“One ball at a time”
Best Cricket Stories of the Week, 27th July to 2nd August, 2024
1
“One ball at a time”
ESPNcricinfo’s Madushka Balasuriya chronicles Rumesh Ratnayake’s influence on the Sri Lanka Women’s team; from also-rans to Asia Cup champs in 18 months.
“We also talk about fearlessness. Through words you can bring about negativity. Negativeness can bring in fear. So even today [during the Asia Cup final] I had to say 'no, not that, say it differently, reframe it'. Small things like that certainly helped.
“Because [when I came in] it was in a place where a lot of negatives were spoken by players, coaches, staff, and everybody else.”
2
“Kagiso Rabada isn't afraid to be black”
Cricbuzz’s Telford Vice talks to Kagiso Rabada about the complications of being a black cricketer in South Africa, and how he inadvertently ends up having to think about legacy and representation when all he wants to do is play cricket.
“There are certain things we have to make peace with in South Africa because we have a unique landscape," Rabada said. "Transformation always seems to bubble up when we're at World Cups.”
“You ask yourself what are some of the factors that might make a player feel that way [at fault], that they're the only black player? It's things like, 'We lost [the World Cup final] because of transformation or because we had to include players of colour or black Africans'. And if you ask yourself truthfully, looking back, have we not won a World Cup because of transformation? I mean, like, really?”
3
West Indies’ chicken-and-egg problem
Caribbean Cricket News’ Markus Conneely talks to West Indies’ (hopeful) new prodigy Kimani Melius about the systemic issues that young Caribbean players face, and the long shadow of the great teams from the 1970s and 1980s.
“The West Indies Championship doesn’t offer nearly as many opportunities. Following a COVID-enforced reduction, it remains just 7 matches long. A competition half the length of England’s County Championship provides half the opportunities for new talent. Players who start slow can find themselves out of favour quickly, their careers in limbo, without the security of a long-term contract.
“Cricketers (in the Caribbean) are not playing enough first-class games. Some of the guys I played against at the 2018 U19 World Cup have played 70 + first-class games. I've only played 15. That’s a big difference [said Melius].”
4
The best of the rest
ESPNcricinfo’s Melinda Farrell talks to an accomplished Aussie sports exec who’s taken on an (associate!) cricket association plagued by racist and sexist allegations; “Cricket Scotland chief exec: 'I'm determined to find a way through this for everyone.”
Cricket Et Al’s Gideon Haigh asks why nobody asked why Gautam Gambhir got a free ride to Indian cricket’s top job; “The Saffron Candidate.”
Cricbuzz’s Smit Patel chronicles the rise of the MLC’s new champion; “How Ricky Ponting inspired the Washington Freedom juggernaut.”
5
The best videos and podcasts
81 All Out’s Siddhartha Vaidyanathan talks to veteran journalist Clayton Murzello about an oft forgotten man in Indian cricketing history; Nari Contractor, the oldest living former captain. [Apple Podcasts]
Wisden Cricket Weekly catches up with Adam Hollioake; Surrey’s most successful captain returned as a coach this year. But the conversation is about the fascinating 20 years in between his captaincy and coaching, including boxing, bankrupt businesses, and creating TV shows! [Apple Podcasts]
US Cricket Daily’s Peter Della Penna & Aaman Patel talk to MLC co-owner Vijay Srinivasan about the second season, and how the league (and the sport) continue to fight for fans in America. [Apple Podcasts]