England team get out their sketchbooks for charity

While the Aussies frantically toil to find some form ahead of the third Ashes Test, the England team have been taking a rather more relaxed approach to their preparations this week.

In aid of three of English cricket's foremost charities, The Lord's Taverners, Chance to Shine and the PCA Benevolent Fund, the boys were tasked with drawing portraits of each other. Cricket fans can bid for the original portraits here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/CricketUnited/m.html

Here's what they come up with...

Best mates James Anderson and Graeme Swann show off their artistic flair.

England now dominant force in Ashes cricket

The Financial Times have put together some intriguing Ashes statistics this week and have come to the welcome conclusion that we are, after a 14-year wait, finally reentering a period of England dominance.

Take a look:

According to the FT: "This chart shows both countries’ Ashes performance since the contest began in the late 19th century. With an England Test match win scoring 1, an Australian win scores 0, and draws scored as 0.5, it shows the rolling 20-match total. That’s four Ashes series, more or less (some early series didn’t contain five matches)."

Source: http://blogs.ft.com/ftdata/2013/07/19/english-cricket-on-the-up/

Late wickets give Australia initiative

England 289 for 7 (Bell 109, Bairstow 67, Smith 3-18) v Australia 

Three quick wickets from part-time legspinner Steve Smith in the evening session ensured Australia held the initiative going into day two of the second Ashes Test at Lords.

Smith took 3 for 12 in 22 balls in an unexpectedly potent spell of legbreak bowling.  First Ian Bell was undone by some prodigious spin out of the rough, caught at slip, then Jonny Bairstow gifted Smith his second knocking a full bunger back to the bowler. Smith completed the rout deceiving Matt Prior with a variation ball out of the front of hand.

www.cricinfo.com

England won the toss and chose to bat on what looked like an ideal day for run scoring. News from the toss was that Steven Finn would miss out on his home ground and that Tim Bresnan, who so ably replaced Finn in the last series, would get a birth. The Aussies made two changes. Usman Khawaja in for Ed Cowan and the talented Ryan Harris in for Mitchell Starc.

Despite losing the toss it was the Australians who delivered the early blows in a hectic first hour. After James Pattinson’s first two overs were dispatched for 12, Michael Clarke made an inspired early change, bringing Shane Watson into the attack. Two balls into his spell and the allrounder bagged the key wicket of the England captain, Alastair Cook undone by a full swinging delivery trapping him plump in front for just 12.

With one came two as Ryan Harris got into the action in the next over. His victim the ever-popular Joe Root. Full and straight and crashing into the pads, Root (6) too was caught on the crease. And, after an unsuccessful review, was back in the hutch with his captain.

And two the became three when Kevin Pietersen (2), always vulnerable early in his innings, edged behind to Haddin off Harris. Six overs in, three wickets down and just 28 on the board and England were in need of a characterful performance from their middle order, and they did not disappoint. 

First Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott steadied the ship either side of lunch. Both men taking full advantage of the batsman-friendly conditions and finding the boundary rope at regular intervals. Trott soon passed fifty and looked set for a bucket load but gave his wicket away shortly after lunch. Harris, again the man on the money, banged one in just short of a length and Trott (58) took the bait lamely pulling into the legside and sending a top edge flying to Khawaja at deep square.

However, unlike before, England were able to prevent another mini-collapse and Bell set about rebuilding with his new partner Jonny Bairstow. The latter though was lucky to survive the session when in the 50th over he was cleaned bowled by Peter Siddle for just 21. The Yorkshire allrounder was given a second life though when the umpires called upstairs to check on a potential no ball. Replays showing that Siddle had just failed to land any part of his foot behind the line.

www.cricinfo.com

After tea Bell and Bairstow carried on where they had left off. First Bairstow passed fifty in a confidence boosting innings for the young number 6, and then Bell reached three figures. It was Bell's second century in as many innings and, like at Trent Bridge, it was a ton that altered the balance of the game, at least temporarily.

1st Ashes Test: England player ratings

Alastair Cook - 7  Given the circus of hype surrounding the series and in particular the pressure of continuing Andrew Strauss' recent success in Ashes cricket, captain Cook could have been forgiven a nervous performance at Trent Bridge. Yet despite only scoring 13 in the first innings, he came back to score a vital half-century in the second and rescue his side from another early collapse.

