The Cricket Drop 🏏 #15 - Eye of the needle

Send-offs and swearing make for a Lord's classic

Jul 16, 2025

Good morning, cricket fans. Here’s your Cricket Drop (edition number 15) on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.

Today’s headlines

siraj gives duckett a send off — Mohammed Siraj and Ben Duckett. Credit: Getty Images.

Pure needle. Pure niggle. Pure theatre.

If, after Headingley and Edgbaston, the England versus India Test series was showing promise, the five days at Lord’s which wrapped up on Monday has propelled it into full-blown classic territory.

The match - a tight England 22-run victory, which you can relive via the BBC Sport live-blog here - had everything. But the icing on the St John’s Wood cake was most certainly the animosity between the two sides.

From Ben Stokes scowling like a kebab shop queue psychopath when Sam Cook snaffled Jasprit Bumrah on the final day, to Mohammed Siraj’s general demeanour of being a man with a fork in a world of soup, the tension ramped up a notch in NW8 this week.

Even the regal, unflappable Shubman Gill got involved, squaring up to Zak Crawley in the final over of the third day, and exhorting him to “grow some f*****g balls”. Sorry if you’re reading, Mum.

That’s not to say there’s hatred there, of course. Look at how Joe Root comforted Siraj and Ravi Jadeja on the evening of the fifth day, after Brendon McCullum’s men sealed the win. There’s a mass of respect.

But the competitive spirit is palpable. Iron sharpens iron, and these are two incredibly matched sides. In a series featuring 25 days of Test cricket, things will always spill over, as Gill has alluded to in post-match interviews.

It’s box office stuff for the viewer.

✍️ BBC Sport’s Stephan Shemilt writes:

“Personal issues draw money. Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United and Arsene Wenger's Arsenal, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

✍️ The Telegraph's Tim Wigmore, meanwhile, added:

“In an age when much franchise cricket is sanitised, with itinerant players competing for pop-up teams, far better a contest in which players care too much rather than too little.”

🗣️ And England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick said:

“Cricket has got a bit more friendly over the past few years because the players are together in franchise tournaments all over the world. Sometimes it's good to create something in the game."

Six years on from the day England became world champions, Stokes once again spearheaded his team to victory in another bona fide all-timer (from fielding at short leg off his own bowling and bowling uninterrupted from 11am to 12:40pm at the Nursery End to batting with that typical Stokesian sheer bloody-mindedness).

And if that wasn’t enough for you, we had Jofra Archer’s return, who Wigmore says has "repaid England’s four years of faith in one scintillating showing”, Jadeja’s brave and stoic innings which took India to within 22 runs of victory, Siraj vs Ben Duckett, and that viral Rishabh Pant run-out.

Credit, too, to India for the part they played in the match. From Jadeja’s 61 not out to Bumrah surviving a hostile 54 balls on Monday, from KL Rahul’s ton to Bumrah getting on the honours board, the tourists played a brave and fearless brand of cricket, culminating in the most galling of ways to lose a Test match.

The enmity, of course, only added to the drama. Old Trafford on 23 July can’t come quickly enough.

Around the world 🌎

ben stokes appeals — Ben Stokes appeals for KL Rahul's wicket. Credit: Getty Images.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 So, over to the Lord’s fallout, then. Michael Vaughan (in the Telegraph) reckons Stokes is the reason England won this epic Test, Scyld Berry has the player ratings, and that same writer says it’s finally time to drop Ollie Pope for Jacob Bethell. Sir Geoffrey Boycott, meanwhile, says in the Telegraph: “Time for Zak Crawley to go – opposition queue up to bowl at him.” Yes, Geoffrey, but tell us what you really think.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Shoaib Bashir has been ruled out of the remainder of the series, reports the ICC. His replacement Liam Dawson will return to Test cricket for the first time in eight years, the Telegraph’s Will Macpherson says. Will also says Gus Atkinson will be in contention for the fourth Test - and Josh Tongue could return too.

🇮🇳 The India camp, meanwhile, are “extremely proud” of their lower order’s fight, says Cricinfo, while Gill has blamed the loss on a pivotal final half hour on the fourth day Cricinfo reports. In better news, he told the same publication Pant should be fine to play the fourth Test. Quelle surprise.

💪 Stokes was named Player of the Match after taking five wickets across 44 overs - the third-most he has bowled in a Test, and the most since 2019. He spoke to Cricinfo about how his body is holding up after pushing himself to the limit - again. Archer, meanwhile, told the BBC he’ll be fit for the final two Tests and told Cricinfo he’ll be on the plane to Australia. Yes, please.

🇦🇺 Despite Australia skittling Windies for the lowest Test total in 70 years (BBC report here), there are problems. Peter Lalor, from Cricket Et Al, has analysed Sam Konstas' time in the Caribbean while The Guardian says pressure is mounting on Konstas AND Usman Khawaja. Archer licking his lips?

🇦🇺 In more optimistic reading, The Guardian has analysed that brutal Mitchell Starc spell in the Caribbean. Can you do it against Crawley, though, Mitch? Actually, don’t answer that.

🏖️ After the record-breaking low total, Cricinfo says West Indies have "come face to face with a deepening Test crisis", and the BBC says they will seek the advice of legendary former players Sir Viv Richards, Sir Clive Lloyd and Brian Lara. What, can they bat 3, 4 and 5?

🏖️ And if you’re a glutton for punishment, the Beeb has crunched the numbers behind Windies' 27 all out as the fallout begins. Yikes.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 It’s all to play for in the final week of the T20 Blast group stage. 99.94 Cricket Blog's Gary Naylor has six talking points from the past week's action. Fingers crossed my beloved Birmingham Bears seal a quarter-final spot this week. In the women’s tournament, meanwhile, the Finals Day line-up is taking shape, BBC Sport reports.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Jimmy Anderson has been selected by Manchester Originals for this year's Hundred, and Rocky Flintoff joins his dad at Northern Superchargers, the Independent reports.

