Being Outside Cricket
@outsidecricket.bsky.social
A few grumpy gits and their friends. Don't agree with each other, unlikely to agree with you.
Recommendation 14 from the review mandated a implementing a single, 'exciting' style of cricket for the team, whilst also prioritising both this style and the players' morale over results.
"Letting the results look after themselves."
Sounds familiar...
"Letting the results look after themselves."
Sounds familiar...
December 22, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Recommendation 14 from the review mandated a implementing a single, 'exciting' style of cricket for the team, whilst also prioritising both this style and the players' morale over results.
"Letting the results look after themselves."
Sounds familiar...
"Letting the results look after themselves."
Sounds familiar...
For example: The 2022 review's second recommendation is to identify key factors which can be measured by ball tracking in county cricket and used for team selection.
Rob Key has done this in relation to 'release height' and bowler speed, without success.
Rob Key has done this in relation to 'release height' and bowler speed, without success.
December 22, 2025 at 6:57 PM
For example: The 2022 review's second recommendation is to identify key factors which can be measured by ball tracking in county cricket and used for team selection.
Rob Key has done this in relation to 'release height' and bowler speed, without success.
Rob Key has done this in relation to 'release height' and bowler speed, without success.
While Sir Andrew Strauss uses England's failures to tout his 2022 High Performance Review, he doesn't say that Rob Key was a co-author of that review.
Key has also implemented parts of that review, which we did a point-by-point critique of at the time: beingoutsidecricket.com/2022/11/02/t...
Key has also implemented parts of that review, which we did a point-by-point critique of at the time: beingoutsidecricket.com/2022/11/02/t...
December 22, 2025 at 6:12 PM
While Sir Andrew Strauss uses England's failures to tout his 2022 High Performance Review, he doesn't say that Rob Key was a co-author of that review.
Key has also implemented parts of that review, which we did a point-by-point critique of at the time: beingoutsidecricket.com/2022/11/02/t...
Key has also implemented parts of that review, which we did a point-by-point critique of at the time: beingoutsidecricket.com/2022/11/02/t...
Famously, Olympic athletes prepare for the biggest sporting event of their lives by going on a week-long bender a few days beforehand.
It really puts them in the physical and mental state required to reach the very pinnacle of their abilities.
It really puts them in the physical and mental state required to reach the very pinnacle of their abilities.
December 21, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Famously, Olympic athletes prepare for the biggest sporting event of their lives by going on a week-long bender a few days beforehand.
It really puts them in the physical and mental state required to reach the very pinnacle of their abilities.
It really puts them in the physical and mental state required to reach the very pinnacle of their abilities.
Just kidding. Almost nothing will change.
We've currently just completed step 1 of the 4 step cycle.
We've currently just completed step 1 of the 4 step cycle.
October 29, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Just kidding. Almost nothing will change.
We've currently just completed step 1 of the 4 step cycle.
We've currently just completed step 1 of the 4 step cycle.
Read this on the page of an amateur cricket club website 30 minutes ago and haven’t stopped laughing since…😂.
What does that make us? The four horsemen of the cricket apocalypse?? 🤷🏻♂️🤣
What does that make us? The four horsemen of the cricket apocalypse?? 🤷🏻♂️🤣
July 20, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Read this on the page of an amateur cricket club website 30 minutes ago and haven’t stopped laughing since…😂.
What does that make us? The four horsemen of the cricket apocalypse?? 🤷🏻♂️🤣
What does that make us? The four horsemen of the cricket apocalypse?? 🤷🏻♂️🤣
A lot of cricket clubs could use some guidance with regards to their social media, but maybe the people who were committing blasphemy against the Pope on X/Twitter three months ago aren't the best people to be telling everyone about "the right tone of voice".
June 16, 2025 at 5:11 PM
A lot of cricket clubs could use some guidance with regards to their social media, but maybe the people who were committing blasphemy against the Pope on X/Twitter three months ago aren't the best people to be telling everyone about "the right tone of voice".
Well if you’re a Yorkshire or Worcestershire fan, sadly I have some bad news for you..
