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Ben Jones analyses how Test teams use their reviews. It was one of a few moments which defined the climax to the Headingley Test. Nathan Lyon, down on his haunches, imploring the umpire to give Ben Stokes out, the Englishman struck on the pad by a spinning, drifting delivery, plumb in front. Lyon’s hands waved, […]
Ben Jones analyses another big day for the young quick. Lord’s was the set-up, Leeds was the punchline. Some, bizarrely, watched Jofra Archer’s performance in the Second Test and saw only a relatively barren wickets column. All those bouncers, all that pace, was just for show, with no substance behind it. Well, the first day […]
Ben Jones analyses a day of mixed fortunes. “You make your own luck”. “I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity.” “The more I practice, the luckier I get”. There are lots of quotes about luck. They’re mostly nonsense. *** Today was a strange day in Leeds. The opening two sessions of this third Test […]
Ben Jones analyses the effect of drops on player’s averages. It’s one of the most well-thumbed of cricket’s many tales. Brian Lara, 18* for Warwickshire at Edgbaston back in 1994, gave a rare chance, edging behind to the Durham wicketkeeper Chris Scott. The keeper spilled it and, in a moment of necessary gallows humour, said: […]
Ben Jones analyses one of the more remarkable England debuts. It is hard to recall the last time an England player debuted in a Test match and had such a profound impact. Not necessarily on the result – England still head into the next Test without a win under their belt in this series – […]
Ben Jones analyses an astonishing passage of play. Today was about two men. Jofra Archer, a shyly ambling young man who, it seems, is yet to understand the full extent of his powers. Steve Smith, the greatest since the greatest, on a mission to return the urn to Australia for the first time since he […]
Ben Jones analyses the Australian opener. Cameron Bancroft doesn’t look great. That’s generally the case, and it’s been true this summer, but it was particularly true today. Under cloudy skies and floodlights on a grisly morning at Lord’s, batting was never going to be easy. At times, Bancroft made it look impossible. 30.3% of his […]
Ben Jones analyses how the two sides used the new ball on Day 2 of the Lord’s Test. It’s not a very Australian thing to do, inserting the opposition. The last time they did so, back in February 2016, was the last Test James Pattinson played before his injury woes returned and kept him away […]
Ben Jones analyses how to dismiss the Australian legend. It’s the question on the lips of a nation. How on earth do England get Steve Smith out? This is a man who averages more than any batsman in history barring the undisputed greatest, and frustratingly for English bowlers, they can’t stop running into him. They’ve […]
Patrick Noone looks at how Nathan Lyon spun Australia to victory at Edgbaston. For a spinner, the fourth innings of a Test match is something of a double-edged sword. Particularly in turning conditions, there is an expectation that the spinner will step up and win the game for the team bowling second, using conditions to […]
Patrick Noone looks at how Matthew Wade showed England he’s more than just Australia’s mongrel spirit animal. Matthew Wade’s latest crack at Test cricket has already been more successful than his previous one. Back in 2016, Wade was one of the beneficiaries of the selectorial carnage that followed Australia being bowled out for 85 by […]
Patrick Noone looks at England’s mercurial all-rounder, whose batting reached a new low at Edgbaston on Day three. Moeen Ali’s batting is falling off a cliff. If it hasn’t already fallen as far as it possibly can fall, it can’t have much further to go. Today’s innings was his fourth duck from the eight innings […]
Ben Jones analyses an innings of curiously good fortune, and remarkable character. Rory Burns’ first Test century was impressive in all the ways we assumed it would be. Gritty. Resolute. Obstructive. It was everything he’s been in the last five years for Surrey, churning out runs at The Oval first as civilian then as skipper. […]
Patrick Noone looks at what Australia were lacking on a day of ‘what might have beens’ for the tourists The selection of Australia’s bowling attack was the subject of much scrutiny before the Ashes began. Pat Cummins, the number one bowler in the world according to the ICC rankings, was always going to play. As […]
Ben Jones analyses the Steve Smith method. Brisbane, November 24th, 2017. Steve Smith raises his bat to his teammates on the balcony, arms aloft, bandana dripping with sweat. He screams in celebration of another century as if he hasn’t got room for the emotions inside him. He looks full of anger, of drive, of passion […]
It was Steve Smith’s day as the Ashes got underway at Edgbaston, but not before Stuart Broad showed a glimpse of what might have been for England. It seems remarkable to think that there were some calls for Stuart Broad to be dropped for this Test match. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, of course, but […]
Ben Jones analyses how the Australian seamer goes about his business. In Australia, Pat Cummins is everywhere. Every advertising board, every commercial break, every banner outside a ground, adorned with that smiling Sydney face. You know why. Look at those eyes, that jawline, that rueful grin. It’s a face that could sell ice to the […]
Patrick Noone on why we shouldn’t write off Australia, even if the ball is swinging and seaming Australia have not won an away Ashes series since 2001. The reasons for them failing to win in England since have been numerous and varied, but the enduring image from their most recent tour, in 2015, was of […]
Ben Jones looks at the individual records between some of the players in this upcoming Ashes series. ANDERSON TO WARNER Controversial opening batsman David Warner has faced James Anderson in 28 Test innings now – but he’s never quite worked out how to play him. 272 runs at an average of 30.22 isn’t a terrible […]
Ben Jones analyses the cases of England’s Ashes potentials. England announce their squad for the Ashes today at 11am. They do so off the back of a World Cup victory and a dramatic yet ultimately comfortable win over Ireland at Lord’s, but there is no sense of gathering momentum. England got away with this performance, […]
The Hundred Draft: How the squads shape upOctober 21, 2019 - 2:29 pm
CricViz Analysis: The Hundred Draft – Strategic PreviewOctober 18, 2019 - 12:00 pm
CricViz Analysis: Virat Kohli, Double-CenturionOctober 18, 2019 - 9:07 am
The Hundred Draft: Five things to look out forOctober 18, 2019 - 8:50 am
CricViz Analysis: Mohammed Shami in the Second InningsOctober 6, 2019 - 11:33 am