Mike Atherton

The First World War, in Sharp Focus An English chronicler of the trenches, and his wartime romance, captured in long-lost photographs.

I'm not sure if people share stories here (or read the ones that are shared) but fwiw, I've got a new story out in @newyorker.com today that means a great deal to me. It's about a writer I love, and an amazing cache of long-lost photographs from WW1: www.newyorker.com/news/letter-...

Virat Kohli retires from Test cricket having changed the way India played Former captain, 36, says he will miss the “the quiet grind, the long days, the small moments” after following Rohit Sharma in stepping back from red-ball format

One of the best, most charismatic and influential Test cricketers I’ve had the pleasure of watching

www.thetimes.com/article/8edc...

Freddie Flintoff: I have found comfort in the dressing room again Andrew Flintoff on Top Gear crash, Brendon McCullum comforting him after infamous pedalo incident and how Rob Key encouraged him to return to cricket

“I have found comfort in the dressing room again.” An interview with Andrew Flintoff about his return to the game as a coach and the warm embrace he has received. So good to see him back

www.thetimes.com/article/4ccf...

Farewell to Jamaican who played until 85 — and era of giants at tiny clubs Cec Wright, who has died aged 92, spent most of his life playing league cricket in Lancashire and evokes memories of other West Indian stars who played for small-town sides

Farewell to Cec Wright who played until 85 — and era of giants at tiny clubs

www.thetimes.com/article/74ed...

Farewell Peter Lever, your tough love taught me not to fear pace Former Lancs bowler and coach had huge influence on my development, pitting me against best quicks and bellowing at me on long runs – followed by bacon sandwiches

Farewell Peter Lever, your tough love taught me not to fear pace

www.thetimes.com/article/2b17...

Unsung hero Peter Siddle was the workhorse every team needs and loves The retiring Australian that the unquantifiable quality of going the extra mile for your team-mates is a vital building block to success

Unsung hero Peter Siddle was the workhorse every team needs and loves

www.thetimes.com/article/8771...

Bazball was antidote to constraints of Covid — but has its time passed? After 18 months of stifling cricket it was natural that England embraced Brendon McCullum’s liberation, but the pendulum may now swing towards a more balanced approach

Cricket and Covid- 5 years on
www.thetimes.com/article/f790...

Jim Ratcliffe: If I got abused as much as Glazers, I’d have to walk away Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe tells Martin Samuel what he really thinks of the Glazer family — and where it has all gone wrong at Old Trafford

Martin Samuel’s interview with Jim Ratcliffe this weekend is very good

www.thetimes.com/article/5b09...

My boat trip to remote Guyanese village that shaped Test star Shamar Joseph Mike Atherton embarks on a voyage of discovery to home of the fast bowling sensation who inflicted damage on Australia and now senses a place on Lord’s honours board

@thetimes.com is free to read this weekend, archived pieces too. Here’s one from last summer and a wonderful trip to the village of West Indies fast bowler Shamar Joseph
www.thetimes.com/article/ec81...

Jos Buttler right to step down — but he shouldn’t shoulder all the blame Results meant England captain had to go but he is not wholly accountable for failings in Champions Trophy amid recent backdrop of 50-over decline in English game

Jos Buttler right to step down — but he shouldn’t shoulder all the blame. Reflections on the end of the road

www.thetimes.com/article/ad1d...

Buying A Hundred Franchise: Nikesh Arora from the consortium that's invested in London Spirit, on his love of cricket and the sport's future Podcast Episode · Sky Sports Cricket Podcast · 07/02/2025 · 44m

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/s... Nikesh Arora joins the pod to discuss his consortium’s investment into the Lord’s franchise

Hundred auction raising scarcely believable sums for event in its infancy Great news for county balance sheets with value of competition set to come in at £800million — but will it be a good result for investors in the longer term?

On the windfall for the English game @timessport.bsky.social

www.thetimes.com/article/457b...

Rocky Flintoff’s hundred a perfect riposte to those who cried nepotism England Lions inclusion of Andrew’s son, 16, was true to form for a selection policy that prioritises potential — which he has in abundance

Rocky Flintoff’s hundred a perfect riposte to those who cried nepotism

www.thetimes.com/article/9a5c...

Two divisions is a debate worth having. But two-tier Test cricket? No thanks Introducing a closed shop just so England, India and Australia can carve up calendar even more would finish off international game once and for all

Two divisions is a debate worth having. But two-tier Test cricket? No thanks

www.thetimes.com/article/0d34...

