Nick Friend

We are literally throwing opportunities away: The ex-England quick trying to reduce the kit cost barrier 20 years have passed since Sajid Mahmood made his Test debut, and the ex-Lancashire quick is launching what he hopes will be cricket's answer to Vinted in an attempt to make the game more affordable

Lovely to chat with Sajid Mahmood about Reeqip, effectively Vinted for cricket - an idea he came up with while helping to launch the Knight-Stokes Cup.

Opens Sunday, aiming to provide affordable, pre-loved kit to youngsters being priced out of the game.

Somerset secure long-term future of homegrown star | The Cricketer Somerset wicketkeeper James Rew has handed the county a major boost by agreeing a long-term contract extension

Big win for Somerset - James Rew signing a long-term deal until the end of the 2029 season:

New initiative to tackle British South Asian absence from women's professional game | The Cricketer Sonia Odedra, one of very few British South Asian women to have played for England, is hoping that a new programme can tackle a broader underrepresentation in the domestic game

Interview with Sonia Odedra, one of very few British South Asian women to have played for England. Her one cap came 12 years ago.

Encouraging, then, that SACA's women's programme has expanded before even launching, such was the level of interest.

Properly life-altering: Chris Wright and Keith Barker, the firm friends rocked by drugs bans | The Cricketer One after another, the veteran seamers tested positive for banned substances; neither was seeking to gain an advantage and both have since served their time, but the scars remain

Chris Wright and Keith Barker set up a seam-bowling podcast together. Then, one after another, they were banned after failing drugs tests in bizarre, unfortunate circumstances.

Sat down with both of them to discuss a nightmarish couple of years.

From Sylhet to Ealing, via Lisbon: The Portugal spinner on the Hundred auction list | The Cricketer Siraj Ullah Khadem was part of Bangladesh's squad for the 2006 Under-19 World Cup, before an eye injury forced him away from the game for five years, leading to a reset in Lisbon and a Portugal debut

Portugal spinner Siraj Ullah Khadem is on the Hundred auction list.

A Bangladesh U19 player, he was almost blinded after being hit in a net session, took five years to recover and then chose Lisbon for his return to cricket.

A 37-year-old with a dream:

Highly rated and roundly admired, James Coles is living his best life | The Cricketer James Coles left the SA20 with his reputation enhanced, after a county campaign that rubberstamped his status as one of the best young players around; but there is far more to him than meets the eye

I went to Brighton a few weeks ago to see James Coles.

An extremely talented 21-year-old with a refreshingly varied set of interests.

Not sure there's a better uncapped player in the country, and not sure that'll remain the case for much longer.

With huge shoes to fill, Will Gidman takes first steps as Durham's academy director | The Cricketer Will Gidman has replaced John Windows, his hugely successful and highly respected predecessor, in a role that has been fundamental to Durham's pedigree as a first-class county

Big job for Will Gidman at Durham, replacing club legend John Windows as academy director.

Spoke to him about instilling "Durham-ness", leaning on ex-players, growing the women's pathway and whether Bazball's impact has filtered down to academy level.

Matt Prior: I'm not angling for a board position, I just want the best for Sussex | The Cricketer Matt Prior is a prominent name among a group of Sussex greats who have called for the removal of the county's board in light of the revelations of financial turmoil at Hove

Interview with Matt Prior about the ongoing situation at Sussex and his involvement in a group of club legends, sponsors and stakeholders calling for the board's resignation. They are set to meet with chair and interim CEO in the near future:

A tall man for a tall order: Middlesex turn to Peter Fulton | The Cricketer Seven months have passed since Richard Johnson was sacked last June, but Middlesex have finally replaced him, choosing Peter Fulton as his long-term successor

Tall man for a tall order - piece on how and why Middlesex have gone for Peter Fulton as their new head coach:

Clare Connor leaves ECB with a women's game unrecognisable from the one she found | The Cricketer If the aim of a job is to leave it in a better place than you found it, then few have succeeded to such a degree as Clare Connor, who is set to depart the ECB after 19 years in the role

Clare Connor leaves her role as England Women MD, having done wonders to shape a game unrecognisable from the one she took over.

Hard to argue that it's not the right time for fresh leadership, but a monumental shift over 19 years.

The rise of Caleb Falconer: An unbelievable athlete and extremely grounded | The Cricketer Caleb Falconer was one of just two players in England's squad for the Under-19 World Cup never to have played a county first-team game, but his hundred in the final afforded a glimpse of a huge talent

I've known about Caleb Falconer since being told of "an absolutely unbelievable" 16-year-old in Middlesex's academy.

Everyone says he's an incredible prospect, but also humble, resilient and mature. Yet to make his senior debut, but not for much longer...

Sussex interim CEO: I'm resolute in this, we can get through this – we will get through this | The Cricketer Tasked with guiding Sussex through a financial crisis, Mark West was brought in initially as a short-term pair of hands between CEOs but now is the man in charge for at least the next 12 months

Went down to Hove on Wednesday to speak with Mark West, Sussex's interim CEO, tasked with working out what's gone wrong and what happens next:

I spent more time than is sensible searching for Italy T20 captain Wayne Madsen's equaliser for South Africa vs South Korea at the 2006 Hockey World Cup.

Piece about a goal and a remarkable career that's come full circle.

Scrappy finish, keeper awol.

www.thecricketer.com/Topics/first...

