Columnists
Mark Butcher: Jacob Bethell in pole position following Ollie Pope’s demotion
We’re in the commentary box for the One-Day Cup final, it’s raining outside, and Nick Knight pipes up: “Who bats three? Pope or Bethell?” The room...
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Columnists
/ 2 months agoMark Butcher: Phil Salt and Jos Buttler go stratospheric
England’s batting performance in the T20 against South Africa at Old Trafford was simply extraordinary.
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Columnists
/ 3 months agoMark Butcher: Proteas ODI defeat showed best and worst of Harry Brook’s England
England’s rollercoaster ODI series against South Africa summed up where they currently are as a side.
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Columnists
/ 3 months agoMark Butcher: Name changes risk undermining the Hundred’s good work
After the most successful edition of The Hundred yet, in terms of both the quality of cricket and audience engagement, there...
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Columnists
/ 3 months agoMark Butcher: Can a revamp reignite the T20 Blast?
As The Hundred draws to a close, attention returns to the Men’s T20 Blast next week, with the first of the...
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Columnists
/ 3 months agoMark Butcher: Jacob Bethell is being asked to run before he can walk
Jacob Bethell’s selection as England captain for next month’s T20I series in Ireland is remarkable in a lot of ways. Not...
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Columnists
/ 4 months agoMark Butcher: The Hundred in holding pattern as identity questions loom
The fifth edition of The Hundred is underway and this feels very much like a holding year. Several of the new...
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Columnists
/ 4 months agoMark Butcher: The last quick standing – All hail Mohammad Siraj’s Summer
The unforgettable final scenes at The Oval gave us more drama than we knew what to do with. And at the...
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Columnists
/ 4 months agoMark Butcher: Cricket is not about ‘fairness’ and nor should it be
There’s been some talk this summer about Test cricket introducing substitutes for injured players, in light of Chris Woakes’ shoulder injury...
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Columnists
/ 4 months agoMark Butcher: Where are the rock-star spinners?
It’s been a tough summer for the slow men, in a tough era full stop. Take Ravindra Jadeja. It has been...
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Columnists
/ 5 months agoMark Butcher: Jofra Archer adds extra spice to sizzling England vs India series
The Lord’s nailbiter was a throwback of a Test match where conditions dictated the way the game was played. England realised...
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Columnists
/ 5 months agoMark Butcher: Ben Duckett leads the way for clinical England
We’ve become used to Ben Stokes’ side achieving the unthinkable, but what an incredible win that was at Headingley. India dominated...
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Columnists
/ 6 months agoMark Butcher: Triumphant Proteas expose Australian frailties
South Africa’s victory in the World Test Championship final was a fairytale moment for a nation that has been through the...
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Columnists
/ 6 months agoMark Butcher: Balance the key for England’s unproven attack
When England named their 14-strong squad for the first Test against India at Headingley, the surprise inclusion was Jamie Overton, who...
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Columnists
/ 6 months agoMark Butcher: Masterful Joe Root lights way for England’s young guns
There was a lot to like about England’s 3-0 ODI whitewash of West Indies in Harry Brook’s first series since being...
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Columnists
/ 6 months agoMark Butcher: Shoaib Bashir finds groove under Ben Stokes’ canny leadership
All of Shoaib Bashir’s best attributes were on show over the course of England’s innings victory over Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge,...
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Columnists
/ 7 months agoMark Butcher: Virat Kohli leaves the format he loved with lasting legacy
This week marked the retirement of the most influential Test cricketer of the 21st century, and in my view the most...
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Columnists
/ 7 months agoMark Butcher: James Rew fits the bill for higher honours
Following another injury to the desperately unlucky Jordan Cox, Somerset’s James Rew is the latest batting talent to be plucked by...
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Columnists
/ 7 months agoMark Butcher: Sam Cook gets his chance as Zak Crawley clings on
There weren’t any huge surprises in England’s first squad of the summer for the Test match against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge....
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Columnists
/ 7 months agoMark Butcher: Where do England turn in their search for a spinner?
It’s been a tough start to the county season for spinners. Calvin Harrison, the Notts leg-spinner on loan at Northants, took...
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Columnists
/ 8 months agoMark Butcher: Durham’s Ben McKinney has a head for heights
Durham opener Ben McKinney followed up an impressive winter tour of Australia with England Lions by making a century in his...
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Columnists
/ 8 months agoMark Butcher: Captaincy can take Harry Brook’s game to the next level
Harry Brook’s appointment as England’s new white-ball captain was the obvious call.
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Columnists
/ 8 months agoMark Butcher: Surrey’s unrivalled depth makes them strong favourites for the County Championship
By Mark Butcher We’ve seen a lot of runs scored in pre-season warm-ups, and I expect that trend to continue in...
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Columnists
/ 1 year agoMark Butcher: Ben Stokes uncertainty creates England dilemma
As England prepared for the first match of their three-Test series in Pakistan, they were faced with a familiar conundrum.
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Columnists
/ 1 year agoMark Butcher: Glib Harry Brook receives lesson in leadership
It has been an eventful week for Harry Brook, who came under fire for his comments after England’s defeat to Australia...
County Championships
County Championship 2025: Middlesex Season Preview
County Championships
Young players to watch in the 2025 County Championship season
