Overkill?

For those of you who are regular readers, I have recent been writing about the problems that face club cricket at present and an article in The Cricket Paper recently has drawn much debate regarding the number of juniors who are turning their back on the game. The following, thought provoking article was sent to me by a chap called Adrian Butters who plays his cricket up in sunny Staffordshire. Adrian wonders if we are playing too much cricket at a junior level and it is an interesting point. It's definitely worth a read...

Lloyd...trading blows

A Clear Blue Sky - Book Review

Twenty years ago yesterday, an eight year old boy came home from school with his sister Becky and found that the man he looked up to, adored and even idolised had committed suicide. That boy is now playing his 50th Test match for England, the pinnacle of his dreams and his career. So it is only fitting that I review the brilliant new book by Jonny Bairstow and Duncan Hamilton called A Clear Blue Sky. I have to say it is one of the most moving and honest books that I have ever had the fortune of picking up.

Ones to watch in 2018

So we do this every year. We have a look at who will be the names to look out for in 2018. We look into the magical crystal ball we have here at Stump Towers (not Trump Towers) - sort of like Doris Stokes to pick out the next Ben Stokes. Sometimes we get it right - Haseeb Hamed, Toby Roland Jones and many others who have represented their country. Other times we get numerous names such as "that Joe Root at Yorkshire has got a good chance of making it in 2018". These are the guys who are on the fringes of their county sides, the ones that you will hear more about and these are our ones to look out for in 2018.

Tector...quality