✍️ Jarrod Kimber on Joe Root’s old fashioned century amidst the modern chaos.
“Joe Root has patience; England do not.
Root could have been out early on Day 1 of the second Ashes Test, pushing at a ball outside offstump, almost finding a diving second slip. That can happen to any No.4 who is in early because the top order has collapsed. This is what we would call normal cricket. Although now, it should be called retro cricket.
Because it was nothing like what we see much anymore from England.
Bazball is rarely about soft-hand pushes.”
✍️ Purnima Malhotra talks to Jemimah Rodrigues about her tournament-defining century against Australia in the World Cup semifinal. You can read the follow up about Jemi’s struggles with anxiety and cricketing support system here.
“I think it was 32 balls, 36 runs required when Aman walked in. So, the moment Aman walks in, I was like, this is a perfect scenario for both of us because I know Aman well. I love batting with Aman because she is a very busy player and she runs well. We both run really well between the wickets.
So, I told her, simple game plan. Singles off every ball. Loose balls, we convert it into boundaries or sixes. And I told her to be ready for twos.”
✍️ Mark Nicholas remembers the life and times of Robin Smith.
“He was raised by a joyous if quirky father who pushed him hard, and the kindest, most gentle, ballet-teaching mother. They brought in a coach, the former Natal batter, clear-thinking Grayson Heath, and the triangle of learning and improvement was set in stone.
Robin played mainly forward and drove straight and off his toes with splendid certainty. Those who tried to force him back were viciously cut and pulled. It was simple, exciting and effective. Obviously to us all at the time, a star was born.”
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“Raise Hell”
✍️ Stephan Shemilt remembers the intoxicating brilliance of Duncan Spencer. -
“The Ashes enter the Twilight Zone”
✍️ Matt Roller on why pink ball games are so different – and so hard. -
“How decision making actually works”
✍️ Olly Tapp provides a coach’s perspective on how batters make split-second “decisions” when facing 140+ kph pacers. -
“What if teams got more points for taking Tests longer?”
✍️ Kartikeya Date tries to use data to make the WTC make more sense, while also accounting for fan experience and other needs.
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“Data, Tactics & Truth”
📽️ Ashwin hosts Jarrod Kimber & Himanish Ganjoo in an enlightening chat on the numbers behind IND’s terrible red ball form. [YouTube] -
“Best Since Bradman”
🎤 Stories After Stumps have an oral history of Steve Smith’s iconic return in the 2019 Ashes. [Apple/Spotify] -
“MS Dhoni, Australia & Test Cricket’s Big Questions”
📽️ Stick to Cricket host Mike Hussey to talk about his time with Australia, CSK, & the future of Test cricket. [YouTube] -
“KL Rahul vs Impossible 100”
📽️ Kevin Pietersen hosts KL Rahul for a fun challenge to score 100 runs off 50 balls – with every ball going up in pace from 51 to 100 mph. [YouTube]