With the World Cup triumph in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to think ahead to The Ashes. And first up we have a one-off test against Ireland. The game should be an occasion in itself, although I’m sure England will have one eye on the Aussies. After all, the selectors have decided to rest a couple of key players: Jos Butter and Ben Stokes. Meanwhile, Jofra Archer has a sore side and needs to rest for an as yet unspecified period of time. The absence of Archer, plus Mark Wood, who has broken...
Three Is An Ashes Number
Style or substance? Resolute defence or blistering attack? Mercurial talent or dogged resistance? It is a fun quirk of this sumptuous cricketing summer that the World Cup is running parallel to the County Championship. And while the formats are very different, players in both are vying for one identical prize: a place in England’s top order for the opening Ashes test. Here is the low down on the main contenders for England’s top three. I have considered playing style (PS), first class average...
What About Sam Curran?
While all eyes, well most eyes, have been on England’s warm-up games against Pakistan, the English players who remained at the IPL have become somewhat forgotten men. One of these young men was Sam Curran, who not long ago was the darling of English cricket. However, he’s had a bit of a tricky six months since the end of last summer. Although Sam is still a young player of immense talent and potential, he struggled slightly with the ball on England’s winter tours because the...
Don’t Forget It’s An Ashes Year
A home World Cup is always a super occasion. The last time it happened I was actually travelling around Australia. We’d just endured another Ashes defeat, and I decided to come home after a few months specifically to catch the end of the tournament. Unfortunately England got knocked out before I flew into Heathrow. I shouldn’t have been surprised. Back then we had a few months to recover from our Ashes trauma before the action began. This time, however, there’s virtually no...
Australia Beaten. But Can They Beat England?
Happy new year everyone. Sorry about the delay between articles. I’ve just had my first extended break in nine years of editing (and co-editing) The Full Toss. Where have I been? Skiing in The Alps. Was it any good? No not really. I have all the balance of Channel 9’s commentary team. Throw in the inherent anxiety of a diehard England cricket supporter (the fear that disaster lurks around every corner) and I was less Eddie The Eagle and more Bambi on ice. Basically I spent the whole...
