I was delighted to be asked if I would like to submit my favourite England XI.  Firstly and perhaps to help as a background and …

As I take a glance over my shoulder at Year 2020, I cannot really believe the impact that COVID-19 has had on everyone, around the …

As England’s cricketers begin their winter with a Test series against Sri Lanka, the next 12 months are an interesting prospect. There is likely to …

A few nights ago I woke up from a gorgeous dream. I was at Lord’s on a warm summer day, either in the new Warner …

We are 12 months away from the next instalment of the Ashes! I can’t wait, and looking at Twitter there are a few people turning …

“A strong Yorkshire, means a strong England.”   The history of English cricket has seen some fine cricketers represent their country with distinction – and …

Everybody’s doing it during the pandemic! Louis Theroux. Michael Palin. Each time you turn on the TV there seem to be trips down memory lane, …

Jonny Bairstow seems to divide opinion as much, maybe more than any current England cricketer (at least since KP), but is that fair? I have …

So, another lockdown is here, but this time I *shouldn’t* need to turn to watching Youtube videos of Eastern European tractor obstacle courses for my …

As the Year 2020 moves towards its’ conclusion now that autumn has moved more closely into winter, the clocks have changed meaning longer nights as …

As long as I’ve watched Test cricket (1993), and long before, the role of the England Test captain has always been one for debate. Many …

In previous years, I have never taken much notice of the Indian Premier League. During normal times, already sated by a summer of fascinating County …

It feels like a long time since Jack Leach rose to prominence with his resolute last wicket partnership with Ben Stokes last summer. With the …

I once attended the PCA end of season awards ceremony at the Hurlingham Club, London, along with my sister. We were making up numbers on …

I wrote recently about wicket keeping, and the modern lack of appreciation for glove work as well as the perceived need to balance that with …

When The Prime Minister declared a national pandemic in March, few (if anyone) had heard of furlough or imagined what the next few months would …

Although shortened, the summer was packed with fascinating battles, memorable moments and idiosyncrasies that will last long in the memory. We all hope that this …

When WG Grace strode out to open the batting with his brother Edward Grace for England versus Australia in 1880 at The Oval in the …

Faced with the prospect of no cricket all summer, we did pretty well across the international and domestic formats. And we got a break from …

One of the most emotive topics in English cricket over recent years has been the selection of the wicket keeper, in particular the Test match …

Victory in cricket is hard-earned and tastes very sweet. Just ask any bowler who has had to endure physical pain in their boots and in …

Well it’s an interesting one. Ian Bishop’s opening line is that if Kofi Annan had been heard to say ‘it’s not cricket’ at the UN, …

Firstly, I would like to apologise to my regular reader for my inactivity over the last couple of editions. I think that I can safely …

For many years Stuart Broad has irritated me and not just because he plays for Notts. The main reason was Test after Test, watching Broad …

Transformation in a person comes when an individual’s desire to change, is inspired from the inside out. When it comes, it is often because the …

So cricket is returning! Yay! The men’s test series against the West Indies commences on Wednesday 8th July down in Southampton with the second and …

In the spirit of lockdown ‘rewind’ events such as TMS and Sky’s rebroadcasting of the best recent Tests and ODIs, in Sky’s case with the …

A friend sent me a poem recently. I think the intention was to keep my spirits up during the lockdown period and also to ‘flag …

Here was me desperately waiting to hear from my solicitor that the sale of my house has finally gone through and that we can set …

My brother-in-law, Bill Lockwood, died of leukaemia on 7 March in a hospice in Adelaide. He was the Australian we all liked. A lifelong member …

Note: this article was written prior to the Sri Lanka tour being called off Politics is a delicate topic in Sri Lanka. For all we …

So much for moving into Spring with hope for a new season filled with glorious summer sunshine. The prospect of some excellent cricket to look …

So the real cricket’s over and what a series it was! Plenty of Addis made it out to watch a Test or two and the …

Wow! What a win. What a collection of individual performances. We have only just gone and beaten the Saffers in their own back yard. Make …

Back in June last year I was thinking about spending the winter in South Africa but didn’t want any rushing around like has happened in …

The ‘New’ South Africa Under Mark Boucher need more than time to excel, if it is to impact the current team and transform the underpinning …

So the South Africa tour is nearly upon us. The players and backroom staff have arrived and as you read this I will have arrived …

