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Cricinfo cricket wicket alerts on Twitter
By Will 1 month ago, 1 Comment »
If you use Twitter and you like cricket, you might like to sign up to our new Twitter account, @cricinfowickets. Within about a minute of a wicket falling, you’ll be notified with the commentary, the latest score, who got them out, and so on.
I’ve been pushing for us to do this for about a year, so it’s good to see it live.
1 Comment »Cricinfo now supports Facebook Connect
By Will 1 month ago, No Comments; be the first!
A little project I’ve been working on. When you go to a Cricinfo story which is commentable, you can leave your thoughts while logged in as a Facebook user. It’s one of a raft of features we have lined up that we hope will make talking with Cricinfo, and our other sites, a lot easier.
No Comments »Cricinfo’s Google Chrome extension
By Will 2 months ago, No Comments; be the first!
Me and Deepak Gulati (in fact, I’ve done next to nothing other than instigate it. Deepak’s the genius) have been working on an extension for Google Chrome for Cricinfo which has been live for a couple of weeks. It’s really neat, as is Google Chrome (obviously).
It’s hot out of the oven, so grab it now.
No Comments »My favourite cricketer
By Rich Abbott last year, mid-November, 8 Comments »
Most of us have one: a player to whom we can largely attribute – to varying degrees of tragicness – a lifelong passion for cricket.
Alan Tyers’ imagination was first truly captured by Ian Botham, as he explains in the latest edition of Cricinfo’s series, My Favourite Cricketer.
These players have a lot to answer for, and without them our lives could be very different.
Mine’s Robin Smith. Lion-hearted in defence and ferocious in attack, as a young child I was enthralled by the way he stood tall in the face of numerous Ambrose and Walsh-shaped barrages. His drives, square-cuts and point-blank refusal to be out-psyched by the bowler were all mimicked in my back garden, throughout my childhood. Very occasionally, they still are – because he was, and always will be, my favourite cricketer.
Who’s yours?
8 Comments »Cricket in a new light
By Will last year, at the end of October, No Comments; be the first!
I won’t deny that leaving Cricinfo’s brilliant editorial team was a difficult decision, nor that it has been an odd experience to now be a user rather than someone actively involved in the writing. My role now, among others, is to help all ESPN’s sites become even better from a production side of things – such as their ranking and prominence in Google and co. (SEO, for those in the know, is one of my main tasks), as well as using social media to market the sites and engage with our mostly very loyal readers.
So, my personal relationship with Cricinfo has changed, and it’s only since leaving that I’ve really realised just how much cricket there is. That’s not entirely true, though: it was obvious that the quantity played was increasing year on year as we had more and more matches to cover live. But now, when I look at the site as a fan, it’s abundantly clear that there is too much being played, and I honestly don’t know how it – cricket the business; cricket the enterprise, if not cricket the sport – can be sustained.
I’ve quite enjoyed the Champions League from what little I’ve seen. Domestic teams from all over the world taking on eachother is great entertainment, but feels like the last dregs of water being wrung from a twisted flannel. There seem to be no gaps between series, each of them spilling over one another, blending seamlessly into one, sometimes hellish, melee. The distinction between seasons no longer seems to matter. Teams touring England arrive earlier and leave later, exposing the authorities and players to the haphazard early and late summer weather which often curtails play and keeps spectators at bay. Television rules the roost. Day-night Tests will happen soon, and solely to drive up yet more revenue because the authorities believe more people will come through the turnstiles after work. They may be right, too.
Even Kevin Pietersen, the thoroughbred sportsman and athlete, has admitted that his time out through injury has been a blessing in disguise.
He, in fact, is an interesting case in point. It was only four years ago that he made his debut, and with it came the skunk haircut, the bombastic interviews, the unquenchable thirst to prove people wrong; the outrageous talent and desperation to succeed (and to be loved by his adopted country). Before his injury, however, there was a jadedness to his personality, a tired and sullen look from a player who’d leap like an idiot whenever he reached three figures. Is that maturity? Perhaps. The injury certainly quelled his enthusiasm. But he’d lost something – that zip, and sparkle. The comparisons with Viv Richards, which seemed increasingly apt two seasons ago, now sounded as foolish and reckless as some of his strokeplay had become.
