We’re one round into the Shield, in a domestic summer where eyes are cast forward towards the Ashes. Instead, we at Mind the Windows have decided to hark back to the glory days of Australian domestic cricket. The days of an ageing Brad Hodge, a rotating band of South Aussie spinners with Cullen in their … More Six Ball Over: Travis Birt
Brian Davison, one of the finest players ever to come out of Rhodesia or Zimbabwe, had a career spanning three countries and 53 First Class hundreds. He talks to Mind The Windows. … More Brian Davison: Soldier, Warrior, Unexpected Chief (pt. 1)
It’s meant to be semi-regular, but instead it’s about as common as Halley’s Comet. It’s supposed to be funny or insightful or something (?), but instead it’s…well it’s just not. It’s Dev vs Dan! This time, our picks for who should pair Alastair Cook; from Nick Compton to Sam Robson to Angus Robson to the … More Dev vs Dan: Cook’s opening partner
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.
Just under three weeks after the one-day series against Australia finishes, England will arrive in the UAE ahead of a three Test match series against Pakistan, followed by four ODIs and three T20s. England were whitewashed 3-0 in 2012 on the last tour of the UAE, even with a settled Test side with an established … More Who’s the third Pommy spinner?
“That’s probably the best one.” Ray Illingworth, a 51 year old veteran-to-end-all-veterans, was trundling in to bowl his winding off-spin. Despite having supposedly retired several years earlier, and despite having been a First Class cricketer for over three decades, Illingworth’s performances in 1983 were more than commendable. Leading a Yorkshire side ruptured by internal schisms, … More Geoff Humpage: Unwavering Warwickshire (part 1)
November 16, 2012 Nick Compton sits in the English dressing room, deep in the bowels of Sardar Patel Stadium. Strapping on his pads, preparing his gloves. He is about to realise his dream, though undoubtedly it does not quite match up with the way he envisioned it as a child. With Alastair Cook by his … More The Rise and Fall of Nick Compton: Becoming an Underdog (Part 1)
While the KP drama of will he or won’t he be picked rolled on, many judged that while a player of his abilities should slide straight into a side that just drew a Test series against a tame Windies, and had been knocked out embarrassingly early in the World Cup. The argument against was simply, … More Steven Davies: a genuine candidate
When George Dobell wrote his profile of Warwickshire’s Rikki Clarke for ESPNCricinfo, he probably felt quite justified in penning the line “Promoted too early and written off too soon”. On the surface it seems a fair assumption. Selected for England the year after his First Class debut, Clarke was then discarded after two Tests and … More Rikki Clarke: more than a journeyman
Sports coaches have possibly the most fragile jobs in the world. In all sports, but particularly football and cricket, coaches are the first to have their head on the chopping block after a defeat. Even in the quiet fields of County Cricket, the job of a coach is tenuous at best. Most survive one cycle, … More Building the County Champions: The Mick Newell interview
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