As the Festive Season gets into full swing, and England’s cricketers prepare to perform in South Africa from Boxing Day onwards, it feels the perfect …

Joe Root has been left out the T20 squad for the three-match series against South Africa in February. When the news broke, the media published …

This time of year is always a tough one when it comes with trying to find inspiration for this blog. Not a lot has been …

It’s less than twelve months until the T20 World Cup starts. The sudden abundance of T20Is is empirical evidence to the fact. With the fifty-over …

So England have completed the limited-overs section of their first winter touring destination, New Zealand. England won the five match T20 series ahead of the …

Ashley Giles, the boss of England Cricket, has publicly trumpeted the prioritisation of red-ball cricket and the need for a re-boot of its Test match …

Chris Silverwood is the new Head Coach of England Cricket. The influential men in suits at Lord’s have gone for continuity and an endorsement of …

Will summer ever be the same again? 2019 has been incredible for cricket. Summers To Remember: Bryan Adams sang a wonderful song about ‘The Summer …

An incredible summer is behind us – who’d have thought it? All the negativity about the 50 over game and World Cup ticket prices (admittedly …

Now that was an interesting summer of cricket but was it a successful one? In my opinion, the way to gauge a season is to …

It was a sickening blow. Time appeared to freeze for onlookers who had no more interest than a love of cricket. One can only imagine …

Well that was a pretty special Test match, huh? After the abject humiliation of England’s first innings came the perfect nail-biting victory steered by the …

A month ago, I wrote the following paragraphs about the forthcoming 2019 Ashes series following England’s dramatic ‘super-over’ win in the ICC Cricket World Cup …

And England finally claimed a Cricket World Cup. Not a definitive, epoch-making, hegemonic victory. More of a statistical one. However, England are the one-day cricket …

Well we’ve had quite an eventful few weeks in the cricketing world, haven’t we? You’ll have read about England’s gripping World Cup final win over …

Sometimes, I wish that the English summer lasted a little bit more than one week. Was there ever any doubt that England would stroll their …

England Cricket, Champions of the World! Sounds great, doesn’t it? However, Ashes winners 2019, as well as being World Cup holders has a far better …

Last time around, I bemoaned the lack of cricket coverage on terrestrial television during the ICC Cricket World Cup. At the time I wasn’t aware …

England is making a right mess of their 2019 Cricket World Cup campaign. What started as a tournament of promise and fulfilling destiny is now …

As England slid towards defeat against Sri Lanka at Headingley on Friday, only Ben Stokes could feel any pride in his personal performance. The batting …

England entered this World Cup as favourites following a stellar couple of years of build up, but at the time of writing England will be …

Not being a subscriber to Sky, it would be very easy to forget that the 2019 Cricket World Cup is about to start. The radio …

Alex Hales has lost his place in the England squad after a recreational drug use ban. A collection of ‘senior’ players met and decided that …

As the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 moves into gear, every team will feel they have a chance of reaching the semi finals. It is …

Boooooooooooooooooo! Note: not Roooooooooooooooooooooot. After the England vs Australia World Cup warm up match last week there seems to have been a flurry of pundits …

No-one supports Derbyshire Cricket Club for the glory. No one supports them for the regular cup finals at Lords or to see a side bristling …

What an incredible start to the domestic season. All of a sudden, the bat has dominated the ball in the first couple of rounds of …

Maternity leave is great. I mean, it’s brutal at the start. And slightly less brutal but still exhausting that bit further in. But babies love …

In just over a month, the Cricket World Cup starts. Before the opening match between England and South Africa at The Oval, there will be …

When England’s National Selector Ed Smith announced the preliminary World Cup squad this week, I was mildly amused to see Sussex’s gifted, young Barbadian all-rounder …

Many years ago, I was given a book on cricket records which made for great reading while otherwise disposed. This was when I came across …

No readers, I am not referring to the UK and/or Brexit! Many of you will be having thoughts of touring South Africa in 2019-20. Indeed, …

This week I have been looking at getting Jos, the Addis Army’s youngest member, Christened, and those of you who have been there before will …

And: Might Paul Farbrace prove to be the missing link should England fail in their bid for World Cup glory this summer? When looking to …

Why does everyone in the media go completely overboard whenever England play? Fast rewind back to the tour of Sri Lanka last year and a …