As captain he continued his legacy as a calm and conservative operator despite having to manage his team through one of the most frenetic Test matches in recent years. He was also a dab hand with DRS.

Joe Root - 5  Undone by a peach in England's first innings and victim of a contentious decision in the second, Root was unlucky not to make a bigger contribution in his first outing as an England opener. He did however chip in with the ball, bagging Ed Cowan on the stroke of tea on day four to help spark a middle order collapse in the evening session.

Jonathan Trott - 6  Top scorer in England's first innings, he cruised to within two runs of a half-century only to throw his wicket away wafting loosely outside his offstump. He was, however, unlucky to be out LBW in his second outing, replays showing that the Warwickshire strokemaker got a healthy chunk of willow on the ball before it crashed into his pads.

www.guardian.co.uk

Kevin Pietersen - 6  A gritty 64 from 150 balls in the second innings made up for failure on the first morning and helped create something of a platform for Ian Bell. A gutsy knock in his first Test back after injury.

Ian Bell - 9  An important innings in so many ways, Bell's century proved to be one of the key differences between the two sides. Constructed in masterly fashion over days three and four, Bell took a conscious decision to avoid playing in the hallowed "V" and instead looked to nudge, nurdle and deflect the ball around the field, steadily accumulating runs and helping to nullify any Aussie pressure. Having already seen batsmen on both sides deceived by the slow and unpredictable nature of the surface, Bell's battle plan was little short of a masterstroke.

Jonny Bairstow - 6  Runs in both innings, he played the game at a good tempo and provided able support for Ian Bell on day three. His eagerness to play across the line of ball though continues to be his undoing.

Matt Prior - 6  Deservedly out for 0 first time out, he redeemed himself in part second time around with a useful counter-attacking display to help shift momentum England's way. Generally tidy behind the stumps he was also instrumental in England's effective use of the referral system.

Stuart Broad - 7  An impressive allround performance from Broad, he bowled with fire and accuracy to bag three vital Aussie scalps while also recording his highest Ashes score with the bat. A feisty and ultra-competitive performer, his decision not to walk in the second innings underlined the arrogance and self-belief that has helped him become a mainstay in England's ranks over the years.

www.mirror.co.uk

Graeme Swann - 6   Four wickets in the match was not a bad return for England's jovial tweaker, but he never looked completely settled and struggled with his lengths in Australia's second innings.

Steven Finn - 4  Two wickets in two balls on the first evening remained Finn's only highlight as he was carted around by the Aussie batsman in both innings. Replaced before in an Ashes series, he looks unlikely to feature at his home ground on Thursday.

James Anderson - 10  A masterly display of conventional and reverse swing bowling, no one deserved the man of match award more than Anderson. Bowling almost 56 overs for figures of 10 for 158, he showed craft, control and endurance of the highest order to help keep his side in the contest throughout.

Bell and Broad give England control

England 215 and 326 for 6 (Bell 95*, Broad 47*) lead Australia 280 by 261 runs

Ian Bell and Stuart Broad restored some calm to proceedings on day three adding 108 runs for the seventh wicket to give the home side control at the close of play.

Bell finished the day on 95, just five runs shy of what could be one of his most important ever knocks for England. Often criticised for not making "hard" runs, Bell read the match situation perfectly and played an innings of the utmost maturity. 

It was a fine example of risk management from the diminutive Warwickshire strokemaker who took a conscious decision to avoid playing in the hallowed "V" and instead looked to nudge, nurdle and deflect the ball around the field, steadily accumulating runs and helping to nullify any Aussie pressure. Having already seen batsmen on both sides deceived by the slow and unpredictable nature of the surface, Bell's battle plan was little short of a masterstroke.

www.cricinfo.com

Earlier in the day all eyes had been on Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen. Resuming on 80 for 2 in blazing sunshine, they played out the first hour watchfully, soon guiding England to three figures. Both batsman also notched up half-centuries in the process and things were looking ominous for the tourists halfway through the morning session. However, whilst the sun had given England fans hope of a run-heavy day, the pitch was still not offering the pace and consistency that English batsman traditionally crave.

