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James Coyne
@coynejames
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Deputy editor @TheCricketerMag Associate follower, average club nurdler. Co-author Evita Burned Down our Pavilion. Warning: also likes prog rock & western films
Joined August 2010
Cricket? In Latin America?. Sí, Señor!. 5 years ago @TimothyAbraham and I set out to tell the untold story of cricket in the world’s most colourful continent - from Mexico down to Tierra del Fuego. 🛫🏏✍️. Out through @LittleBrownUK in May. Pre-order 👇.
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Big call by Kent hierarchy to leave out their Hundred/international stars. But it's amazing how often in cricket calls like that, based on what feels right, pay off. Congrats to the Garden of England #RLC.
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Nice stat @AWSStats - no County Championship game has ever featured an attack containing more Test wickets (1230) than Anderson and Lyon for Lancashire v Notts at Southport. The one other above 1,000 Test wickets is also Lancs, in 2007 - Muralitharan, Flintoff, Cork and Mahmood.
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There are lots of issues and competing agendas in English cricket and it's hard to avoid the conclusion that Test cricket is being left to decline as resources and attention are diluted. I don't think players and administrators get how much this hurts their core audience #WIVENG.
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Admirably honest - and, yes, nuanced - from @Nick_G_sport on the private school advantages in cricket.
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Ireland's best fast bowler has just castled Zimbabwe's best player. Only problem is it was for Welsh Fire v Manchester Originals at Old Trafford. #TheHundred . rather than Ireland v Zimbabwe at Stormont #IREvZIM.
Looking forward to following #IrevZim Test via the stream. A few weeks back I spoke to Josh Little - about to play The Hundred instead of the Test. He reckons the ongoing absence of a first-class comp in Ireland will hamper their Test chances.
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Bumrah is a truly great fast bowler, no question - one of the best I have seen in my lifetime #ENGvIND.
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As Britain has deindustrialised English cricket has lost myriad grounds and teams linked to works and industries, and many of these were in urban or semi-urban settings. If anything the game has become more rural as the country has urbanised. And partly explains our current state.
English cricket is not about village greens and stunning backdrops . here a game takes place on the ground next to the Sheepbridge Coal and Iron Company near Chesterfield, May 21st 1937
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Possibly the most important piece I have yet read from @edwardscricket. My own view: some broadcasters/journalists are caught in a nexus of self-interest, and fear not criticising The Hundred because of the wider laudable aims. Thus objectivity is lost.
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One of those 'I was there' moments: the day Joe Root bowled with the new ball in a Test match when England had two frontlne spinners #INDvsENG.
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ICC have just announced a deal with Aramco, the Saudi oil and gas company, including "sponsorship of all major men’s and women’s ICC events until the end of 2023". As I wrote in June 2022 issue of @TheCricketerMag Saudi Arabia are coming for cricket in a big way, like it or not.
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Where was Dinesh Karthik on the Star commentary during the Test series? Already given more insight in three minutes on @SkyCricket than most of the others did over 4 Tests. #INDvENG.
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While we English argue about Beefy v Freddie v Stokes, it's worth remembering the greatest all-rounder who ever lived. It was an honour to interview Sir Garfield Sobers for @TheCricketerMag. And, ultimately, as the great man stressed to me, it's all about the magic of bat v ball.
"I just loved playing cricket, and I enjoyed whoever I played with. Whether the conditions were good or bad I just loved playing. It was still a bat and a ball.".
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Lack of replays of the lost review sum up why it's so hard to feel confidence in Star's coverage. Mark Butcher doing his best, in fairness #INDvENG.
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Who's this? Only the author of probably the finest of all cricket novels. It was my pleasure to watch the Netherlands with the man who wrote Netherland, which shed so much light on the glories and tribulations of the New York cricket scene. #NedvSL #T20WorldCup
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Some of the best USA Cricket get-ups from their supporters in the ground today #USAvsIndia . And yes, that guy really is called George!. #T20WorldCup
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The continuing omission of Maxwell from the Test side looks bizarre from over here. Surely he's in the best 6 batsman in Aus? No reason why he shouldn't emulate Buttler and crack Test cricket. Plus he clearly fancies it. I am serious. and don't call me Shirley.
Emphatic denial from Hohns that Maxwell's personality has anything to do with all this. There was a lot of chat about his white-ball future in the response. Sounds like he's cooked as far as Test cricket is concerned.
