Karl McDermott interview: Lord’s head groundsman on the Cricket World Cup, Ireland’s Test match against England and more March 26, 2019 When the Cricket World Cup final rolls around at the height of this summer the two teams and their fans won’t be the only nervous people inside Lord’s. Cricket, more than any other sport, is shaped by the surface it’s played on, and the man tasked with delivering the perfect one for its biggest occasion [...]
Shane Warne: Don’t compare Australia’s Steve Smith and David Warner to Pablo Escobar March 24, 2019 For Steve Smith and David Warner the wait is nearly over. After a year of soul-searching, knuckling down in the nets, avoiding paparazzi and plying their trade in far-flung Twenty20 leagues, the batsmen are about to be let back into the fold. From Friday, Australia’s former captain and vice-captain will be eligible to play for [...]
Chris Tremlett: The Indian Premier League is a brilliant opportunity for England’s best to find form ahead of the World Cup March 20, 2019 The Indian Premier League starts on Saturday and with 11 Englishmen competing there should be plenty of interest in this country. My experience of the IPL is limited. I entered the auction process in 2011, but back then English players weren’t particularly popular, with Kevin Pietersen, Stuart Broad and Paul Collingwood among the lucky few [...]
How Shane Warne is helping to establish Rajasthan Royals as England’s favourite Indian Premier League team March 19, 2019 The original and biggest Twenty20 cricket league resumes on Saturday, and while millions around the world will be tuning into the Indian Premier League, its franchises are hungry for more eyes and ears. Launched in 2008, the IPL has developed at an unprecedented rate to become a hugely successful, mammoth global entertainment product that has [...]
Chris Tremlett: Chris Jordan could make England comeback in time for the World Cup March 6, 2019 England’s comfortable win over West Indies in the first Twenty20 on Tuesday night may have felt slightly subdued after the one-day series, but for the players involved it was another opportunity to impress. While West Indies’ side looked similar to their 50-over incarnation, England’s reflected their desire to give fringe players a chance to shine. [...]
Chris Tremlett: Duanne Olivier’s Yorkshire move shows complexity of the Kolpak issue February 27, 2019 Duanne Olivier’s move to Yorkshire has sparked a familiar debate in cricket this week and I can see both sides of it. The fast bowler has signed a three-year contract with the county via the Kolpak ruling, meaning he has essentially given up his international career with South Africa, aged just 26. Kolpaks in county [...]
Chris Tremlett: Competition for places among England’s bowlers puts them in excellent position for the World Cup February 20, 2019 With 99 days to go until the World Cup England are looking very settled as a side. Eoin Morgan’s team are in the Caribbean for a five-match one-day series which will hopefully build more confidence ahead of the opening game against South Africa at The Oval on 30 May. The batting order is pretty much set [...]
Paul Farbrace’s badly-timed departure leaves England with more decisions to make in crucial year February 17, 2019 “There is never a great time to leave an international set-up,” said Paul Farbrace on Saturday after announcing his decision to depart his role as England’s assistant coach to join Warwickshire as sporting director. Farbrace is right, but his timing, ahead of what he calls “a fantastic summer for English cricket”, is particularly inconvenient with [...]
Chris Tremlett: Mark Wood’s fiery return against West Indies showed England’s need for speed February 13, 2019 Mark Wood’s return to the England Test side was brilliant to see. It’s been a long time since we saw such a spell of fiery fast bowling and it was both hugely enjoyable and hugely effective. Wood took career-best figures of 5-41 in the first innings of the final match in the West Indies this [...]
England’s top three batsmen still up in the air for this summer’s Ashes following inconclusive West Indies series February 13, 2019 Only one Test match now stands between England and the start of this summer’s Ashes. Despite having just spent the last three weeks playing that very format in the Caribbean, they are no closer to solving their perennial problem. The phrase “first name on the team sheet” is a common one in sport; right now [...]