April 12, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Well if you’re a Yorkshire or Worcestershire fan, sadly I have some bad news for you..
The Kent v Middlesex County Championship game has both teams playing their greatest hits. First, Middlesex have collapsed in the first innings and were all out for 222 just after Tea.
Then Zak Crawley misses the ball completely, and is out LBW for a duck.
Then Zak Crawley misses the ball completely, and is out LBW for a duck.
April 11, 2025 at 3:37 PM
The Kent v Middlesex County Championship game has both teams playing their greatest hits. First, Middlesex have collapsed in the first innings and were all out for 222 just after Tea.
Then Zak Crawley misses the ball completely, and is out LBW for a duck.
Then Zak Crawley misses the ball completely, and is out LBW for a duck.
Zak Crawley in Test match form already...
April 4, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Zak Crawley in Test match form already...
This means that Brook would be expected to play virtually every match for England in all three formats, as well as perform all of the extra responsibilities of captaincy such as selection meetings and press duties.
That is a massive workload for such an important player.
That is a massive workload for such an important player.
April 3, 2025 at 3:18 PM
This means that Brook would be expected to play virtually every match for England in all three formats, as well as perform all of the extra responsibilities of captaincy such as selection meetings and press duties.
That is a massive workload for such an important player.
That is a massive workload for such an important player.
If you are an organisation which has admitted that it was institutionally racist and made promises to rectify that through measures such as the Rooney Rule (interviewing Black or Asian candidates for every coaching job), then it seems bad to start skipping it a few years later.
April 2, 2025 at 4:35 PM
If you are an organisation which has admitted that it was institutionally racist and made promises to rectify that through measures such as the Rooney Rule (interviewing Black or Asian candidates for every coaching job), then it seems bad to start skipping it a few years later.
Please can media outlets stop highlighting this individual. He got off a technicality and shouldn’t be near a cricket pitch. Ever.
March 31, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Please can media outlets stop highlighting this individual. He got off a technicality and shouldn’t be near a cricket pitch. Ever.
The most compelling reason for Charlotte Edwards is that she seems to want it, at a time when England head coach looks like a poisoned chalice.
Even so, the ECB has committed to an open process in hiring head coaches which means that it may not be done before England next play in 8 weeks.
Even so, the ECB has committed to an open process in hiring head coaches which means that it may not be done before England next play in 8 weeks.
March 24, 2025 at 9:19 AM
The most compelling reason for Charlotte Edwards is that she seems to want it, at a time when England head coach looks like a poisoned chalice.
Even so, the ECB has committed to an open process in hiring head coaches which means that it may not be done before England next play in 8 weeks.
Even so, the ECB has committed to an open process in hiring head coaches which means that it may not be done before England next play in 8 weeks.
It is incredibly difficult to imagine a hypothetical offence which is both so serious that it caused a person to be summarily sacked by their employer, and yet so minor that the regulatory punishment is a reprimand and a requirement to attend an awareness course.
March 20, 2025 at 10:12 AM
It is incredibly difficult to imagine a hypothetical offence which is both so serious that it caused a person to be summarily sacked by their employer, and yet so minor that the regulatory punishment is a reprimand and a requirement to attend an awareness course.
Why isn't Ben Duckett prepared to say he's confident batting against Jasprit Bumrah? In four matches last year, Bumrah only dismissed him once. Duckett seemed to play him well, all things considered.
March 19, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Why isn't Ben Duckett prepared to say he's confident batting against Jasprit Bumrah? In four matches last year, Bumrah only dismissed him once. Duckett seemed to play him well, all things considered.
A bit of both, possibly. I don't see the Afghanistan Cricket Board giving any women a NOC, whilst they may also not have the right to work as a cricketer due to not being able to play official international cricket.
March 13, 2025 at 12:44 PM
A bit of both, possibly. I don't see the Afghanistan Cricket Board giving any women a NOC, whilst they may also not have the right to work as a cricketer due to not being able to play official international cricket.
The fact that none of the 48 overseas players in The Hundred are from Pakistan may look bad, but probably won't be a big issue on its own.
