As The Cricketer reviews 2024, we're looking back on our favourite pieces from the last 12 months that you may have missed
As The Cricketer reviews 2024, we're looking back at the outstanding journalism and reporting delivered by our team over the past 12 months.
Staff writer Oscar Ress reported on the domestic, international and franchise game across 2024. Here, we look at some of his stand-out pieces from the past year.
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"We now play from the middle of March until October 1. I'm not sure that's sustainable. And you've spoken to my team today, they are all absolutely shattered and we've not done The Hundred or the Test match yet. If you want to be elite, you have to give an elite environment. I don't think with the amount of cricket we're giving anybody in the game enough time to be elite."
"As you get older, you realise that you don't take things like this personally, ironically you don't attach your value to whatever number you get it. It simply is a case, certainly in those smaller auctions, a case of supply and demand."
Andrew Flintoff's Field of Dreams returned for a second season (GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
"Long gone are the days where England were inept at T20. That's changed completely and the advent of the Hundred, something that a lot of people don't appreciate is that's given players a great deal more exposure than they once had."
Read: Big crowds, good timing and guaranteed game time: Why do English players dominate the Big Bash?
The opinions of those involved in the game are important but the fans should always be the most important voices. So, what do they want to see from the Hundred?
Read: Big sixes or ball dominating bat, what do fans want to see when they go to watch the Hundred?
The balance between entertainment and success will be key for this USA team to incentivise someone who has never seen cricket before to support their team at this World Cup. For the match-going fans, the nature of the cricket they play is just as important as the result because American sport is so synonymous with entertainment both on the pitch and off it.
Read: Can USA's win over Canada help cricket make it in America during this T20 World Cup?
Somerset appeared to blow the County Championship title race wide open with victory over Surrey (Harry Trump/Getty Images)
"For me, matchups exists but not as much as people make it out to be. If you're skilful enough, then it doesn't matter whether you're bowing right-handed or you're a lefty and if you're skilled enough, it doesn't matter if you’re a left-arm spinner or an off-spinner or a leg spinner is bowing at you."
It was a game and a finish that befitted this crucial contest in the race for the Divison One title. Somerset, so often the nearly men in the County Championship, have a chance to win their first title yet again after refusing to give up.
Read: Somerset's need to win outlasts Surrey's desire not to lose
After retiring from all cricket in 2015, he launched a successful television career which for some people is the only way they know him. The 2005 Ashes and Flintoff's performance in them will live long in the memory of all who saw it but for a younger generation, it is easy to forget that he is, as the show referred to him: "One of England's greatest ever cricketers."
Read: Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams: A reminder of Flintoff's stardom as he returns to public life
Ollie Pope had a stint as England Test captain during the summer (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Since the start of the Bazball era, Stokes, the captain, has been ever-present. His leadership has been so noticeable that some have dubbed him the greatest England captain in history. So, it must be so tricky to step into those shoes if you are Pope, a man with just one game as a first-class captain and one warm-up captaincy against the England Lions.
Read: Assessing Ollie Pope the captain as Stokes' influence looms large over the stand-in skipper
It will, of course, be interesting to see how this great side bounces back next year. A mark of the Brave is their contingency both in their main squad and overseas players as well as keeping together much of Edward's Southern Vipers squad.
Read: The story of Southern Brave women's lacklustre Hundred title defence
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