Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 87 i Wisden Cricket Monthly

Crawley's inconsistency is almost a calling card and his overall record is modest but he has played significant innings against India and Australia, England's next two opponents. But, more to the point, I don't see an obvious replacement JOHN STERN JOHN STERN WCM editor-at large In any major selection decision process, you want to try and ensure that you're getting your best players in the team. If you ditch a long-standing incumbent, are you improving the team with the change you're making? Firstly, my gut feel is that England will stick with Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope. They seem too heavily invested in both to ditch them now. Should they? Yes and no. Crawley's inconsistency is almost a calling card and his overall record is modest but he has played…

‘You don't play 20 years for England and suddenly stop caring. I had eight years away but that passion didn't go away. Watching over the winter, it hurt me as much as it did the players’ Charlotte Edwards bustles in to the media centre at Lord's carrying a bulging holdall and an open secret. She knows I know what the secret is. Everyone knows. But play along we must. Since being, to all intents, reinstated to the position of the most powerful woman in English cricket, Edwards’ first job had been to choose a new captain, after Heather Knight's epic stint reached a melancholic end in the aftermath of a 16-0 job in Australia. She wasted little time securing the woman she wanted. But with circumstances delaying the official announcement…

BEN GARDNER Managing editor of Wisden.com As a rule, meetings of the ICC's various sub-groups are dull and closely guarded, two things that make them journalistic kryptonite. Official releases are rare, and the details that do emerge – a tweak to a competition regulation here, a shift in an overrate penalty there – are barely worth keeping secret in the first place. But in Harare last month, a gathering of the ICC's chief executives committee, comprising those in charge of all the Full Member boards, defied both, with a series of lengthy quotes from a source inside the meeting putting cricket's governing body on the warpath with the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA), the global players’ union, and therefore with the players themselves. “The message is clear,” quoted the Times of…

FROM BOWLING LEGGIES IN SYDNEY TO OPENING THE BATTING AT LORD'S, THE MIDDLESEX OPENER SPEAKS TO JO HARMAN ABOUT THE HINGE POINTS IN HIS CAREER PART 1 FROM NSW TO NW8 Born in the Sydney suburb of Paddington to an Australian father and Nottingham-born mother, Robson was on the books with New South Wales as a leg-spinning all-rounder before deciding to pursue a career in England. I bowled a lot of leggies growing up in Australia. In age-group cricket I was an opening batter who bowled leg-spin and then when I was 15 or 16 and started playing with adults I'd bat down the order and my leggies took over for a couple of years. Playing for Australia under-19s, I'd bowl a lot of overs and I reckon I probably…

WIN! Send your answers to editorial@wisden.com. Entries must be received by June 2, 2025 1. 5 years ago… On May 1, 2020, New Zealand had three men in the top 10 of the ICC's Test bowling rankings. Trent Boult was No.9 and Tim Southee was No.4 but which Kiwi occupied the No.2 spot? 2. 10 years ago… On May 24, 2015, who made the fastest Test hundred ever recorded at Lord's? 3. 15 years ago… On May 27, 2010, who made their Test debut for England against Bangladesh at Lord's and finished their 16-match Test career with a batting average of 30.43? 4. 20 years ago… On May 8, 2005, which New Zealander made 238 in a County Championship match at The Oval and went on to captain his county…

With James Anderson set to receive a knighthood in recognition of his record-breaking England career, Andrew Miller attempts to unpick the “arbitrary and arcane” British honours system. COLUMNIST In April, two of England's finest received blessings from two distinct, but uncannily similar, establishments. First came the news that Sir James Anderson would be arising, as the first specialist England fast bowler to be knighted since Sir Alec Bedser in 1996. Then, at Lord's a fortnight later, Charlotte Edwards became only the third women's cricketer (out of a total of 287) to be honoured with an official MCC portrait. In each case, the scarcity of precedent tells a story every bit as intriguing as the accolade itself. Insofar as there's a purpose in prefixing a ‘Sir’ to the name of a…

With Jay Shah, the BCCI's former secretary, now helming the ICC, Lawrence Booth argues it's more important than ever that the game's administration is held to account COLUMNIST In the editor's notes of this year's Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, I argued – with a heavy heart – that the appointment of Jay Shah as ICC chair was the moment “cricket gave up any claim to being properly administered”. Too harsh? Or a reasonable response to the latest example of Indian hegemony? Shah, remember, had moved over from the BCCI, where one of his final deeds was to confirm that India wouldn't travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy – a tournament of which he was now in charge thanks to his new role at the ICC. It was hardly a stretch…

