The Great Game Called Cricket...

England in a Spin
Without a decent spin bowler to complement their team, it is unlikely England will trouble either South Africa or Zimbabwe in the coming series.

A “True” Test Cricket Championship
Some new and refreshing ideas on how the ICC can improve their current Test Cricket Championship.

Evolution Not Revolution - Pakistan
In typical Pakistan Cricket Board style, an early exit from the World Cup saw the face of the national team completely change. The PCB doesn’t do things by halves and they certainly didn’t this time.

Farewell Aravinda - Sri Lankan Cricket Legend
As farewells go, it wasn’t a fairytale, but Aravinda de Silva says his heart was pumping and the hair on the back of his neck standing to attention as thousands of fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground stood and applauded and waved their colourful Sri Lankan flags as he made his way to the dug-out.

Sri Lankan Cricket Legends Honoured
World-renowned entertainer Kamahl, was the celebrity guest-of-honour as the Sri Lankan cricket community paid tribute to farewelling international Aravinda de Silva and champion spin bowler Muthiah Muralitharan in Moorabbin (south of Melbourne) last Saturday night.

Darren Lehmann was Shafted by the ICC
Lehmann waited until he thought he was in private to blow off steam. A combination of thin walls, accidents of socio-cultural background and ill-chosen invective has put his career in jeopardy, just as he was in the cusp of setting it in stone. Jon Cocks believes Lehmann was harshly dealt with....find out why!

Previous Winners of the Cricket World Cup
Find out which team won in any particular year of the Cricket World Cup. Includes winning team, margins, venues and final scores.

Goodwin Backs Zimbabwe - World Cup
Murray Goodwin has urged the Australians and others to tour strife-torn Zimbabwe despite the continuing political and financial instability which has brought his country-of-birth to its knees.

World Cup Dark Horse - West Indies
West Indies cricket remains decidedly average, at best, and still suffers the effect of years of mismanagement and hubristic complacency. To suggest the West Indies are serious World Cup contenders would be farcical, but to ignore their potential to take home the trophy could be fatal folly.

Mugabe Courting Cricket Embargo
As debate rages about a possible World Cup boycott of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, the man who stole Zimbabwe, this week talked about forbidding the English and Australian cricket teams from entering Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe World Cup Boycott is a Moral Imperative
Join with Justin Lichterman as he tells us why the ICC should boycott playing Cricket World Cup matches in “Mugabeland,” Zimbabwe.

The Next Big Thing - Monde Zondeki (RSA)
The twenty-year old paceman plays domestic cricket for Border, together with fellow Xhosa Makhaya Ntini, and was included in the national squad facing off against Sri Lanka to learn more about the National set up and to work extensively with the National coach Eric Simons and assistant Corrie van Zyl. Zondeki made his limited overs International debut in Bloemfontein after South Africa wrapped up the five match series 3-1 in Kimberley.

Adelaide Test Experience
Join with Jon Cocks as he does his “autopsy” on the second Ashes Test Match in Adelaide. If you haven’t been to a test match in Adelaide, this is a must read article. Written only as “Cocksy” could. Includes a wrap up of all the best South Aussie wines to drink and the correct moment for consumption. Should it be prawns, oysters or a delicious crayfish for lunch? Jon even provides an excellent guide to the before, during and stumps entertainment.

UCBSA Gets it Right
As international cricket tours become increasingly condensed, the scheduling of warm-up and practice matches is ever more complicated and important. For the coming World Cup season, the United Cricket Board of South Africa has done a superb job balancing tour schedules with quality practice opposition for visiting teams.

Preparing Your Cricket Bat - Knocking In
Almost all new cricket bats require knocking in before use. Knocking in, is the process of hardening and conditioning of the blades' surface.

From Backyard to Baggy Green
After 12 months of extensive research, consultation and analysis by the sports’ many stakeholders, the Australian Cricket Board recently released their strategic plan for Aussie cricket titled: From Backyard to Baggy

Sehwag the Key to ICC Final
For Sri Lanka to guarantee glory in tonight's re-run of the ICC Champions Trophy Final at Premadasa Stadium, they must ensure they shut down Indian batting dynamo Virender Sehwag.

The Age of Gupte
Long before the achievements of Australian “sheikh of tweak” Shane Warne were written into the anals of cricket history, a legend of Indian cricket named Subhashchandra Gupte, so dominated the arena of spin bowlers during the 1950’s, these years were later to be remembered by Indian cricket historians and fans alike, as the “age of Gupte.”

Aussie Young Guns Lose the Plot
The only downside to the demolition job performed on New Zealand by the Aussies during their first round encounter in the Champions Trophy tournament, was the way in which both Brett Lee and Shane Watson, appeared to completely lose the plot in cleaning up the New Zealand tail.

Ambushing the Players Freedom
Sohaib Alvi gives us his unique perspective on the affects the current “ICC Sponsorship Crisis” is likely to have on the capacity of players to earn an income from lucrative sponsorship dollars. By

Plans for Cronje Memorial
Hansie Cronje is to be honoured with a memorial constructed from parts taken from the aircraft in which he was killed.

