The 98-day gap between Test matches: a glimpse of the future.

Yet it might be a good thing for Tests: windows of Test action, when the best players can play without franchise clashes and there are multiple matches simultaneously, could help the format.

telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2024/0…

🎉📚 Happy publication day! We have a gorgeous stack of books just waiting to be read. What has taken your eye?

Thread 👇

Ready... Steady... Go!

Ahead of tomorrow's second round of Vitality County Championship fixtures, here's my round-up of what happened in the first. Plenty of landmark performances last time, but let's hope for better weather this time. playfaircricket.co.uk/ians-blog/2024…

𝐃𝐔𝐏𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐍 𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐒 𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐘𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐄 📝

We are delighted to announce the signing of South African fast bowler, Daryn Dupavillon!

Read ⤵️

Delighted to see Margaret Drabble pick out David Kynaston’s A Northern Wind: ‘Magisterial… a full and immensely readable portrayal of this country.’

Out in paperback tomorrow (I've seen some copies in the shops already). My judgement is 'merciless and often surprising', according to the Times. Best not tell my students about that...
thetimes.co.uk/article/new-pa…

My commute to the office this morning was a 3 min 45 sec walk in the crisp April sunshine. Those who know about my usual journey in will recognise why this was a good start to the day.

We're delighted to announce the overseas signing of Australian spin bowling all-rounder Chris Green for this summer’s Vitality Blast. ✍ 🇦🇺

Welcome to Lancs, Chris Green!

⚡ #LightningStrikes

Azhar Mahmood will be leaving Surrey to take up a new role with Pakistan men's national side.

“He will be greatly missed but he goes with the best wishes of everyone at the Club,” says Alec Stewart.

🤎 | LEARN MORE ⏬

And here's another one to look out for...

Great to see another county doing what it can to draw in people to watch their team. All about building good habits! You know what to do now late in the afternoon if you're in Bristol. (But first check Playfair to see if Gloucestershire Cricket are playing)

Come and talk to me to tomorrow evening at Waterstones Piccadilly!

BREAKING: Somerset County Cricket Club are delighted to announce the signing of South African seamer Migael Pretorius

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#WeAreSomerset | Migael Pretorius
WPA Health Insurance | Vitality County Championship

Setting an early benchmark for the fastest century of the summer that will be hard to beat. Now who was it we had on the front cover of Playfair this year?!

Wow. What a video!

Peter Drury and Gary Neville's commentary on that Mainoo's goal.

Drury. 🐐

Hands up if you had Mark Goldbridge new book to be the No 1 in the History of Buddhism?!! Must be his Zen-like calm watching United that does it...