Columnists
Mark 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 the majority of the first...
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Columnists
/ 2 weeks 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
/ 3 weeks 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
/ 1 month 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
/ 1 month 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
/ 2 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
/ 2 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
/ 2 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
/ 2 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 3 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
/ 9 months 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
/ 9 months 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...
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Club Cricket
/ 10 months agoMark Butcher: Gloucestershire show T20 Blast retains magic
Gloucestershire went into Finals Day as the rank outsiders but delivered a stunning performance to win their first T20 trophy.
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England News
/ 10 months agoNissanka exposes England’s naivety
By Mark Butcher Pathum Nissanka’s century to inflict a first Test defeat of the summer on England was fabulous to watch....
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England News
/ 10 months agoMark Butcher on Gus Atkinson: A new star with old-fashioned virtues
An incredible start to Gus Atkinson’s Test career. His century at Lord’s was outrageous, it will be fascinating to see how...
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England News
/ 10 months agoMark Butcher: England star Jamie Smith is a natural-born thriller
What a start Jamie Smith has made to his England Test career. The most extraordinary thing is how comfortable he’s looked...
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County News/The Hundred
/ 11 months agoT20 DIET LEAVES NO ROOM FOR MANOEUVRE
Mark Butcher Oval Invincibles ran out convincing winners in the Men’s Hundred Final at Lord’s, defending 147 thanks to a fine...
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Featured
/ 11 months agoMark Butcher: Make Baz an offer he can’t refuse
Mark Butcher discusses the candidates talked about to replace Matthew Mott as England’s white-ball coach - and gives his view on...
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England News
/ 11 months agoIrreplaceable Woakes leaves England with real dilemma
The quality of the opposition wasn’t the highest by any means, but there was a maturity in the way England went...
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England News
/ 12 months agoEngland’s Harry Brook and Shoaib Bashir show their class
England’s win at Trent Bridge featured some of the best Test cricket I’ve seen for a long time. West Indies did...
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Mark Butcher
/ 12 months agoUndercooked West Indies need support from ‘Big three’
MARK BUTCHER It was evident from the Lord’s Test that West Indies are massively undercooked for this series. If it hadn’t...
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Columnists
/ 12 months agoTHANKS FOR THE MEMORIES, JIMMY
MARK BUTCHER Mark Butcher looks back on one of the all-time great careers Stuart Broad’s hot streaks are the stuff of...
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Featured
/ 1 year agoBRILLIANT BUMRAH HAS MAGIC IN HIS FINGERS
MARK BUTCHER It was a fabulous performance from India to end their 13-year wait to win a World Cup title. They...