Cricket
Gooch gets call-up to help England tame tearaways
As England's most formidable batsman of recent vintage flies to South Africa today there is a sense that he is embarking on his mission in the nick of time.
Inside Cricket
On the Front Foot: Silence is golden as Fletcher's spat with Boycott rumbles on
Sunday, 29 November 2009
To have a front-row seat at Newlands on Friday was the stuff of dreams. It was the confrontation all cricket-lovers had been waiting for at one of the greatest of all grounds. Geoff Boycott, legendary figure of the game, and Duncan Fletcher, a former England coach, were sharing a commentary box. But this was no normal exchange of press-box punditries. There was no exchange at all. Boycott and Fletcher do not speak to each other, as they cringingly demonstrated throughout the third one-day international in which both men were summarising for 'Test Match Special'. There were two occasions when they passed in the commentary box, as one took over from another at the microphone. On the first Boycott attempted a smile and a nod, Fletcher looked the other way. It seems Fletcher felt slighted by Boycott's comments about his time with England, culminating in a call for his departure, and is not about to forgive the slight. Fletcher, whose mean-spirited, self-serving memoir about his period as England's most successful coach was ultimately one of the saddest of autobiographies, spent much of the day avoiding those whom he adjudged former adversaries. He barely spoke to members of the press corps who gave him an easy ride until the last few catastrophic months when he became the first coach to guide England to a 5-0 Ashes defeat. He ignored many completely. Again it was a sad aspect to a man whose skills as a cricket technician are in no doubt. Boycott, still revered by millions, and Fletcher will renew joint 'TMS' duties during the Third Test at Cape Town, where Fletcher lives. Five days of two grown men not speaking should test the resolve of all their colleagues.
England lose early wickets
Friday, 27 November 2009
England lost three wickets for only 17 runs to make an unlikely one-day international chase of 354 for six still more difficult at Newlands tonight.
Statistics tossed aside by Strauss
Friday, 27 November 2009
England captain confident despite the importance of the fall of the coin at Newlands
Strauss hails Broad progress
Friday, 27 November 2009
Andrew Strauss believes Stuart Broad has taken significant strides on the road to becoming a "complete cricketer".
ECB pledges cash for flood-hit clubs
Friday, 27 November 2009
The England and Wales Cricket Trust has made an emergency relief fund of £50,000 available to flood-affected cricket clubs in Cumbria.
Sreesanth marks India return with six-wicket haul
Friday, 27 November 2009
In a busy day of Test cricket yesterday India took command against Sri Lanka, New Zealand stayed ahead of Pakistan and Australia and West Indies shared the honours on day one.
Stuart Broad: 'What happened at The Oval will always lift me'
Thursday, 26 November 2009
After injury threatened to end his tour, the fast bowler is back – and in bouyant mood. Ahead of tomorrow's match at the daunting Newlands ground, Stephen Brenkley hears him explain why he can take England's solid start to another level.
Dravid goes fourth on Test run-scorers' list
Thursday, 26 November 2009
Rahul Dravid completed his 28th Test century and moved into fourth place on the all-time scorers' list as India tightened their grip on the second Test against Sri Lanka yesterday.
SPORT EDITOR'S CHOICE
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1 Gooch gets call-up to help England tame tearaways
2 On the Front Foot: Silence is golden as Fletcher's spat with Boycott rumbles on
3 Dravid goes fourth on Test run-scorers' list
4 Sreesanth marks India return with six-wicket haul
5 Anderson sets gutsy example that batsmen fail to mirror
6 Paul Collingwood: England's prize catch a man of many roles and high ambition
7 England's £11m deal rewards winning culture
8 Warne will not be reprimanded over smoking incident
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