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In less than an hour’s play on an epic 25th morning, England and India’s series touched rare heights

Vithushan Ehantharajah04-Aug-20255:16

Harmison: Siraj never looked like running out of steam

56 minutes of hell. 56 minutes of heaven.56 minutes of the wildest ride of your goddamn life. 56 minutes that will change you forever.It is enough time to move from the northern-most part of the Victoria Line to its lower reaches, brush shoulders as you walk up the escalator of Vauxhall Station and turn into the Harleyford Road to see the Kia Oval on the horizon. Enough time to find yourself a whole new world.Enough time to believe in new heroes. Enough time to laud old ones. Enough time to have your heart broken. Enough time to count yourself lucky that Test cricket, handed down by older generations more than it is ever picked up by newer ones, was handed to you.Related

• Holy mackerel Batman, what did we just watch?

• Support role no more, Mohammed Siraj you're a hero

• How Woakes defied injury to front up in England's hour of need

• Six-run thriller – India script their narrowest win in Tests

• Siraj goes on and on and on, tired but undeterred

Enough time, on this rare occasion, to pick it up as a new convert. Because there would have been some in this pocket of south London who will have experienced Test cricket for the first time on Monday. Firstly, welcome. Usually, it lasts longer than this. And no, you will never see anything like this again.The very existence of List A and T20 cricket – and yes, the Hundred, which begins on Tuesday – comes from the idea that the longest format is too long, too convoluted, too inconvenient to really grab you. Who knew all it takes was a small taste of the hard stuff to grab you by the throat and stir your soul.This was 100% proof, undiluted, unhinged Test cricket. All you needed was a shot of 56 minutes. No human body, not even those reared on it, including those out there providing the action, could have dealt with much more.Day five at the Kia Oval was sold out well before this match threatened to spill over from Sunday’s longer-form chaos. The gripping finale of the third Test, on the other side of the river at Lord’s, had resulted in Surrey selling over 5000 day five tickets in 24 hours. Eventually, 17,545 punters had what, unbeknownst to them, would prove to be the most golden of tickets.At only £25 a pop for adults (20 for members) and £1 for kids, it was a sound investment given that refunds would be given if the day saw no play. Rarely has just 8.5 overs felt like a steal.The Indian team celebrates their Oval win•Associated PressSuch pricing usually brings a different kind of crowd to the first four days – especially at Lord’s – but, down at The Oval, the mix of English and Indian fans was as it had been throughout the match already. The state of the game, however, created a more feverish atmosphere, making this bowl ground feel taller and deeper, and even more self-contained. For 56 minutes, there was no outside world, for the outside world was every bit as transfixed with what was going on in here. Even the construction on the new apartment blocks in the old Gasholders ground to a halt.The clamour as the players entered the field was louder than it had been all match. The English roars when Jamie Overton pulled the first ball for four were more guttural. The Indian jubilation when victory was sealed in Mohammed Siraj’s 186th over of the series came crashing back and forth like Atlantic-sized waves in a goldfish bowl.The overnight break helped add to the tumult, even amid the fury of Sunday’s hastily called stumps, though an extra night’s sleep brought anything but. A new day’s new opportunity was now riddled with even more jeopardy.How on earth did 35 more runs turn into the impossible job when 301 of the 374 had been cleared with such ease? Since when has getting through a tail that includes a man with only one functioning arm come replete with truly eternal legacy-making rewards and, thus, incomprehensible pressure?There were simpler questions, too. Who wanted it? And the one we were all asking ourselves – who could bear it?Gus Atkinson loses his off stump as India seal their narrowest Test win•Getty ImagesA familiar trope of Test cricket is that, at its best, it is a universal force. Happening to people, beyond their control and comprehension.But that does a disservice to the protagonists. To Joe Root and Harry Brook, who dragged this fourth innings into legendary territory. And, finally, Siraj, who had bowled on 18 of the 25 days of these five Tests, sending down 50 or more balls on 12 of them. And his 1122nd delivery (including extra balls), sent down with as much vigour as the previous 1121, was his fifth-fastest of them all at 89mph/143kph. And the one that will live forever.Moments like these always give you heroes. But they also give you kindred spirits. Those you are drawn to as much for their heroics as their fallibility.Akash Deep, face down in the green beyond the boundary at midwicket, palms still stinging from Gus Atkinson’s heave to cow, wondering if he’d be to blame for an impending loss. Dhruv Jurel wanting that same turf to swallow him as Siraj and Shubman Gill berated him for missing the stumps with an underarm that would have sealed the match. His shot at immortality scuttled a yard past the striker’s stumps.1:15

