The Full Toss Cricket Blog
Welcome to TFT, the irreverent cricket blog with a zero percent bounce rate. We’ll be here throughout the year to debate, moan, and occasionally rejoice about the England cricket team. If something’s bothering you, whether it’s selection, governance, or the cost of a pint, don’t hesitate to get in touch. You don’t need to be a journalist or copywriter, just a fan with something to say. Email james@thefulltoss.com for more info.
The Hundred Draft – Step Into The Surreal
I didn't watch The Hundred draft live. I wanted to but my my wife and kids insisted on watching something else (there's a message in there somewhere). However, I whizzed through the recording this morning and I have to say that I found the whole experience quite entertaining - albeit perhaps not quite in the way that Colin Graves and [...]
Three Ways To Get Into Cricket Coaching & Improve As A Coach
A TFT subscriber from the ECB coaches association has been in touch. The game desperately needs an influx of new coaches so I've agreed to help out by publicising the recruitment drive here. If you would like to get involved with cricket coaching, you'll find some useful information below. Alternatively, if you have any ideas which might help, please feel [...]
Non-Playing Non-Players – A Bright Idea For The Hundred
The Hundred is a veritable banquet of absurdity. It's the Santa Claus of cricketing farce which just keeps giving. So in the spirit of The Hundred 'draft' - which I assume is the gentle wind emanating from Tom Harrison's bottom every time he speaks - here's a new idea which I'm sure will catch on. Thus far we've heard that [...]
Virat Kohli Or Steve Smith – Who’s The Greatest?
Rembrandt or Michelangelo? Lobster thermidor or chateaubriand? It's nice to have both but sometimes we have to choose. And today the person putting you under pressure is me - the unsympathetic editor of this cricket blog. I'm here to make you choose between Virat Kohli or Steve Smith, the best two batsmen in the world. Talk about the agony of [...]
Are India (Finally) The Real Deal?
Yes we've been here before. The India cricket team win a game convincingly at home and suddenly everyone is comparing them to the great sides of yesteryear. But this time it's beginning to feel different. This time I really am starting to look at their team sheet with envy. And this time I'm struggling to simply shrug my shoulders and [...]
England’s Top 6 For New Zealand
England's white ball cricketers fly off to New Zealand in two weeks' time. This means that Joe Denly, the only player in the T20 squad who played in the 5th Ashes test, only had approximately five weeks off before the international treadmill started again. I hope he enjoyed that brief time with his wife and new baby. I wonder if [...]
Winning Isn’t Everything. Or Is It?
Winning isn't everything. Apparently. We're now living in a new age of international sport where manners, decency and fair play are the objectives. The goal is to win respect not matches. Anyone would've thought that we've become Australia post sandpaper-gate. I didn't think so at the time, but maybe the entertainer at my 4th birthday party was right after all? [...]
Why The Hashim Amla Kolpak Deal Is Good For County Cricket
Is there a more controversial word in the English cricketing dictionary than 'Kolpak'? No other word, other than '(the) Hundred', leads to more collective cursing and eyebrow raising. However, not all Kolpak deals are the same. And today I'm going to argue that Surrey's Hashim Amla Kolpak signing, which was announced this week, happens to be a great thing for [...]
England Still All In With Joe Root. But Should They Be?
Something that's flown beneath the radar in recent days is how much the surprising decision to appoint Chris Silverwood is also a vote of confidence in Joe Root. We've heard how well Silverwood gets on with Root, and how strong the chemistry is between them, so one assumes that getting more out of the skipper is one of the reasons [...]
A England Cricket Coach For The Brexit Era
I wonder if Ashley Giles voted leave or remain? I normally stay clear of politics - and you won't read anything remotely partisan in this article - but the assertion that the ECB's managing director always wanted to appoint an English England cricket coach does make one wonder. I bring this up because the debate surrounding Chris Silverwood's somewhat controversial [...]
The TFT Interviews
Cider Saturday: Annie Talks RLODC Final With Tom Abell and Andy Hurry
Today we're delighted to welcome Guerilla Cricket 'waffler' Annie Chave to TFT. She caught up with Somerset Director Of Cricket Andy Hurry and skipper Tom Abell at Taunton last week. There was only one thing on their collective minds: Saturday's big Lord's final against Hampshire. On Saturday 25 May, Somerset [...]
Talking Bats With Charlotte Surridge
I'm sure many readers will remember that well known cricketing brand called Stuart Surridge (SS). It was made famous by the likes of Graham Gooch and Sir Clive Rice back in the 80s. In fact, I bet a few of you owned an SS Jumbo or an SS Turbo back [...]
TFT Talks To Athers, Beefy, Nasser, and Bumble
I enjoy a good chinwag. I enjoy it even more when it's with four guys I idolised as a kid. It has always been an ambition of mine to chew the cricketing fat with Athers and Co - perhaps over a couple of beers in the pub - so when [...]
TFT Talks To Mark Butcher
Back in November 1998, a young Englishman fresh out of uni left these shores to travel around Australia. Obviously it was a complete coincidence that the Ashes was on. On the third day of the first test in Brisbane, he saw another young(ish) Englishman flay McGrath, Fleming, Kasprowicz and MacGill to all corners of the [...]
An Evening With Nasser Hussain
We arrived at the Grace Gate at Lord's. The ground was a hive of activity. Graham Gooch strolled by, shoulders rolling and head bowed in that familiar fashion, and then the penny dropped: it was corporate and media day ahead of the Royal London Cup final between Warwickshire and Surrey. [...]
The Full Toss Meets Devon Malcolm
At one point I didn’t think I’d live to tell this tale. The venue was the Lord’s Academy. The bowler was Devon 'you guys are history' Malcolm, and the batsman was, erm, little old me. And to think that I actually volunteered. The occasion was a promotional event for Play [...]
Ask Hoggy: 20 Questions With Matthew Hoggard
Last week I had the opportunity to ask the legendary Matthew Hoggard some questions. Some were serious and others were, well, not quite so serious. I think you'll enjoy his answers. Hoggy is currently plying his trade as an after dinner speaker. He's one of the leading cricket speakers on the circuit. I certainly beats running [...]
