Testing cricket

Fast bowling is more important than wickets: Rob Key’s message to county bowlers

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Rob Key (left) focuses on providing Ben Stokes with a battery of fast bowlers – Philip Brown/Getty Images Rob Key has a simple message for fast bowlers in county cricket as he plots the next phase of England’s Bazball development. ‘I don’t care how many wickets you take. I want to know how fast you … Read more

Shamar Joseph arrives on the IPL stage as proof that Test cricket still matters most

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Shamar Joseph celebrates in Adelaide against Australia (Getty Images) Last month, Shamar Joseph received a phone call that changed his life. You’ve probably heard the story of the Guyanese boy who left a life of logging and security to pursue his cricketing dream. January saw the fulfillment of a very fanciful fantasy as Joseph ripped … Read more

James Anderson’s 700 wickets: ‘You wouldn’t expect a player to get better as he gets older’

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James Anderson James Anderson became only the third bowler and the first fast bowler to take 700 wickets in Test cricket as England toiled in Dharamsala. Anderson, 41, playing his 187th Test, had Kuldeep Yadav caught behind by Ben Foakes. His muted celebration betrayed both his relief – it took eight games to get the … Read more

Joe Root’s final Bazball shot is the stupidest in the history of English Test cricket

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Joe Root gave away his wicket with a reverse scoop against Jasprit Burmah – Reuters/Amit Dave It has to rank – and “rank” is the key word – as the worst, stupidest shot in the history of English Test cricket. Joe Root will notice it as much as anyone else after his self-dismissal, which was … Read more

You may not like T20, but it created the best Test bowler in the world in Jasprit Bumrah

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Jasprit Bumrah celebrates as India beat England to win the second Test – Getty Images/Dibyangshu Sarkar Two days earlier, Jasprit Bumrah’s yorker raced towards its target with the precision of a drone, leaving only one of Ollie Pope’s stumps in place. Forty-eight hours later, Bumrah produced a worthy encore, even if its virtues were slightly … Read more

‘Ben Foakes must keep wicket for England in India’

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Bob Taylor was always a wicketkeeper first, and a batsman second – PAUL COOPER Bob Taylor jumps out of his chair, clasps his hands together, catches an imaginary ball and throws it to first slip in a move that is as smooth at the age of 82 as it was when he faced Bob Willis. … Read more