Lovely piece by Richard. Re. Ellyse Perry: Hampshire's marketing dept got 2,500 people to the ODC final, which is unprecedented. So I'd be tempted to give them the benefit of the doubt on Pez. Not sure you can put a price on the kind of PR boost she gave to the women's game in a crucial season.

The first results of my FIFA-funded project are out in the world! ⚽ Why the FA's takeover of women's football from the WFA in 1993 was a "Hobson's Choice" for the WFA, & a moment of disempowerment for #womensfootball ⚽ It's open access & available here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

So… has the first season of professional county cricket been a success? My thoughts for The Observer. Featuring Taylor Swift! observer.co.uk/news/sport/a...

Are you interested in the history of sport? A classic text - Dick Holt's Sport & the British - has been reborn. Join Dick & a panel of historians to discuss the new edition (followed by a drinks reception!) When: 29 September, 5.30pm Where: Senate House, London (or via Zoom) Register below:

"Battling driving rain, fading light, & a pitch which eventually resembled the Somme, Georgia Adams & Mary Taylor shared a winning 104-run partnership which propelled their team into Sunday’s final" My piece on Hampshire's Heist in yesterday's One-Day Cup semi-final: crickether.com/2025/09/17/o...

That is an absolute HEIST by Hampshire. A captain's innings by Georgia Adams will steal the headlines - but what a time for Mary Taylor to score her maiden List A half-century! Hopefully some people are googling her name right now... AHEM 😂 www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...

To give you an idea of visibility at the Utilita Bowl - Hampshire's yellow pads are basically the cricketing equivalent of cats eyes on the motorway right now.

Covers on & drizzle falling at the Utilita Bowl ahead of what is meant to be the Hampshire v Surrey SF. But don’t despair! You can read this piece on BBC Sport about Mary & Millie Taylor. I had a LOT of fun doing this interview - they are brilliant! www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...

Tilly Corteen-Coleman has travelled with the England squad to Abu Dhabi to assist with World Cup preparations. I refer you to my earlier post.

On Saturday 4 October 10am to 1pm BST we have an online event for ACS members. It will feature @rafnicholson.bsky.social, @radders1962.bsky.social, @dgriffinpix.bsky.social, @popecricket.bsky.social, Andrew Hignell and others. Will be fascinating stuff. Join the ACS at acscricket.com to take part!

With 4 spots up for grabs, it feels likely that both Scotland AND Ireland will get the chance to play in the World Cup in England next year. Of course it's not actually a "home" World Cup, but for Scotland in particular it would be pretty close. I'm so excited for those players!

Guyana or a freezing cold, rainy September day at New Road? What a choice for Lauren Winfield-Hill! Raf's take on Yorkshire's victory in the Tier 2 final:

Confusion reigns - the BBC are reporting that the Blaze semi final will be on Wednesday. So it is quite possible that fans will turn up on the wrong day. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricke...

Cricinfo and the ECB have both semi-finals as scheduled for Wednesday - but Blaze have announced they are hosting Lancs on Tuesday - anyone know when or why this changed?

Durham comms just now: “We’re taking Syd Egan as gospel” 😬😂😂

Staggering to hear a commentator on the Somerset live-stream question whether the result of Durham v Surrey matters. Especially staggering that he didn't seem to be aware that if Durham win, Somerset could still qualify for the semis. Is the strategy now "go on air having done zero research"?

30 September 5-6pm BST: We're launching a new research report on the history of women's cricket in Scotland. I'll be chatting to Fiona Reid @bayfirth.bsky.social, Nic Wilson (Cricket Scotland) & former Scotland players. Zoom link & more info here - come along! www.bayfirth.co.uk/women-s-cric...

OK this latest press release from the ICC has seriously pissed me off. The VERY FIRST World Cup in 1973 was entirely umpired by women. Maybe pause a minute from puffing yourselves up to read a history book? (I can recommend a good one... 😂) www.icc-cricket.com/media-releas...

Yorkshire about to begin their chase of 195 here at Radlett. Up for grabs: a place in next weekend’s Tier 2 One Day Cup final at Worcester. Also up for grabs: further embarrassment of the ECB if Yorkshire are knocked out 👀

At drinks, Middx have recovered to 88-4 thanks to a 50 partnership between Saskia Horley & Riva Pindoria. Beth Langston bowled ferociously up top but is now out of overs, so this could be interesting. Plus, Lauren Winfield-Hill playing here instead of in the WCPL. Whose call - hers or Yorkshire’s?

It strikes me that if we’d been selecting the list this month, Davina Perrin might have been a tad higher up! 😁 From @wisdencricket.bsky.social’s most recent issue - The 25 Best Young Players in the World. (Syd and I both wrote profiles for this feature.)

