Anyone notice some of the new headers? They mainly come from the Bell / KP partnership in 2011 v India. Look for more new pics in the future…

The international cricket spotlight is currently on Sri Lanka as the first test against Australia evolves. In the spirit of following the ECB Chief, we aren’t likely to be seeing a 4th day if the weather holds. Simon has pointed out that there are Youtube highlights of the match, so good luck if watching 100 play 200 plays 100 excites you.

James over at the Full Toss has done a piece on the T20 changes that Nick Hoult was signalling in his Telegraph article. I’m genuinely glad James still cares, because, frankly, I don’t any more. It’s the usual response to something perceived as a “shiny toy” and it is appropriate that Vaughan is one of the key proponents of a Big Bash for Britain. The counties are destitute and this may be their only way of making money (if it is for the collective good) but that’s never been the English way. We’re all in it for the cash, and instead of getting a good for all product like the Big Bash, which didn’t make a heap of cash in its first incarnations, we’ll try to replicate the IPL and its bidding for players. But as the game is dead in the mainstream conscience now, it won’t be able to work. So we’ll end up with a dog’s breakfast. When the two biggest counties, Yorkshire and Surrey, the two teams you would presume least threatened by the new system, are worried about it diluting their brand, you have to take notice. But it’s T20. It is fluff. It isn’t for me, but that’s not the point. I’ve got more than enough to worry about other than an arcane structure that is beyond repair. It’s like my boiler. I pray I get another year out of it each year.

I finished reading an old book I found in my cupboard – Andrew Strauss’s tour diary of the Ashes in 2010/11. It also includes a bit about the India series and the World Cup. Interesting that he does nothing but praise KP throughout the book – pointing out he can be a tricky customer, but he was also a great help – and also some of the “culture” stuff. I may do a more full review in the next couple of days.

I have a piece half drafted on a test match 30 years ago. There’s not a lot to read on that time, that English summer, but I was after one piece of assistance from you. Graham Gooch did not tour the following winter – the Ashes series which I intend to do a series of articles on in the same way as I did Blackwash II – and I wasn’t really sure why. Anyone know the reasons?

I visited a cricketing figure today. Put it on Twitter and only pktroll and metatone acknowledged it.

Heathens.

Also, on the way home, I saw this article in the Evening Standard. I quite like Tom Collomosse, but this was every bit as much mailing it in, as this post feels. Do we really need some stupid antics to liven up the series. I think we’d prefer a third and fourth test that has competitive cricket and great matches, rather than a few rows. I don’t know. I think I’m getting old.

The other project in mind is something that will get our fans across the social media sphere in a complete whirl. The old labels will be out. They come here, of course they do, and there will be the usual. But let me think about it. It will be a lot of hard work.

And, remember all. Fill in our Q&A. The responses so far have been great, and a couple of new faces have appeared. It also meant I read back some classic posts of last year, including A TLG special called Publish And Be Damned, and one I wrote called Bruised, where I was told that certain journos “have never read the blog”. Then there was a classic Maxie too, which all derived from a post I wrote about Adelaide to Perth. Dig them out. If I get time tonight, I’ll link them.

Have a good night everyone.