Brook, no argument Following the unveiling of Harry Brook as England's new white-ball captain, pod regular Mark Butcher backed the decision. “I think he's the right man for the job,” said Butch. “There has been some concern about Brook's workload given that he plays for England in all three formats, and further down the line that could potentially become an issue. But for the first couple of years, it's unlikely to take too much of a toll on him. He's a young man, he's very hungry, and by pulling out of the IPL he's freed up some time to get his head straight and his game in order for the challenges ahead.” Lottie steps up The big news in English women's cricket last month was the appointment of Charlotte Edwards…

Derbyshire NEXT MEN'S MATCHES: Lancs, CC (A), May 16-19; Kent, CC (H), May 23-26; Leics, T20 (A), May 30; Northants, T20 (H), June 4; Notts, T20 (A), June 6; Birmingham, T20 (A), June 8; Durham, T20 (A), June 11 Madsen reappointment ignites red-ball revival Way back in 2012, when Wayne Madsen was beginning his fourth season at Derbyshire and his first as club captain, the South African led his side back to the top tier of the County Championship for the first time in 12 years. Given the misery of last season, when Derbyshire finished bottom of the pile with a solitary victory, 20 points adrift, it would be an extraordinary achievement if Madsen was able to repeat that feat this summer following his reappointment as skipper in March. But…

DANIEL GALLAN Lecturer and freelance sportswriter Shukri Conrad, South Africa's coach, opted to address the C-word head on. Speaking to his players in the dressing room at SuperSport Park in Centurion, the Proteas were 128 runs away from victory over Pakistan and qualification for a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. They'd lost three quick wickets in the fading light on day three with only 27 on the board but had senior opener Aiden Markram and skipper Temba Bavuma at the crease. With batting to come, the atmosphere should have been relaxed. It wasn't. “I wanted to chuck a grenade and see who would show some balls,” the straight-talking Conrad recalls. “I didn't want to tip-toe around the subject. We'd choked before. There's no point denying that. Were…

1992 The year Zimbabwe were granted Test match status, becoming the ninth Test nation 0 Number of Test matches played against England, India and Australia since September 2005 12 Zimbabwe's position in the ICC Test rankings, putting them bottom of the pile 1995 The year of Zimbabwe's first Test win, against Pakistan at Harare 14 Number of Test wins in their history; the most recent came against Bangladesh last month at Sylhet 2019 The year Zimbabwe was suspended from the ICC for government interference; they were reinstated three months later…

Going a few years back, Graham Onions was the pick of the crop. I remember in my early to middle years, he was amazing. The best bowler around who wasn't regularly with England. He was mighty difficult to face. He had my number a few times. In his pomp he was certainly fast enough to hit you in the head. Highly skilful and he just didn't miss. In English conditions he had the ability to nip the ball around at a pretty good pace. I don't think I had much success against him. In more recent times it would be Ollie Robinson. We played Sussex a lot in the few years before he played for England and we always knew how good he was and that he'd do well if…

Good morning Mr Davies, My son, XX, only joined the school in September as part of the cricket pathway. It was a huge decision and one we didn't make lightly as [it is] a long, daily commute for a 12-year-old! Since starting at BACA, XX is a different boy. He is a happier child and comes home with eagerness and wants to share how his day has been. This wasn't the case at his previous school. His ability in maths is now unrecognisable and similarly in science. Please share my thanks, gratitude and huge appreciation to your team, as I know you don't have an easy job. I feel completely reassured that he's in good hands and you are helping him to be the best version of himself. Kindest regards,…

12. ROUND THE GROUND BY ‘FELIX’ [TOM HORAN] (1893-1916) Throughout the summer months, we'll be looking at works of cricket history which can be divided, very roughly, into three categories. First are the books of official record, sometimes commissioned by governing bodies, where the requirements are a neutral narrative voice, factual accuracy and a focus on the game itself. Some of these authorised versions are invaluable; some of them, consciously or unconsciously, speak power to truth. Second are the historical surveys where the author's own character and agenda are more present, the attitude to authority more irreverent and the presentation of cricket more socially contextualised: we've already looked at the most influential example, Beyond a Boundary. Third are the oral histories, either deliberately intended as such or good journalism which…

THIS MONTH'S DIARIST APRIL 2 The start of the season is always hectic. Loads to talk about. The Hundred sell-off certainly makes things interesting! That pot of money gives the club security, but we need to generate money on our own terms, outside of the ECB's help. That's the challenge. A lot of talk, too, as ever, about the schedule. Is 14 first-class games too many? Is three groups of six and play-offs the way to go? Can we afford to reduce the number of Blast games by a couple, and would the counties be OK with that? For me, the 10-8 split across the two Championship divisions doesn't work. We play 14 games, but we don't play everyone twice. We only play Surrey and Essex once this season, for…