Kenya Series a Shamble
Can Kenya seriously be saying they are interested in obtaining Test status from the ICC, considering their latest approach to the on again, off again series between Australia and Pakistan, which by all appearances seems forever doomed?

Kapil Dev - Indian Cricketer of the Century
The man with a grin almost as big as the subcontinent itself, has been named Indian Cricketer of the Century, as adjudged by a panel of experts from Wisden.

Cricket Fans Gunned Down
It's a very risky pastime nowadays being a cricket fan, especially if you are gathered around a radio and living in Kashmir and Jammu, a region under Indian control, located between Islamic Pakistan and Hindu dominated India.

Morocco Cup 2002
After recently receiving the go ahead from the ICC to hold international cricket matches, Tangier is set to host it’s first major cricket series with the inaugural Morocco Cup. The tri-nation series involving Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka, is expected to become an annual event hosted by Federation Royale Morocaine de Cricket (FRMC).

Colin "Funky” Miller Retires
Colin Reid Miller, the most colourful man in world cricket and known for his outrageously dyed hair, has announced his retirement from all first-class competition. Miller, who was recently axed from the Victorian State team, obviously knew the writing was on the wall so far as being picked up by another team competing at the top level was concerned and decided to retire from competition rather than continue with the frustration of looking for a team who would find his services of value at the age of 38 years.

Footy Fever Buries Cricket
A typical Melbourne day was the setting for the opening match of the Super Challenge Series at Colonial Stadium, but it was far from a typical Melbourne crowd, who witnessed the non-event of the media touted "bowl off" between Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar and Aussie speedster, Brett Lee.

Credit Where Due - Hansie Cronje
The recent death of former South African Cricket Captain, Hansie Cronje, epitomises the story of how this former legendary cricketer lived the last few years of his life...in the cricket wilderness and abandoned by international cricket circles and so called friends.

What now for Pakistan and the ICC
In the wake of the recent terrorist bombing in Karachi, most cricket nations and players are understandably uneasy about touring Pakistan. The Kiwis flew home immediately after the attack, horrified at the devastation on the city street and the highly anticipated Australian tour set for later this year is in jeopardy. Unfortunately, Pakistani cricket is going to pay a price. No cricket-lover considers that a good thing.

PCB and ACC Should Take Blame
The recent terrorist bomb attack outside the Pearl Continental Hotel in Karachi, where both the Pakistan and New Zealand cricket teams were staying on the morning of the second test between the sides, should serve as a wake-up call to the Pakistan Cricket Board and Jagmohan Dalmiya’s pet project, the Asian Cricket Council.

NZCB - A Stupid Decision
The New Zealand cricket team has abandoned their tour of Pakistan after a suspected Al-Qaeda suicide bomber drove his explosive packed vehicle into a bus parked outside the team's hotel in Karachi. Both the Pakistan and New Zealand teams who were staying in the Pearl Continental Hotel in Karachi, were having breakfast at the time of the attack and appear very fortunate not to have been injured, as they were due to leave the hotel and travel to the National Stadium for the commencement of the 2nd test shortly after the time of the explosion.

Nyoka Criticises Transformation
Dr. Mtutalezi Nyoka has a point when he criticises South Africa’s cricket transformation. Nyoka, who resigned recently as chairman of the Gauteng Cricket Board, attacked as "buffoonery” and "pure idiocy” the United Cricket Board’s statement that transformation is working.

Flicx Home Cricket Academy - Win Now!
The International Cricket Council (ICC), together with Flicx Cricket pitches are looking for those stories where Cricket has made a difference, to those around you, to your communities and to your families.Fill in the online form, send your photographs and you stand in line to win prizes of 40 Flicx Match Pitches and Carry Cradles. Competition closes at the end of 2002.

Race Controversies Masking South Africa’s Real Problems
The racial overtones rampant in South African cricket mask the true reasons for South Africa’s poor performances against Australia this summer. Percy Sonn’s ham-handed substitution of Justin Ontong for Jacques Rudolph in South Africa’s playing eleven at Adelaide has disintegrated into a racial melee between the UCB and the local press and public attacks on UCB chairman Gerald Majola by Gauteng chairman Dr. Mtutuzeli Nyoka.

Desert Youth Cricket Club India - Tournament Invitation
The Desert Youth Club of India would like to invite international cricket teams to play in their tournament to be held between Sept and Oct 2002. For more infomation read the official club invitation below and contact the listed officials.

Test Cricket - Remade in Australia
Although looked on by many as the most boring form of the game, test cricket is swiftly evolving into an exciting and more spectator friendly format due to the recent exploits of players such as Australia’s Adam Gilchrist, New Zealands Nathan Astle, England’s Graham Thorpe and India’s VVS Laxman. In addition to this, many teams are now emulating the tactics of the all conquering Aussie juggernaut. Coupled together what we have is, a re-vitalised form of cricket that seems set for a brighter future and resurgence of interest.

