The Surfer

Mohammad Aamer is just 16 and has only played two first-class matches but he's not short of confidence

Limited-overs cricket can help a Test opener, according to Mark Richardson, who feels Tim McIntosh and Jamie How need to get some runs in the one-day format to keep their place in the Test side

As the new year begins, Dileep Premachandran hands out gongs for 2008 on his blog, the Doosra

Makarand Waingankar, in the Hindu writes about the Duleep School of Cricket in Porbandar, founded by Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji, and says the facilities are not being utilised to its fullest potential.

As Australia prepare to do battle against South Africa, Richie Benaud celebrates the golden anniversary of his appointment to the Australia captaincy against Peter May's English in 1958-59

Sanjib Guha, writing in DNA , looks at the new bunch of Indian batsman who are vying for a place in the Test side

Patrick Kidd writes in the Times that the ECB would rather see a reconciliation than lose either captain or coach so close to the Ashes

Gautam Gambhir, the Indian batsman, tells the Times of India that the years spent on the fringes of the national team have increased his appetite for runs

Simon Barnes writes in the Times that Australia are looking vulnerable not because the system has failed but because two of the greatest cricketers, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, have retired

On the BBC website, Oliver Brett lists out six players to watch out for in 2009 - one player from each of the two teams touring England in the summer, three up-and-coming players on the county scene attempting to break into the national senior

Ever since the India tour this October, Australia's fear factor has vapourised

As the fall-out from Australia's series defeat against South Africa continues, one man who many Aussies would be desperate to see on a cricket field again has had his say

Graeme Smith, in his Courier-Mail column, tells of South Africa’s long-term plan to beat Australia.

Lawrence Booth, in his blog in the Guardian , puts his spin on some of the highlights of 2008, such as Jason Krejza's 'lucky' debut, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul's 'unnoticed' brilliance.

Mike Coward writes in the Australian that Graeme Smith is an impressive man who has led an equally impressive team.

Graeme Smith is currently leading one of the most gifted generations of cricketers to emanate from South Africa yet the quota issue hovers uncomfortably even now when not one member of the current squad needs this “interference”, writes Lungani

Gideon Haigh, in his blog in the Guardian , writes the nature of Australia's defeats in Perth and Melbourne indicates their decline in fortunes is more chronic than one can imagine.

Australia's first home-series defeat in 16 years has prompted an understandable depression by their media, and no shortage of anger either

Makarand Waigankar, writing in the Hindu , feels the quality of cricket played in the Ranji Trophy will only improve if some significant changes are introduced