Ali Martin

2 days ago | theguardian.com | Ali Martin

Wisden hits the shelves this week and, as well as unveiling its latest batch of award winners, it has trained its sights on the International Cricket Council. The World Test Championship, the book argues, is a “shambles masquerading as a showpiece”. The publication of the sport’s annual bible is timely, with the future of the WTC discussed recently at ICC meetings in Zimbabwe. In typically opaque fashion, the sport’s governing body is yet to announce the outcome of the debate.

1 week ago | csmonitor.com | Ali Martin

| As President Donald Trump takes fast-changing swipes at U.S. trade relationships around the world, California Governor Gavin Newsom is challenging the president’s authority and taking steps to curb economic blowback. California launched a lawsuit against the Trump administration Wednesday, aimed at the executive privilege President Trump has cited to impose tariffs without Congressional approval under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. At the same time, Mr. Newsom has said...

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Matt Hughes |Ali Martin

The International Cricket Council is set to delay controversial plans to divide Test cricket into two divisions, with the next edition of the World Test Championship starting this summer to continue in a single-league format. The issue of two-tier Test cricket will be discussed at a series of ICC meetings in Zimbabwe this weekend but the Observer has been told that a proposal from Cricket Australia to move to two divisions will not be put to a vote.

1 week ago | theguardian.com | Ali Martin

Former England fast bowler James Anderson has been awarded a knighthood in Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours list. The 42-year-old retired from Test cricket in July having taken 704 wickets, the most by a fast bowler in Test history. He is still playing for his county Lancashire but has missed the start of the Rothesay County Championship season with a calf problem.

2 weeks ago | theguardian.com | Ali Martin

Not content with plundering a club-record 371 for Somerset to start the season, Tom Banton followed it up a couple of days later by nailing his first albatross on the golf course. Given the way England operate these days, taming the seventh hole at Minehead may have impressed Brendon McCullum more. It is Masters week, after all. Either way, Banton is on the rise, his cross-format form glowing and culminating in that epic at home to Worcestershire.