England’s captain showed his class in a professional series win
England’s series win in Sri Lanka may have looked comfortable on paper, but in reality it was a hard fought victory against a team which could soon become increasingly hard to beat.
The two tests followed a similar pattern. Both played in the same ground, on both occasions the hosts won the toss, batted first and England were tested with a fourth innings run chase on both occasions.
There were positives for both sides. For Sri Lanka, Lasith Embuldinya finished as the leading wicket taker, collecting 15 of the 40 English scalps. …
How England’s first overseas tour since the beginning of the pandemic is shaping up
International cricket continues its slow progression back to normality as England prepare to begin their first overseas tour since the game restarted in the summer.
Joe Root’s men begin a two match test series in Sri Lanka on 14 January having not played any red ball cricket in six months.
England’s squad in full looks like this: Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dom Sibley, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood.
Moeen Ali tested positive for coronavirus upon landing in…
What we learned from the riots and how they brought about a fitting end to a controversial Presidential term
Images of protesters storming a political building and demanding the overturning of a democratic decision don’t come around too often. A building previously thought impregnable to the public being overrun with ease feels like something fresh out of fiction but the truth is, it isn’t. This is real, and it is America in 2021.
Thousands of Donald Trump supporters broke through the capitol police to occupy parts of the building which is seen by millions as a symbol of democracy. Elected…
How the legendary batsman is slowly bringing pride back to the Australian Cricket team after one of its darkest chapters
When Cameron Bancroft pulled a tiny piece of sandpaper out of his pocket to tamper with the ball in the third test between South Africa and Australia in March 2018, he probably thought he’d gotten away with his attempt at match fixing. Unfortunately for him, it had been picked up by one of the many tv cameras in the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town. whilst the impact of his actions wouldn’t be truly realised until the end of the days play, news of the scandal spread like wildfire around the world. …
Why this year’s world championship was the lockdown entertainment we all needed
When Gerwyn Price landed the world championship winning dart, it brought to an end the most unusual of darts tournaments. This year’s PDC World Championship has been far from normal. With changing coronavirus lockdown restrictions, only the first night of the tournament saw fans allowed into the Alexandra Palace. It meant that fans would only get to watch the tournament from home. If there was any concern that the tournament would have less drama when it is behind closed doors, it was quickly forgotten about.
The tournament saw 20 players make their debuts in the biggest tournament in darts, and…
How journalists have helped to expose some of the biggest injustices in recent political history
Across the history of the media, journalists have often been at the brunt of criticism from society. Whilst some instances are perhaps justifiable, most of the time the negativity isn’t necessary. Something that people who give journalists no credit will hate to hear is that the media is absolutely vital; and has helped to expose some of the biggest injustices in history.
The first and probably most go to example of this is the Watergate scandal. Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein put together the story which would lead to the beginning of the end of the Richard Nixon administration.
The…
Why the UK’s withdrawal from this project could impact students for years to come if a fitting replacement isn’t found
It was an ice cold evening in Stuttgart, Germany in the winter of 2017. I had left pre drinks at a friends flat and was stumbling over to the U-bahn stop for a train destined to the city centre. The drink was flowing and I was surrounded by people from all corners of Europe and further afield. This was one of just many nights out in a European city after many days at a European University made possible through the Erasmus programme; a programme which the UK will no longer be part of.
First and foremost, I’m aware that a…
Why a yearning for days gone by is holding back many within British society
When it comes to pining for days gone by, few nations do it more intensely and as frequently as Britain. Certain members of a generation have a longing for the ‘glory days’ of when Britannia ruled the waves and when ‘we won the war’ as well the days of simpler times in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Where it may have been better for some people back then, the truth is that nostalgia can be dangerous and misleading.
Going back to the height of the British Empire is perhaps the most misleading period of history. Whilst colonial wars and the…
A look back at a test match ten years ago which will live long in the memory of England fans everywhere
The start of a Boxing Day test during an Ashes series is arguably one of the most highly anticipated in world cricket. On most occasions, the series is over as a contest. The fourth test at Melbourne, more often than not, has England already 3–0 down and out; but not in 2010.
The first day at Melbourne began with the 2010–11 Ashes series on a knife edge at 1–1. A determined display with the bat from Alistair Cook, Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott in the first test in Brisbane saved the match for the tourists was followed up with a…
How a game full of charisma and personality has dealt with 2020
When you think of sports, darts is probably not the first to spring to mind. The game is one of skill and psychology, and comes with a lot of high pressure moments just like any sport, but there is plenty more to darts than this.
From smokey exhibition rooms in clubs and pubs to huge indoor arenas across the world, darts has exploded as a sport. Every player has their own nickname, colours and personality which fans can get behind. As my dad remarked, darts is a bit like wrestling for all these factors; except it’s not scripted.
Let’s take…
Patrick Hollis
I am a journalist with an honours degree from Coventry University. Passionate writing about politics, culture, sport, society and more