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Out Friday, the biggest and best season preview!. All 18 counties, the expert eyes of @edwardscricket @richardgibsonDM .Squads, predictions (eek!) and our famous fixture wallchart to make sense of it all. @josbuttler & @sambillings exclusive interviews. Subscribe @TheCricketerMag
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I know @TheCricketerMag has always been sold round the world but still a little surprised to see it on the (superb) LA newsstand in the latest #CurbYourEnthusiasm guest starring Jon Hamm. (Just left of Cheryl's head)
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Massive wicket of Jacob Bethell. P.S. I presume I'm not the only one to notice the ICC has appointed a female umpire, Jacqueline Williams, to umpire an Afghanistan men's game. I give ICC lots of flak, but fair play. Would've been easy to swerve that one. #U19CWC2022.
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One measure of Shane Warne's impact. @TimothyAbraham and I interviewed several young people in Latin America in the course of writing our book who told us they discovered cricket from watching videos of Shane Warne bowling on YouTube. He always seems to be the one people mention.
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Dr Michael Collins of @UCL @UCLHistory is undertaking a history of African-Caribbean recreational cricket in Britain. Anyone who's been involved with, or played with or against, black British cricket teams could be of help to the @WindrushCricket project.
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Great story @GeorgeDobell1 So much to take from it, mainly Jofra being a top lad, and how much he went through. But also the power and inclusiveness of touring and friendly cricket at a time when it seems to be slowly dying
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I interview Peter Hammill @sofa_sound of Van der Graaf Generator + prolific solo artist. 🎸“With Dinky Toys, I thought that I was Stirling, with cricket bat, I saw myself as Peter May”. 🎸Village cricket in Wiltshire. 🎸Supporting @DerbyshireCCC. 🎸sharing a birthday with Kohli!
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It may sound trite but any rugby fan considering attending Championship rugby in solidarity, @BedfordBluesRFC is an esp good atmosphere and there are some enjoyable away days. Have seen some superb open rugby in the Champ in recent years, even if this season a bit more sluggish.
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40 years ago, Bangladesh began their World Cup qualification journey against bare-footed Fijians at a village ground near the M6 toll. Now they are in the hunt for a World Cup semi-final. This is the story of how far they have come since 1979 #AusvBan #CWC19.
The story of Bangladesh's wet introduction to World Cup qualification 40 years ago | @coynejames.
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Trent Bridge and Lord's the two toughest Test grounds to keep standing back to a Dukes ball in England, by my reckoning - especially when Bumrah is harpooning them all over the place. A lot for Pant and Buttler to do over the first two Tests. #ENGvsIND.
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I can understand an element of defensiveness in the match situation, but taking all the slips out is. strange #ENGvsIND.
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How many more former Test captains are out cutting their local club outfield in Feb? Met MJK a while back - in Leamington Spa, funnily enough - have interviewed him since, and you can absolutely sense why the players of his era liked him so much.
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I wonder if English cricket, grappling with potential universal private investment in domestic cricket, is taking note of the difficulties of Premiership Rugby clubs. Of course there will be some benefits, but boom and bust of historic clubs doesn't strike me as one of them. .
With Worcester gone, hopefully temporarily, the loss of Wasps would be the end of any aspirations of the Premiership and its abdication as the best rugby comp in the World. If it’s true that insiders are celebrating the prospect of a 10-team League then they should be ashamed.
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A welcome arrival on Saturday (which explains the fitting shimmer of sunshine). Thanks from me & @TimothyAbraham to all who made it possible, especially those who housed us or gave us a game throughout Latin America. Out May 27 through @LittleBrownUK. 👇.
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13 catches dropped in the series by England so far, at an estimated cost of 323 runs according to @SkyCricket Shameless plug: my piece for @TheCricketerMag yesterday dealt with the slip-catching dropsy affecting both teams #ENGvIND.
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"Er, do you mind if we just turn off here so I can have a look at something. ". Had a great family trip to Ireland last week, during which I sneaked in a visit to two of Ireland's oldest cricket clubs: @phoenixcricket & @civilservicecc in Phoenix Park, Dublin. It was sunny too.
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Jonny, that was brilliant today. And yes, we should bear in mind your injury and the fact you've barely kept for 3 years. But you've sort of stumbled on precisely why some of us were concerned about you keeping wicket in this series. (Not sure I'd say this to your face, tho).
"There has been a lot of talk, some of which I think has been out of order to be honest.". #Ashes .