It wasn’t long ago that the big series – India v Australia, for example – were anticipated months in advance. We’d mark it on our calendars, check the TV listings and, on the day itself, remain glued to Cricinfo to see how it panned out. Now, though, there is no time for a build-up: series jostle against one another like sardines in a tin. And the players themselves, well, some of them burn out, most pick up an injury or two (a blessed relief in some cases), and the fans too are left exhausted and disinterested.
India and Australia are about to play another of those ridiculously extended seven-match series. It ought to be wonderful entertainment, but it comes mere days after the Champions League Twenty20, a series which hasn’t attracted the crowds the organisers expected. Here’s what Siddarth Monga has to say:
Three Australian players, representing New South Wales in the Champions League, will reach Vadodara on Saturday afternoon, having finished their final late Friday night and travelled about 1100 km north-west, and start a match at 9.00 am on Sunday. That could have been the fate of three more Australians, had Victoria won their semi-final, or of a couple of Indians had one of the IPL teams made it that far.
All this cricket is great for us, of course. Cricinfo’s traffic continues to soar as more and more people rely on the internet as a natural source of entertainment, not just a luxury for office workers. And while this series will doubtless have plenty of intrigue and entertainment, it seems implausible that come the seventh match we won’t be exhausted or bored by the whole thing, beginning yet another inquest into the future of 50-over cricket and the quantity being played.
No Comments »Things
By Will last year, at the start of October, 7 Comments »
I left Cricinfo three weeks ago to start a new job, still at ESPN, looking at social media, community, and other areas in how we can innovate all our sites (Cricinfo, Soccernet, Racing Live, Scrum … and a new one coming soon). After a three-week break, I get going tomorrow. I’ll still be involved with Cricinfo on a production basis, and will hopefully do some writing on the side from time to time – if I can find the time and a publisher, maybe even a book! – but it’s time for a change.
I still want to maintain this blog for a year or so, but it’ll never be as prolific as it was pre 2005, partly because I don’t have as much time and partly due to the evolution of blogging and the way people consume their news and banter. Time is the main reason; to keep people reading, you need to give them a reason to read, and more often than not that reason is the reliability, frequency and expectation of content. That’s something I’m hoping to achieve for ESPN, so there may be more whimsical thoughts on similar things here.
There may be some contributory writers here from time to time – that’s where I see it going – but I imagine I’ve reached the autumn of this particular blog, in its current format. So keep reading, keep subscribing, and things will be drip fed as and when something exceptionally ridiculous happens in the world of cricket. Moreover, keep reading Cricinfo, which may not yet be the biggest sporting website, but it’s certainly the best – led by ambitious and creative people and, editorially at least, is a match for any publication out there.
7 Comments »The Ashes are ablaze once more
By Will last year, mid-July, 2 Comments »
Of all the results. Of all the venues. I still can’t quite grasp how England’s Nos. 10 and 11 managed to seal a draw, but seal it they did in one of the tensest, most gripping matches I’ve had the great fortune of commentating on. Once Paul Collingwood fell, I and the rest of England had given up all hope. Monty Panesar does not instill great hope in anyone. He averages under 6 in Test cricket for a very good reason, yet somehow produced the innings of his life – and bar one or two understandably nervy strokes, for the most part played incredibly straight. James Anderson, well, we almost expect it from him nowadays.
So here are the final few overs that I cobbled – apologies for any errors, but in the heat of the moment and with fingers rapidly cramping, they are almost inevitable. There’s a shed load of class from our three at the ground, too – this, explaining Ponting’s anger at England’s use of the 12th man; and this on Collingwood, the tenacious ginger.
