David Hopps
@davidkhopps.bsky.social
Freelance cricket and travel writer (just), ex ESPNcrinfo & Guardian. Social
Liberal. Beach hotel at suitelanka.com. Leeds fan. Often exasperated.
Liberal. Beach hotel at suitelanka.com. Leeds fan. Often exasperated.
Apparently county cricket’s historic tendency to produce experienced 135kph bowlers attuned to seaming pitches is no preparation for Test cricket. 🤷♂️
December 26, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Apparently county cricket’s historic tendency to produce experienced 135kph bowlers attuned to seaming pitches is no preparation for Test cricket. 🤷♂️
"Should I get you an Uber to the nets?"
I can forgive Ben Duckett for getting so pissed on tour he can't find his hotel. I can't entirely forgive him for telling a fan he is a "nobody" in response to some memorable (and polite) mickey-taking. #ashes
I can forgive Ben Duckett for getting so pissed on tour he can't find his hotel. I can't entirely forgive him for telling a fan he is a "nobody" in response to some memorable (and polite) mickey-taking. #ashes
December 24, 2025 at 10:53 AM
"Should I get you an Uber to the nets?"
I can forgive Ben Duckett for getting so pissed on tour he can't find his hotel. I can't entirely forgive him for telling a fan he is a "nobody" in response to some memorable (and polite) mickey-taking. #ashes
I can forgive Ben Duckett for getting so pissed on tour he can't find his hotel. I can't entirely forgive him for telling a fan he is a "nobody" in response to some memorable (and polite) mickey-taking. #ashes
Reposted by David Hopps
Imagine historians using AI
December 21, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Imagine historians using AI
Reposted by David Hopps
The annual re-share of our least-successful Santa trip.
December 22, 2025 at 9:52 AM
The annual re-share of our least-successful Santa trip.
If all the energy spent on discussing Epstein, and endlessly politicking about those socially connected with a celebrity paedophile, was spent on actively stopping global child sex trafficking now the world would be a better place.
December 20, 2025 at 8:09 PM
If all the energy spent on discussing Epstein, and endlessly politicking about those socially connected with a celebrity paedophile, was spent on actively stopping global child sex trafficking now the world would be a better place.
AI analysis of the Ashes:
“Jack Leach isn't in Australia for the current Ashes series (late 2025) primarily because he was overlooked for selection in the squad… and the emergence of other spinners like Tom Hartley and Shakib Al Hasan”
🙄
“Jack Leach isn't in Australia for the current Ashes series (late 2025) primarily because he was overlooked for selection in the squad… and the emergence of other spinners like Tom Hartley and Shakib Al Hasan”
🙄
December 19, 2025 at 11:57 AM
AI analysis of the Ashes:
“Jack Leach isn't in Australia for the current Ashes series (late 2025) primarily because he was overlooked for selection in the squad… and the emergence of other spinners like Tom Hartley and Shakib Al Hasan”
🙄
“Jack Leach isn't in Australia for the current Ashes series (late 2025) primarily because he was overlooked for selection in the squad… and the emergence of other spinners like Tom Hartley and Shakib Al Hasan”
🙄
How do you fight violence against women with the state of our media? Coverage minimal on the BBC website, negativity re lack of funding in The Guardian then this idiocy from Badenoch. (By the way young migrants do go to school! 🧐). The negativity of this country! www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/12...
Badenoch: Sexism classes are a distraction – British boys aren’t the problem
Tory leader claims Labour needs to stop migrants from ‘cultures that don’t respect women’ instead of focusing on Adolescence drama
www.telegraph.co.uk
December 18, 2025 at 8:42 PM
How do you fight violence against women with the state of our media? Coverage minimal on the BBC website, negativity re lack of funding in The Guardian then this idiocy from Badenoch. (By the way young migrants do go to school! 🧐). The negativity of this country! www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/12...
Quite a knifing. I could name a few well-known
England players of past vintage on losing Ashes tours who managed to escape this!
England players of past vintage on losing Ashes tours who managed to escape this!
When the BBC's Chief Cricket Reporter is offering up this pov, you know you are in for a tough time if you fail again.
December 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Quite a knifing. I could name a few well-known
England players of past vintage on losing Ashes tours who managed to escape this!
England players of past vintage on losing Ashes tours who managed to escape this!
Porn actress support Reform would be a sharper headline.
What a weird world we live in when The Spectator seems curously taken by her.
What a weird world we live in when The Spectator seems curously taken by her.
December 11, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Porn actress support Reform would be a sharper headline.
What a weird world we live in when The Spectator seems curously taken by her.
What a weird world we live in when The Spectator seems curously taken by her.
Meanwhile, the UK, a former colonial power, still surprisingly popular, does so little. We imagine, post BREXIT, that we are an independent global player. Yet, in decline, we slash our aid budget & concede geo-political support to other players. We really are deluded.
economynext.com/disaster-dip...
economynext.com/disaster-dip...