🇿🇦 Best of Cricket’s Tarutr Malhotra, one of the best Substackers in the game, has discussed why Wiann Mulder’s declaration rubbed him the wrong way.

🇺🇸 LA 2028 organisers have slated matches at the Olympic cricket tournament to start at 09:00 to cater for lucrative TV audiences in India, MSN reports.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 In a fantastic edition of The Cricket Paper, Derek Pringle reflects on the joys of Jofra Archer, and Ben Gardner reckons Wiann Mulder can’t do right for doing wrong after he chose not to chase Lara’s record. Lauren Winfield-Hill says the sloppy England Women's team need to sharpen up and Sir Andrew Strauss reckons England’s bowling remains a “question mark”.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland have failed to qualify for the T20 World Cup. How did that happen? The Inside Edge (on Substack here) has its say.

Quote of the week 🗣️

The statement to Sky Sports didn't age well for Washington Sundar. Credit: Sky Sports.

🗣️ "Definitely India winning. Probably first session (of day five)."

Washington Sundar at the end of day four at Lord’s, before his duck on day five. This isn’t to shame Washington, though. Far from it. If anything, let’s normalise Test cricketers channeling heavyweight boxers in post-match interviews.

Photo of the week 📷

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The Cricket Drop Community Noticeboard📌

📌 A serious note, for a moment. My thoughts are with all the Reach PLC sport staff - both regionally and nationally - affected by this week’s announcement of a restructure.

📌 Warwickshire CCC’s Jake Lintott has purveyed his left-arm wrist spin in competitions all over the world and speaks fascinatingly to Reports from Arbroath about that art but there is much more to his story. Listen here.

📌 If you want to attend the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Edgbaston, there is a way to get tickets before general sale. Fans who’ve attended previous international events in B5 are being given a priority window this week. Keep your eyes on your e-mails, folks.

Ticket Drop 🎫

🎫 You can still catch England Men or Women in white-ball action this summer. Tickets are still available at venues across the country for ODI and IT20 series against WI and SA. Get yours via the ECB website here.

🎫 Join Stuart Broad two years on after taking his final wicket. He’ll reflect on the highs and lows of his sensational 17-year career. Selected dates between 30 September - 26 October here.

🎫 After England’s thrilling cricket matches, the fun doesn’t end at the stadium! The Barmy Army’s Barmy Bingo is the place to be. The next event is in Manchester on 25 July after the Old Trafford Test. Tickets here.

Jobs board 💼

💼 Edgbaston in Birmingham currently has seven jobs available, ranging from conferences and events to strength and conditioning, marketing and more. Click here to explore the opportunities.

💼 Chance to Shine is hunting for an Executive and Office Assistant to support the Finance and Resources team. Click here for more.

This week’s fixture highlights ⏰

Wednesday 16 July

Men's International Twenty20

South Africa vs New Zealand

Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh

Women's One Day International

England Women vs India Women

Vitality Blast Men - South Group

Middlesex vs Surrey

Vitality Blast Women

Essex Women vs Lancashire Thunder

Somerset Women vs The Blaze

Thursday 17 July

Vitality Blast Men - South Group

Gloucestershire vs Sussex Sharks

Essex vs Hampshire Hawks

Vitality Blast Men - North Group

Worcestershire Rapids vs Nottinghamshire Outlaws

Yorkshire vs Lancashire Lightning

Friday 18 July

Men's International Twenty20

Zimbabwe vs New Zealand

Vitality Blast Men - North Group

Derbyshire Falcons vs Bears

Durham vs Northamptonshire Steelbacks

Leicestershire Foxes vs Yorkshire

Nottinghamshire Outlaws vs Lancashire Lightning

Vitality Blast Men - South Group

Glamorgan vs Middlesex

Somerset vs Gloucestershire

Sussex Sharks vs Surrey

Vitality Blast Women

Lancashire Thunder vs Somerset Women

Essex Women vs Durham Women

Hampshire Hawks Women vs The Blaze

Surrey Women vs Bears Women

Saturday 19 July

Women's One Day International

England Women vs India Women

Sunday 20 July

Men's International Twenty20

Zimbabwe vs South Africa

Bangladesh vs Pakistan

Women's International Twenty20

Ireland Women vs Zimbabwe Women

Monday 21 July

Men's International Twenty20

West Indies vs Australia

Tuesday 22 July

Men's International Twenty20 Match

New Zealand vs South Africa

Bangladesh vs Pakistan

Women's One Day International

England Women vs India Women

Women's International Twenty20

Ireland Women vs Zimbabwe Women

Rothesay County Championship Division 1

Hampshire vs Nottinghamshire

Somerset vs Durham

Sussex vs Essex

Warwickshire vs Worcestershire

Yorkshire vs Surrey

Rothesay County Championship Division 2

Derbyshire vs Leicestershire

Glamorgan vs Kent

Gloucestershire vs Lancashire

Middlesex vs Northamptonshire

Podcast and video watch 🎧

🎧 BBC Test Match Special’s Stephan Shemilt speaks to Joe Root after he became the record catch-taker in Test cricket, surpassing Rahul Dravid’s 210 catches. Listen via Spotify here.

🎥 The Dukes ball has come under heavy fire during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with multiple players – including Stuart Broad – slamming its lack of durability and swing. Dukes owner Dilip Jajodia responds via Revsportz above.

🎧 On talkSPORT’s Following On this week, Jarrod Kimber is joined by Sam Perry and Ian Higgins from The Grade Cricketer to reflect on their rise over the last few years. Listen via Acast here.