Monga: India’s series was all about Mohammed Siraj

Atkinson crestfallen, one hit away from a tie that would have given England the series win, doubled over, smelling the earth where his off stump used to be. A lionhearted Chris Woakes, dislocated left shoulder strapped to his torso, secured by a sleeveless jumper, arm guard on his “wrong” side with a view to batting southpaw.Even umpire Ahsan Raza, assuming the role of good Samaritan, helping the infirm Woakes readjust himself after sprinting the bye Jurel failed to prevent, a moment that left his left arm loose despite all the binding.And hey, let’s hear it for the Dukes ball. Pilloried for the last seven weeks but thriving in its final 85.1 overs of the English Test summer.Was 2-2 a fair result? On balance, yes. But England’s failure to punch their card for a hat-trick of 370-plus chases against India should be regarded as a misstep from 301 for 3 and 332 for 4.That only enhances India’s feat in squaring the series, even if they will depart a long tour with issues of their own. Selection decisions remain inconsistent, and their batting needs to take cues from their bowling when it comes to getting a grip of sessions that are turning against them.1:50

Miller: Bazball’s legacy in danger without wins

With the best will in the world, who cares about any of that right now? As both sets of players reflected on how such a hard-fought series could reach such a climax, they would do well to appreciate how lucky they were, too.Test cricket has been going on for almost 150 years, and we were still treated to a one-of-a-kind finish. And perhaps more importantly, at a time when other Test-playing nations are unwelcome and unable to participate in series that allow such fairytales, both sides should count themselves lucky. Lucky to play regularly in a format that can lift you to higher plains. Lucky to afford to do it.As it happens, Monday was the 20-year anniversary of the start of the 2005 Edgbaston Test between England and Australia. A Test that, ultimately, defines an Ashes series regarded as the greatest ever.That two-run victory was England’s slimmest margin. Here in 2025, India bagged theirs, by six. Maybe the universe is up to something.Many have wondered throughout these five Tests if the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy could rival 2005’s offerings. In these 56 minutes, it did.