Disaster diplomacy aids Sri Lanka as World rallies after Ditwah’s trail of destruction | EconomyNext
When Cyclone Ditwah tore through Sri Lanka, unleashing catastrophic floods and landslides that buried entire communities in some areas and paralyzed the nation’s economy, it was followed by an unexpec...
economynext.com
December 11, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Meanwhile, the UK, a former colonial power, still surprisingly popular, does so little. We imagine, post BREXIT, that we are an independent global player. Yet, in decline, we slash our aid budget & concede geo-political support to other players. We really are deluded.
economynext.com/disaster-dip...
economynext.com/disaster-dip...
Reposted by David Hopps
It's really quite mad that Companies House, a government website which lists every company in the UK, has only just started verifying that the people who register as directors of companies are who they say they are on 18 November, 2025. companieshouse.blog.gov.uk/2025/10/16/m...
Making identity verification simple, secure and trusted
From 18 November 2025, directors and people with significant control (PSCs) will be legally required to verify their identity. Read more about the identity verification process.
companieshouse.blog.gov.uk
December 9, 2025 at 5:27 PM
It's really quite mad that Companies House, a government website which lists every company in the UK, has only just started verifying that the people who register as directors of companies are who they say they are on 18 November, 2025. companieshouse.blog.gov.uk/2025/10/16/m...
Wonderful stuff. Farke’s 3-5-2 filled Leeds with new resolve - and even when 2-0 down and seemingly spent and forced to switch back to the formation of old, that belief was still there. Which just proved his point that it is about players as much as systems. Delighted that he lives to fight on #lufc
December 6, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Wonderful stuff. Farke’s 3-5-2 filled Leeds with new resolve - and even when 2-0 down and seemingly spent and forced to switch back to the formation of old, that belief was still there. Which just proved his point that it is about players as much as systems. Delighted that he lives to fight on #lufc
Reposted by David Hopps
this shit is just beyond parody, man
December 5, 2025 at 5:33 PM
this shit is just beyond parody, man
There are two Englishmen in the top two ranked Test batters in the world. One in arguably the best English batter ever. The other appears to be a mega-talented clown.
December 4, 2025 at 2:53 PM
There are two Englishmen in the top two ranked Test batters in the world. One in arguably the best English batter ever. The other appears to be a mega-talented clown.
Reposted by David Hopps
This is the point where the anti-Reeves stories tip into madness. Criticise her performance all you like but what the hell is this?
December 2, 2025 at 9:57 PM
This is the point where the anti-Reeves stories tip into madness. Criticise her performance all you like but what the hell is this?
Reposted by David Hopps
Watched BBC 6 o clock news. Just a completely unserious broadcast. Chris Mason, acting like a children's entertainer, giving a prolonged impenetrable editorial. Not a whiff of informative content about the Budget or what it means for the country. Just playschool blah blah bollocks.
December 1, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Watched BBC 6 o clock news. Just a completely unserious broadcast. Chris Mason, acting like a children's entertainer, giving a prolonged impenetrable editorial. Not a whiff of informative content about the Budget or what it means for the country. Just playschool blah blah bollocks.
Reposted by David Hopps
Here is a list of reasons why some of my hearings and trials this year have been delayed and kicked off into the long grass, stuck in our record court backlog. Serious allegations which will now be tried *years* after the event. 🧵👇
November 27, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Here is a list of reasons why some of my hearings and trials this year have been delayed and kicked off into the long grass, stuck in our record court backlog. Serious allegations which will now be tried *years* after the event. 🧵👇
If anybody finds Nick Robinson's brain please hand it in to the BBC. #sillytrickquestions
November 27, 2025 at 8:46 AM
If anybody finds Nick Robinson's brain please hand it in to the BBC. #sillytrickquestions
"And after Ed Conway's excellent economic analysis, here's Beth Rigby with some broad-brush slagging off.
November 26, 2025 at 2:20 PM
"And after Ed Conway's excellent economic analysis, here's Beth Rigby with some broad-brush slagging off.
Reposted by David Hopps
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
November 25, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
Nearly 2 million views already for this. It's so tempting to be cynical about the John Lewis Christmas ad, but this one is a real tear-jerker.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1bR...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1bR...
Where Love Lives | John Lewis & Partners | Christmas Ad 2025
YouTube video by John Lewis
www.youtube.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Nearly 2 million views already for this. It's so tempting to be cynical about the John Lewis Christmas ad, but this one is a real tear-jerker.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1bR...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1bR...
England to prepare with pink golf balls ahead of day-night Brisbane Test.
November 22, 2025 at 9:55 AM
England to prepare with pink golf balls ahead of day-night Brisbane Test.
Nice to know at a time when Test cricket is barely recognisable that Yorkshire, at least, are keeping up traditions by having another row over Geoffrey Boycott. 🤣
archive.is/Pb1ID
archive.is/Pb1ID
archive.is
November 22, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Nice to know at a time when Test cricket is barely recognisable that Yorkshire, at least, are keeping up traditions by having another row over Geoffrey Boycott. 🤣
archive.is/Pb1ID
archive.is/Pb1ID
I blame this Test match on mobile phones personally.
November 21, 2025 at 1:01 PM
I blame this Test match on mobile phones personally.