Christopher Martin-Jenkins's Blog

The best, most classical and most durable all-rounder of his generation, and arguably of all time, was the mighty difference between South Africa and England in the summer of 2012. His presence gave the tourists an enviable balance, leaving England – who dared not bat their wicketkeeper Matt Prior at...

Tony Greig died of a heart attack on Saturday. It was probably for him a merciful release because the late stage of any cancer is often hell on earth. So, for most, is the toxic treatment given to try to cure the disease, administered by wonderful health workers. That, I’m...

Both leaders endured strain of a hard-fought series on slow pitches, writes Christopher Martin-Jenkins

No doubt Andy Flower, England’s dedicated team director, will have had time between the Mumbai and Calcutta Test matches to watch some of South Africa’s series-clinching victory against Australia in Perth.

When England beat India by ten wickets in Mumbai, early on a rain-drenched November Monday morning, Sally Nugent, the BBC Television sports presenter, trilled about what a magnificent win they had just achieved and how she was so thrilled to have a breaking story to report — but there were...

The singer Roy Harper’s Seventies album HQ contains a poignant number entitled When an Old Cricketer Leaves the Crease . I thought of it as Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting failed in the second Tests of the series in India and Australia. Two of the most prolific and masterful batsmen...

They were unlucky to lose the toss but, let’s face it, England made a dreadful start to the series. Thank goodness that there are four matches.

If the Board of Control for Cricket in India does not ban the transmission of overseas Test series using the Decision Review System — not an entirely fanciful notion — England players will have watched some of the first Test at the Gabba.

Whatever England’s fate in India — and I am optimistic — the game in England and Wales, like the national team itself, is once again in a state of happy cohesion. This should only become more obvious now that the ECB has belatedly agreed to listen to reason and stick...

Let us hope that common sense prevails and we will have Test Match Special , Aggers, Blowers and all, for what promises to be an interesting Test series between India and England.