Players from Dambulla and Kandy dominate the 2023 honour roll

Madushka Balasuriya21-Aug-20231. Babar Azam (Colombo Strikers)
Even before the LPL auction, Babar’s services had been locked up as Colombo Strikers’ Icon overseas signing. It would prove to be an astute move as the Pakistan skipper racked up 261 runs in 8 innings, including the only hundred of the season. Sadly for Colombo, his output waned as the tournament wore on, but such was his early form he still ended as the second-highest run scorer.2. Avishka Fernando (Dambulla Aura)
Runs 244, Average 27.11, Strike rate 125.12After three successful seasons with Jaffna, Avishka took his talents to Dambulla this season as their pre-auction Platinum signing. While he only ended fourth in the run charts, he was a large part of Dambulla’s run to the finals, with his aggressive approach at the top proving particularly valuable on the frequently two-paced tracks. He also showcased more intent this year, highlighted by his 14 sixes – a figure only matched by Wanindu Hasaranga.3. Dinesh Chandimal (B-Love Kandy)
It’s been quite some time since Chandimal was given any serious consideration as an effective limited-overs option, but this year he showed that an old dog can indeed learn new tricks – or in this case, relearn long forgotten old ones. Chandimal’s strike rate of 125.12 was far and away above his career T20I strike rate of 103.60. What’s more? He was delivering them on a consistent basis – across 10 innings he failed to cross 20 just three times.4. Sadeera Samarawickrama (Dambulla Aura)
Sadeera was Player of the Series in last year’s LPL, so it was pleasing to see him follow that up with another stellar tournament – this time for Dambulla. Once again he has been the picture of consistency, only failing to reach double digits once in 10 outings. Of those, his 30-ball 36 in the final, despite coming in a losing cause, might have been arguably the best of the lot, counterpunching in the powerplay against Kandy’s spinners on a tricky surface.Both Noor Ahmad and Dhananjaya de Silva make the TOTM•SLC5. Lasith Croospulle (Galle Titans)
While the rest of the names on this list are more of the household variety, Croospulle’s isn’t quite there yet. In Galle side littered with powerhitters, it was the 24-year-old from Negombo that most caught the eye with his measured and confident stroke play at the top of the order. While not renowned for his big hitting, he made up for it with clever placement and eager running, meaning that his strike rate was consistently amongst the highest in the tournament.6. Dhananjaya de Silva (Dambulla Aura)
Rarely did Dhananjaya set this LPL alight, but hardly ever did he fail. His only scores of note – 43, 61 and 40 – came in losing causes, but were crucial in helping his side remain competitive, while he was twice there to calmly see home a successful chase. With the ball, only thrice did he fail to pick up a wicket, but only once did he pick up more than a solitary scalp – on that occasion he put up career-best figures of 4 for 6 in two overs; he might have had more, but as stand-in skipper he felt there were better bowling options to call on and didn’t bowl out.7. Wanindu Hasaranga (B-Love Kandy)
Wickets 19, Economy rate 5.51, Runs 279, Strike rate 189.79After their first three games, Kandy had won one, lost two, and Hasaranga had a grand total of 18 runs and one wicket. But then, they changed things up. From a lower-order batter, the captain was floated up the line-up as an experiment in the fourth game, and the move proved a masterstroke. With Hasaranga’s devastating ball-striking used as needed, either in the powerplay or against spin in the middle overs, opposition plans were thrown in the mud. Then with the ball, the gradually more sluggish surfaces afforded Hasaranga the type of assistance he thrives on.8. Noor Ahmad (Dambulla Aura)
With 12 wickets in eight innings, Noor’s bowling impact was only behind that of Hasaranga’s. Frequently asked to bowl in the middle overs, his skiddy wristspin proved a strong weapon for Dambulla in building pressure. Only once in his eight matches did he go wicketless, while his three wickets in the final nearly turned a straightforward chase in his side’s favour.Not a season to remember for Colombo, but Pathirana was red hot•SLC9. Matheesha Pathirana (Colombo Strikers)
The rawness is still apparent for all to see, with stray deliveries either side of the wicket a frequent occurrence with the young slinger. But when he gets it on target Pathirana is an absolute handful, troubling batters with his express pace and awkward bounce. Still only 20, once he masters his control, Sri Lanka will have a real star on their hands.10. Lahiru Kumara (Galle Titans)
Kumara only played the last five games, but such was his impact you wonder what he could do if he were able to remain fit consistently. His fierce new ball spells, where he frequently found a hard length at pace, proved extremely difficult to get away. His death bowling has also come on leaps, making a him a viable option at both ends of the innings.11. Nuwan Pradeep (B-Love Kandy)
All the talk pre-tournament was on Dushmantha Chameera’s express pace, but Pradeep showed that at 36 years of age he’s still got plenty left in the tank. Regularly hitting speeds in the mid-to-high 130s, Pradeep’s control and ability to vary his length and pace adeptly played a key role in Kandy’s title win. He picked up three three-fors in seven games.

Australia needed some luck to secure an incredible victory, but to even have a chance said a lot about their game

Andrew McGlashan25-Sep-2021Was the delivery to Nicola Carey a no-ball? You aren’t going to find a unanimous view (although it’s only what the umpire decided that matters). Was Australia’s victory in Mackay a remarkable chapter for a brilliant team? Of that there is little doubt.Beth Mooney, who was on the field from first ball to last, played the innings of her life. They needed some fortune to finally get the job finished, but she produced a textbook display of calculating a run chase from a long way out. As the latter stages unfolded, Meg Lanning revealed they had wanted to get it down to 90 off the last 10; in the end they needed 87.Yet while Mooney was the standout statistically, it was the supporting cast that was just as significant. Australia were without three first-choice players – Rachael Haynes, Megan Schutt and Jess Jonassen – with another likely starter in Tayla Vlaeminck sidelined and Georgia Wareham injured early in the game and unable to bowl. The talk before the series had been Australia’s much-vaunted depth. Here it was, again.In the opening match teenagers Darcie Brown and Hannah Darlington shared six wickets and now in the second game Tahlia McGrath, playing her seventh ODI, and Carey who has precious little chance to show her batting credentials at the top level combined with Mooney to lift Australia form 52 for 4.Related

