Only 99 Runs Behind – Day Three At The Ageas Bowl
I've often been accused of being a miserable, pessimistic, not to mention cantankerous, old git on this blog. And justifiably too. Therefore, I'm going to give an optimistic appraisal of the match situation today. They say a change is as good as a rest and all that. Basically, I think [...]
Holder Shows Us Who’s No.1
This game was supposed to be the Ben Stokes show. He is the world's leading all-rounder after all. But is he? We're all forgetting the bloke who's actually the world's best all-rounder according to the rankings. His name? Jason Holder. It's easy to see why Stokes gets all the attention. [...]
Little Cricket, And Just A Hint Of Swing, At The Ageas Bowl
The bloody English weather. It's about as reliable as Del Trotter's Robin Reliant. We've had no cricket for months, everyone's aching for some live action, but the overhead conditions just wouldn't comply. I guess we should've known. What a shame that day one at the Ageas Bowl was curtailed by [...]
Welcome Back
Live cricket will finally return to our TV screens tomorrow (if the weather behaves). How we've all missed it. Billy Crawford is here to celebrate the belated start of the English summer ... This week marks the long awaited return of competitive cricket to our televisions and radios. It may [...]
England Favourites … But We’ve Been Here Before
Series against the West Indies used to be entirely predictable. Viv Richards, Malcolm Marshall and Co turned up, rolled us over, tickled our tummies, and walked away with a comprehensive victory. Series sometimes finished 5-0. Glenn McGrath would’ve approved. However, things began to change in the 1990s. After losing 5-0 [...]
Men Of The Moment Volume 2 – Mike Atherton, 2001
Today Billy Crawford returns with the second instalment of his 'Men Of The Moment' series. The first put Nasser Hussain in the spotlight for the way he transformed England's fortunes in 1999/2000. Next up is the heroic Mike Atherton, who won the last of his 115 England caps in 2001. [...]
Jos Buttler Still In Vogue, Naturally
I don't care much for high fashion. People who wear trendy stuff look like try hards. They're suckers too. Why invest in something (and pay over the odds) just because it boasts a certain label and fits a fad? Call me old fashioned but I measure true value on whether [...]
Clare Connor’s Appointment As MCC President Is Most Welcome
Today cricket historian James Wilson looks at the history of women's cricket and explains why Clare Connor's appointment as MCC President is really good news. “Ladies playing cricket — absurd. Just like a man trying to knit.” Sir Len Hutton “Sod off you sexist git” Unnamed woman cricketer History has [...]
Why the value of Ben Stokes goes beyond numbers
Today we welcome Aussie writer Charbel Coorey to TFT. Here's his assessment of Ben Stokes from an Australian perspective. It's good to know that our rivals appreciate what a special cricketer he is too ... If you tweet, get it done as fast as you can between balls or overs. [...]
Spitting Feathers? The Saliva Issue And Recreational Cricket
Yesterday the PM ruled out the imminent return of recreational cricket because the ball is a "natural vector" for coronavirus. This surprised me because I thought that COVID-19 was caused by bats. I'll get my coat. Whilst this announcement has left many feeling disappointed (not to mention angry) there's no [...]
Welcome To The Full Toss
Thanks for visiting TFT, the irreverent cricket blog with a zero percent bounce rate. If you’d like to write something for us, whether it’s about 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 [email protected] for more info.