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To briefly go a bit Marr and Kuenssberg. Tammy Beaumont hasn't quite knocked Putin off the Sunday front pages but this is a pretty good back page showing in the midst of this #WAshes Test
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Lucky to be @TrentBridge for Bob Willis Trophy day 2 v @DurhamCricket. Apart from ECB/PA, it appears I'm the only member of the written press in here. Not all Test stadiums manage to look stately with no fans in, but Trent Bridge is more beautiful than most.
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As I say to everyone who plays at our club, especially those of us at 3rd XI level. are you REALLY sure you want live-streaming of our games?.
Just superb. Many thanks, @ColchesterEECC. 🤦.
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#WPL. I guess Big Bash and Hundred don't have country names in either, but. given there is "Indian" in the men's tourney, it's hard not to interpret this as India's global pre-eminence. in much the same way the FA was just the FA when the Brits were spreading sport globally.
Today is a historic day in cricket as the bidding for teams of inaugural #WPL broke the records of the inaugural Men's IPL in 2008! Congratulations to the winners as we garnered Rs.4669.99 Cr in total bid. This marks the beginning of a revolution in women's cricket and paves the.
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ECB investigates players having a drink together at the end of a tour? Hopefully people can still identify a trivial event when they see one. .
Members of the England and Australia squads were spoken to by police at around 6am on Monday morning after a noise complaint was received. The ECB are investigating | @GeorgeDobell1 . #Ashes.
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It's here! @TheCricketerMag is your biggest and best World Cup preview. Every team analysed. @chriswoakes on bowling to @imVkohli. @theanalyst on the Jofra Archer phenomenon. @GeorgeDobell1 on the schedule. How @TheCricketerMag gave birth to the World Cup.
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CALLING ALL CLUBBIES!. The season may be over, but I've been investigating the state of club cricket. Formats, facilities, superclubs, cost, volunteers and a survey of almost 1,000 clubs. Pick up part one in this month's @TheCricketerMag out now, and let us know your own stories
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The big one! @TheCricketerMag 2023 county season preview. 🏏Our panel tips Lancashire for the Championship.🏏Moeen Ali & @David215Gower do lunch.🏏@GeorgeDobell1 on the Stokes IPL conundrum.🏏Fixtures Wallchart: the single most essential document of 2023?.
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World Cup launch @cricketworldcup party on the Mall - chosen because of global audience deemed receptive to Buckingham Palace backdrop. With rain in the air, Tony Blair 1999 launch references are now inevitable.
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Fave discovery of the week came @WorcsCCC But is it a Worcester Black Pear tree or Warden Pear? Deffo requires cooking. Warden first introduced to Warden Abbey in my home county of Bedfordshire and mentioned in Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale. So I'll be claiming it for Beds.
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In November 2015 @TimothyAbraham and I boarded a flight to Cancun to start a cricketing odyssey through Latin America. Yesterday our book was published. It's genuinely touching to receive so many messages from people who have gone out to buy it or received it on the doorstep (1)
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We are delighted and overwhelmed that 'Evita Burned Down our Pavilion' has been selected in the longlist of 15 for the 2021 William Hill Sports Book of the Year @BookiePrize @TimothyAbraham @LittleBrownUK. It'll be whittled down to a shortlist next month. .
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Well, @TheCricketerMag digital team truly did go to town on the Women's #T20WorldCup hub. Fun to write the Thailand preview, after years of geekily following their rise. Hopefully a fair appraisal of their chances. More to come on Thailand in next mag.
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Well the Test in Rawalpindi has completely changed in the space of two consecutive balls, bowled by Hasan Ali and caught by Imran Butt. Would be a hell of a chase from here #PAKvSA.
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Also enjoyed reviewing National Counties @NCCA_uk season, an often-overlooked strata of English cricket. @BerksCricket are now the most successful National/Minor County ever. 10 trophies in the last 6 seasons. In an earlier era they'd be applying for first-class status, I reckon
To top off a cracking week for English cricket, our December issue lands tomorrow! 🙌. Inside you'll find ↘️. ⏤ An interview with Mark Wood.⏤ Pakistan vs England preview.⏤ Gower does lunch with Lineker.
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Wary of overdoing it, but over the last 10 years the ECB and Cricket Australia attitude towards Bangladesh - basically them not touring because they don't bring in enough $$$ - has been a disgrace. And surely there is enough of a UK Bangladeshi diaspora to engage interest anyway?.
Bangladesh deliver win for the ages against New Zealand - it is high time they toured England, writes @scyldberry
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Explaining cricket to beginners is a bit of a running joke for being difficult to do, but this is as good as I've seen.
