Blog: long reads on cricket
Original long reads on tactics, history, science, culture and the future of the game.
How bowlers hide a drop in pace, the grips that make the slower ball work, and the batters who learn to spot it before it arrives.
History The 1983 World Cup Final: How India Shocked the Champions at Lord’sHow Kapil Dev's India defended 183 against the mighty West Indies at Lord's in 1983, and how that win changed cricket in India for ever.
Science The Physics of Swing: Why a Cricket Ball Curves in the AirHow seam angle, surface condition and speed combine to make a cricket ball swing, and why cloud cover and a shiny side matter so much.
Culture Cricket on the Big Screen: How Films Have Told the Game’s StoryFrom Lagaan to Fire in Babylon, cricket films reveal how different countries see the game: as empire, rebellion, family drama and national pride.
Players Speed Through the Decades: Three Eras of Fast BowlingHow pace bowling moved from Larwood and Lindwall to the West Indian quartet and on to the modern era of workloads, data and reverse swing.
Fan Guide How to Watch Your First Test Match and Enjoy the Slow BuildA friendly guide to your first Test: the rhythm of five days, how to follow the action, what the sessions mean and why patience is rewarded.
Women's Cricket How Franchise Leagues Are Reshaping Women’s CricketFrom the Big Bash to The Hundred and the Women's Premier League, franchise competitions are changing pay, profile and opportunity in the women's game.
Future Numbers in the Dressing Room: How Analytics Changed SelectionFrom match-up charts to workload models, data now shapes who plays and how. Here is where the numbers help selectors and where judgement still rules.
Tactics The Circle That Changed Everything: How Fielding Restrictions Reshaped CricketA look at how the thirty-yard circle and powerplay rules transformed batting, bowling and captaincy in limited-overs cricket.
History The Tied Test of Brisbane: A Match Played in the Right SpiritThe first tied Test, Australia v West Indies at the Gabba in 1960: a final-over thriller and a contest that helped redefine how cricket should be…
Science How Spin Actually Works: Drift, Dip and the Magnus EffectA plain-English guide to how spinners make the ball drift, dip and turn, from revolutions on the ball to the Magnus effect and the bounce off…
Culture The Sound of Cricket: Commentary Through the DecadesFrom crackling radio to ultra-high-definition replays, cricket commentary has shaped how fans experience the game. Meet the voices and the changes.