Instead the Aussie bowlers took advantage of the turgid underfoot conditions. Pietersen (64) played on after James Pattinson lured him into a risky drive outside off, and captain Cook (50) followed soon after trying to push Ashton Agar into the leg side only to close the face of the bat two early and spoon a leading edge to Michael Clarke at first slip. England precariously placed on 131 for 4, with a lead of just 67.

Ian Bell was promptly joined at the crease by Jonny Bairstow as they began to stage a mini-fightback in the afternoon session. The pair amassed 43 runs from 125 balls to help England back onto stable footing before Bairstow (15) was eventually undone by Agar, feathering one behind to Brad Haddin. Bell then shared an almost identically fruitful, yet brisker, partnership with Matt Prior (31). On this occasion it was 44 runs from 79 balls, but like before it was Bell's partner who was first to perish, the England keeper, looking to force the pace, miscuing a pull straight to midwicket.

www.cricinfo.com

Bell then joined Stuart Broad for what was to be the final stand of the day. First came glory as Bell reached fifty and in doing so also passed 6,000 runs in Test cricket, but then came controversy. With England sitting pretty on 297 for 6 Agar got Broad driving at a wide one which he dutifully edged to Clarke at slip. Umpire Aleem Dar though had failed to spot the deflection and Broad stood his ground. Crucially Australia had already wasted their reviews earlier in the day and, despite much protest, were forced to carry on their pursuit for yet another partnership penetrating delivery.

World record wag saves Aussies as Ashes drama continues

England 215 and 80 for 2 (Cook 37*, Pietersen 35*) lead Australia 280 (Agar 98, Hughes 81*, Anderson 5-85) by 15 runs

19-year-old débutante Ashton Agar was the star of day two as he and Phil Hughes put on a world record tenth wicket partnership to keep the first Ashes Test firmly in the balance.

Agar joined Hughes at the crease with the score 117 for 9 and went on to share a 163-run partnership that saw Australia surpass England's total and give the tourists a first innings lead of 65. The Aussie teenager was eventually dismissed two runs shy of a debut hundred, spooning a short pitched ball to a grateful Graeme Swann in the deep. The damage had been done though and the entire Trent Bridge crowd rose to their feet in recognition of a truly remarkable innings.

                                                                     www.cricinfo.com

The day's early exchanges though had all belonged to England. On what looked like an ideal day for batting, Steve Smith (53) threw away the chance to build on his good work the night before when he drove loosely at Anderson and edged to Matt Prior. Another followed shortly after when Swann found some prodigious turn to bowl Brad Haddin (1) just two balls into his knock.

Seven balls later and Anderson bagged his second of the morning courtesy of Peter Siddle's (1) outside edge and Prior's exceptional dexterity. Two overs later and Mitchell Starc (0) also succumbed to Anderson's spell, feathering an angled delivery through to the England wicketkeeper to give the Burnley Express a richly deserved five wicket haul. Swann then made it nine down trapping James Pattinson plumb in front for two.

But Agar had other ideas, and with the help of Hughes was able to carve out an exquisite Test match innings worthy of any top order batsman. Solid in defence and clinical in attack, Agar hit 11 fours and two sixes on his way to a 101-ball 98, eclipsing Tino Best's 95 against England at Edgbaston last summer to record the highest ever score by a number 11 batsman.

Taking inspiration from their new team mate's extraordinary innings, the Australian bowlers then went about consolidating their favourable position in 7.3 overs before tea. Joe Root was first to go, edging Starc down the legside for 5, and the very next ball Jonathan Trott was on his way after the Aussies successfully overturned an LBW shout. Controversy followed shortly after as it emerged that the third umpire had overruled Aleem Dar's decision despite not being able to view Hotspot from the crucial side-on angle as the technology had been cued to show Root's dismissal down the leg side. Slow motion replays indicated that Trott may well have hit the ball before it rapped his pads. The ECB has since requested clarification from the ICC about the decision.

                                                                       www.cricinfo.com

As the day began to come to a close Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen restored some sanity to proceedings grinding out the remaining overs to leave England 80 for 2 at the close, 15 runs ahead.

