Cricket love began slowly but this is my bat summer
Then there was a day at Trent Bridge where I began to absorb how overs and innings work. We sat in the 'dry stand' though most people around us found ingenious ways to sneak in drinks. Last summer my friend David and I went to Scarborough to watch Yorkshire and at 'half time' (aka lunch) we could all go on to the ground to have a little go ourselves.
But this has been the breakthrough summer. I have been riveted by this Test. I understand the basics now and some of the strategies too. Time takes on another dimension and I don't mind. But as I sat in the stand at the Oval, gently steaming from multiple rain incidents, watching Gus Atkinson bowl with such pace and style, a surprising question flashed through my mind: am I finally English now?
It feels as if almost every sip of coffee and every step we take are studied for how they affect us but some important questions remain mysterious. When and how does an immigrant become part of his or her adopted country? This has been on my mind since I moved to England from the States in 1984. The citizenship test may ask us about the Blitz or the Glorious Revolution but I have my own trajectory.
There was that moment where I understood that when an English person says they are 'fine', they are not always fine. The word 'nice' is not necessarily nice here. It's a country that can be both deeply tolerant and sometimes intolerant, occasionally in the same sentence. You come here without a sense of humour at your peril. Of course, dear readers, it was you who helped me comprehend the meaning of 'counterpane'. My children have taught me that talking loudly is cause for disinheriting (me).
This week I passed the Tebbit test with flying colours. I would have rooted for the Lionesses no matter who they were playing and the same goes for the cricket. I am English now, though I will never sound it.
The news from Heathrow that we can reroute the M25 through a tunnel 'overnight' and 'not disrupt motorists' is cause for rejoicing. I am not being negative — far from it. It will be life-changing. Can I note that, for the next month, I cannot even drive to the other end of Faversham as the A2 is being dug up to put in pipes for a new batch of homes. Soon, if we follow Heathrow's example, such endless traffic diversions will be a thing of the past. There will be no need to close roads (a national pastime). No need to thank us for our patience or tell us we can't see any work being done because it's being done overnight. In future, à la Heathrow, it can be done 'offline' and not trouble us at all. It's just magical, isn't it?
More news on my Salt Path name (a game that began when we found out that 'Moth' was short for Timothy). I had thought my SP name would have to be 'N' but readers were eager to let me know that it could be 'Enema'. At least it's unusual.
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South Wales Argus
an hour ago
- South Wales Argus
Chris Woakes ‘all in' and will bat with dislocated shoulder if needed
For the fifth Test in a row, the game is going all the way to the final day after a nerve-wracking fourth evening left all results possible. Brilliant centuries from Root (105) and Harry Brook (111) had England cruising towards a remarkable chase, set fair on 301 for three hunting 374, but they lost three late wickets to leave things in the balance. Bad light and rain halted a thrilling conclusion in its tracks, with England needing 35 runs and India seeking four more wickets. Look who's in his whites in the dressing room 👀 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 3, 2025 One of those belongs to Woakes, who has not featured since badly damaging his left shoulder while fielding on Friday. He was ruled out of the game the next morning but has remained with the team and is willing to bat at number 11 with his arm in a sling if required. 'You probably saw him in his whites in the dressing room. He's all in, like the rest of us,' said Root. 'Clearly, he's in a huge amount of pain. But it means a huge amount to him and it just shows the character and the person that he is, that he's willing to put his body on the line like that for England. 'If it does come to that, hopefully he can get us across the line and win an incredible series.' Root was not surprised to see a dramatic end unfold after almost seven weeks of full-blooded battle but, having done a huge amount of the heavy lifting alongside Brook, still fancies England to triumph. Harry Brook, left, and Root made centuries (Ben Whitley/PA) 'It was always going to happen like this wasn't it? Just look at the first four games,' he said. 'It's been amazing to play in and quite fitting that we're going to get that kind of finish. It's been one hell of a series, one hell of a journey, and there's clearly confidence in our dressing room. I'd like to think we've got what we need to get across the line.' Root had earlier marked his 39th Test hundred, and third this summer, with a touching tribute to the late Graham Thorpe. The former Test batter, who took his own life last year, enjoyed a close relationship with Root during his time as England's assistant coach. When he reached three figures, Root produced one of the Thorpe-inspired white headbands Surrey have been selling to raise funds for the MIND mental health charity and wore it as he looked to the skies. 'That was on behalf of our team. It was just a thank you for everything that he's given the game of cricket, and given English cricket, on and off the field,' he said. 'It's been amazing to recognise everything that he's done as a player, as a coach, as a mentor, as a friend to the dressing room and to the game. Joe Root salutes Graham Thorpe after reaching his century (Ben Whitley/PA) 'It was really great to see the amount of love that there is for him and for his family.' India's quicks had found wonderful rhythm before the weather intervened and would probably have liked to try and finish the job while the mood was with them. A night's break and an extra use of the heavy roller could play into England's hands but a saturated outfield meant the tourists were not complaining about the umpires' decision. 'We can see it's pretty wet out there,' said bowling coach Morne Morkel. 'In a way that's out of our control so all we can focus on is doing a good warm-up in the morning, get the boys ready to get the ball in the right area and create a little bit of excitement again.'
