An eclectic, whimsical oeuvre of musings and ponderings on cricket, lovely cricket.
For the average Football fan the arrival of the FA Cup Third Round is a much cherished occasion. The juxtaposition of the sport’s leading lights with their lower division and non-league equivalents provokes that sepia tinged sense of romance that is the bedrock of a sports fan’s psyche. The underdog crossing paths with the sport’s... Continue Reading →
Once every few months or so a similar article appears. The names of the players involved and the exact details of the match itself obviously change each time but the theme very much remains the same. In a nondescript match player X has scored an astonishing number of runs off of a ridiculously low number... Continue Reading →
When considering county cricket’s great conundrum regarding the modest support for the County Championship there are a litany of reasons, many of which are multi-layered and intertwined, as to why attendances do not match those in more popular formats such as the T20 Blast. Simple, obvious factors such as the timings of matches, which days... Continue Reading →
“Bowler’s Name?!” It’s a refrain commonplace across the recreational cricket playing fraternity, one that is part of the fabric of a contest and has become part of the game’s vast lexicon. Most who have scored a contest will have hollered the question into the ether in an attempt to discover the unknown and complete the... Continue Reading →
Wormsley - Quintessence: There is a fine line between quintessence and parody. Familiarity generated by the former can often lead to a metamorphosis into the latter. The notion of a quintessentially English cricket ground is well worn territory possessing the inherent danger of venturing down a cul-de-sac filled with clichés and tropes. Regardless of such... Continue Reading →
Falkland – A Tour: Some venues capture one’s heart the moment one arrives. Sometimes the reasons are obvious, sometimes one cannot quite put one’s finger on a particular aspect or feature. Perhaps the prevailing atmosphere or the natural surroundings forge a niche in one’s cricketing soul, providing a sense of calm and escapism from everyday... Continue Reading →
Arundel - Tranquillity: The danger of famous, much espoused venues are that oftentimes they fail to live up to the hype or one’s heightened personal expectations. Thousands of words have been written about the beauty of the Castle Ground at Arundel to the point where reality could easily fail to match the fulsome reviews and... Continue Reading →
Challow Childrey – Escape to the Country: All the best venues take you away from the hurly-burly of the everyday grind. The sense of escapism is both physical and metaphorical. Occasionally a venue remains in the city or its suburbs but many such escapist locales enjoy a rural atmosphere. The Minor / National Counties season... Continue Reading →
Hove – Serendipity by the Sea: Spectating is often about routines. Familiar journeys, familiar patterns, familiar actions and pursuits. Oftentimes, the joy of the journey is about its sheer repetitiveness. One’s personal venture from the eastern vestiges of Southampton to the chi chi suburbs of Hove involves a train trip across the county border and... Continue Reading →
Ask any bowler and they will politely, but somewhat forthrightly, inform you that cricket is a batsman's / woman’s game. Ever since WG Grace curtly informed the opposition and umpires, upon being bowled first ball in an exhibition match, that the crowd were here to see him bat, not them bowl, cricket has arguably possessed... Continue Reading →
