David Gower's Blog

The first thing to say about Richie Benaud as a broadcaster — and perhaps as an all-round cricketer of the late 1950s and early 1960s, although that was a little too long ago for me to judge first-hand — is that he was, quite simply, the best. He was the...

FOR MANY observers, the assumption after the second Test at Lord’s was that England would engage cruise control for the rest of the summer and that victory in the Ashes series was so assured that it would just be a question of the margin. Now we know that is not...

FOR the first time in the series England have had to bat with scoreboard pressure to add to all the usual requirements of Test-match batting. It is always just that little bit different batting with something extra on your mind, whether it be under these circumstances here or when battling...

BEFORE this series began there were precious few issues to decide within the England camp. The one pressing question was whether or not to persist with Nick Compton at the top of the order, and like many I felt that his early-season poor form against New Zealand was more relevant...

NEVER underestimate an Ashes side. I am sure we must all have said that at some stage in the build-up to the first Test, however bullish our predictions as to the outcome of this series.

IF THE Australians have one definitively world-class player, that man is the captain, Michael Clarke. Of all the visitors’ worries over the past few weeks, with a horribly poor showing in the Champions Trophy being followed by the prompt exit of the less-than-popular Mickey Arthur as coach, the biggest concern...

I WOULD love to see Alastair Cook’s hands on the trophy by the end of today. That is hardly a stunning revelation, I grant you, but England’s so-far fruitless quest for victory in a global one-day tournament is mind-boggling and inexplicable.

ENGLAND have a task on their hands against New Zealand today and will be hoping that by hook or by crook they finish the day with the two points they need to take their place in the Champions Trophy semi-finals. They have had unwanted distractions to deal with over the...

THE first of many skirmishes between England and Australia was a fairly unremarkable affair. With key men from both teams absent, notably Michael Clarke for Australia and Graeme Swann for England, and Steven Finn not selected, there was a certain lustre absent right from the start but one hoped that...

I AM enjoying watching Joe Root bat. It’s as simple as that. He is in a rich vein of form and making the most of it, looking confident and relaxed at the crease and using a good, sound technique to counter the movement that New Zealand’s disciplined seamers have found...