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McGrath, who made her debut in 2016 before having three years away from the side, had an outstanding all-round day – becoming the seventh Australian female player to take three wickets and score a half-century in an ODI – with her bowling helping cover the expensive performances of Ellyse Perry and Darlington.She had an underwhelming 2020-21 season with the bat (averaging 16.21 in the WBBL and 27.80 in the WNCL) but Australia have shown faith. It was the early stages of McGrath’s innings which were key to the revival with Mooney yet to find fluency having fought to survive the new ball. When the fifty partnership was raised, McGrath had 34 of them and finished with two-thirds of the 126-run stand.”A lot of credit has to go to T-Mac,” Mooney said, “she came in and looked like she was batting on a completely different wicket. Just goes to show in the investment you make in players like T-Mac, think she has evolved her game massively in the last couple of years.”Nicola Carey drives down the ground•Albert Perez/Getty Images”Motty [Matthew Mott] made the comment before I went out that this is your opportunity, you haven’t really had a good crack at it,” McGrath said. “So I just had to keep us as close to run rate as possible so left with no choice but to play like that and luckily it came off.”For me it’s about being brave in my ability and that’s something, again, that the Australian team is really good at, making sure that you are fearless and back yourself. It’s believing in my ability and showcasing what I can do.”When McGrath fell, pulling a short delivery to fine leg, the job was far from done with Australia still needing 97 off 69 balls and an injured Wareham, herself an ever-improving batter, unlikely to be able to play a role. But up stepped Carey with the most significant innings of her international career – she had never previously faced more than 22 balls and it was just the tenth time in 19 ODIs that she had batted – which included a horrid hit to the helmet from a Jhulan Goswami beamer in the dramatic final over. Australia’s middle order are sometimes left kicking their heels. They were needed on this occasion and delivered.The contrast between how Australia responded to pressure and how India, albeit hampered by a wet ball, couldn’t close out a game they had dominated for so long was stark but also a reminder of how India’s players are being expected to developed with one hand tied behind their back. The role of the WBBL and the strong WNCL should not be understated in Australia’s success.The likes of Carey, who averaged 47.50 for Tasmania in the WNCL last season after a poor WBBL for Hobart Hurricanes, and McGrath bat high up the order so know how to build innings and the players are exposed to pressure situations. Only English cricket currently comes close to providing a comparable platform in the female game.”Experience is pretty valuable and I’ve played a lot of cricket – not so much at this top level – so was backing myself that it was just another game,” McGrath said. “We were really calm, really clear about what we needed to do. We have so much belief in the squad that no matter who is at the wicket we can do a job.”Someone, eventually, will beat this Australia side. But they will have to play the perfect match.

Sometimes an MLB pitcher delivers a ball to the plate so good there’s simply nothing a batter can do.

Such was the case on Monday night when Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt put away Padres first baseman Luis Arraez.

Pfaadt delivered a changeup that dropped so far off the plate that Arraez nearly lost his footing chasing after it. After his swinging third strike, cameras caught Arraez mouthing “Wow,” simply in awe of his opposition.

Arraez is not an easy guy to make look silly at the plate. As the two-time reigning NL batting title champion, Arraez is used to figuring out a way to get on base. But against Pfaadt on Monday night, he was left looking for answers that never came.

The Diamondbacks would go on to win the game, 6–2.

Martin O’Neill’s time in charge of Celtic couldn’t have gone much better really.

The legendary manager saw his beat their Old Firm rivals, reach a cup final and draw level with Hearts at the top of the SPFL table.

It took the Hoops a while to find their new manager but they finally have their man in the form of Wilfried Nancy who arrives following a stint in MLS.

That said, for those at Parkhead, chiefly Liam Scales, he’s not had much time to think about what could be in store under the new boss.

Scales preparing for new era at Celtic

Republic of Ireland international Scales was asked after the 1-0 victory over Dundee on Wednesday evening whether he had been doing his research on the 48-year-old Nancy.