In other unrelated news, two Afghanistan men were drafted but the ECB's rules appear to prevent Afghan women entering the draft altogether.
In other unrelated news, two Afghanistan men were drafted but the ECB's rules appear to prevent Afghan women entering the draft altogether.
March 13, 2025 at 12:34 PM
The fact that none of the 48 overseas players in The Hundred are from Pakistan may look bad, but probably won't be a big issue on its own.
In other unrelated news, two Afghanistan men were drafted but the ECB's rules appear to prevent Afghan women entering the draft altogether.
In other unrelated news, two Afghanistan men were drafted but the ECB's rules appear to prevent Afghan women entering the draft altogether.
"We can pay women less here in the UK because they are paid less in other countries" isn't the stunningly powerful argument that the ECB seems to think it is. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...
March 5, 2025 at 5:23 PM
"We can pay women less here in the UK because they are paid less in other countries" isn't the stunningly powerful argument that the ECB seems to think it is. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...
There is an assumption that there will be a new "white-ball" captain. Perhaps there should be a split between ODI and T20I duties.
Of the six experienced England batters in this Champions Trophy, the two who succeeded (Root & Duckett) are the only two not in the IPL this year.
Of the six experienced England batters in this Champions Trophy, the two who succeeded (Root & Duckett) are the only two not in the IPL this year.
March 1, 2025 at 8:55 PM
There is an assumption that there will be a new "white-ball" captain. Perhaps there should be a split between ODI and T20I duties.
Of the six experienced England batters in this Champions Trophy, the two who succeeded (Root & Duckett) are the only two not in the IPL this year.
Of the six experienced England batters in this Champions Trophy, the two who succeeded (Root & Duckett) are the only two not in the IPL this year.
The assumption that Harry Brook will be England's next white ball captain appears to ignore his recent poor form.
In six ODIs this year, he has scored 97 runs at an average of 16.16. This may not be the moment for a big promotion, and added responsibilities.
In six ODIs this year, he has scored 97 runs at an average of 16.16. This may not be the moment for a big promotion, and added responsibilities.
March 1, 2025 at 3:06 PM
The assumption that Harry Brook will be England's next white ball captain appears to ignore his recent poor form.
In six ODIs this year, he has scored 97 runs at an average of 16.16. This may not be the moment for a big promotion, and added responsibilities.
In six ODIs this year, he has scored 97 runs at an average of 16.16. This may not be the moment for a big promotion, and added responsibilities.
I wrote this blog post last year about England's T20 World Cup exit, including a quote from Rob Key saying that England could be the leading team in this Champions Trophy.
Rather than having to rewrite it, just replace "Mott" with "McCullum" when you read it. beingoutsidecricket.com/2024/07/01/t...
Rather than having to rewrite it, just replace "Mott" with "McCullum" when you read it. beingoutsidecricket.com/2024/07/01/t...
February 26, 2025 at 8:49 PM
I wrote this blog post last year about England's T20 World Cup exit, including a quote from Rob Key saying that England could be the leading team in this Champions Trophy.
Rather than having to rewrite it, just replace "Mott" with "McCullum" when you read it. beingoutsidecricket.com/2024/07/01/t...
Rather than having to rewrite it, just replace "Mott" with "McCullum" when you read it. beingoutsidecricket.com/2024/07/01/t...
Sophie Ecclestone was right, and we were wrong. Any time an England player sees a microphone, they should run in the opposite direction rather than risk being recorded.
This is a horrific car crash of an interview. It makes Buttler look absolutely terrible. x.com/bbctms/statu...
This is a horrific car crash of an interview. It makes Buttler look absolutely terrible. x.com/bbctms/statu...
February 25, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Sophie Ecclestone was right, and we were wrong. Any time an England player sees a microphone, they should run in the opposite direction rather than risk being recorded.
This is a horrific car crash of an interview. It makes Buttler look absolutely terrible. x.com/bbctms/statu...
This is a horrific car crash of an interview. It makes Buttler look absolutely terrible. x.com/bbctms/statu...