⚾ Baseball fan looking forward to the ICC Men’s #T20WorldCup 2024? . The @JomboyMedia cricket guide has you covered!. Watch and learn 🏏
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Truly humbling for @cricketlatam to be included alongside some of the game's greatest writers on some pretty profound subjects. Thank you to @LittleBrownUK and above all the players/volunteers in Latin America who allowed @TimothyAbraham and me to document their cricket history.
We are delighted to reveal the shortlist for the 2021 Derek Hodgson Book Award. Thanks to @edwardscricket and his panel for pulling the list together. And congrats to all the authors – the winner will be announced at our annual lunch on October 5
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Grabbed a word with Netherlands coach @cambo_19 about how the Dutch can try to compete against the big boys in the upcoming ODI league.
“Poor cousins” of world cricket are the one Associate in the elite ODI league, and reveal they are hoping to rejoin county cricket. | @KNCBcricket.
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Was a great pleasure to speak to @MCCOfficial Library Book Club about @cricketlatam in Writing Room at Lord's. A memorable evening with members, family and Latin American cricketers. MCC Library is a treasure @TimothyAbraham and I forever grateful to @britcherspitch & Rob Curphey
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Shoaib Bashir now, Usman Khawaja a year ago, Saqib Mahmood in 2019. there may be others. How long is cricket just going to let this happen?. Here's a brainwave: a global governing body for cricket that looks into recurring issues like this and perhaps works to remedy them?.
"A day or two before a series which has been planned for years and with a squad announced more than a month ago, England are unable to select from their full contingent." . ✍️ @GeorgeDobell1 reports as spinner Shoaib Bashir is left in limbo. #INDvENG .
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Nice new addition to the pavilion @TrentBridge . Still staggering to think that Sophie Ecclestone is the first England spinner (male or female) to take 10 wickets in a Test on this famous old ground
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I think I've just squared the circle between cricket and prog rock. After leaving Genesis, Anthony Phillips @antpmusic started his own cricket team in Surrey. In the new @TheCricketerMag the prog pioneer explains how important cricket has been in his life.
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Innovation from @ECB_cricket with Minor Counties playing FC counties at home as opening friendly to @RLODCup Potential payday for Minors though bound to be weakened county XIs as The 100 ("the New Comp") on at the same time. Not quite the old KO cachet but something I suppose.
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Very sad news. Every so often in cricket you stumble across someone who is irreplaceable in what they do. I suspect Wiz would be one of them. I owe him a great deal in the resources he made available in @TrentBridge library, especially while researching @cricketlatam.
The ACS is very sad to hear of the death of our dear friend Peter Wynne-Thomas, the leading cricket statistician and historian. A founder member of @ACScricket, he served as our Secretary from 1974-2006. He was also Nottinghamshire CCC's librarian, archivist and recent president.
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I recall vividly a study by soil expert and Associate cricket aficionado Roy Morgan which rated Muscat, Oman as the driest city in the cricket-playing world. Except for when Scotland are in town, it seems. .
“Annual rainfall in Muscat is about 100mm, falling mostly from November to April. In general, precipitation is scarce in Muscat” Apparently the weather also got the message to #FollowScotland🏴
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Great news for @TimothyAbraham and I:. Evita Burned Down our Pavilion @cricketlatam has been longlisted for the prestigious Cricket Society & MCC Book of the Year Award 2022. @CricketSociety @HomeOfCricket @LittleBrownUK. More info:
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This is a good point, seldom made. Afraid to say, tho, that not many Associate boards showed interest in continuing multi-day cricket once I-Cup was abolished. I can only see Nepal, among current Associates, playing Test cricket in future. They have the population and interest.
Ireland (and Afg) are products of multiple excellent Intercontinental Cup tournament, which made Associates ready for the next stage. As we enjoy new teams' rise in performance quicker than any team in history, remember that ICC has cut this opportunity for any more teams now.
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Without hesitation, deviation or repetition. In June 2017 Nicholas Parsons told @TheCricketerMag about his lifelong love of cricket. He once got Dennis Lillee out, and was at The Oval in 1948 when Bradman trudged off after being bowled by Eric Hollies.
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@TedKessler1 @QMagazine Very sad. I remember buying @QMagazine every month in the late-90s/early 2000s and although I was but a teenager I still remember thinking the standard of writing was exceptional - especially in the album reviews by the likes of @StuartMaconie @aizlewood1 and @Dorianlynskey.