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Brook's hoodlum hundred deserves to sit in its own brilliant square of light
OK. Who angered the gods? Cricket gods. Weather gods. Sport gods. All the gods. Because quite clearly, the gods, well, the gods are clearly deeply annoyed. As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods of fifth-day stewarding costs. They lead us on, whiz us into a frenzy, and drag us back the next day for their sport. It felt fitting in the end that England and India will get to face one another on the 25th of 25 days in this brain-manglingly fine Test series, played out now by two teams operating on fumes, caffeine, ship's biscuits and blood‑sodden socks. Everyone was winning this game and simultaneously losing it by the time England and India were called from the field at 5.29pm, first by bad light and then a squall of rain. England need 35 runs, India four wickets, one of those the single swishing arm of the injured Chris Woakes. Runs had ebbed away like smoke wafting up into the vast flat open sky above the Oval stands as Harry Brook and Joe Root played like princes in the afternoon session. By the end those same runs had become the most grudgingly hoarded substance on earth as India fought back with great heart, took wickets, and jammed a pick handle in the revolving door. How in the history of all cricket, has anyone managed to score 35 runs, you wondered, as Jamie Smith and Jamie Overton prodded and flinched, feet encased in an invisible mobster's tub of industrial concrete. Something will happen on Monday morning. Narratives will be set, themes that we always knew to be true nailed into place by hindsight in that final push to the line. For now there is a bonus element: time to digest a wonderful, thrilling fourth day, one of the great days of the Bazball project. And above all to talk about Harry Brook. Brook's 111 here deserves to sit alone in its own brilliant square of light, innocent of all outcomes. Victory would probably nudge it up as the greatest on this ground in the modern age, or at least up there with Kevin Pietersen's 153 20 years ago against an all-time Australian attack. For now the best way to look at Brook's innings is to start with the key moment. Not the hundred itself, celebrated with a huge warm wave of noise from an utterly rapt Oval crowd. Instead the moment to remember on a deeply hallucinogenic fourth day arrived half an hour before lunch, in a game that history, gravity and the scorecard suggested England were losing. At which point Brook walked out of his crease and hit Akash Deep over cover for six. This wasn't just an impossible shot, but an act of pure gangsterism. Brook was on eight off 18 balls at the start of the over. England were 126 for three and paddling. Johan Cruyff said that when he was playing badly he used to just smash into someone, start a row, upset the day. This is not far from what Brook does when the adrenaline jab is required. Here it came with a moment of space age skill and precision, all hands, eyes, easy grace, and somehow a kind of carelessness too, like a man swatting an apple over a tennis court with a walking stick. It is hard to overstate the brilliance of being able to do this, but also choosing to do it at that moment. This is hoodlum cricket. It's turning up to the Brits with a fake Uzi in your pocket. It's Cherringtony Soprano. It is talent from another place. And it is entirely logical, too. If you can play that shot, you have a duty to do so. The moment will exist now, a collage of intent, shapes, lines, discarded conventions. It's timing was cold-eyed too. At that moment England were losing. Ben Duckett had battled hard, prodding and swishing and looking, as ever like Paddington bravely facing down the new ball. Ollie Pope had come and gone, trying to hit everything through square leg, an elite player with an obviously flawed technique. Sign up to The Spin Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action after newsletter promotion And so, with the day closing in, Brook happened. A little later he hooked Deep into the hands of Mohammed Siraj just over the rope in front of the groundsman's shed. There were pulls and glides and wallops, Brook seeing the ball like a single still point of light. He walked off at lunch to a huge, dizzy roar, 38 off 30, and the game broken open. This is shock and awe batting. England plan for this, choose the moment to shift the energy. It seems fitting that Brook, the Sedberg scholarship boy, but also a man from a different pathway, should be the spirit animal of this style. His entire game is contained in that