Blog: long reads on cricket
Original long reads on tactics, history, science, culture and the future of the game.
Why left-arm orthodox spin is so hard to score against, and how patient bowlers use angle, flight and accuracy to control an innings.
History Edgbaston 2005: Two Runs That Lit Up an Ashes SummerEdgbaston 2005 ended with England winning by two runs, the narrowest margin in Ashes history. How a single Test set an entire series alight.
Science Cork, Twine and Leather: How a Cricket Ball Is MadeFrom a cork core to hand-stitched leather and a raised seam, here is the craft that goes into the hard red or white ball used in…
Culture Gully Cricket Around the World: Where the Game Really LivesOn streets, beaches and rooftops, improvised cricket shapes players and communities alike. See how gully games work and why they matter to the sport.
Players Leaders with a Plan: Captains Who Rewrote Their TeamsLloyd, Brearley, Imran Khan, Ganguly and Stokes: how five captains changed what their sides believed they could be, and how.
Fan Guide How to Read Live Cricket Commentary: Codes, Terms and CluesDecode ball-by-ball text with this guide to abbreviations, scoring symbols, common terms and the subtle details that reveal how a game is going.
Women's Cricket Why Women’s T20 Cricket Is Growing So FastShort, vivid and easy to schedule, Twenty20 suits new audiences and sponsors. Here is why the women's game is booming in the shortest format.
Future Can Test Cricket Survive? A Fair Look at the Longest FormatTest cricket faces money, calendar and attention pressures, yet still produces the game's best drama. A balanced look at the threats and its case.
Tactics Defending the Small Total: Plans, Fields and NerveHow teams set about defending a below-par score: attacking fields, bowler choices and the patience needed to make the chase uncomfortable.
History Kolkata 2001: Laxman and Dravid Turn a Test on Its HeadFollowing on at Eden Gardens, India were 274 behind. Then VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid batted a day and a half to beat Steve Waugh's Australia…
Science Inside a Cricket Bat: Willow, Grades and the Art of PressingWhy English willow is prized, how bats are graded, pressed and shaped, and why two bats that look alike can feel completely different in the hand.
Culture Tea, Lunch and the Rituals That Make Cricket CricketWhy does cricket stop for tea? Explore the intervals, customs and unwritten codes that give the game its distinctive identity and sense of civility.