Oh no, not Again Shane!
Once again the infamous King of Spin, Shane Warne, finds himself embroiled in an unsavoury incident with a female and as usual, he hasn't done anything wrong according to him and his partner and witness on this occassion, Brett Lee. I guess we are left wondering if his wife Simone feels the same way about the most recent incident or finds herself lecturing her husband about inappropriate behaviour with young women.

Terrorism Comes to Cricket
The terrorist threat towards cricket moved a step closer recently after Indian players Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar were advised of a plot by Kashmiri separatists to kidnap them in order to further the cause of muslims in the endeavour to have Kashmir declared independant of India.

Sir Donald Bradman - The Don
It will long be remembered as the day that marked the end of the finest innings in world cricket history. February 25, 2001 is a date known by cricket followers far and wide as the one that marks the passing of the great Sir Donald George Bradman, a legendary cricketer many have described as the greatest batsman of all time. Many of the amazing batting feats of The Don still remain unsurpassed till this day.

Keane on Ceramics, 20 Over Style
A great advantage of cricketing life in Ireland is that during the summer months here, it remains light until about 10:30pm in the evening. It may not remain warm however, or even dry for that matter, but lack of daylight is thankfully never an issue. Perhaps this is one of the main reasons the 20 Over Competition or "slog-fest” began and now prospers quite well in Ireland.

South African Cricket Set to Self-Destruct
The present racial quota policy of the United Cricket Board of South Africa, which requires South African cricket teams to include a minimum number of coloured players is set to cause the sport to self-destruct before it has the opportunity to achieve the purpose for which it was implemented. Under current policy, provincial cricket teams are required to consist of no-less-than, three coloured players and the national team, at least one coloured and one black.

The Big Ship, Warwick Armstrong and the Making of Modern Cricket
Warwick Armstrong was a colossus of a man - at one stage weighing 140 kilograms bound in a six-foot frame - and his footprint on Australian cricket was correspondingly large. During a first class career that spanned almost 25 years he accumulated more than 16000 runs and 800 wickets. In fact, so prominent was Armstrong’s presence in Australian cricket that it was once proposed by English writer Sir Neville Cardus that Australian cricket was ‘incarnate in him.’

Writing on the Wall
In a sport that has had more than its fair share of interesting characters, never before have cricketers been as aware as today's professionals of the commercial opportunities available to the professional, nor as adept at exploiting them.

India, Get Your Act Together!
The aggressive and confrontational stance that Indian chief Jagmohan Dalmiya has taken has plunged India’s fist test with England into uncertainty and jeopardy. India play aggressive cricket, but against South Africa recently they simply went too far.

Finally, The Irish Modernise Rule 21
On the 17th of November 2001, members and delegates of Ireland’s GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association), made a final decision on the future of something called rule 21.

Craic, Cricket and Culchee’s Galore
When Rick Barlow packed his cricket kit-bag and jetted of to the Emerald Isle he wasn’t sure what to expect from the local Irish cricket clubs. There were surprises galore awaiting him in the land of Craic and Culchee’s.

Pressing the Selectors - Thami Tsolekile
Another of South Africa’s up-and-coming African players was dealt a rather unlucky blow this week. After a prolific start to the domestic first-class season, 21 year old Western Province wicket-keeper Thami Lungisa Tsolekile sustained a finger injury, that has cost him a place in the South African A team facing the Indians at East London.

Cricket Propaganda
It appears Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, chief purveyor of propaganda for the Taliban regime is not the only one working to ensure the current fight against terrorism and the resulting worldwide fears of Islamic retribution remains prominent to the world's media. Former test umpire Dickie Bird and ex-England test batsman Allan Lamb, are doing their bit for the cause also. 2/11/01

Turbans and Turmoil - Cricket, Taliban Style
Islamic fundamentalism, military hardware and human rights abuses are not the only area’s for which the feared Taliban regime of Afghanistan aspire to attain international recognition. It would appear set deep in the sights of the Taliban leadership is the sport of infidels, Cricket. 18/10/01

WTC Disaster - Impact on Cricket
The events which transpired in the United States on September 11, with the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon, are likely to have repercussions not only in the political and economic world as we know it, but more than likely will impact our everyday way of life and how we would normally enjoy simple daily activities such as the following of our favourite sports. 19/09/01

From Chucker to Champion
This time 2 years ago, it appeared the cricketing future of India's Harbhajan Singh was in doubt. Accused of chucking by the umpire during a tournament in Sharjah in 1999, who could possibly predict, he would go on to be one of the finest off spin bowlers currently playing cricket. 24/03/01

In The Beginning
In 1868, Australia's first touring cricket team departed on its inaugural tour of England. A notable feature of the Australian side at the time was the fact, the team was comprised solely of Indigenous Australian players.

Just Not Cricket
After an illustrious career spanning 16 years, including 218 games as a member of the English cricket team, it appears Ian Botham has finally met his match, his wife Kathy.

Australia's Shame
He was the cricketer who could have brought the English tourists to their knees during the Bodyline tests over the summer of 1932-33.