England are now halfway through their test summer, having seen off the west indies fairly easily. They now face the Sri Lankans for another 3 …

Cricket comes in many forms and I certainly experienced that on consecutive Sundays in August. On the 11th I attended the inaugural men’s Over 70s …

I never met Graham and have no right to any personal grief, but his tragic death was both shocking and upsetting. Many who knew Graham …

Last week we had the news – and I use the term loosely – that the IPL franchises will soon be making their play for …

What’s a poor cricket blogger to do? No sooner had I put the last full stop to the original of the draft below than Monty …

I’m going to tell you about three cricket matches I saw in June 2023. The first is in Luton. I’ve gone along to watch Luton …

England, then, have been left licking their wounds after an ultimately brutal contest in India that they lost 4-1. Even the eternal optimists among the …

Many of the Addis Army’s readers will already have learned of the deeply sad news of Andy ‘Clarky’ Clark’s passing this week. Some readers may …

A new season begins – hope, optimism, and ambition springs eternal at some county clubs, while at some, delusion maintains a firm grip on their …

The 2024 English Cricket season is here, hard to believe as the rain lashes down, but it is. There is a degree of optimism around …

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” No, I’m not belting out late (or very early?) Christmas hits. April is here, we’re saying goodbye …

Ollie Pope has been the next great thing in English cricket for a long time now. Such is his talent that the expectations have been …

This week’s First Test is the first part of a 13-test year, and a total of 16 tests across 14 months that will define this …

England find themselves now in India, following a bitterly disappointing first half of their winter campaign. The World Cup, which they entered as defending champions, …

Touring India, and winning a test series against the world’s wealthiest cricketing nation, is one of the most challenging aspects that exists in cricket today.  …

I have written before of my concerns for test cricket and nothing that has happened of late provides any encouragement. Seeing a shadow South Africa …

Spin Doctors are an American alternative rock band from New York City, best known for their early 1990s hit “Two Princes” but not the subject …

Hindsight is a wonderful thing … As I recall we lost an underwhelming 50 over series against South Africa in late January 2023. Perhaps (with …

As the world’s leading cricket teams play off for the ICC Cricket World Cup Trophy over the next month in India, my sense is that …

The 50 Over World Cup has started after what has seemed to be a strange period at the end of English Summer. The Ashes was …

“Dan, you haven’t posted a blog for three months now! I don’t know where to turn for my monthly fix of topical cricket content”. I …

Fast bowlers, like wrist spinners, are worth their proverbial weight in gold, in all formats of the game. Famous names, like Harold Larwood, Jon Snow …

It would be fair to say I have not always been an advocate of ‘The Hundred’ or even whiteball cricket as a whole but something …

So often in England we talk about the value of all-rounders following the great tradition of Botham, Flintoff and Stokes. The priceless ability to have …

Bad planning from me! I write this as day 4 of the 4th test is looking like a washout and tomorrow I find myself on …

It was announced a couple of weeks ago that Matt Parkinson, who has been on loan at Durham, was to leave Lancashire and move to …

When Britain awoke on Monday, those beginning the working week with a copy of their favourite newspaper would have been forgiven for believing they had …

What a Test match. Credit where its due, this England team continue to be involved in entertainment that will revive Test match cricket and bring …

Just as I was about to write my final pre-Ashes blog the news of Jack Leach’s season ending injury broke. A cruel blow for a …

There is an old maxim in sport – “train hard, play easy”. Fundamentally, it means that preparation needs to be much harder than any level …

Jack Leach must be wondering which member of the pantheon he wronged in a former life now that he has been ruled out of this …

So, the first round of county championship matches has concluded and the Blast is in full swing, and the Ashes are only a couple of …

For a long time now it has been a matter of when rather than if. In late May 2023 the question of ‘when will an …

Interesting times for Ben, Baz and Bob – the test squad for the Ireland game is the closest they have come to a public backlash. …

Sports coaches and business leaders seem to love a quote. Try these on for size: “There is no ‘I’ in team.” Those who believe in …

So, having had three weeks of the county championship, how are England’s likely squad shaping up? In the IPL, Ben Stokes has had two injuries …

1996 was heralded as another new dawn! There was a degree of excitement as the controlling and overbearing figure of Illingworth was removed and the …

“There is no stopping Jonny Bairstow. It is raining runs” declares Sky Sports’ Mel Jones as the Yorkshireman pulls yet another huge six in to …

The winter’s dark and cold nights have gone, the hours of gym work and indoor nets are being reduced, the grass on the outfield has …

So this week the Daily Mail reported that Major League Cricket is hoping to lure English players away from our domestic season. They kick off …

