I try to stonewall, bowl leg spin, field in close and sledge relentlessly, but in reality I'm usually out injured. Now retired and trying to coach. Just as rubbish with a pen as with a bat.
According to legend, New Zealand is the home of the battler: of the Chatfield, the Vettori, the Larsen. These shores spurn greats – Warne and McGrath are unworthy of donning the fern; the flavours of Paul Wiseman and Chris Martin being much more to taste. No other country boasts cult heroes of the Chris Harris … More Shayne O’Connor: ‘He never, ever let the team down’ (Part 1)
This is the second part of Mind the Windows’ chat with Eddo Brandes. Read part one here. Today, it reads like a who’s who of Zimbabwean greats: Zimbabwe’s skippers at the 1987, ‘92, ‘96 and ‘99 World Cups all appear, the illustrious Grant Flower made his presence felt with a first-innings 82, and the previously … More ‘He led from the front’ – the Eddo Brandes story (Part 2)
Journalists are prone to hyperbole: the best ever, the greatest of all time, and the New Somebody are bandied about often. As for ‘what could have been’ – well, that’s where embellishment runs free. So for a writer to suggest what Eddo Brandes ‘could’ve been’ doesn’t mean much.
Read part one of the interview with Cumming here. It might’ve taken an injury to Michael Papps, but Craig Cumming had done well after getting a shot in five-day cricket: 74 on debut, promise against Sri Lanka. After that summer, however, having re-emerged as a one-day option and done alright in Test cricket, Cumming suddenly found … More Craig Cumming: ‘It’s the game that I love’ (part 2)
It’s early 2008, and both New Zealand openers are just barely holding onto their positions. At one end stands Matthew Bell; playing his first Test in six years, and proving something of a lightning rod for criticism. Bell, one can’t help but feel, could have been one of New Zealand’s best with just a hint … More Craig Cumming: ‘It’s the game that I love’ (part 1)
Michael Papps, two Crowes and a Hick. It sounds like the beginning of a very surreal ‘walk into a bar’ joke – in fact, it’s an eclectic quartet of batsmen with one mutual achievement. They’re the only four men to score 1000 runs in a Plunket Shield season. Or at least, they were the only … More Bharat Popli: ND’s new prodigy
Ian Blackwell’s record, Tim Wigmore once wrote, “made him arguably the best county all-rounder of the 2000s.” That record was very good: he played for a decade and a half, making over 11,000 First Class runs, averaging barely a shade under 40, and picking up over 600 wickets (across formats) to boot.
With Pakistan’s opening match of the World T20 starting in a few hours, Devon and Saif look at the side’s chances.
Our World T20 previews continue, with Devon discussing the West Indies. Will they repeat 2012, or will it be another turn in the downwards spiral?
Carrying on our previews of the World T20, Devon looks at Bangladesh. With the preliminary draw starting, it begs the question – will the Tigers get to the main draw?
Mind The Windows 