As Joe Root reflects on his excellent century in the 3rd Test of the current series in the Caribbean, he will know that he put …

The suspension of West Indies captain, Jason Holder, for the third and final test of this series in St Lucia has split opinion among cricket …

In the Third Test England finally picked a team for the pitch conditions and Hey presto won a Test. Obviously England’s turnaround in fortunes can’t …

You know when someone is struggling for a topic to write about when the author resorts to first hand reminiscences of major cricket matches seen. …

As 2019 begins, England’s cricketers are preparing for what could turn out to be a momentous year. From a variety of different and exotic locations, …

2019 promises to be one of our most successful calendar years if we can build on the series win in Sri Lanka and finalise some …

England’s 3-0 ‘whitewash’ series win in Sri Lanka is a triumph for National Selector Ed Smith and the notion of a cricket team being ‘more …

Hands up time. Whereas I was very critical of the ECB with their selection of Adil Rashid for the summer tests, he has certainly proved …

In the Third Test England finally picked a team for the pitch conditions and Hey presto won a Test. Obviously England’s turnaround in fortunes can’t …

So, a brief diary of our first few days in Sri Lanka, then. After a pretty painless flight from London to Colombo, with a two …

With the English cricket season finished, and the winter looming, I thought I would look ahead to 2019 and the Ashes Series as well as …

So said an unnamed Australian cricketer within the confines of the independent review into the culture of top-level cricket in Australia. When Australian fans of …

India’s fight-back in the 3rd Test of the five match series has enabled them to potentially draw level if they win at Ageas Bowl, Southampton, …

So another County Championship season draws to a close with the final round of fixtures well under way. What have we learnt that we didn’t …

Well I’m not sure this Sri Lanka trip is going to be quite what I’d expected when we booked it back at the start of …

England Cricket’s National Selector Ed Smith is an intelligent, sophisticated, urbane individual. He is passionate about excellence, and is a positive advocate for ‘all-round’ development. …

The 1992 Cricket World Cup. You are thinking about those iconic kits, aren’t you? England have not come even close to winning a Cricket World …

I know it’s not just happening in cricket, but this series against India has really emphasised the phenomenon of bi-polar cricket fandom. Please don’t think …

What has happened to Test cricket? I don’t think that there can be any more doubt that the white ball game is the dominant force …

Well what a funny year this has been at sunny old Wormsley. JANUARY. Wet, cold FEBRUARY. Very wet, very cold. MARCH. Very very wet, very …

After our initial hammering I admit I thought it was all going to go the same way throughout; I just wasn’t sure we had the …

The Sri Lankan Cricket Board has angered English Cricket Supporters by selling all the best seats at the Galle, Mandy and Colombo Tests to a …

It’s so much harder to put together an article while the FIFA World Cup is taking place and the conclusion of a 5-0 spanking of …

Hopefully you will have read Chris’ piece explaining the current situation with ticket price plans for England’s tour of Sri Lanka this autumn. If you …

As England’s footballers prepare for a final group match v Belgium this week to determine the winner of Group G in the FIFA World Cup …

Later this month the ICC will discuss a proposal to either give the away captain the choice of whether to bat or bowl or the …

Hands up all of you out there who were genuinely surprised that, upon winning the toss, Joe Root elected to bat first in the opening …

Pakistan Defeat Should Be The Crisis To Generate Necessary Structural Change: In advance of last winter’s Ashes series, I thought a 5-0 defeat versus Australia …

Joe Root (approaching Trevor Bayliss): Um, Coach? Trevor Bayliss: Mate. Root: So I wanted to ask you about the – Bayliss (cutting Root off): No, …

When I first heard about Day/Night Tests the tradionalist in me bridled at the idea. Then I realised I was going to a Day/Nighter in …

leading administrators. I am currently on a working holiday in the paradise island of Barbados, and I have enjoyed the privilege of spending some quality …

Addis member and life-long cricket fan, Paul Raven, aka Gazza, died suddenly at the age of 67 right at the end of his second Addis …

Not the countdown from 100 balls in the ECB’s new domestic not-T20 competition plan; more on that later. But he countdown to Tractor’s first tour …

Well what an interesting couple of weeks! Just writing this on a very special day and so it will be a short piece. It’s my …

During this week, I received a gentle reminder from Freddie to pen an article with Sunday as the deadline. Once or twice, I have had …

