on Sunday. An Ashes series was drawn two-all for only the second time since … Read More
Joy for Paine as Root Licks His Wounds
This has been the best Ashes series for some time, probably since 2009. In 2015 England won 3-2, which makes it sound close, but none … Read More
The Legend of Headingley – 2019
It’s not supposed to happen. You don’t win Test matches after being bowled out for 67, at least not in the twenty first (or twentieth) … Read More
Another Ashes Mismatch
It was yet another deeply disappointing Ashes series. It wasn’t just Australia’s crushing margin of victory. The fact is that there were no really interesting … Read More
Five Men and a Test Match
The Brisbane Cricket Ground (the GABBA) All England supporters fear the worst before a Test match in Brisbane. There is the hype about the “Gabbatoir” … Read More
Farewell My Lovely
So there it is. Eighteen days of hectic, sometimes bizarre cricket and the 2015 Investec Ashes is all over. There is plenty for England to … Read More
Boxing Day Blues
Image: Mitchell Johnson bowling a bouncer to Graeme Swann at the WACA during the 2013-14 Ashes in Australia. By Dan Heap (Mitchell Johnson – bouncer) … Read More