“No, I haven’t had time,” the defender said. “It’s been so busy. Obviously we know bits and pieces but we can’t get ahead of ourselves. We need to focus on the games that we have and now is the time where we’re going to have to really focus on the tactical changes and whatever he wants us to do.

“It’s hard to do homework on someone you’ve never met because you don’t want to create a false idea of them. It’s better just to wait and really learn from them in person.”

Nancy arrives ahead of a crucial run of games. Celtic will go top of the Premiership if they beat Hearts on Sunday before facing St Mirren in the League Cup final a week later.

“It doesn’t get much bigger than the week he has come in. It’s probably ideal. You want to come in and be part of massive games and he has a chance to win a trophy early on.

“If you come in and do well over the next three games, it’s the best way you can start a job. We’ll be doing our best to make that happen for him because we want to be successful as a team.”

Scales could be set for new role under Nancy

Scales was in excellent form under O’Neill, notably hailed as Celtic’s “player of the year” by some. Evidently, he thoroughly enjoyed his time with the interim manager in the dugout.

The defender said of O’Neill: “He’s been really good. It’s been a positive four weeks or five weeks. We’ve won a lot of games. We’ve obviously won a cup semi-final and won an away game in Europe as well. They were big wins. It’s just been really enjoyable and positive.

“In the game now, the defenders are on the ball a lot and you need to link play. But to go back to basics and just be told that you need to win your headers, you need to win your duels, I’ll keep that with me.”

Whether the centre-back continues his form remains to be seen. After all, Scales could be set for a modified role given Nancy’s preference for a back three. “I’ve played in back threes, I’ve played in back fives, I’ve played in back fours. I just want to be in the team. That’s all I care about.”

Better than Maeda: Celtic star is going to be undroppable under Nancy

This Celtic star who was even better than Daizen Maeda against Dundee should be Wilfried Nancy’s first undroppable star.

1 ByDan Emery Dec 4, 2025

Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner was rung up on strikes by Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty during the fifth inning of Sunday's game, and after expressing his dissatisfaction with the call from home plate umpire Derek Thomas, he was promptly ejected from the game.

Shortly thereafter, Cubs manager Craig Counsell got face to face with Thomas and was dealt a similar fate to that of Hoerner: an early trip to the locker room.

After the game, Hoerner spoke to reporters and addressed his frustration over the call and his ejection, laying out to the media exactly what he told Thomas after the called third strike.

"I don't think it's really that often you can verbatim say to the press afterwards what got you thrown out. I said, 'You're having a really bad day,'" Hoerner told reporters, via Marquee Sports Network.

The 28-year-old suggested he didn't make any obscene comments or anything of that nature after being called out on strikes. Hoerner claims to have given Thomas an honest assessment of his performance behind the plate, and in turn was tossed from the game.

Update: This video shows Hoerner was telling the truth about what he said:

Hoerner went 0-for-2 with a fly out and a strikeout prior to his ejection. He was replaced at second base by Vidal Brujan, and Chicago would go on to lose, 4–0.

Arsenal are flying high right now, but speculation remains rife ahead of the looming January transfer window.

Arsenal already backed Mikel Arteta with a near-£270 million spending spree in the summer, welcoming eight new faces as the north Londoners seek to end their 22-year wait for a Premier League title.

The investment from Andrea Berta and high-ranking Emirates Stadium officials has paid immediate dividends, with Arsenal sitting atop the Premier League with eight wins and just one loss — establishing themselves as clear title favourites.

Arsenal may have seen their defensive supremacy punctured by Sunderland, who ended their run of eight successive clean sheets in all competitions, but Arteta’s side remain four points clear, undefeated in 14 and the team to beat.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal’s water-tight defence and set-piece supremacy have been largely to thank for this, and their form is all the more impressive considering Arteta’s host of attacking players out injured right now.

Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Odegaard have all been sidelined recently, giving Arteta a real selection headache, but it is believed that the five are also racing to be fit for Arsenal’s looming North London derby against Tottenham.

Norway boss Stale Solbakken caused quite a stir this week when he said that Odegaard was still “some distance away” from an injury return, so it remains to be seen if he will be back in time to face Spurs, but Havertz and Madueke have impressed Arsenal staff with their rehabilitation.