*Only available to UK residents LETTER OF THE MONTH Cricket's ticking time bomb? Once hailed as a future Australian great, Will Pucovski's forced retirement at the tender age of 27 due to repeated concussions is a sad reminder of the dangers posed by shortpitched pace bowling. Whilst it should be noted that not all of Pucovski's concussions were inflicted on the cricket field, it also made me think that cricket may have underestimated its concussion problem. From the advent and mandating of helmets to the introduction of concussion substitutes (as discussed in WCM85), there is no denying that the game has made tremendous strides in seeking to limit brain injuries – perhaps far more so than other sports. However, the retirement of Pucovski should be seen as both a wake-up…

IT had to be him. When Harry Brook was announced as England's new white-ball captain last month, the appointment made immediate sense. You could almost hear the relief. They've got one right. Rob Key did admit to a dalliance with the idea of Ben Stokes before conceding, not unreasonably, that he has knee-knack, is twice retired from ODI cricket and has two series to secure the legacy of his Test team. After Stokes, there was no one else. Which is not to paint Brook's appointment as throwing it at the last man standing. True, they may have preferred a smoother succession plan, making the call, say, after the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka that follows the Ashes, ideally in those sun-drenched moments after Jos Buttler, demons…

December 2023-January 2024 South Africa 1-1 India Dean Elgar's defiant century sets up an innings win at Centurion before the Proteas are skittled for 55 at Newlands, going on to lose by seven wickets. February 2024 New Zealand 2-0 South Africa A second-string South African side are swept aside by 281 runs in Mount Maunganui before Kane Williamson steers the Black Caps to a seven-wicket win in Hamilton and a series whitewash. August 2024 West Indies 0-1 South Africa After a stalemate in Trinidad, the visitors take the series after claiming a 40-run victory in a low-scoring encounter in Guyana, with Wiaan Mulder named Player of the Match for his six wickets and crucial 34 in the second innings. October 2024 Bangladesh 0-2 South Africa Kyle Verreynne's first-innings ton sets…

CAMERON PONSONBY Freelance sportswriter Last year my club played an anniversary fixture against the MCC. Amongst the opposition was a youngster who had played for England under-19s earlier that year. We noted this. And decided that since he was still a teenager, he couldn't be very good. He made 150. Cover drives went to the right-hand side of cover rather than the left. Blocks to mid-on were struck rather than bunted, and he did it all with a smile on his face, never once taking the ball off the carpet. Without wishing to be twee, it was a pleasant experience being the victim of it all. Upon walking off, we were informed of something alarming. Despite playing for his country earlier in the year, he had found himself out of…

The club season has arrived, bringing with it a familiar and welcome sense of joy after a long winter of waiting and anticipation. With community at its core, recreational cricket can still help shape society. At its best, the club game offers an antidote to a world which can feel increasingly fragmented by individualism. Following February's announcement of the sale of the eight Hundred franchises to private investors, raising upwards of half a billion pounds, the club game has reached a crucial juncture. The ECB has agreed a distribution model that will see 100 per cent of sale proceeds shared between the recreational and professional game, with the first 10 per cent of any portion of the ECB's share, or a host county's share, going straight to club cricket, so…

Do you know someone deserving of a place in the Wisden Club Cricket Hall of Fame? Email editorial@wisden.com My first victory as Durham captain, against Yorkshire, and I took 5-15 and won Man of the Match! As cricketing days go, you can't really beat that, can you? “We all have our 15 minutes of fame, apparently, and that was certainly mine,” recalls Brian Lander of his List-A debut at Harrogate in 1973, when Durham pulled off the first ever Gillette Cup giant-killing while travelling supporters belted out Blaydon Races. “It was a Boy's Own story: my first victory as Durham captain, against Yorkshire, and I took 5-15 and won Man of the Match! As cricketing days go, you can't really beat that, can you?” Lander, then a 31-year-old operations manager…

A lot of people who go plantbased, they say they wish they'd done it sooner. I'm certainly in that camp There are many reasons why people choose to follow a plant-based diet. I watched a documentary called Earthlings, and overnight that changed my whole outlook. I was never a real animal-lover growing up. We had pets and stuff, but I was just too focused on sport. But the documentary really hit home how we as humans treat other species on our planet. It really opened my eyes. Following on from that I did my own research, and I made the decision that I don't want to be part of that. I went through a phase where I was probably a little bit preachy, but ultimately this is me. This is…