easy swing, the perfect hands, the clarity of his eye. The best players are always orthodox, but with shapes that are their own, that express some note of their own character and physicality. Brook has this, is graceful, but also splay‑footed, with a slouch but also a silk-hatted elegnace. Has anyone ever had a better time playing Test cricket for England? Brook has played 29 Tests and won 19 of them, averages just under 57, has more sixes per game than anyone ever, is just told to go out be Harry Brook, stretching out into the far reaches of his own startling talent in real time. Brook and Root gorged on the chase with both hands after lunch. Brook's 50 came up off 39 balls. India started bowling short, tired men banging it into a placid pitch. Brook sent one Ravindra Jadeja long‑hop to the midwicket fence with the freewheeling disdain of a man hurling a discarded television set into a skip. There will be a temptation for some to dwell on his absurd and very funny dismissal. Brook was lofting the bowling to every corner when he tried a swipe too far and literally threw his bat to square leg, only to be caught at cover. Why, why, why not knuckle down and take it home? Which is of course to miss the point. That clip over cover was the impossible thing that made the very difficult thing look do-able. You either want this or you don't, with all its edges. And, frankly, whatever the outcome, who could seriously wish to have it any other way?
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Joe Root pays emotional tribute to Graham Thorpe after superb ton puts England on brink
Joe Root has confirmed that Chris Woakes will bat with a dislocated shoulder if England need him to as the fifth Test will go down to the wire on the final day Joe Root paid an emotional tribute to his former mentor Graham Thorpe as England stumbled in sight of a thrilling win at The Oval. Twin hundreds from Yorkshire chuckle brothers Root and Harry Brook carried England to within 35 runs of their 374 target on 339-6 in the final Rothesay Test. Root, whose chanceless 105 was his third century of the series, hopes they won't need to call on injured all-rounder Chris Woakes, who will bat with a dislocated left shoulder if necessary to help seal the series 3-1. When he reached three figures, the world 's No.1-ranked Test batter reached into his pocket and out on a white headband - tragic Thorpe's signature accessory - to acknowledge his former tutor's influence on his career. Fans raised £150,000 for mental health charity Mind in memory of Thorpe, who took his own life aged 55 last year, on a designated day of homage and Root said: "I wish I had it in my pocket from the start. 'I put it there at tea. He is someone who impacted the game in this country as a player, coach, mentor and friend. "That wasn't just from me but our whole dressing room. It is great to see everyone show the amount of love for him throughout this week because he is a real legend of English cricket and has done so much good for so many people.' Root's 39th Test century and Brook's dashing 111 off 98 balls put England on course for the second-highest successful run chase in their history. But crocked Woakes may yet be needed to help them eke out the 35 runs required, and Root said: 'He is desperate to do what it takes. There is a lot of things that have to happen before that. 'He is in a huge amount of pain, but it shows - as we have seen from other guys like Rishabh Pant batting with a broken foot at Old Trafford - how much it means to the players. 'Hopefully he doesn't have to bat, but if it does come down to that hopefully he can help us win an incredible series. It was amazing to be able to play second fiddle to Harry and watch it from the other end, the best seat in the house. 'It's not like it was a one-off fluke - he has scored 10 hundreds for England playing in a similar manner. 'It's been an incredible series and we're confident - in our dressing room we feel we have the players to get us across the line. But it's been six weeks where the pendulum has swung both ways and it is quite fitting for how the rest of the series has gone that we've got this finish. 'It has ebbed and flowed all of the way through and this Test is exactly same. We are in for a cracker for tomorrow. "We are in a good position. We have another heavy roller available, things might happen quicker with the second new ball, it might be easier to score. A lot of things are in our favour. 'We have so much ability left in the dressing room. Clearly they have had a good passage of play but tomorrow could be a real good opportunity to get across the line.'