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England need to survive until 6.41pm because that’ll be too late for Australia to come back on and chase |
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100.1 |
Hauritz to Anderson, no run, tossed up on leg, back and defending |
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100.2 |
Hauritz to Anderson, no run, padded away |
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100.3 |
Hauritz to Anderson, 1 run, comes forward and smothers it, opening the face and guiding down to third man. They’ll take a single |
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Around the wicket |
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100.4 |
Hauritz to Panesar, no run, flighted on the off stump. Monty defends. Good ball though. Thousands and thousands cheer him as though he’s won the game for England |
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100.5 |
Hauritz to Panesar, no run, wonderful ball but well played. On the off stump and defended |
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100.6 |
Hauritz to Panesar, no run, wide of the off stump, prodigious turn and bounce |
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End of over 101 (1 run) England 246/9
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Right here comes North. Change of bowling. My fingers are cramping massively so bear with me, might be slightly slow 12th man runs out for England and absolutely legs it out into the middle with a word for Anderson and Panesar. A reminder: it’s now a time issue. Four overs must be bowled, but Australia have 11 minutes to bowl England out. That’s the situation. Keep 6.41pm in your mind. It’s in exactly ten minutes. |
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101.1 |
North to Anderson, 1 run, cracked in the air square of the wicket – where’s this gone? It lands safe! It’s safe, but the pair crash into eachother mid-pitch while staring at the ball |
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101.2 |
North to Panesar, FOUR, four! Panesar’s crashed him square of the wicket for four! Ponting can’t believe it. Monty can’t believe it. I certainly can’t believe it |
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101.3 |
North to Panesar, no run, defended on the front foot |
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101.4 |
North to Panesar, no run, flighted on middle, and he’s forward, defending |
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He is around the wicket by the way. Has been all over |
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101.5 |
North to Panesar, no run, solidly defended – very firm |
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101.6 |
North to Panesar, no run, perhaps the biggest cheer of the Test as Panesar smothers it on the front foot |
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End of over 102 (5 runs) England 251/9
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Shafayat is on the field with some gloves and questions. Ponting’s told him where to go in true Aussie style, and you can’t blame him. The physio’s on, too. Oh come on England, just suck it up and get on with it. Embarrassing. Right, they’ve bogged off so here we go. The noise is just amazing, incredible |
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102.1 |
Hauritz to Anderson, no run, blocked off the back foot. The roof’s off again! The noise is just wonderful |
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102.2 |
Hauritz to Anderson, no run, blocked once more. Cardiff erupts. Then silence. |
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102.3 |
Hauritz to Anderson, no run, blocked again on the front foot. Cardiff explodes. Cardiff goes quiet. Silent. |
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102.4 |
Hauritz to Anderson, no run, that’s well bowled but Hauritz is tensing up. Not really spinning it any more. Cardiff explodes with delight then a hushed whisper as Hauritz comes in once more |
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102.5 |
Hauritz to Anderson, no run, full toss, pushed out to the off side |
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102.6 |
Hauritz to Anderson, no run, quicker ball! Well bowled! Blocked. Cardiff explodes once more and this time it’s not followed by silence. The noisehere! |
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End of over 103 (maiden) England 251/9
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The crowd think England have done it, but they haven’t yet. It’s one more over. Possibly two. |
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103.1 |
North to Panesar, no run, comes forward and gets a bit of backspin on it as he defends. Cardiff erupts. Cardiff goes silent |
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103.2 |
North to Panesar, no run, forward onto the front foot and defends. Capital of Wales goes mad. Capital of Wales goes silent |
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103.3 |
North to Panesar, no run, left alone outside off |
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103.4 |
North to Panesar, no run, tense from North. Left alone. Too wide. Way, way too wide. Cardiff explodes |
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103.5 |
North to Panesar, no run, edged, short of slip. Soft hands from Panesar. Slowish turn |
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103.6 |
North to Panesar, no run, flighted on the off stump and Panesar survives. Cardiff is alight. The crowd are alive. Ponting is talking to the umpires and trying to work out the times |
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End of over 104 (maiden) England 251/9
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It’s 6.39pm. 6.40pm is the cut-off. We’ll have one more over. This could be the last over of the match. This is so, so, so tense. Hauritz around the wicket |
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104.1 |
Hauritz to Anderson, no run, quicker ball on leg stump, nudged to leg. Cardiff explodes, then a hushed silence |
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You can hear a pin drop |
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104.2 |
Hauritz to Anderson, no run, flighted on middle and defended |
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104.3 |
Hauritz to Anderson, no run, tosses this up on the middle stump and he’s forward. It prompts more emphatic, cacophonous cheer from the crowd. And then silence |
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104.4 |
Hauritz to Anderson, no run, huge turn for once but it’s too wide. It’s too wide from Hauritz |
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104.5 |
Hauritz to Anderson, no run, drifts in, darts in on middle. Blocked. Blocked. |
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This could be it. This is the last ball of the match in theory. |
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104.6 |
Hauritz to Anderson, 1 bye, wide of the off stump, off the pads and balloons over the slips. They run a bye. They run a bye. Ponting scratches his chin, he looks distraught. Anderson talks to the umpires. No one knows what’s going on! But they shake hands and England have drawn! It’s all over! |
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Gillespie and Hoggard reunited
By Will last year, at the start of July, No Comments; be the first!