Don't know the specifics - think that is what this year is for, and no guarantee that it definitely comes back next year - but that's the current plan being worked through, as I understand it

If it comes back in '27 - which is very much the hope - it won't look anything like last year's programme (or past programmes), I think that much is for sure. Better chance it'll look more like an extension on the back of the MCCF programmes, for late-teens to come out of those initiatives

MCC Young Cricketers scheme benched for 2026 ahead of possible shake-up | The Cricketer The MCC Young Cricketers' programme, which was revived last summer, is not set to run in 2026, while it undergoes a significant revamp ahead of the 2027 summer

MCC Young Cricketers scheme benched for 2026 ahead of possible shake-up | @nickfriend.bsky.social

Ex-New Zealand batter frontrunner in Middlesex head coach hunt | The Cricketer Middlesex are keen to appoint Peter Fulton as their new head coach

Understand that Middlesex are keen to appoint ex-NZ batter Peter Fulton as their new head coach:

Drop-in pitch farms and LED floodlights: MCC aim to innovate in battle for relevance | The Cricketer As MCC publish their new cricket strategy, Rob Lynch discusses the Lord's square, World Cricket Connects, the relationship with Middlesex and ambitious plans in research and development

MCC working towards building a drop-in "pitch farm" as part of efforts to improve/protect the Lord's square.

Interview with Rob Lynch on innovation, relevance, Cricket Connects, relationship with Middlesex, maintaining the Laws & partnering with Wormsley.

MCC look to Wormsley to alleviate burden on Lord's pitch | The Cricketer MCC have agreed a landmark pilot partnership with Wormsley as part of efforts to alleviate some of the pressure on the Lord's square

MCC partnering with Wormsley to alleviate burden on the Lord's square.

Two-year pilot, basically while they test pitches. Middlesex playing Bucks in a 50-over game. If trial goes as hoped, scope for far more - could become London Spirit's training base.

Cheers, Andrew

Spoke to players who represented Thailand, Jersey, Denmark, Italy and Argentina for this, including the wonderfully named Buenos Aires seamer, Diego Lord, who dismissed Nabi in 2009 in a sliding-doors, 20-run defeat - one of life's characters:

I tell my boss that we played each other: Mohammad Nabi's one-of-a-kind international journey | The Cricketer Mohammad Nabi has beaten 46 countries along Afghanistan's rise; his early opponents – from Thailand, Argentina, Jersey, Denmark and Italy – remember those wild times

Mohammad Nabi has beaten 46 countries, presumably a record.

Using two of the great websites, Cricket Archive and LinkedIn, I tracked down some of his earliest international opponents - from Italy, Denmark, Jersey, Argentina and Thailand - for a wholesome chat about their memories of a wild time.

MCC Law change to significantly impact first-class cricket | The Cricketer A day's play will no longer end if a wicket falls in the final over, under an amendment in the game's Laws

From later this year, play will no longer end immediately if a wicket is taken in the final over of the day.

Very popular Law change among bowlers, you'd think. Batters, less so.

I've never felt more confident in my belonging: The ever-rising stock of David Payne | The Cricketer David Payne's winter included 28 wickets across title wins at Perth Scorchers and Desert Vipers, as well as a congratulatory message from England selector Luke Wright

David Payne won the ILT20 and Big Bash this winter, taking 28 wickets in the process, along with a congratulatory message from Luke Wright.

Great man, having a lovely late career arc. Turns 35 in a fortnight but stock still rising. Nice to speak to him:

Jordan Cox and Dan Mousley to captain first England Lions white-ball tour in four years | The Cricketer Jordan Cox and Dan Mousley are set to share the England Lions captaincy for the upcoming white-ball series against Pakistan Shaheens

Lions squads announced for a first limited-over tour in four years - if not a correction on previous strategy, at the very least an acknowledgement that England's next-best white-ball players aren't playing enough (/any) 50-over cricket.

Crazy 72 hours turbocharge start of Owen Dawkins' Scotland tenure | The Cricketer When Owen Dawkins left Gloucestershire to become Scotland's head coach, he did so with a clear remit, only for the curveball of the last week to fast-track any thoughts of easing himself into the role

The last game that Owen Dawkins took charge of was between the second teams of Gloucestershire and Lancashire at Blackpool, back in September. His next will be at Eden Gardens.

Interview with Scotland's new head coach, who didn't have this on his radar.

MCC director steps in as Middlesex interim COO | The Cricketer Mahdi Choudhury has been named as Middlesex's interim chief operating officer in a significant development for the county's relationship with the MCC

Potentially significant re Middlesex/MCC relationship: Mahdi Choudhury, MCC membeship director, has been drafted in as Middlesex's interim COO until their AGM in April.

Described by Robert Lawson as "interim solution" for Msex's "ongoing stability".

Spinners Anonymous, Part I: Why batting is key, lack of support, fields, green-tops and short careers | The Cricketer NICK FRIEND – SPECIAL REPORT: The Cricketer spoke, anonymously, to a group of current and former domestic spinners, asking them for the realities of bowling spin on the county circuit

I asked a bunch of English spinners, anonymously, about the challenges facing them in county cricket and the realities of their position.

What followed was hours of revealing insight that the game could learn from.

I just want the feeling of getting signed: The story of Sav Perera, the England Under-19 opener still trialing at 26 | The Cricketer No one in the country has more second-team red-ball centuries since 2022, and surely few can have trialled for more counties than the left-hander, who has never been signed but won't give up

Sav Perera - captained by Harry Brook at an U19 WC - has more red-ball, second-team hundreds than anyone in the country over the last four years.

Yet, at 26, he's never been signed by a county (and won't stop trying). No bitterness, but found him really interesting to listen to:

Heather Knight: This isn't a sign that I'm going to hang up the boots | The Cricketer Heather Knight, the former England captain, will won't feature in The Hundred this year after becoming general manager of London Spirit's women's team, a role accepted with an eye on the future

Heather Knight's been London Spirit's captain, batting coach, mentor and now women's general manager.

She insists, though, that this isn't her winding down, with "a lot of ambitions" left as a player: