Blog: long reads on cricket
Original long reads on tactics, history, science, culture and the future of the game.
Heat, rain, drought and air quality are testing cricket grounds. See how venues are adapting while serving their communities year-round.
Tactics The Lost Art of the Night-WatchmanWhy the evening sentinel of Test cricket has faded from view, the logic behind the role, and whether it deserves a comeback.
History Edgbaston 1999: The Semi-Final Tie That Broke South African HeartsAustralia and South Africa tied the 1999 World Cup semi-final at Edgbaston, and Australia went through. The story of the most agonising run-out in cricket.
Science How Bowling Speed Is Measured, and What the Number Really MeansFrom radar guns to camera tracking, here is how a fast bowler's speed gets on the screen, and why a single figure can mislead as much…
Culture From the Weald to the World: How Cricket Left EnglandTrade ships, army garrisons, school playing fields and local passion: how a village game from south-east England became a global sport.
Players The Art of Tail-End Batting: Where Matches Quietly TurnHow lower-order batters add priceless runs, what coaches drill with them, and why the last three wickets so often decide a close Test.
Fan Guide Starting Cricket as an Adult: Clubs, Kit and Getting BetterIt is never too late to pick up a bat. A practical guide to joining a club, buying sensible kit and improving your game as an…
Future Managing the Miles: How Workload Shapes Cricket CareersFast bowlers break, schedules overflow and selectors rest stars. Learn how workload management shapes careers, tactics and the way teams are picked.
Tactics Reading Length in a Split Second: The Hidden Skill of BattingHow batters use early visual cues, trigger movements and trained anticipation to judge length in the time it takes the ball to arrive.
History How a Tiny Urn Became the Most Famous Trophy in CricketFrom a mock obituary in 1882 to a tiny terracotta urn at Lord's: the story of how the Ashes began and why England v Australia still…
Science Less Than Half a Second: The Science of Facing Fast BowlingHow batters see, predict and respond to a fast delivery in well under a second, and why anticipation matters more than raw reflexes.
Culture Ink on the Outfield: The Writing Cricket Has InspiredFrom Victorian verse to village-green comedy and Caribbean essays, the poems, novels and memoirs that have made cricket a literary game.