What good is a nightwatchman?

Jul 23, 2014: In modern times, there have been a few valuable innings by tailenders bumped up the order, but the psychological advantage it gives the opposition can't be discounted

When the big boys cry

Jul 9, 2014: Nothing could have prepared us for James Anderson's sudden outpouring of grief at Leeds, a reaction both spontaneous and moving

'It's hard being me,' says DRS

Jun 25, 2014: Cricket's unholy offspring tries to explain the benefits and challenges of the review system to Americans (and fails)

Let us now praise Beefy

Jun 11, 2014: Forty years since he announced his arrival on the cricket stage, Ian Botham remains a symbol of home-grown guts for glory that the current England team lacks

Time to give fielders their due

May 28, 2014: The standards of fielding, particularly catching, have improved out of sight, but there are still no proper numerical measures of its value

Maxwell's golden hammer

May 14, 2014: Despite T20's ceaseless urgency, Maxwell never appears to be in a rush. Could he, like David Warner, flourish in the Test arena?

Has cricket finally embraced wicketkeeper-captains?

Apr 30, 2014: Dhoni, de Villiers and a few others may finally be putting an end to one of the game's most robust blind spots. Or are they?

Still plenty of ifs for Butt

Apr 16, 2014: Salman Butt appears to think that redemption will be his by insisting that players should refrain from "wrongdoing". That shouldn't gain him back the trust of those he duped

The World T20 roller coaster

Apr 2, 2014: Tantalising finishes, technicolor extravaganzas, and sport as opera - notes from an armchair

The importance of failure

Mar 19, 2014: Success can dazzle, even blind. It's in failure that those like Jonathan Trott can address their weaknesses

The icing on the season's cake

Mar 5, 2014: Test cricket is in roaring health and there has been no proof more ringing than the enthralling South Africa v Australia series

All hail the Man of the Series

Feb 19, 2014: In modern times, the most accurate method of anointing the best of the best is surely an analysis of those who have been voted top performers in series most often

The good, the bad and the Greigy

Feb 5, 2014: Remembering English cricket's favourite punching bag, who didn't always do the right thing, but had unbridled passion for the game

Pietersen for vice-captain?

Jan 22, 2014: Instead of demonising him again, maybe it's time to give him some of the love he patently craves

Never another like Kallis

Jan 8, 2014: It's hard to see anyone maintaining such discipline, efficiency, focus and fitness for close to two decades

Fiery Syd

Dec 18, 2013: Sydney Barnes, the most feared bowler of them all, was a colourful, forbidding and often misunderstood character who wouldn't have been out of place in the modern game

Pump up the volume

Dec 4, 2013: It's time to turn the stump mikes all the way up, and leave them that way

From SRT with love

Nov 20, 2013: If the great man had sat down to write a letter to his fans, reflecting on his life, it might have read something like this

Saving the Test

A flag for the five-dayer

Nov 16, 2013: A new book presents a passionate case for protecting the game's premier format, and an acknowledgement that all solutions begin and end with having a more responsible ICC

Harder to get to the top or to stay there?

Nov 6, 2013: And what are we to make of the inimitable Mitchell Johnson then?