The Surfer
The Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) do a vast amount of incredible work supporting current and former players through difficult times in a range of situations
Matthew Maynard
Paul Radley on Friday cricket that is a ritual for the masses in the UAE
7.30am. A Friday during Ramadan, in a car park in the middle of Al Quoz industrial estate, Dubai.
Former New Zealand wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi talks life after retirement, plans of taking up a coaching role with Cricket Wellington and New Zealand Cricket, and playing in the domestic T20 leagues across the globe
"I played cricket for so long and had so many guys help out with my career and I think I'm in a position to do the same thing. There aren't too many wicketkeeping coaches around. To try and give back in that sense, and even help out during the summer with BJ [Watling, Test wicketkeeper] and others. Just the knowledge I've gained from keeping for as long as I have, you've got to pass it on and help people get better."
Having represented New Zealand in two different sports, double internationals Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine reflect on the learnings gathered from playing basketball and hockey at the highest level
Captain Suzie Bates, her country's second highest run scorer, was part of the New Zealand basketball team that competed at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, while Sophie Devine represented the Black Sticks hockey team.
Barney Ronay considers Alastair Cook's prolific county scoring after giving up the Test captaincy and wonders if he is set for a "Gooch-like late career surge"
It has been said that Cook has built a great career out of only three shots. But this is unfair. He has at least four shots. The short-arm back cut. The flick off the pads. That pull shot, where suddenly he is brandishing the bat with a startling sense of freedom like a man expertly hurling the hotel mini-fridge out of his 17th-floor window. Best of all he has an excellent leave. Not a fancy, bat-twirling leave, more a pointed kind of stillness, the most English of shots in a country where silence, the refusal to engage or acknowledge, is often the most devastating weapon.
Gary Kirsten shares his thoughts on developing sporting infrastructure in the biggest township in Cape Town, coaching and leadership
I think there are many initiatives on the go and we've just felt that the one gap in that space is through the schools and I think that there's a lot of emphasis being placed on development within the clubs, club systems and facilities dotted up all over the place and it's not to say that those aren't working. I think a lot of those projects are working, but you know, as I said, Khayelitsha's the biggest township in Cape Town, where I live and when we did some research on it, it was glaring to kind of see that through eight schools we went to, each with a thousand scholars, that they were absolutely no sporting facilities.
With the Cricket Advisory Committee set to name India's coach for the next two years soon, Sandeep Dwivedi, in the Indian Express, looks at what Virender Sehwag, one of the shortlisted candidates, can bring to the role
Sehwag had a mischievous smile as he narrated his early days as a mentor, rather a visiting faculty. "I told them that in cricket, it's always your decision. What you want to do is up to you. It is your effort - how much you want to improve your game and how you want to enjoy your game. It's your wish, it's not the coach's or manager's wish. They can't force you to do this and do that. As I was saying this, the coach had a question," Sehwag had recalled the Punjab dressing room scene in a 2015 interview with The Indian Express.
South Africa captain AB de Villers shares his thoughts on the talent and hard work that has helped Virat Kohli evolve into 'the very model of a calm, clinical and confident professional cricketer'
There were occasions earlier in his career when his determination to succeed spilled over into outbursts anger and volatility on the field, but such incidents are rare now. He has evolved into the very model of a calm, clinical and confident professional cricketer, seemingly in control of every situation.
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi recounts his experiences with India's cricketers over the years
Contrary to popular belief, India and Pakistan players get along very well. Of course, there are exceptions like Gautam Gambhir, who dare I say isn't the friendliest. We are unlikely to be found together at a coffee shop anytime soon. We had a heated exchange on the field some years ago and it made headlines all over the world. While I have moved on in life as I feel these things are part and parcel of the game, Gautam for some reason can't get over it. Good luck to him! While Gautam is clearly an exception, I have enjoyed excellent relationships with Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh. The three are one of my best mates and we have some wonderful memories together.
England opener Keaton Jennings discusses Durham's ECB punishment, his own rise and the challenge of taking on South Africa - the country of his birth - this summer
"I expected the negativity," Jennings says when recalling the response to his first Test century. "But I didn't expect the quantity or some of the criticism to go so far. Lots of people got involved in social media - including really big names - and it caused a massive ripple effect. People were arguing for and against me. Some articles had nasty words, some articles had really nice words. The majority were nice but it's hard not to think of the nasty 20%. At the same time, social media has given people a voice to reach those they admire or hate. You've got to take the good with the bad and I know I made the right decision."