England 58 all out. Number 9 Craig Overton remains undefeated on 33 not out. What a remarkable recovery from 27-9! Is this the worst performance …

What a week it’s been in cricket. It’s all very well being saddened by the actions of Cameron Bancroft, Steve Smith et al, but I …

When Midnight and I were planning our marathon trip to the Ashes and on to New Zealand we needed to find other things to do …

Those eagle-eyed readers out there will have noticed that I did not write anything last month. I hope that this makes up for it. A …

England’s cricketers can join the country’s footballing and rugby heroes if they become World Cup winners in 2019. As host nation, they have a golden …

So Adil Rashid and Alex Hales have become the first big name England players to close the door on the County Championship. While it’s easy …

Yet another England tour to Australia ended in an Ashes debacle for the visitors. In 3 of the past four Ashes tours, England has lost …

And so the ODI series is won, 4-1, and the memories of the fairly hideous Ashes defeat are somewhat dulled and blunted, pushed to the …

As its Christmas I thought I would enter into the spirit by doing a 12 days of Christmas quiz. In honour of people that give …

So what will probably be the last Ashes Test Match at the WACA has come to an inevitable conclusion with England’s eighth successive defeat there. …

Well, it’s all gone a bit Pete Tong, hasn’t it? At time of writing, we’re waiting for Day 5 in Perth and hoping the rain …

What could possibly go wrong? Now I’ve been doing Addis trips for 12 years now, but never have I been in a situation before where …

Jim Laker once said that the purpose of the England cricket team was mainly to be Australia. This epitomises what The Ashes is about. Having …

Guy Fraser-Simpson’s Cricket at the Crossroads (Elliot and Thompson, 2011) was devoured in my household. Literally. The dog got hold of it before I did, …

So as I type, there are TWLEVE DAYS TO GO! I am really excited about this year’s Ashes, for a number of reasons. Firstly, it …

Well it’s that time again, after a long summer and busy autumn at work, the time has come to focus again on a few weeks …

The 2017-18 Ashes series offers England an opportunity to prove their doubters wrong. Many people are predicting a straight-forward victory for the hosts. And, it …

Well, a sort of first division review and even then it’s hardly what I would call comprehensive. In fact, there are going to be about …

Cricket can be a cruel game. After a fantastic breakthrough summer which featured an impressive debut against South Africa where Toby Roland-Jones claimed a five-for …

I know, I know, everyone has already written about the Ben Stokes and Alex Hales situation. But this is a monthly newsletter so you have …

An English cricket season which began in Abu Dhabi on 26th March with County Champions Middlesex playing MCC, ended amid much drama at Edgbaston on …

One late night in Bristol, two England cricketers were drunk and in that danger zone between club and taxi. We have all been there. Anyone …

This fact amazes me both in itself (it feels like yesterday!) and also in the struggles to replace him that England have not yet overcome. …

Joe Root has been the man in waiting for the England captaincy for as long as I can remember. His appointment as the captain of …

At long last, a Test Match that was enthralling throughout the five days of play. For once, neither side dominated from start to finish. For …

When Shai Hope clipped the winning runs through square leg on Tuesday evening 29th August, to ensure the Windies beat England in the 2nd Test …

I remember reading this in one of the many cricket books or magazines that I have accumulated over the years. The original quotation was in …

Last month I enjoyed a session at the Olympic Velodrome in London for a big family event (Daddy Tractor’s 60th) and over the weekend we …

The recent ICC Women’s World Cup Final at Lord’s offers the game a welcome platform to develop the game further. Managed wisely, cricket could become …

Something a bit different from me this month. Instead of my usual ramblings I want to pose a question to you! Which non cricketing country …

More boring times at work so what obscure game can I come up with now ?? I know, being a leftie myself and ALWAYS believing …

England’s fantastic run to the ICC Champion’s Cup semi-final was ended by Pakistan on a dismal Thursday afternoon in cricketing terms. As I sat in …

So, the announcement on Friday 3oth June was the one that so many cricket fans up and down the UK have been waiting for. The …

Tomorrow at Lords Joe Root will lead England out for the first time. A new dawn. A new era. South Africa, albeit without De Villiers …

Sporting clubs dream of winning trophies, but so few actually achieve it. Even fewer do it over a sustainable period of time. So is there …