England will take encouragement from riveting Australia-India series A five-Test series is a true test of character and this one had it all… but Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum will have noticed chinks in the armour of both teams

England will take encouragement from riveting Australia-India series

www.thetimes.com/article/2086...

Why self-taught genius Jasprit Bumrah is my Test cricketer of the year Australia may have turned on the style again to win the fourth Test in Melbourne but after another incredible display with the ball, the India fast bowler is my leading performer in 2024

Why self-taught genius Jasprit Bumrah is my Test cricketer of the year

www.thetimes.com/article/0a63...

Ben Stokes injured as Kane Williamson century puts England to the grinder England, with eight second-innings wickets in hand, require 640 more runs to win against New Zealand after Ben Stokes injures same hamstring he tore in summer

Ben Stokes injured as Kane Williamson century puts England to the grinder. Some feisty debate under the line on this piece

www.thetimes.com/article/d298...

England on back foot against New Zealand after batting collapse Touring side disintegrate to 143 all out in just 35.4 overs after Will O’Rourke’s devastating spell as the hosts ease to lead of 340 runs in Hamilton

Will O’Rourke outstanding today- all that and a bit of ‘hooptedoodle’
www.thetimes.com/article/ecfc...

England right to resist documentary cameras and retain Bazball mystery TV sports documentaries may be in vogue but the secrets behind England Test side’s revitalisation under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum should remain hidden

England right to resist documentary cameras and retain Bazball mystery.

www.thetimes.com/article/89c1...

Joe Root has risen above the rest of cricket’s ‘Fab Four’ The England batsman Joe Root, nominated for Sports Personality of the Year, has scored 19 Test tons since the start of 2021, more than anyone else

Joe Root- an artist at his peak

www.thetimes.com/article/ddf6...

Sublime Jacob Bethell and Gus Atkinson hat-trick leave hosts reeling England end day two on 378-5 with lead of 533 in Wellington, as 21-year-old Bethell scores excellent 96 after visiting bowlers had skittled New Zealand for just 125

Lovely day in Wellington, watching Jacob Bethell
www.thetimes.com/article/0701...

Kiwi great who unearthed Jasprit Bumrah – and lost race to Rob Key From farmer’s boy in New Zealand to coaching ‘rockstars’ in transformational years of Indian cricket, John Wright opens up to Mike Atherton on a remarkable career

Kiwi great who unearthed Jasprit Bumrah – and lost race to Rob Key. Long interview with John Wright, who has a fund of anecdotes after such a varied career in the game.

www.thetimes.com/article/ea6f...

YouTube video by Sky Sports Cricket Nasser, Athers & Ian Smith on England's dominant win over New Zealand and "The barest of margins" 🎙️

Great to have Smithy on the pod, chatting the recent Test and the art of commentary
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbU6...

Ben Stokes’s homecoming marks start of year that will define Bazball England travel to New Zealand having lost as many Tests as they have won this year – and Ben Stokes must reassert himself after disappointing Pakistan tour

Ben Stokes’s homecoming marks start of year that will define Bazball. Scene setter in Christchurch.

www.thetimes.com/article/4401...

Ben Stokes: We haven’t picked Jacob Bethell at No3 to wind people up Ben Stokes defends choice to select Jacob Bethell at No3 for England against New Zealand and admits that fitness struggles hampered his leadership in Pakistan

Ben Stokes was extremely revealing here, across many topics, two days before the start of the series

www.thetimes.com/article/36de...

Echoes of Gatting but can Jacob Bethell turn promise into substance? Like Mike Gatting, Jacob Bethell – who could make his England Test debut v New Zealand – has been picked on potential and before scoring a first-class hundred

If Jacob Bethell makes his debut this week he would become the first specialist England batsman since Mike Gatting in ‘78 to do so without a first class hundred, as England’s selectors continue to take the road less travelled

www.thetimes.com/article/ffd5...

The king of kings, Viv Richards’ entrance topped anything I’ve seen West Indian great, who made his Test debut 50 years ago, walked to the crease like a matador as if to say: ‘Look at me – I belong here’

Fifty years ago today Viv Richards took his first steps as a Test cricketer. What a player. Great memories/anecdotes here from readers of the Times, under the line

www.thetimes.com/article/f66b...

How Australia v India became as big as the Ashes In terms of both commercial and sporting impact, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which begins on Friday, has caught up with rivalry between England and Australia

A first stab on here: on the series some are saying is bigger than the Ashes

www.thetimes.com/article/2643...