England fight back on nervy opening day

Australia 75 for 4 (Smith 38*, Hughes 7*) trail England 215 (Trott 48, Bairstow 37, Siddle 5-50, Pattinson 3-69) by 140 runs

Steven Finn and James Anderson took two wickets each in the final session to spare the host's blushes after England were bowled out on the first day's play at Trent Bridge.

Finn bagged Shane Watson and Ed Cowan in consecutive balls and James Anderson prised out the captain Michael Clarke and opener Chris Rogers to leave the visitors 75-4 at the close of play.

                                                                      cricinfo.com

The day began with the news that Australia had chosen to hand a debut to 19-year-old left arm spinner Ashton Agar. The Sri Lankan-born bowler replacing Nathan Lyon as Australia's only specialist spin option. There were no selection surprises in the England camp however with Joe Root given the nod at the top of the order and Finn retaining his place in the side ahead of Tim Bresnan.

There were no surprises too when Alastair Cook won the toss and chose to bat first on what looked like a slow, dry wicket. Clarke was not completely disheartened though as a cloudy Nottinghamshire skyline suggested his bowlers could have something to work with in the morning session. And, after a nervy few overs, he was right.

James Pattinson made the first breakthrough luring Cook (13) into a woft outside his offstump before Peter Siddle mopped up Root (30) with an exquisite inswinging yorker. Trott though looked in fine touch, finding the boundary on numerous occasions in the opening hour-and-a-half, and, alongside Kevin Pietersen, was able to guide England to a respectable 98 for 2 at lunch.

However, after lunch it was all Australia, or, more specifically, Peter Siddle. The Victorian's first victim Kevin Pietersen (14) playing a little too far outside his offstump and edging tamely to Clarke in the slips. Next came Trott (48), who, within sight of his half-century, briefly lost his composure to drag a wide Siddle delivery back onto his stumps. Ian Bell and Jonny Bairstow staged a mini fightback, but when Siddle returned for his second spell Bell (25) too fell pray to the fired up seamer. In his next over he made it five when Prior (1), trying to force the pace, attempted an expansive cut into the offside, only to find the grateful hands of Phil Hughes at point. England went in for tea tottering on 185 for 6.

                                                                     www.cricinfo.com

After tea things got little better for the hosts. Fleeting resistance from Stuart Broad came to an end when he top edged back to Pattinson for 24, and when Bairstow (37) and Finn (0) were dismissed in consecutive deliveries by a resurgent Mitchell Starc it was all but over for England. Ten balls later and it was. England all out for 215.

England fought back in the evening session to take four Australian wickets, but with brighter weather forecast for tomorrow Cook's men may well not be out the woods yet.

Ashes preview: Five things to look out for this summer

The Ashes summer is very nearly upon us, and with the first ball due in just a few hours, cricket buffs across the country are beginning to hypothesize about how the latest chapter in the game's oldest rivalry may pan out this year.

I've had a dig around and picked out five key things I think you should keep your eye on this summer.

Joe Root

Warmly welcomed into the England setup at the end of last year and already a favourite among the game's critics, Joe Root has fast become England's leading hot prospect.

A batsman with poise and patience well beyond his 22 years, Root exemplifies that which has made England's top order so successful in the inter-Ashes years. His debut knock of 73 from 229 balls no finer example of the composure that could see him quickly fill a Strauss-shaped void for years to come.

It is this composure too, I believe, that has seen him fast-tracked to the top of the pecking order for 10 July. Root has none of the blonde highlights and flashy off drives that made Ian Bell such a prospect in 2005. But I think interestingly it is the Yorkshireman's lack of/or ability to rein in his youthful flamboyance that has gained him favour with both cricket's inner and outer circles, and put him on the brink of an Ashes debut.

Spin

Always a topic of conversation when England meet Australia, the Aussies have arrived with just one reputable spinner in the form of Nathan Lyon and young hopeful, Ashton Agar. Oh, and Steve Smith. Secret weapon Fahwad Ahmed could still play a role too. But whilst his ascent to potential Ashes selection is almost novel-worthy, he has only played 22 professional games and hardly set the world on fire in the process.

England have named Graeme Swann as their only frontline spinner and with the series likely to be decided in swing and seam-friendly conditions it would be hard to argue for the inclusion of another specialist tweaker.

Swann's record with the ball in Ashes cricket is, perhaps surprisingly, rather modest. Three wickets per game at an average of around 40 runs per wicket are not very Swann-like returns, but what Chin crucially offers that the Aussie spinners (I believe) do not, is the ability to hold up an end and to control a match. On more than one occasion he has proven an invaluable foil to England's trio of seamers, bowling marathon spells at economy rates well below the innings average.

In the fifth Test in 2009, after taking four wickets alongside Broad in the first innings, he then bowled 40 overs in the second and took a further four vital wickets at an economy of 2.97 (England's innings average was 3.4 runs per over). Another epic performance followed down under in 2010 when he churned out a 40 over spell in the second innings of the second Test, bagging five wickets in the process at an economy of 2.21, almost a run better than the team average.

The Return of KP

An Ashes hero some eight years ago, but absent last time Australia toured England in 2009, Pietersen will be hungry to rekindle the kind of performance that saw him shoot to stardom in 2005.

His return will also bring some calm to England fans, many of which may have been fearing the potential fragility of England's batting lineup post Trott and pre-Prior, were he not fit.

He is of course an enigma, but he is more than likely to wade in with some important and no doubt entertaining runs at some point during the series. Averaging 52.71 in Ashes cricket, he is also likely to be the most talked about player in the Australian dressing room and could serve as a useful distraction for England's younger batsman as they try to establish themselves early on in the series.

The Captains

Now this is fascinating. Neither Cook nor Clarke have taken charge of an Ashes Test, yet both have excelled under the "burden" of captaincy.

They have both been imperious over the past 12 months. Clarke averaging 84.14 in nine games, scoring four centuries in the process, with Cook averaging 52.10 in 12 games with six three-figure scores to his name. Clarke's stats though are a little skewed as the majority of his runs have come in Australia where he averages well over a hundred. Conversely Cook has scored more runs abroad (New Zealand and India) than he has at home.

In terms of Ashes calibre Clarke averages 45.50 and Cook 50.56. Each have four hundreds as well. Interestingly though, Clarke averages 48.93 against England in England, whereas Cook, who averages 65.12 against the Aussies in their backyard, only averages 24.66 against Australia in England, and has yet to score a century against them on home soil.

As captains they are still both establishing themselves, however they've each proven themselves to be more than useful in charge. In terms of style Clarke is more Warne-esque and quicker to think outside the box. Whereas Cook is very much in the mould of his predecessor and happy to sit back and remain patient.

Both world-class performers, this series and the return leg down under could well make a legedn of one of these men.

Aussie bowling attack

If they steer clear of injury then Australia have a wealth of seam options. On paper all six of their plucky pacemen look to have tremendous potential, but for most that is still potential. Discounting Peter Siddle, the remaining five have just 33 Test caps between them, and James Faulkner has yet to even play a Test match. Add Ryan Harris and his injury woes into the equation and it could be a topsy-turvy series for Clarke's bowling unit.

Conditions will help though, and with England's batsman unlikely to have faced many of these young Aussie quicks, they could well have some success. However, over the course of five Test matches I think youth and inexperience may well begin show.

It will also be interesting to see how Michael Clarke manages his bowlers. In the 2010/11 series down under England made two series-defining changes to their bowling line-up midway through the tour. Tim Bresnan replaced the inconsistent Steven Finn and Chris Tremlett was given the nod as replacement for the injured Stuart Broad. Bresnan and Tremlett went on to take 20 wickets at 23 in England's victories in Melbourne and Sydney, helping England take control of the series. How Clarke manages this inevitable conundrum this summer may well be equally as pivotal.

Ashes to be streamed live on YouTube

The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has signed a deal with YouTube to stream the Ashes series live in 53 countries across Europe and Latin America on its channel.

The ECB's official YouTube channel will host the live streaming -  www.youtube.com/ecbcricket - as well as one-minute highlights of every session.

The YouTube channel offers highlights of every Test, ODI & T20, LV= County Championship and Yorkshire Bank 40 matches, as well as behind-the-scenes features and player interviews.

David Collier, Chief Executive of ECB, said: "This is the ECB's first venture into live streaming of cricket online, so is ground-breaking territory for us.

"We receive numerous requests from cricket fans in regions where there is no broadcast TV offering, and therefore we are delighted that many will be able to enjoy this Investec Ashes Series.

"It is also important that we play a role in the expansion of the game to countries that do not traditionally play nor watch the sport."

Steve Nuttall, Senior Director YouTube, said "Our partnership with the ECB expands the reach of the Investec Ashes Series to new countries and to YouTube's younger, connected audience. We're delighted to see more top quality cricket on YouTube."

The service begins on July 10 on Day 1 of the first Investec Ashes Test at Trent Bridge from 11:00 BST.

Full list of countries:

Europe

1.     Albania
2.     Andorra
3.     Austria
4.     Azerbaijan
5.     Belarus
6.     Belgium
7.     Bosnia & Herzegovina
8.     Bulgaria
9.     Croatia
10.   Cyprus
11.   Czech Republic
12.   Denmark
13.   Estonia
14.   Finland
15.   France
16.   Germany
17.   Greece
18.   Hungary
19.   Iceland
20.   Italy
21.   Kosovo
22.   Latvia
23.   Liechtenstein
24.   Lithuania
25.   Luxembourg
26.   Macedonia
27.   Malta
28.   Monaco
29.   Montenegro
30.   The Netherlands
31.   Norway
32.   Poland
33.   Portugal
34.   Romania
35.   San Marino
36.   Serbia
37.   Slovakia
38.   Slovenia
39.   Spain
40.   Sweden
41.   Switzerland
42.   Vatican City (Holy See)

Latin America

43.   Argentina
44.   Bolivia
45.   Brazil
46.   Chile
47.   Colombia
48.   Ecuador
49.   Paraguay
50.   Peru
51.   Suriname
52.   Uruguay
53.   Venezuela

ecb.co.uk

Top four worst commentators

And now my five four worst...


Jeff Dujon
Having kept wicket during the the golden era of West Indies cricket, Dujon could be excused for having a slightly warped view of his home nation's current standing in world cricket. That being said Jeff has made a unfortunate habit of stepping over the line on a few too many occasions.

In one disgraceful outburst during a domestic Twenty20 game between Leeward Islands and Guyana in January 2012, Dujon, turned away from the mic but clearly still audible, suggested with no apparent jest that Leeward Islands' wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton should be shot if his team went on to lose the game after the young gloveman made a hash of a run out opportunity. You can hear Jeff's encouraging words in the clip below.





Besides advocating the reintroduction of capital punishment, Dujon often spends his time reminiscing about the many beautiful women he's encountered over the years. While commentating alongside Nick Knight at the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, Dujon spotted a local canine running onto the field of play, prompting him to announce to the world that that he himself had been with a few dogs in his time.


Ian Botham
Ian Botham was a fantastic cricketer. An allrounder of immense instinct and flair. But whilst his instinctual prowess on the field was adored by all, his off-the-cuff approach to punditry is far less entertaining.

Never a genuine student of the game, his reluctance to do his homework often means he speaks before he thinks. Take a look at the video below. Skip to a minute in and you'll see what I mean.

Don't get me wrong I admire Beefy's conviction, but it seams to me that all those years in the limelight have made him into a lazy commentator. Coasting along on the back of his largely outdated opinions, Botham's inability to offer any fresh insights on the game mean he is fast becoming the epitome of the comfortable has-been pundit.


Ravi Shastri
If ever there was a prize for the most robotic cricket commentator of all time then Shastri would win hands down.

A popular critic, especially in his native India, Shastri is a likeable personality, and, for those listening to him for the first time, an insightful and engaging companion. However, after having listened to Ravi for a few years a strange pattern begins to emerge in his analysis. Amazingly it seems that the former India all-rounder has built a 15 year career in commentary based on just a handful of stock phrases.

Now, this may do for the Indian public, especially if those stock phrases involve either the words "Sachin" or "Tendulkar", but for me I crave a more multifarious, dare I day human, response to the game I love.

