CATEGORIES

Kohli leads RCB to much-needed win

VIRAT KOHLI returned to top form with 72 not out to lead RCB to an eight-wicket victory over the Royals in Abu Dhabi.

TEWATIA HAS SPARKED MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE IPL

James Wallace admits he has been surprisingly taken in by the IPL so far – and, in particular, the performance of a new Royal renegade

Whitewash victory is just the T20 tonic for Keightley

A SERIES that few thought would come to fruition ended in triumph for England who completed a 5-0 whitewash of the West Indies in Derby.

TEN OUT OF TEN! RYAN IS BASKING IN MORE GLORY

Chris Stocks catches up with Ryan ten Doeschate, who has plotted Essex’s recent county domination every step of the way

Surrey have the Will to end hoodoo

WILL Jacks may be a hot batting prospect but he’s relished the added responsibility with the ball in Surrey’s charge to T20 Finals Day.

NOW IT'S OUR TIME TO HELP OTHERS

Chris Stocks catches up with England’s director of cricket and discusses the need for the ECB to help boards around the world

IT'S OFTEN DOWN TO A THROW OF THE DICE

Garfield Robinson explains just how big a part luck plays in determining success or failure in sport

FINDING TALENTS LIKE TOM IS A GAIN IN ITSELF

One of the unexpected highlights to emerge from English cricket’s Covid-attenuated season was the chance given to young players to strut their stuff. With many overseas players and Kolpaks affected by travel restrictions many counties looked instead to the young talent on their staffs with gratifying results.

Future looks bright for the Ohio Slinger

ALI Khan is earning his stars and stripes in the Indian Premier League, with the first American to play in the tournament breaking down barriers in every sense.

Spin trio put squeeze on after Glenn shows off skill with the bat

SARAH GLENN helped England spin it to win it after proving she can make an all-round contribution.

South Africa series to begin a hectic winter overseas

Now that the England men’s international summer is over, the question is just when we will see them play again?

Steelbacks set their sights on revenge

Gloucestershire v Northants October 1, Bristol, 2 pm

Gunn has youngsters on target for top, says Hill

NORTHERN Diamonds talent manager Courtney Hill has hailed the blend of youth and experience that has propelled her side into today’s Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy final.

OVER TO YOU, SIR!

Stage is set for Cook to steer Essex to glory

Brotherly love goes out of the window – for one day only!

IT was the Curran show in Sharjah on Tuesday evening – and the elder brother is the holder of the bragging rights after the Rajasthan Royals beat the Chennai Super Kings.

Crawley's eager to cap breakthrough season in fine style

Surrey v Kent October 1, Kia Oval, 1 pm

Barmy Army hunker down for tough 2021

THE Barmy Army started 2020 by celebrating their 25th birthday, ended the summer with official recognition from the England captain, but will see out the year, like so many of us, ‘battening down the hatches’ for a difficult 2021.

Ballance on the road to recovery, reveals Moxon

FOR the first time in several months, the future looks a lot brighter and more encouraging for Yorkshire’s former skipper and ex-England batsman Gary Ballance, who has been unable to play this summer due to anxiety and stress.

Adams Jnr plotting to cut down Diamonds

Southern Vipers v Northern Diamonds Sunday, Edgbaston, 10.30am

Do not write off us fighting Foxes, warns ace Ackermann

LEICESTERSHIRE skipper Colin Ackermann refused to rule out a spot in the T20 Blast last eight, after the Foxes ended North Group leaders Nottinghamshire Outlaws’ unbeaten run with a four-wicket win at Grace Road.

SHABASH! KEEPING IS A NEW ARTFORM

It wasn’t until cricket returned without crowds that I realised the true value to his team of a modern-day wicketkeeper. Here I was, under the impression he was there to take blinding catches and make lightning stumpings, when all the time it’s how much noise he can make. Velvety gloves? “Do me a favour,” you can hear the coach snorting. “Find me a bloke with a pair of cast-iron tonsils.”

Do England players still have the hunger or is it time for changes?

A FIRST home oneday series defeat in five years will sting for England. Yet if the world champions are truly honest they will accept that too many big players, especially among the batsmen, just didn’t perform well enough.

New boy Simon is just pitch perfect

IN January, when Simon Lee cut his final blade of grass at Somerset after 19 years working on the Taunton pitch, he set himself a massive career challenge.

Sharks start to circle thanks to pinch of Salt and guile of Garton

GEORGE Garton’s allround brilliance took Sussex Sharks to the cusp of the T20 Blast quarter-finals after a tense three-wicket victory over Middlesex at Hove.

MARSH IS MISJUDGED AND MISUNDERSTOOD

As live sport ground to a halt during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, bored cricket fans desperately craved content and, fortunately, several heroes stepped up in the time of need.

HAIL HARMER AS ESSEX'S BEST OVERSEAS IMPORT

Essex have enjoyed some fine overseas players over the years but in terms of worth and match-winning ability none has surely matched Simon Harmer, the latest ‘foreigner’ to play cricket for the county.

MARMITE MAN MAXI IS WINNING OVER CRITICS

The first time that Glenn Maxwell struck a century in each format of the game at the top level, it prompted responses far more emotional than we are conditioned to from finely-tuned athletes.

BROTHERS IN ARMS? DON'T YOU BET ON IT!

From Cane and Abel to the Chuckles, the Kennedys and Marxs right through to the Gallaghers and erm…Jedward, sibling relationships don’t always run smooth.

BLACKJACK EOIN TOOK ONE GAMBLE TOO MANY

Shane Warne called it right when he said Eoin Morgan was a gambler. What he didn’t say was whether Morgan was a good gambler, the difference being that the latter, at least on the Blackjack table, know when to stick.

LILLY ALLEN AND AUSSIES SAW THE TRUE WORTH OF ONIONS

No visiting batsman relished playing at Durham’s Riverside Ground in the first decade of the new millennium, not with Graham Onions and Steve Harmison bearing down on them Duke ball in hand.