Both men were deemed ahead of schedule in their recovery plans, so they could well return to the fold, with Gyokeres and Martinelli also vying for contention.

However, one player who’s been definitively ruled out is striker Gabriel Jesus.

The Brazilian hasn’t featured since rupturing his ACL during Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Man United in January, and despite returning to training recently, the seriousness of his injury means that Tottenham will come too soon for Jesus.

A return is expected before the end of the year though (Simon Collings), with Jesus now taking time out from his recovery to talk about his future at the club.

Gabriel Jesus makes January transfer statement and names desired next club

The 28-year-old has been regularly linked with a January exit following the arrival of Gyokeres, but Jesus told Revista Placar that there is no chance he’ll be leaving in the new year.

However, Jesus did confirm that he wants to return to Palmeiras after leaving Arsenal, and the club equally want him.

Arteta spoke about the forward’s imminent return recently, explaining how he can’t wait to have Arsenal’s ‘very unpredictable’ weapon back, so it appears Arsenal’s manager isn’t overly keen on a winter exit either.

With Arsenal competing on four fronts, it will be a major boost to have Jesus to call upon once again, as Arteta will need every possible advantage at his disposal.

Nikesh Arora believes tech consortium can help Hundred become “multi-billion dollar product”

Matt Roller07-Aug-2025

The head of the Silicon Valley technology consortium that bid £144 million (US$193 million approx.) for a 49% stake in London Spirit in January believes that the Hundred can become “a multi-billion dollar product” to rival the IPL.Nikesh Arora, the CEO of cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks, leads Cricket Investor Holdings Limited – better known as the ‘Tech Titans’ – and is a newly-appointed board member at Spirit after they completed their lucrative deal for a minority stake. They will run the franchise as a joint venture with MCC, who hosted the consortium at Lord’s this week.The consortium has grown in number since seeing off significant competition from Sanjiv Goenka’s RPSG Group in a virtual auction earlier this year, with Arora estimating that 15 of its members were at Lord’s to watch the Hundred’s opening match day – which saw Spirit’s women beat Oval Invincibles, but the men’s team bowled out for 80.Related

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They met Justin Langer and Kane Williamson at a training session on Monday, and dined in the pavilion that evening before lining a hospitality suite in the Edrich Stand on Tuesday. The CEOs of Adobe, Google and YouTube are all involved; Satyan Gajwani, the vice-chairman of Times Internet, suggested that not even the World Economic Forum could bring them all together.Arora and Gajwani walked across the outfield and posed by the pitch after Tuesday night’s games, a display of power which laid bare the new era that awaits English cricket. “This is a way to get involved with one of the most storied and hallowed grounds in the world,” Arora said at Lord’s, while watching his new team for the first time. “It’s like bringing our passions to our work.”We’ve never had buyer’s remorse. We’ve never been stressed about what we paid. I have more people who want to be part of the consortium now than I had before I made the investment, so it’s not a problem. Many of them are here; they flew from the US to come watch it. This is a passion for every one of us… It’s going to be fun.”Chair Mark Nicholas has promised MCC members a “major relaunch” of the franchise once the joint venture assumes operational control from the ECB on October 1. The London Spirit name is expected to remain for the time being but new sponsors and new kits have been lined up, potentially incorporating egg-and-bacon trim or piping as a nod to the club’s famous colours.Justin Langer, David Warner and Kane Williamson arrive before the game•Getty Images

The eight Hundred franchises were sold at a combined valuation of around £975 million ($1.3 billion approx.) earlier this year. Six deals have now been signed off, with Cain International and Reliance Industries expected to complete their purchases of stakes in Trent Rockets and Oval Invincibles respectively after the 2025 season is complete.Arora believes that the arrival of eight new investors simultaneously can “optimise” the Hundred and turn it into a “product” that rivals the most lucrative league in the world: “The IPL started from nowhere, and became a multi-billion dollar product. Why couldn’t this be that product? It’s not just us, there are eight new shareholders, give or take, across eight new franchises.”They all have successful businesses or cricket operations somewhere in the world. If that energy, that passion, that creativity, that innovation is brought to this, imagine what they could do? The ECB incubated it, which is great. But I’m sure there are ways to optimise things a bit better. I don’t think the Hundred is a bad product… It’s about creating the excitement around it.”