Nick Friend

Nick Friend Category Archive

Charlotte Edwards confirms leadership group to assist Nat Sciver-Brunt in West Indies T20Is

NICK FRIEND: Edwards also confirmed that minimum fitness standards would be in place for the start of next summer, praised the remarkable domestic form of Emma Lamb and suggested that Sophie Ecclestone could join up with England during the ODI series

"We've not even played our best cricket yet": How Leicestershire are scaling Division Two

NICK FRIEND: Four wins from six games, unbeaten so far this season, winning three games in a row for the first time this century, Leicestershire – under Alfonso Thomas and Peter Handscomb – are 40 points clear of third place and dreaming big

Makeshift Surrey cling on for victory as One-Day Cup enters new phase

NICK FRIEND AT CHELMSFORD: After being turbo-charged by England player availability through the last month, Surrey – missing five of their first-choice top six – just about overcame Essex, who are marooned at the bottom of the tier-one table

Leicestershire disappearing over horizon as Division Two runaway leaders

NICK FRIEND AT LORD'S: These are still early days and there is more than half a season left to play, but by Monday evening Leicestershire could be forty points clear of third, having won twice as many games as anyone else; these are novel times

Jonny Bairstow treats Oval locals to collection of greatest hits

NICK FRIEND AT THE KIA OVAL: You'd have got long odds on Bairstow and Jason Roy, one of the great white-ball opening duos, sharing a County Championship field together in 2025, but Bairstow played beautifully on Friday as Surrey and Yorkshire battled

The fine-line world of player punditry: "As long as you don't have an agenda, you should be okay"

NICK FRIEND: Providing punditry as a current player comes with several challenges, most notably around the balance of providing insight without breaching confidence or omerta

Beckenham thriller shows English women's cricket at its best

NICK FRIEND AT BECKENHAM: Alice Capsey and Amy Jones lit up a tie between Surrey and The Blaze, which saw 692 runs and highlighted the value both of Project Darwin and Charlotte Edwards' insistence that England's best players represent their counties

Charlotte Edwards keeps promise with shake-up, headline-making squad

NICK FRIEND: England Women's new head coach has made some bold selections to drop Sophie Ecclestone and Maia Bouchier from her first squads, but has delivered on her vow to reward early-season county performances

Sophie Ecclestone left out of England Women's squad

NICK FRIEND: Ecclestone is the highest-profile omission from Charlotte Edwards' first squad in charge, which also sees Maia Bouchier absent after struggling during the Women's Ashes series

Nat Sciver-Brunt not part of selection committee under new regime

NICK FRIEND: Sciver-Brunt is set to play as a specialist batter through the first half of the summer as she steps up her recovery from an Achilles injury, which she has rested through the early weeks of the season

Worcestershire hopeful of swift Jacob Duffy return

Duffy, the overseas seamer, was absent from the 14-man squad that travelled to Sussex, with Worcestershire – rooted to the bottom of Division One – falling to a fourth defeat in five games

Ollie Robinson facing race to be fit for Somerset trip

NICK FRIEND: Sussex's seam-bowling resources have been stretched by injury, though Nathan McAndrew will replace Jayden Seales at Taunton after the West Indies quick's spell at Hove came to an end

Home comforts leave Sussex and Worcestershire staring in different directions

NICK FRIEND AT HOVE: Sussex are still yet to lose at Hove under Paul Farbrace; Worcestershire, no less doughty than last year, are still yet to win

"It's great to have him back": Glamorgan relishing Marnus Labuschagne return

NICK FRIEND: Labuschagne's latest stop-off with Glamorgan will only last two games, ahead of the World Test Championship final, but the Australian's relationship with the county will see him replace the in-form Colin Ingram for a fortnight

Kent scouring loan and overseas markets for seamer reinforcements

NICK FRIEND: Adam Hollioake has lost two of his first-choice bowling attack to season-ending injuries already and, with several others also absent, has seen his side lose their last two games