The recent England ODI team has been like Theresa May started this election campaign. Strong and stable. Everyone knew the team and everyone in the …

Blackpool. From nearly forty years ago, when I was forced to work there by an unscrupulous and uncaring employer, I have harboured a secret dread …

Much has been said about the state of the County Cricket Championship in recent years. Many have commented on the low turnouts to county grounds …

‘First they came for the run-outs, and I did not speak up, because I thought TV evidence for Third Umpires would mean fewer bad run-out …

If the barometer of a sport’s success is the performance of the national team, then success in the ICC Champions Trophy following England’s ODI Series …

Don’t you just hate bank holidays? The stupidity of the TV schedulers has forced an 8pm kick off of Watford v Liverpool just as the …

As I sit here after a boozy BBQ on Bank Holiday Monday it is exactly 25 years since I moved to this special place called …

We’re coming up to two years since Trevor Bayliss was the surprise appointment for the England head coach role after the second departure of Peter …

Well it happens a lot round here. Apologies to The Smiths but what is the point of having a captain of a first class, or …

Kia Ora all and further greetings from New Zealand. On our way back up to Auckland we visited sunny Nelson to chill. Little did I …

Anyone who enjoyed my first two articles might not like this one. It has some live cricket content! My first weekend in Wellington has gone …

On the 20th March, well-respected cricket writer George Dobell published a gloomy article on the future of international cricket at Headingley. The root cause of …

So, the future’s bright, the future’s franchise. Michael Vaughan must be over the moon that the city-based (but not, actually) T20 tournament he has always …

Tom Smith was a favourite amongst Lancashire supporters, throughout his career at the club he had become one of the best home grown players the …

Throughout the winter I have been haunted by the twin spectres of flooding / poor weather at home and the prospect of watching 43 year …

The recent rugby international between England and Italy got me thinking. Italy’s tactics at the breakdown, especially in the first half, worked a treat and …

So just after our monthly deadline last time round, Joe Root was confirmed as the new England Test captain and, shortly afterwards Ben Stokes was …

In many ways Alastair Cook was a throwback to another time. A black and white pathe news time where cricket teams sailed on tour and …

Happy New Year one and all. I hope Santa brought you everything you wished for. 2016 didn’t quite finish according to plan. 4-0 in India …

Happy 2017 everybody! I hate winter in general (too difficult to get away to watch cricket most of the time) but I LOVE early January …

So heres my latest assignment handed to me by Freddie: ENGLANDS BEST T20 SIDE MADE UP OF PRE T20 ERA (MUST HAVE RETIRED BEFORE 2003) …

I think it’s fair to say that the Addis Army has undergone somewhat of an evolution over the years and this has expressed itself in …

So, as promised, here is my cheapo article for February. Let’s be honest: the toy cricket going on around the world right now just isn’t …

A sad day. His captaincy may have divided opinion to some. Was he too conservative? Should there have been a fielder here or there? Was …

Much has been written in the media, social and news, about England’s poor record away from home in test matches. This set me scurrying for …

So India finally joined the DRS party. It only took them the best part of a decade. And so far in the series against England, …

After the disappointment of the Test tour of India late last year, can the limited overs cricketers of England have more success. England have been …

It is now almost 2 weeks since I returned from Visakhapatnam and my heart is still there. At times it felt like I was leaving …

I love touring South Africa. It’s rare among cricketing destinations in its range of attractions: it’s English speaking, so goodbye awkward lost-in-translation moments; the scenery …

When England collapsed form 100-0 to 164 all out, they lost a Test to Bangladesh for the first time. On a turning pitch, with variable …

As you are heading out to India in the near future I thought I would pass on some tips that may be worth noting. I’m …

After the fantastic victory for Bangladesh against England in the second Test I was set the challenge of finding out about other low scoring Test …

So we come to the end of the Test series with Bangladesh which, once again, exposed our weakness of facing quality spin bowling. Yet, faced …

“Whatever the circumstances off the pitch, I’m looking forward to seeing Bangladesh continue to develop as a Test cricketing force and England continue to test …

Last time around, I rambled about revamping the points scoring system for the County Championship and promised more to come in Part 2. Little was …

I’ve written before about my frustrations surrounding the upcoming Bangladesh tour and I’m still gutted that I just can’t bring myself to go out there …

