Steve Bucknor is umpiring kid’s games in New York
Best Cricket Stories of the Week, 22nd to 28th June 2024
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Steve Bucknor is umpiring kid’s games in New York
The Cricket Monthly’s Sidharth Monga walked around the Bronx and ran into a familiar figure; What’s Steve Bucknor been doing since he retired from international umpiring? Umpiring kids.
“Needless to say, Bucknor is still fit enough for these jobs. He doesn't even need glasses to umpire. He only wears his reading glasses in artificial light. Which makes me wonder: why couldn't the ICC or CWI use a man of such experience and expertise to train umpires? "No, no, no, no," he says when asked if he has ever been approached to come back to cricket. "I was hoping that I would've been made the trainer in West Indies - that is, the umpire coordinator. Nobody said anything to me.”
The Guardian’s James Wallace talks to another West Indian legend with an odd legacy; “Carlos Brathwaite on the good and bad of 2016: ‘I fell out of love with the game.”
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Afghanistan soar; Ireland sink
Cricbuzz’s Nathan Johns analyses how the two countries - one beset by war and famine, and the other thriving as a tax haven in Europe - have taken such contrasting cricketing paths; Why can’t Ireland match Afghanistan’s cricketing success?
“Ireland's talent pool hasn't completely dried up, but players simply don't have the required outlets to progress from promising youngsters to dominant superstars. Ireland have no permanent playing infrastructure, no first-class competition since 2019 and a playing pool of only 50,000 people.
Afghanistan boast a proper stadium in Kandahar - which was at least partly funded by the BCCI - alongside a domestic first-class structure. Not to mention a population desperate to both play and consume the sport. The lack of Irish media coverage of the recent World Cup was in stark contrast to the images of densely populated Kabul watch parties.”
Cricbuzz’s Atif Azam talks to Afghanistan’s fielding coach to figure out how the team has improved so much; “KPIs for body language, hot spots evaluation: How Afghanistan are getting better in the field.”
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Healy’s ready to fill out those size 10s
Cricket Australia’s Adam Burnett checks in to see how Meg Lanning’s departure has affected the team; “One year in, Alyssa Healy is primed to lead a new Aussie era.”
“In the coming 18 months, Australia will be defending their titles at the T20I and ODI World Cups. All things being equal, Healy will lead them into both. While the Lanning legend still looms large, the time has now arrived for the new captain to begin carving out her legacy as the leader of an evolving group.
"It'd be silly to sit here and say, 'It's not a new era', because I think it is," the 34-year-old says. "I mean, we've lost 700 international games of experience over the last 18 months (including Mott as head coach).”
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The best of the rest
ESPNcricinfo’s Sruthi Ravindranath takes a walk down memory lane as Chennai got ready to host it’s first Women’s Test in 48 years; “When Chennai hosted its first women's Test: 'They came to watch the cricket, not just to see if the girls could play.”
ESPNcricinfo’s Matt Roller has a post-mortem on an unnecessarily arrogant English side; “Stagnant England endure a pasting that had been in the post since Adelaide.”
Pro Sports’ Ahmad Umar looks at the numbers to ask a depressing question about a once-bright talent; “Will We Ever See Peak Shaheen Afridi Again?”
🚨SHAMELESS PLUG🚨; I analysed 69 stories by 25 reporters at 8 different publications + 38 fan testimonials on Twitter to understand a simple question; Did the World Cup make a difference to cricket’s fortunes in America?
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The best videos and podcasts
Powerplay’s Firdose Moonda & Valkerie Baynes talk to Laura Wolvaardt, Sophie Devine, Tammy Beaumont and more to understand just how difficult it is to get prepped for Tests when you only play red ball cricket once in a blue moon. [Apple Podcasts]
The Cricketer’s Cameron Ponsonby hosts Sussex bowler Tymal Mills to discuss the improvements that the T20 Blast needs to make.
Pro Sports profiles the Daughters Cricket Academy in Faisalabad, Pakistan that has been churning out international female players since 2008.
Editor’s Note
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