A wonderful women’s cricket history pilgrimage today to Great Comp in Kent. This is where Frances Heron-Maxwell and Vera Cox(2 of the founders of the Women’s Cricket Association) lived for decades, and where many early WCA matches were played.

Sign up today via this link to be part of a great evening whether you’ll be joining us in-person or via zoom: www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...

That’s why we & @bssh.bsky.social are delighted to announce an hybrid event at @ihr.bsky.social in London & online on September 29th to celebrate the book with Richard Holt himself & various speakers including Dil Porter, Rob Colls, @rafnicholson.bsky.social and Tony Collins discussing the book.

We're thrilled to announce the release of the revised edition of Richard Holt's iconic book 'Sport and the British' by @oxfordunipress.bsky.social A must-have for sports historians for over 35 years, Holt's book has been called “The bible of Sports History”.

Warwickshire v Durham has been abandoned due to rain.

Covers are coming off at Portland Road, but it is a bit of a race against time to dry everything out. The far end of the pitch looks particularly tricky. For now, early lunch has been taken (midday). Cut off is about 4.20pm for a 10 over game.

Toss delayed here at Portland Road. What a surprise ☔️ (On the bright side, it’s not *currently* raining.)

Off to do commentary on the One Day Cup at Portland Road - Warwickshire v Durham. Only one snag - it’s raining ☔️ Still - I’ve met up with my old mate the Birmingham Bull from #CWG2022

We’ve finally found an example of live streaming worse than women’s county cricket 😂

Despite all the anxiety surrounding the future of the W’s Hundred, I always feel energised after finals weekend 💛 I even got to pop up to TMS in the innings break of the final with @henrymoeran.bsky.social to discuss this year’s comp. Congrats to Superchargers! Must buy some popchips to celebrate…

Important new research from Steve Menary on the increase in relationships between betting companies and leading cricket teams, tournaments & players post-Covid. Have a read below ⬇️⬇️

Words by me on today’s final. A slightly odd day, because nothing could quite eclipse Perrin yesterday! www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/a...

Post-play, an emotional Davina Perrin is greeted by her family and her first ever coach Charles Harrison, who she says is “the first coach who ever really believed in me”.

Errrm, not sure that bringing on Grace Harris to bowl that last set of 5 was the best idea by Charlie Dean... #TheHundred

Davina Perrin is also a very articulate young woman who understands the importance of being a role model for a generation of Black girls. Here's my interview with her from a year ago: www.theguardian.com/sport/articl...

Davina Perrin brings up her century in just 42 balls. An absolutely incredible feat. For comparison, Tammy Beaumount's hundred for Welsh Fire took her 52 balls. #TheHundred

This innings from Davina Perrin is like watching Alice Capsey at Lord's 4 years ago - THE breakout innings by a young star in the making. #TheHundred

Vvv interesting. After the debacle of 2 years ago, when the w's Eliminator was abandoned & the sun came out for the men's game, the ECB have changed the regs. Time can now be taken away from the m's game, in order to ensure that the w's game can be completed. faqs.thehundred.com/hc/en-us/art...

I enjoyed picking out my Women's ODI XI of the 21st century for Wisden, but I still can't believe we didn't select Charlotte Edwards in the final team... Have a listen to find out who IS opening the batting for us!

It's not been the best season for the Welsh Fire batters, has it? Raf's take on the final group-stage match of the 2025 Women's Hundred, in which Brave somehow defended a total of 106:

This is such a lovely piece on Kim Garth and mum Anne-Marie - set to become the first mother-daughter duo to have both featured in a World Cup. The analysis of Garth’s new ball is interesting too.

Live life like a dachshund lying on warm concrete ☀️

Thank you so much to @physcstudy.bsky.social for hosting us in Belfast. #BSSH2025 has, as always, been a brilliant few days - stimulating and fun. See you all next year, BSSH-ers ❤️

The last day of #BSSH2025 started for me with a glorious run along the Maritime Mile.

Really enjoyed presenting on The History and Future of the Sports Press Conference today at #BSSH2025 Are they still useful in a social media age? Who are they for? What power imbalances are at work? We had a great discussion afterwards too!

Getting started @bssh.bsky.social #BSSH2025 - welcomed by @physcstudy.bsky.social 👋 It’s so wonderful to be back amongst this community of scholars again!

Really enjoyed being part of a panel on Writing Books for the Academic and Popular Press with Katie Holmes and Hayley Kilgallon to kickstart #BSSH2025 Great discussion especially about the difference between academic & trade publishing and how to choose!

Not sure what this tells us, if anything, but... we've now had 3 wins in a row which have broken records for the biggest margin of victory in the Women's Hundred.

Nice to chat to Sophie Devine yesterday. I'm acutely aware (and a bit sad) that I won't be able to watch her play for very much longer. crickether.com/2025/08/19/e...