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Five days ago in Taunton.
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Top scoop @Cricket_Ali. Consensus was that ECB top brass did a good job salvaging 2020 season. But - and forgive me for any naivety about the business world - in the context of 62 job cuts, cutting the (necessary IMO) role of national selector, and ECB reserves plunging to £2m?.
Senior ECB executives to share £2.1m bonus despite Covid job cuts. Exclusive by @Cricket_Ali
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Bit late to this on this forum. Ian Simon of @houghton_maincc will be in hospital this morning recovering from theatre. Wish him and his family all the very best for a speedy recovery. FWIW I thought his club dealt with a difficult situation wonderfully well yesterday. #nvc19.
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I've probably interviewed Ben Duckett more than any other cricketer in my career. It was a rollercoaster early on. How he's pressed on over the last 5 years deserves huge respect. I reckon the mental approach of Bazball is better suited to him anyone else #INDvsENG.
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One of the understated quiet achievers of county cricket is entering his 15th year of first-team cricket.
"Entering his 15th season of first-team cricket Rob Keogh has quietly put in a very decent career at Northamptonshire, but at 32 he still has room to grow as a spin bowler" | @coynejames .
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Was a great pleasure to interview Nicholas Parsons for @TheCricketerMag a few years ago, just before he went out on a @LordsTaverners cricket tour. He and Annie were kind enough to invite me to a recording of Just a Minute. A lovely man with a kind, natural wit. My condolences.
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Superb technical analysis from Burns, Cook, Nasser, Athers et al on @SkyCricket this morning. Must remember how good Sky are, even if the sport needs some live stuff back on terrestrial. Only oversight so far is the absence of a #BurnsNight gag. Maybe as the day progresses. .
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Watching the Mickey Arthur press conference @DerbyshireCCC and thinking, Jeez, imagine being a young county cricketer and getting the chance to work with this guy. Just seems like a delightful bloke who loves winning.
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My pleasure! Was just delighted that someone had cared to commit the story to print, and pleasantly surprised at some of the stories within. Every first-class and National County deserves a proper history, given the rich cricketing and social history bound up in each one.
Thank you to @coynejames for reviewing “Flashes of Brilliance” in @TheCricketerMag. For your copy of @BedfordshireCCC history contact @KPAC55. You will not regret it!
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Would be quite an achievement if Sikandar Raza's 3-25 ends up making a big difference in Zimbabwe beating the country of his birth. #PAKvsZIM #T20WorldCup.
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@the_topspin Unfairly maligning or mis-characterising opponents as backward or reactionary is a classic tactic of people seeking to push their new agenda.
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In-play digital clips on @BBCSport and highlights on @BBCiPlayer from 5pm GMT. A welcome announcement for all those cricket fans in the UK without BT Sport. As first reported by @TheCricketerMag.
The wait is almost over. Here is how you can follow all the #Ashes action across @BBCSport. #bbccricket.
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My take on day three @TrentBridge England's white-ball strokemakers are crying out for someone to bat around in the middle order if Root fails. but is it too late for Hildreth or Bell? #EngvInd
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Great fast bowler, still full of opinions too, which he airs in the current issue of @TheCricketerMag.
Andy Roberts during the 5th Test at the sun-baked Oval in 1976. In a match dominated by the bowling of Michael Holding, Roberts took 1 for 139. But he had already made his mark on the series with 27 wickets at 14.74 in the first four Tests of the summer. The umpire is Bill Alley
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Completely agree. Is it ridiculously antediluvian to suggest that punters would be more likely to attend county games over Easter weekend if they were on the Saturday and Monday, rather than Good Friday and Easter Sunday, when ppl more likely to be with family?.
This is just full on bizarre. No county cricket on a bank holiday Monday. And loads when everyone has gone back to school and work.
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Always humbling to see your own work displayed in bookshops, especially with such a kind and surprising write-up by your hometown @bedsbookshop plus also in Truro @WaterstonesTRU. Still time to buy @cricketlatam for Christmas!. @TimothyAbraham @HachetteBooks
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The game has always changed. It always will. It needs to. Sensible people accept this. But you'll have to forgive cricket lovers for feeling jaded at yet another format, almost identical to T10. It's the commercially-driven gimmickry that grates with me, and I suspect many others.
New tournament, new rules. Here is The Universe Boss @henrygayle to take you through how THE 6IXTY takes the excitement to another level and you even closer to the action. #The6ixty #CricketsPowerGame #6ixtyCricket #CPL22
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