The London Times’ cricket correspondent Mike Atherton questions England’s decision to leave Ravi Bopara off the squad in favour of Jonathan Trott.
Cricket
Ashes 09: Australia remember how to win as England lose the plot
The only logical explanation for why Australia went from a struggling cricketing team to a dominant force in the Fourth Ashes Test at Headingley is that England always had a paper thin batting line up and, for once, Australia had their bowlers in form to take advantage of it.
Ashes 09: Headingley, the Fourth Test preview
This series is looking more and more likely like it could end up as the statistical anomaly series. With the weather and the form of the Australian bowling unit, it is hard to see exactly how Australia will win this test.
Ashes 09: The silly point of watching cricket in the press box
Press boxes at the cricket across England are very odd places, full of old men, cliques and long lunch queues.
Ashes 09: England only win when they’re swingin’
Australia still can’t play swing bowling. England can’t take wickets without it. Jarrod Kimber looks back at the Third Test.
England siezes control
With the taste of victory spurring them on, England began to seize control in third Test at Edgbaston.
Ashes 09: Hughes’ Twitter drop — Gen Y meets the Baggy Green
Phil Hughes performed a cricketing first today, becoming the first Test cricketer to ever announce on Twitter that he had been dropped — before the Australian team had announced he was.
Ashes 09: Edgbaston faces First Day wash out
Several members of Edgbaston’s groundstaff will work on the water-logged outfield through the night, but have privately conceded there is little chance of play on Thursday.
Ashes 09: the swine flu diaries
Crikey’s Ashes correspondent Jarrod Kimber becomes the second high profile (ahem) Australian cricket journalist to get swine flu.
Ashes 09: Australia dares to dream
Today one record will fall: either Australia wins and breaks the world record, or England win and finally end their 75-year misery at the hands of Australia. Jarrod Kimber keeps the hope alive.
Cricket or golf: which is the least boring?
Stephen Moss pits cricket against golf for boringness, rating them on terminology, length of game, commentators and fans.
Ashes 09: Why Lords is a carnival of ex-wing commander types
Impossibly optimistic MCC member Jonathan Este says the Lords test will be an old boys’ reunion.
Ashes 09: Lords, the Second Test preview
Australia haven’t lost at Lord’s since 1934 — with a history that strong, it would be rude of England to win.
Muslim = Al Qaeda … Penbo’s Punch in top comic form
There are some Australian cricket fans still furious at England’s time wasting to draw the first Ashes test, none more so than “Steve”, the mysterious friend of The Punch Editor David Penberthy.
Ashes 09: A joyous draw, long live Test cricket
You may want to punch them right now, but you have to respect England. Jarrod Kimber looks back at a fascinating First Test.
The greatest ever cricket sledges
The English and Australian teams will have to go some way to top these during the Ashes…
Psychoanalysis and cricket: view from the couch
Former England cricket captain Mike Brearley is now a psychoanalyst. And, argues Edward Marriott, that’s not such a stretch. Both need patience in an age where the quick-fix is king.
Wilfred Rhodes: the one-man university of cricket
Cricinfo looks at two of the greatest books on one of the greatest allrounders ever.
Cricket takes on the Taliban
Pakistan’s Twenty20 World Cup cricket win has given a monumental boost to a nation drained of all morale, says Tunku Varadarajan. Can the sport offer an alternative vision for the country to militant Islam?
The greatest ever Ashes quotes
The Independent provides cricket fans with a countdown of the greatest ever Ashes quotes.
Tips and rumours: Who is your editorial manager and what does she do?
Seeing as the ABC in leaking like a sieve over the Chaser controversy, another employee gets in on the act. Plus more Westacott reminiscing, cheeky japes from the cricket world, the next appointee to the WA Supreme Court, and more.
Why Australians win more at cricket
Twentieth-century Australia harboured a long grudge: that it wasn’t taken seriously enough. Sport was a way of balancing the ledger. What if that hunger ends? wonders Ed Smith.
Reasons why Australia are out of the World T20 thingy
Is it to lull England into an Un-English positivity? Or could there in fact be a far simpler explanation?
Symonds and booze: Cricket Australia’s double standards
Andrew Symonds has an alcohol problem. So does Cricket Australia, writes Gideon Haigh.
Sayonara Symonds, there will never be another you
James Sutherland will never allow us another you, Roy. You are it, a dying breed of drunkard cricketer.