Last time, I gave my opinion on the proposed changes to the T20 Blast. As a bit of an addendum, I took in the Finals …

Are you going to Vizag? Are you going to Rajkot? Vizag’s meant to have a lovely beach you know. But Rajkot’s dry, can’t get a …

Later this month senior figures at the ECB will be meeting with county chairmen to propose options for a revamped domestic T20 competition. Great news. …

This year is the first year since 1998 that I haven’t attended a single day’s play of live cricket. Not just international cricket: literally ANY …

Joe Root’s 61 and 89 have guided England past two modest Pakistan totals in the first 2 ODIs. After top scoring in the Test series, …

There has been a bit of a news fest this last week what with the usually excellent Daily Telegraph spouting “Revolution: ECB plan English cricket’s …

How wonderful is hindsight? When I walked out of Centurion back in January I was happy we’d won an away series against the then, best …

The second test at Old Trafford last week was entirely and thoroughly predictable. That didn’t mean it lost its entertainment value, though. After the spanking …

At the start of this summer I wrote that England only had 2 batsmen in the top 5 in any way established in the team. …

Well if you could be bothered to read my last blog about England’s best bowling attack you could probably struggle to contain your excitement to …

Who would want to be a selector? Not me. Every month I seem to put the kiss of death on any player who has any …

As most of you know, I earn my dollar as a teacher, which has some pretty frustrating ramifications for following England abroad. Although at first …

Following England’s heartbreaking defeat in the Twenty20 World Cup Final, you could forgive the England ODI team for having a collective hangover, with many of …

After all of your voting through the group stages and semi finals, the votes are in and have been counted and I can reveal our …

As I pen this long overdue account of my dealings with India and the BCCI, I am in Mexico with little idea of how Freddie’s …

What an excellent start to the summer. Two Tests, two wins, series secured and just one more of our ‘series trophies’ to win until we …

Way back when this Tractor was barely a petrol motor lawn mower, I took a Sports Leaders award in sixth form in a successful manoeuvre …

Well this article started its life after one too many sherberts in Johannesburg (my favourite Test ground) after Stuart Broad had ripped through the SAFAS …

In a world of fast food, Alistair Cook is a leisurely Sunday Lunch, in a media beset by instant tweets and texts the England Captain …

Thank you to everyone who sent in their votes for the Ultimate Post 1970s Addis Army Knock out competition! Judging by the number of votes, …

With the opening Test match of the summer just a few weeks away, there is one burning question for the selectors: what is the make …

To be clear from the start, I am not a fan of the franchise idea for men’s Twenty20 cricket in England and Wales. I think …

Rain set to interrupt First Test against an inexperienced Sri Lanka. The First Test of the three-match series against Sri Lanka starts tomorrow with the …

England batsman Taylor had to retire last month at the tender age of 26 due to a serious heart condition similar to that that almost …

Ever wondered what’s it like for those in charge of the various tour groups on tour? Howzat Bob talks through his experience of being a …

What an outstanding T20 World Cup it was. Of course it was disappointing not to lift the trophy, but here’s our five favourite England moments …

This month sees the start of the new County Championship season; can anyone stop the Yorkshire juggernaut? The promotion of both Surrey and Lancashire whets …

With the start of the County Championship upon us I’ve put together the Ultimate Post 1970s Addis Army Fantasy Knock-out Competition. If you’re reading this …

19 runs. Six balls. We just had to defend 19 runs and Eoin Morgan would have lifted the ICC WT20 trophy aloft. How difficult could …

Will the 2016 T20 World Cup Final be pitch perfect? It almost feels like there have been two separate tournaments taking place in India over …

In a couple of weeks time the World T20 competition will begin in India. If we finish in the top two in our group, we’ll …

Oh. The World Twenty20 tournament starts in a couple of weeks? That had genuinely passed me by. I knew there was one somewhere in the …

Have England got the stamina for the shortest version of the game? The T20 World Cup starts in India in two weeks’ time. Can England …

It’s the morning of the fifth day of the Centurion Test and I’m having breakfast in our pleasant guest house, there’s blue sky and the …

So England have thoroughly spanked South Africa in Durban and, at the time of writing, are still basking in Ben Stokes’ magnificent 250 in Cape …

It had always been my wish to be able to afford to watch England play cricket around the world when I retired. Luckily my wish …

