In Case You Missed It: Cricket makes a poignant return
Our best content from last week
ESPNcricinfo staff
11-Jul-2020
The players take a knee in support of Black Lives Matter before the start of play • Getty Images
Cricket made its much anticipated return this week after an almost four-month hiatus when the Covid-19 pandemic first hit in March, and boy, has it been missed. After weeks of quarantine and practising in biosecure bubbles, England and West Indies went head to head in the first Test in Southampton, interrupted by the one thing we didn't miss about cricket - rain delays. The match also began on a poignant note with the West Indies and England players taking a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and sparking debate over the game's need to be more inclusive and diverse. Cricket is back and here's what this week looked like.
Jason Holder's career-best haul puts West Indies in control against England
Despite entering series under an injury cloud, the Windies captain claims 6 for 42 to roll England for 204.
Despite entering series under an injury cloud, the Windies captain claims 6 for 42 to roll England for 204.
Asia Cup postponed to June 2021
After being batted around between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, the Asia Cup finally stands cancelled for 2020, with the Asian Cricket Council looking at a window in the middle of next year. The ACC says holding the tournament now poses too high a health risk, and the varied quarantine requirements of different countries and travel restrictions make logistics too challenging at this point in time.
After being batted around between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, the Asia Cup finally stands cancelled for 2020, with the Asian Cricket Council looking at a window in the middle of next year. The ACC says holding the tournament now poses too high a health risk, and the varied quarantine requirements of different countries and travel restrictions make logistics too challenging at this point in time.
From 86,000 to zero - the week Covid-19 changed cricket
It seems a lifetime ago that a record crowd of 86,000 cheered the Women's World Cup at the MCG. Less than a week later, Australia and New Zealand were playing at the same venue to an audience of none as the first tremors of the pandemic were felt. As the game's set to resume, Andrew McGlashan looks back at how cricket went from a full MCG to a juddering halt.
It seems a lifetime ago that a record crowd of 86,000 cheered the Women's World Cup at the MCG. Less than a week later, Australia and New Zealand were playing at the same venue to an audience of none as the first tremors of the pandemic were felt. As the game's set to resume, Andrew McGlashan looks back at how cricket went from a full MCG to a juddering halt.
BLM gesture shows that cricket is beginning to look beyond the boundary
It wasn't that long ago that NFL star Colin Kaepernick's kneeling protest against racism faced widespread censure. The taking of a knee by England and West Indies before the first match is a sign of how far things have come in sport in a few years, but George Dobell says it has to be the start of a wider discourse.
It wasn't that long ago that NFL star Colin Kaepernick's kneeling protest against racism faced widespread censure. The taking of a knee by England and West Indies before the first match is a sign of how far things have come in sport in a few years, but George Dobell says it has to be the start of a wider discourse.
Ngidi says South Africa must take BLM stand like the rest of the world
The fast bowler said the nation has had a tough reckoning with racism in its past and that he will bring up the cause when the team gets a chance to regroup. Not everyone agreed with his point of view though.
The fast bowler said the nation has had a tough reckoning with racism in its past and that he will bring up the cause when the team gets a chance to regroup. Not everyone agreed with his point of view though.
Rabbit Holes: Which players have been the biggest losses to cricket this century?
Jesse Ryder? Shane Bond? Ryan Harris? The Mohammad Asif Sadness Club - Osman Samiuddin, Andrew Fidel Fernando and Sidharth Monga - debate the players they regret not seeing more of.
Jesse Ryder? Shane Bond? Ryan Harris? The Mohammad Asif Sadness Club - Osman Samiuddin, Andrew Fidel Fernando and Sidharth Monga - debate the players they regret not seeing more of.
Kemar Roach: 'I am bowling much better now than when I was bowling 145-150kph'
No more the tearaway of old, the West Indies spearhead talks about growing more effective with age as he closes in on 200 Test wickets. Former West Indies captain Courtney Walsh also believes Roach could genuinely be the next great fast bowler from the country.
No more the tearaway of old, the West Indies spearhead talks about growing more effective with age as he closes in on 200 Test wickets. Former West Indies captain Courtney Walsh also believes Roach could genuinely be the next great fast bowler from the country.
Every cricket team needs a dressing-room pest
In a time of pandemics, lockdowns and biosecure bubbles, the team needs a character like Doug Walters to bring levity and ease tensions, says Ian Chappell.
In a time of pandemics, lockdowns and biosecure bubbles, the team needs a character like Doug Walters to bring levity and ease tensions, says Ian Chappell.
Everton Weekes and the call of the inner artist
As tributes continue to pour in for the West Indies great who died at the age of 95, Vaneisa Baksh celebrates a cricketing life lived to its fullest. Did you know about the time Weekes missed the start of a Test he was playing in, seeing the game in progress as his airplane flew above the ground? Steven Lynch does and he's got answers to more questions about the legendary batsman's life in this week's Ask Steven.
As tributes continue to pour in for the West Indies great who died at the age of 95, Vaneisa Baksh celebrates a cricketing life lived to its fullest. Did you know about the time Weekes missed the start of a Test he was playing in, seeing the game in progress as his airplane flew above the ground? Steven Lynch does and he's got answers to more questions about the legendary batsman's life in this week's Ask Steven.
Has any bowler improved like Ishant Sharma has?
No bowler with a reasonable playing span has the numbers he does for the second half or the last third of his career. S Rajesh and Shiva Jayaraman crunch the numbers.
No bowler with a reasonable playing span has the numbers he does for the second half or the last third of his career. S Rajesh and Shiva Jayaraman crunch the numbers.
Dream Team: Dhoni, Kohli, Ganguly or Kapil - who captains India's greatest ODI XI?
And who opens with Tendulkar? Our panelists discuss in the latest edition of Dream Team.
And who opens with Tendulkar? Our panelists discuss in the latest edition of Dream Team.
Ijaz Ahmed wasn't pretty to watch. Did that blind us to his quality as a batsman?
We remember him for the odd stance, but there was a whole lot more to Pakistan's axeman of the 1990s, says Osman Samiuddin.
We remember him for the odd stance, but there was a whole lot more to Pakistan's axeman of the 1990s, says Osman Samiuddin.
Drawing cricket
Trinidadian artist Wendy Nanan has spent four decades sketching the game.
Trinidadian artist Wendy Nanan has spent four decades sketching the game.
Deadly venom: the terror of Derek Underwood
Mark Nicholas has stories of the spinner whose gentle facade hid his weapons of accuracy and fear.
Mark Nicholas has stories of the spinner whose gentle facade hid his weapons of accuracy and fear.