The 2nd Fairbreak invitational tournament is due to start on Monday 3 April at the Kowloon Cricket Club in Hong Kong.  But what is Fairbreak …

I haven’t written a blog for a little while, perhaps because it’s just been nice to watch England playing the brand of cricket that they …

It’s that time of the year already. The nights are getting brighter, the weather is improving slowly and over the course of the next few …

When Joe Root stood on that podium at the conclusion of the West Indies series last March, I don’t think any one of us would …

When New Zealand Cricket sacked Ross Taylor as captain and made room for the leadership axis of Brendon McCullum (captain) and Mike Hesson (Coach) they …

A huge part of Addis Army life is touring to watch England cricket away and I have written before about how disappointing the next few …

So, England are ready to go once again, starting a two test series against New Zealand on the 16th February. As usual, the pre series …

Fascinatingly England’s leadership team Baz, Ben and Bob went early with the tour squad to New Zealand, an early Christmas present. Soon following with the …

As Christmas nears, the England Cricket team have secured a 3-0 series whitewash in Pakistan (the first ever such humiliation for the home side) to …

Ok, so this tour has gone quite well so far then! Despite the sceptics predicting that England’s aggressive approach to test cricket under Ben Stokes …

My last blog was 14th October and there has been quite a lot of cricket since. I know there was a T20 World Cup and …

Well, that was fun. England are the first team to hold both white ball World Cups simultaneously. The best England OD side of all time …

This blog comes to you from darkest Sri Lanka, literally. I am sitting up in bed with a head-torch on, baby asleep (I hope) in …

The English cricket season of 2022 breathed new life into the game and transformed the woes of the winter into a summer of celebration. The …

Central contract season arrived, subtlety slipped in between two warm up T20’s in advance of both the T20 World Cup and Pakistan Test squad announcement. …

Mo and Rash have declined to tour, instinctively I think this is the correct call. They are both very talented cricketers but there is something …

6 wins and 1 loss from 7 tests is a great effort for the Rob Key, Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes era. They have done …

There are many things to like about the Stokes/McCullum start in test cricket. I like the attitude that they are there to score runs and …

“Rest and rotation” are the output of “greed and ignorance” on the part of cricket’s administrators. All who love our sport can see that they …

Injuries and professional sport go hand in hand, we are well versed in the lengthy injury list of England fast bowlers. The saddest one for …

The debate about the future of cricket rages on. It was ever thus! Red ball cricket is under threat around the world. The white ball …

Fast bowling, seam bowling, swing bowling is a physically demanding act that puts a lot of stress on the body. Success comes with a lot …

During the Nottingham Test I received the very sad news of the passing of a good friend of mine, ‘Silver Dave’ Garrity. In reality, I …

Hot topics this week include having a point of difference on a flat pitch. Well documented is the injury list including Archer, Wood, Mahmood and …

It’s all change at ECB! Without a CEO, a Chairman, and until recently no MD of England cricket or test match captain, England Head coach, …

England’s test cricket needs an identity, there have been a few attempts and numerous reviews and resets. Identity is perhaps somewhat like culture, you can …

I’ve really enjoyed the early rounds of the county championship, its been refreshing to see the batsmen score big runs, the better seam bowlers prevail …

If life is defined by moments then Ben Stokes is a man, and a captain, who can seize them. Stokes is not just a game …

So now we know, Key, Stokes and McCullum are those entrusted in taking England’s test cricket froward. Today, a 13-man squad has been announced, although …

I’m pretty sure that test cricket does not make the NY Times list of things that were great about the 1990’s – but it should! …

As a kid I used love the start of the cricket season, in particular I loved the Morrant Cricket catalogue that I would scan for …

What do we really want from a test match spinner? When we play at home we often don’t need or at least use a spinner …

As I write this we await what will be the final days play and barring a miracle an inevitable series loss for England. Congratulations to …

So, that was embarrassing, wasn’t it? After two supposedly decent performances in the first pair of Tests, England were humiliated in the third. And actually, …

The most iconic cricketer of the modern era has passed. Shane Warne, age 52, has left an incredible legacy as the rock ‘ n roll …

One is 27 years old (soon to be 28) and stands at 1.96m, the other has recently turned 28 years old and stands at 1.96m. …

Just as we all start to get excited about Ben Foakes finally getting a run in the test team at the age of 29, I …

English Cricket has experienced many crises over the past 150 years. Today, it sits on the cusp of another. Will the Ashes be able to …

I am beyond disappointed to see that England have dropped James Anderson and Stuart Broad for the upcoming West Indies Test tour. I have a …

I have an uneasy feeling about the changes to English cricket that have taken place since England’s Ashes defeat. Ashley Giles and Chris Silverwood have …

With a new era of test cricket beckoning for England there are a number of names being thrown into the hypothetic mix for a batting …