A day in the life. Just a normal day in the life of an Addis Army cricket tour. Let me set the scene. It is …

England triumphed over South Africa 2-1 without being triumphant. England went into this series with grounds for optimism that they were a better team than …

Before me I have a tiny souvenir clipboard about 5 inches by three with a pad of scribbled notes within regarding time spent with the …

And so another year passes – a year of excellent progression for Alastair Cook, Eoin Morgan and their respective teams. After the debacle of the …

A few weeks ago I read online about the ECB’s decision’s to give the visiting captain the choice to bowl first in the county championship …

Which country has the momentum going into the Third Test? After their stunning victory in the First Test in Durban, England went to Cape Town …

Disaster in Durban, turns calamitous in Cape Town as Steyn is out and Anderson is back. England won the first Test in Durban by 241 …

Sawadee-ka Addis Army! As some you know, last year I decided to escape chilly England for blazing hot Bangkok. When weighing up the pros and …

Have England dropped a clanger for the South Africa Test series? Many would suggest that Ian Bell has been dining in the last chance saloon …

Is it just me that’s growing tired of Kevin Pietersen’s tedious rants? I’d hoped after the summer’s Ashes win, and the direction in which English …

Day/night cricket, pink balls, cricket needs it? Or does it? Test cricket will die if it doesn’t change. There has been many opinions expressed about …

So I’m just back from watching the lads in Dubai, clocks have changed, the winter is on its way and no cricket trips until South …

In 2003, England added a new format of cricket to its domestic structure, T20 cricket. Fans loved it. The competition’s aim was to encourage children …

So it’s not a venue that many people would go for, but after a bit of deliberation I came up with a few criteria to …

England’s lack of focus is a little short-sighted. As England make a good start to the Third and final Test at Sharjah, it’s time to …

So, the English cricket season is over and many of you lucky souls will be jetting off for the first winter tour to the UAE …

As someone who has travelled extensively around the world, I am used to a strange occurrence or two. But on only one occasion has a …

Leading into the series in Pakistan the main topic of conversation has been what will our team be for the First Test and how can …

Cricket aside, England’s tour of Pakistan in late 2005 was a resounding success. Well, it was for the fans anyway. The cricketers were busy messing …

Whenever you hear anyone say “When do you think we will tour Pakistan again?” the standard response is “not in my lifetime”. For those of …

England are in much better shape at the end of this summer than we were at the start. Thrashings in the World Cup by New …

England will require a light touch to find success in the Middle East. After an Ashes summer full of pace and power, England will have …

One nation, full of pride, out to conquer the cricketing world. But how would Yorkshire fare against England? In the cricketing world it is often …

Well another Ashes series bites the dust. Personally, I think it was the worst Ashes series for skill and quality I have witnessed since my …

Ashes winners. How nice does that sound?! I think I’ll say it again Ashes winners… Be honest now how many of you expected to say …

So, farewell, then, Michael Clarke. You may have retired from international cricket but you’ve left a whole lot of soul-searching behind you. As I stood …

England Women may have handed over the Ashes to the Southern Stars after last week’s penultimate match in their points-based series, but there are more …

As another season draws to an end and my home county just escaped relegation to the dreaded division 2 , it made me think about …

Ever since the day I met Tremers, he has never stopped enthusing about how great Wales is, and how lovely the Welsh people are. So …

In my last entry I said I’d write about some of England’s less successful Ashes test matches Down Under; that was before the incredible tests …

I have a question for you Piers Morgan or Glenn McGrath? Who would you want to come out on top? A difficult question. This was …

What an excellent Ashes series this is turning out to be. Against all the odds England comprehensively won the First Test, Australia won the second, …

This week I read an article by Alex Hales on the BBC Sport site entitled: ‘We Have Won Back The Fans.’ “It looks like we’ve …

It seems a long, long time ago now but with the dawn of a new Ashes series starting next week it got me thinking back …

‘Jones.Bowden.!’ Most readers will I’m sure have overflowing memories of the delirious joy that accompanied England’s 2005 Ashes win, and with this year being the …

I’ve just fallen into a deep sleep after a busy summer at Wormsley listening to players moaning about everything apart from their technique (or lack …

Shh. Listen. What’s that noise? Is it the sound of Piers Morgan mouthing off against the current England setup? Is it He Who Must Not …