Down here in Australia there’s a world of awe-inspiring wonders to behold, natural and man-made totems so stunning they can make your jaw drop to the floor. Which, in a rugby context, is a power that David Campese still possesses, in a way that’s part-Alan Partridge with a hint of David Brent. At times, the...
Eight of the Lions’ 38-man squad in Australia were born, raised and spent their whole education in the southern hemisphere before moving north. They have taken two different routes to become eligible for England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, and therefore the British and Irish Lions. Aki, his Ireland team-mates James Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park, and...
Another phrase you might hear to describe a bowler is “beyond the perpendicular”. Again, using the clock face, a bowler with an over-the-top action would, from behind, have it pointing to the number 12, directly above their head. A bowler with a round arm would be at one or two. If a bowler goes beyond...
Fly-half Finn Russell says he wanted to “give a kid from Bath the limelight” as he explained why he unselfishly passed to Max Ojomoh for the crucial second try in their 23-21 Gallagher Premiership title win over Leicester Tigers. It helped seal Bath’s first league title since 1996 and their third trophy of the season,...
Bowling to Kohli was tough. You never wanted to engage him too much, because you knew that it would bring out the best in him. At the same time, you never wanted to back down so much that he didn’t respect you. If you bowled too full, he could punish you on both sides of...
I see bowlers in the domestic game who have the raw materials to be international players. Sonny Baker and John Turner are two of them, both of Hampshire (although Turner has been on loan at Lancashire), and have been identified by England despite having almost no first-class cricket behind them. Baker, Turner and others who...
New Zealand thrashed Pakistan by 115 runs in the fourth T20 at Mount Maunganui to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series. In a fine all-round performance, the Black Caps set Pakistan an imposing 221 to win, before bowling them out for just 105 in 16.2 overs. Seamers Jacob Duffy (4-20) and Zak...