I won’t pretend to hide my delight that Giles and Silverwood have departed last week. No question they are all good men, and they have …

As I’ve previously written, Root must be relived of the captaincy and I cannot see any option but to ask Ben Stokes to take it …

Stuart Broad has said something very similar previously. The first time I heard him say it was in response to questions about needing bowlers with …

Not ALL of this mess is the fault of Ashley Giles and Chris Silverwood, many of these problems existed under Trevor Bayliss and Ed Smith. …

2021 is now officially the worst year of test cricket for England ever, perhaps that can drive the change that is needed. A full revamp …

It has been, as expected, a chastening start to the Ashes for England. They are woefully underprepared and not all of that is their fault, …

On Wednesday December 8th at the Gabba in Brisbane, the 72nd Ashe series begins. Previously, Australia has won 33 times, England 32, and there has …

Last month, musing with relatives about what I should write about, I suggested the racism story at Yorkshire. One listener, who shall remain nameless, told …

Jos Buttler is 31 years old he has played (close to) 100 IT20’s, 150 ODI’s and 50 Tests. He is the only Englishman to score …

In writing this I am conscious that some readers may have a much more in-depth knowledge than mine and if you are one of them, …

Eoin Morgan has been a central figure in the transformation of England Cricket since assuming the captaincy of the white-ball teams late in 2014 following …

Summer 2021 has been the hardest I have witnessed as a fan of England Test Cricket. 1999 gets a lot of mentions, but I at …

England’s error-strewn performance at The Oval began with their team selection. In rewarding Craig Overton with selection in back-to-back tests for his good work at …

This summer’s cricket has been so entertaining, it is worth pausing a while to appreciate it. It’s all very well watching England consistently thrashing weak …

The England and Wales Cricket Board is in real danger of skating on very thin ice if it thinks test cricket can be taken for …

Ben Stokes is a household name. Although he has been responsible for some of the most dramatic moments in English cricketing history, perhaps this is …

The sad news of Ben Stokes needing to take a rest to look after his mental health broke this week. I sincerely wish Ben all …

It’s so hard to know where to begin this month. Between the Hundred and this week’s dismal first innings batting performance at Trent Bridge, Ben …

Last week I took my family to watch The Hundred – Trent Rockets V London Spirit at Lords. To set the scene, I love cricket …

The upcoming test series between England and India will offer an opportunity to several batsmen to nail down a place in England’s test match XI, …

Cricket is no different to any sport in that it has chased and received money, and to a large extent the game is better for …

In 1999 England were booed off the pitch after losing a test series to New Zealand. There was no booing today, which is a sign …

If Ollie Robinson’s performance was analysed for cricketing reasons alone, it would be reasonable to assume that the analysis would be wholly positive. Yet, two …

This is a slightly funny series coming up against New Zealand. England have a slim line squad of 15, down from the 55-man squads of …

Cricket is full of ironies, one of those at this time is James Bracey making his test debut as wicket keeper in tomorrow’s first test. …

Sport is the opiate of the masses. We all know it: it’s not religion anymore, at least in the West. It’s sport. Football, really, but …

The England & Wales Cricket Board announced on April that Ed Smith, the England Team National Selector, was being relieved of his duties and the …

One of the many things I love about cricket, especially first class and Test cricket is how much of each player’s personality we get to …

With 3 series defeats, across all 3 formats (test, ODI, T20) in India this winter, England’s cricketers have a busy schedule at home this summer …

County cricket is back! I say this with my annual resolution that I will follow the season and remain enthusiastic right through to the end. …

England ended the T20 series in India frustrated. They had their chance and squandered it after a bright start and some promising performances to take …

It has been a strange winter, on the face of it 3-3 from six tests across Sri Lanka and India looks like a decent outcome. …

In our age of media and social media saturation it sometimes feels really hard to try to write an original thought for this blog. Everything …

We are prone to an overreaction, both positive and negative so where do we really think England are as a team? We are 2 months …

With one test left to play, India leads England by 2 matches to 1 in the test series. England can still come back and square …

The fallout from the second test, a 317-run defeat against the team ranked 2nd in the ICC World Test Rankings, has been huge. The four-test …

Cricket’s rich history proves how difficult it is for touring teams to win in India. Legendary Australian captain Steve Waugh referred to his team’s attempt …

Ooh well it’s all gone down to the wire, hasn’t it? Where will we be watching the India series that is starting on Friday? Obviously …

Dom Bess’ 5-wicket haul in the 2nd Sri Lanka test is reason to be optimistic for the future of English spin bowling. In just his …

During the last 10 months I found my mind wandering back to the early 1990’s and when I first fell in love with cricket. For …

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 …