Good morning!
Quick point about a new outlet I found today. The Cricket Files has interesting writing on the County Cricket game – especially the business and admin side of it – but there’s something a little…off about it.
They only have one link, to a YouTube channel with a couple of AI generated shorts of anchors talking about cricket news. Neither of their authors can be found with a Google or social media search, and both are given text credits rather than byline credits (so there’s no profile link to check for authenticity). Even the psychologist they use for one of their stories is not easy to verify because it’s a generic name.
That all being said, the stories seem fine. I don’t know enough about the topics to pick holes in them, but I discovered it via a well-known County expert – Annie Chave – recommending the first story on X. I’ve reached out to her about whether she knows them, and will let you know.
It could just be a couple of older, traditional journalists who’ve never explored the digital world trying their hand at new things. My spidey sense is very circumstantial. But – the context is worth knowing beforehand in my opinion.
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🏏 Cricket Roundup: AFG-SA goes to two Super Overs, Chase breaks ENG, & are IRE’s giant-killing days behind them?
SA beat AFG in (2!) super overs, WI beat ENG by 30 runs, & AUS beat IRE by 67 runs.
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🇿🇦🇦🇫 | 🚨 Tarutr Malhotra has 2,317 words on how the SA-AFG game unfolded via the story of 24 super over balls, & 🔒 Gideon Haigh writes on the momentousness of the game which can’t be found anywhere but in an international.
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🌴🏴 | Vishal Dikshit on Roston Chase’s all-round effort, & Nagraj Gollapudi interviewed Sam Curran about his ‘Moonball’ before the game.
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🇦🇺🇮🇪 | Andrew Fernando on Nathan Ellis’ key role in AUS new look pace attack, & Nathan Johns asks why Irish scalps seem so improbable now.
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🔒 Jarrod Kimber/Shayan Khan have statistical points from two of the games.
NAM haven’t been given any night practices, while IND have two.
📚 Best Features: The financial health of the County game, & profiling Middlesex’s Chairman.
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“The County Cricket Financial Settlement”
✍️ Gary Mason & Simon Aldis analyse the financial health of the County game in England, especially with regards to the recent troubles at Sussex. -
“The Permanent Volunteer”
✍️ Gary Mason, Simon Aldis & Michelle Mason analyse the architect of the troubles at Middlesex, the Chairman Mike O’Farrell.
🗞️ Quick News: The PSL auction, the need for laminated bats, & the evolution of fantasy gaming.
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The PSL auction was a big success with Naseem Shah’s contract the biggest purchase, & the PCB has announced a $3.2M PSL media rights deal.
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RCB won’t be allowed to play in Navi Mumbai.
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The BCB announce a Women’s Bangladesh Premier League.
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Ethan Gudge on why the MCC allowed laminated bats at the semi-pro level.
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Javed Farooqui tracks the changes in gaming after India’s gambling ban.
📺 A/V: The life of a globe-trotting teenage prodigy (not that one).
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“What the WPL is really like”
🎤 Katya Witney & Lauren Winfield-Hill with 19-year old Lucy Hamilton on playing in the WPL this year, playing in the WNCL for 4 years, & her maiden AUS call up. My teenage years were not that productive. [Apple/Spotify]
That’s it for today!
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