It seems I'm not alone in my appraisal of RS too. Check out this hilarious Shastri commentary generator which claims to adequately replace Ravi with a simple computer program.

http://blog.rohandsa.com/2010/04/ravi-shastri-commentary-generator.html?m=1


Nick Knight
Last year Kevin Pietersen took to Twitter to make what was a long overdue assessment of Nick Knight's aptitude as a cricket commentator. He wrote:

"Can somebody please tell me how Knight has worked his way into the commentary box for Tests? Ridiculous."

Now KP was rightly fined for his behaviour, but that does not diminish the simple fact that Pietersen was bang on in his analysis.

In fact, I have yet to meet a single human being who can persuade me that a 30-minute stint with the former England opener behind the mic is anything more than a complete waste of life.

Listening to him for the first time you may think that he is quite a studious man. You can just imagine him in the commentary box stroking his bum-fluff whilst weighing up the relative pros and cons of Jonathan Trott's defensive technique. But this is all a charade!

In fact a 30-minute session with Knight can be a dizzying experience. His constant barrage of hollow rhetoric and vacuous inquiries rarely result in any concrete conclusions. Instead we're thrown a boomerang of bullshit whereby we are left where we started and no more the wiser.

Here's a funny example of Nick's often confusing delivery:

Top five cricket commentators

Another top five for your reading pleasure. This month I take a look at my five favourite cricket commentators, and they are not all English!



Michael Holding

Few West Indians have made the transition into commentary as affectively as Michael Holding.

Quiet yet deadly with the ball in hand, behind the mic Holding delivers candid analysis with a gentle, fruity baritone. A principled commentator and one who firmly believes in the value of hard cricket, he has also been openly critical of the rapid modernisation and monetisation of the game.

Moreover, his continued involvement with cricket's political structures, especially those in the West Indies, mean that his views are often some of the most enlightening in the Sky Sports commentary box.

Far from being a blubbering old Boycott though, the towering Jamaican combines his uncompromising views with a typically Caribbean sense of humour, an irresistible combination that has seen him become a fan's favourite for over 20 years now.




Henry Blofeld

Arguably the voice of English cricket, Blowers has become synonymous with cricket commentary since he began on Test Match Special in 1973.


Despite his own playing career being cruelly cut short by injury, Blofeld's enthusiasm for the game has never waned. Famed for his flowery adjectives and Old Etonian lilt, no other cricket commentator can transport you to the scene of a Test match as majestically as Blofeld.

Perhaps the 73-year-old's most lovable characteristic however is his penchant for life beyond the boundary. His regular asides on everything from buses to planes and even pigeons prove him to be a man who not only harbours a deeply entrenched love for the game of cricket, but one who also maintains a strong affiliation with the nuances of English society.




Bob Willis

I have always had a thing for Bob Willis. Honest, frank and often forthright, Willis can divide opinion, but I've always found his less glossy appraisals more thought-provoking than those banded around by Sky Sports' "chosen ones".

Despite having spent his career playing alongside fellow Sky pundits Ian Botham and David Gower, Willis possesses none of the laddish leanings of his silver-haired contemporaries. Instead he comes across as a refreshingly pragmatic critic who, like all the best critics, says what others are often thinking but too afraid to say.

Nasser Hussain

Just as his role in the resurrection of English cricket in the early 2000s can often be underestimated, so too can Hussain's incisive brand of commentary. A true student of the game, his in depth knowledge, particularly of England's current set-up, makes him an invaluable companion to England's year-round cricketing ventures.

Crucially too, Hussain's thirst for cricketing knowledge means that his commentary maintains a freshness and relevance not found among some his older, more work-shy co-commentators.


What is most infectious about Hussain though is his unbridled love for the England cricket team. Retiring in 2004, he had to watch from the commentary box as the team he helped inspire went on to become a major force in world cricket. Yet despite never enjoying the success he deserved as a player, he still remains one of the teams biggest cheerleaders in the commentary box.



Richie Benaud

Benaud has played in and commentated on more than 500 Test matches in his over 60 -year relationship with the game. Astonishingly, now into his 80s, it is only in the last couple of years that Richie has finally begun to cut back on his commentary commitments.

More than just a commentator though, Benaud is perhaps most famed for his broadcasting roles with the BBC and later with Channel 4 and Australia's Nine Network. His mellow yet authoritative style in front of camera very much still the yardstick by which all other broadcasters measure themselves.