We’re very pleased and fortunate to have both Jason Gillespie and Matthew Hoggard writing for us during the Ashes. Dizzy’s first column went up today, so give both of them a read – should be a bit of a laugh.
No Comments »Cricinfo’s redesign now live
By Will last year, at the end of May, 5 Comments »
As mentioned t’other day, it’s now live. Thoughts welcome.
5 Comments »The new, redesigned Cricinfo
By Will last year, at the end of May, 3 Comments »
Cricinfo’s production, tech and design team have been working flat out on a new design and approach. It’s nearly ready.
Here’s our editor, Sambit Bal, on the relaunch…which is due very soon.
In my years as a professional journalist and editor, I have watched from close quarters and been involved in the design and redesign of newspapers, magazines and websites. Each is a distinctly unique challenge. Newspaper designs are about the optimal use of space and creating multiple points of interest on a single page; magazines, particularly features magazines, are usually more richly visual, and their design affords the luxury of creativity and experimentation. In scale and complexity, though, nothing comes close to designing a website.
Building a website goes far beyond visual appeal. All design is part art and part science: designing for the web is a synthesis of logic, communication, technological possibilities and visual presentation. It’s about creating an architecture that is intricate, interlinked, flexible and robust. The bigger the site, the more complex the challenge. Not for a moment did we underestimate the task of redesigning Cricinfo, but while we were at it, it seemed to grow every day.
In my experience, redesigns provoke an equal mix of pleasant surprise and vitriolic hatred. But from what I’ve seen, I think it’s pretty sweet.
3 Comments »Magic moments in cricket
By Will last year, mid-May, 2 Comments »
I spend my waking (and often sleeping) life working for and running Cricinfo, so it says something about its sheer breadth of content that a new recent new series completely passed me by. 50 magic moments is a collection collated by various writers of their favourite moments in the game. Well worth a read here, or here’s the RSS feed.
IPL coverage
By Will last year, at the end of April, 4 Comments »
Like it or loath it, the IPL is here with us, like a particularly excitable canine nuzzling your feet for attention. So we might as well welcome him in and, if necessary, give the dog a bone. I am utterly biased, but I do think Cricinfo’s coverage of the IPL has been monstrously excellent thus far. So go here for the series page, here for the RSS feed, or here for IPL Page 2, which might be precursor to something we’ve got cooking up for later in the year, containing cartoons and other wicked whimsy.
4 Comments »Cricinfo’s Twitter
By Will last year, mid-February, 1 Comment »
I’m experimenting (and enjoying) with Twitter for Cricinfo. Obviously for the time being, it’s limited to UK hours (roughly) until we work out what we want to do with it. So if Twitter’s your bag, join us: http://twitter.com/cricinfo_live
It’s for news, whimsy, behind-the-scenes snippets in how we operate, a chance for you to talk to us, and…that’s about it so far.
1 Comment »RSS at Cricinfo
By Will 2 years ago, at the end of December, 4 Comments »
Further to my post last week, there’s now a page up at Cricinfo detailing our new feeds.
4 Comments »New RSS feeds from Cricinfo
By Will 2 years ago, mid-December, 5 Comments »
Update December 30 2008. Now live.
I’ve been rebuilding Cricinfo’s RSS feeds over the past couple of weeks. Or rather, advising our geniuses to do it. So here’s a sneak preview.
You can get a feed from any player (55,000 and counting), country, team, series, match or ground on our site. Whenever news is posted to it, you’ll be notified. It’s not yet visible on the site, but should be done in time for Christmas. In the meantime, here’s the feed for the ongoing India-England series:
http://content-www.cricinfo.com/rss/content/feeds/news/361035.xml
The number in bold is the key. You can change it to match any player/country/team/series you like, then subscribe to the feed. Andrew Flintoff’s player page is at http://content-www.cricinfo.com/indveng/content/player/12856.html so his feed would be http://content-www.cricinfo.com/rss/content/feeds/news/12856.xml
It’s an important step for Cricinfo to become a little bit more open and give people more flexibility in how they read. Anyway. Hope you find it useful. In the meantime it also gives you the chance to make your own and smash together various different feeds into one big one. Here’s one I did for all the counties.
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