Free Chapter from The Exhaustive Guide to Club Cricket

The Exhaustive Guide to Club Cricket came out earlier this week and as a little taster, I've leaked a free (yes free) chapter of the book. Here it is, which is all about the struggle that all clubbies have of where to park you car when arriving at an opposition ground. We've all been there! The follow up to the number one best seller in its category on Amazon, The Definitive Guide to Club Cricket, it is an anthropological look at the individuals who play recreational cricket during an English summer. With a foreword by Middlesex CCC keeper John Simpson, there will be a donation to Melanoma UK of some of the royalties - that is unless you nick a copy from a library, as we all know how tight club cricketers can be. You can grab your copy here by clicking on the link... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Exhaustive-Guide-Club-Cricket/dp/1729676960/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543657955&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Exhaustive+Guide+to+Club+Cricket

Review of the 2nd Test in Sri Lanka

After the win in the south, England were straight back into action as they travelled to the centre of the island. Pallekele, a suburb of Kandy was the scene of this thriller. A victory in Galle is nothing to be sniffed at so it would be interesting to see if this was a flash in the walang as they say in these parts, or if England were the real deal? What sort of pitch would be prepared? Who'd bat three, a role that for England is marginally more in demand than the Minister for Brexit is at present? Bairstow or Foakes, or Buttler - who would be the English backstop as they say in political terms? There were so many questions flying about in the run up, I thought Dimbleby would pop up and say, "Yes, you. The Australian sounding chap in the hat with the glasses", as he pointed towards Trevor Bayliss. Ding, ding, seconds out, round two...

Pallekele

Review of the 1st Test in Sri Lanka

So England were allegedly happy with a nought nought by the fort. Whatever we could get to take into the two pitches where we had a better chance of winning the series would be a good result. England were going into the Lion’s Den, Herath’s last Hurrah, Murali’s Manor etc etc. Could England stay in the mini series in Sri Lanka after this interrogation in the south of Sri Lanka? Or would rain win yet again after a one day series where Columbo in his rain coat would be equipped for the weather around Colombo? This is the review of the First Test in Galle…

Stunning Galle

The Great Cricket World Cup Swindle

I fancied buying a ticket for one of the London matches in next year's World Cup. Having attended my first World Cup match at Lord's for the Prudential World Cup in 1979, it would be nice to see a game forty years later. Or so I thought? Today, I looked into buying a couple of tickets for England v South Africa at the Oval. What I found horrified me. The Cricket World Cup has become just like any other major event here in the UK and it is you and me, the average fan who is being ripped off. I realised that without admin fees or delivery charges, a pair of tickets would set me back £450. Ticketing for anything within the entertainment industry, cricket included, needs looking at. And fast.

Cricket Utopia

I saw a tweet in the week where someone was trying to argue the point that the streaming of games, as most counties now do on their website, is affecting the amount of people that go through the gates. For me, it is the opposite. The counties do a great job, it enhances interest in the sport and it is the way forward. Cricket and television should work side by side and here is what would happen in the ideal world; my county cricket utopia...

Peter West and chums...

Social Media

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Periscope and Snapchat. These are just a handful of sites that sports teams are using these days to interact with the fans. A link between clubs and their communities has now gone from the odd hospital visit at Christmas time, to a full on integration with the fans, showing everything from the inner sanctum of the dressing room to what is in a player's kit bag. But is it a good thing? And have now fans taken it too far showing a disregard for the player, due to their accessibility?

Worcestershire...success

Review of the 5th Test v India

So it was the farewell match for The Chef. South London, the home of the Richardsons, the gangsters and not Richie of the West Indies and his family, turned out to witness not only an adios but a thrilling Test match. It may have been a dead rubber but it was a fantastic game of proper old fashioned, Test match cricket. Credit to India for their part in a wonderful series, played the right way - hard but fair. This was Test cricket at its very best...

The Oval

Farewell, Chef....

So it's the end of an era then? Alastair, not Alistair or Alisdair as I have seen written recently, Cook this week announced that this Test at the Oval would be his last for England. Just as he dispatched a leg stump half volley, or nailed a short, wide one through point, his timing was perfect. He leaves us as our country's highest run scorer, our record Test capped player and a place in the heart of all cricket fans. We'll still see him, playing for his beloved Essex, where he came through club cricket at Maldon CC but we won't see him as an ever present Three Lions wearing legend, serving his country by dodging the bullets of the quicks, like a modern day Nelson. As Lord Nelson said, "England expects that every man will do his duty". Cook has certainly done his...

The Chef

Schedulefreude

County members are revolting. There, I've said it. I'm not talking about that 'oh so eligible' overweight bachelor, perennially in the same seat, who sprays peanuts and other remnants of his packed lunch at you as he discusses the merits of his county, although he is indeed, fairly revolting. I'm talking about county members who are giving up their memberships. And in droves. The scheduling of the ECB has got under the skin of many cricket fans up and down the country and people are starting to vote with their wallet. The game in the UK is on a knife edge.

The oldest festival in cricket at Cheltenham...but for how long?

Review of the 3rd Test v India

So the series is alive. India bounced back here after their appalling display at Lord’s and it was left for England to lament by the Trent. An intriguing Test match which just about went into the fifth day, was on offer for those in the East Midlands but India showed character and heart at this famous old venue. This was a review of the Third Test Match between England and India from Trent Bridge…

Trent Bridge