What a Test match that was. Although it wasn’t the ideal result from my one-eyed English point of view, the match itself was still alive as a contest right down until the final over of the fifth day. In terms of Test match viewing, it is hard to demand more than that. I shan’t elaborate…
Technology in cricket is undoubtedly beneficial to the game; that much is clear. But could technology, and DRS in particular, be limiting, and reducing the role of the umpire? For over 100 years, the role of the humble cricket umpire remained unchanged, not only were they the sole adjudicators of LBW decisions, they were also…
Today, fast bowling tearaway Brett Lee declared that he was hanging up his boots at the end of the current Big Bash season. He is the final regular member of Australia’s all conquering Test side of the late 90’s and early 00’s to call time on his career. Looking back, Lee can be pleased at…
For the fourth and final instalment of my look at the new generation of Test batman, I’ll be turning my attention to New Zealand’s Kane Williamson. Alongside Smith, Kohli and Root, Kane Williamson is part of a quartet that look set to dominate the Test game over the next decade. The Kiwi batsman has…
For the third instalment of my look at Test cricket’s greatest young batsman, I turn my attention to the Indian stroke-maker Virat Kohli. At just 26 years of age, Kohli’s CV is already a source of jealousy for much more experienced players. He has racked up nearly 150 ODI appearances, including 21 centuries, to go…
A half-hearted sway forward. An angled bat coming down lazily. The ball skids on through bat and pad. Alviro Petersen is bowled by Sulieman Benn and is dismissed for possibly the final time in Test cricket. Chasing just 122 for the win, Petersen appeared edgy at the crease and looked all at sea against the…
When talk turns to who’s the greatest Test batsman after Don Bradman, the same names are put forward almost invariably. Sachin Tendulkar, Viv Richards, Wally Hammond, Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis to name but a few. But one man has a better Test average than all of these greats. Kumar Sangakkara has been scoring…
It has often been said over the past half -decade or so that the England Test side has been too much of a closed shop. That honest consistently performing county pro’s where never seriously considered for promotion to the national side. All that changed however during a terrible winter for English cricket, as we saw…
It wasn’t surprising when Graeme Smith retired during the last test against South Africa, but it was still a sad moment for world cricket and obviously for South African cricket. Smith was appointed captain of his national team, aged just 22 and still seemed wet behind the ears when he led his side out for…
As well as writing for ‘Deep Extra Cover’ this season, I will also be contributing articles for cricketworld.com. The first of these articles has just been published and in it I argue the case for Eoin Morgan’s inclusion in the Test side. http://www.cricketworld.com/comment-is-it-time-to-turn-to-morgan-/36481.htm
Jack Vittles 