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Alan Gardner

@alanrgardner

Writer of few words. Cricinfo, former Guardianista with a bit of AP on the side. If you smile enough then everybody smiles (lies, lies, lies)

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16.01.2025
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Latest posts by Alan Gardner @alanrgardner

Preview
Switch Hit: Still in it, could win it England have been scrappy but find themselves in the T20 World Cup semi-finals. Next up: India in Mumbai. Alan Gardner is joined by Matt Roller and Vish Ehantharajah to assess their chances

It's been scrappy so far, but could England win it?

@alanrgardner.bsky.social, @mattrollercricket.bsky.social and @vitue.bsky.social look ahead to the #T20WorldCup semi-final on #SwitchHit 🎧

03.03.2026 20:00 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
The Ashes are not yet over, but Bazball most emphatically is. 

It died, to all intents and purposes, with Ben Stokes' shockingly frank admission after another crushing defeat, that his team of mindset-driven genre-benders have been found wanting in the heat of a battle that their entire ethos had been geared towards.

The Ashes are not yet over, but Bazball most emphatically is. It died, to all intents and purposes, with Ben Stokes' shockingly frank admission after another crushing defeat, that his team of mindset-driven genre-benders have been found wanting in the heat of a battle that their entire ethos had been geared towards.

Rest in peace, Bazball.

Analysis by @millercricket.bsky.social: bit.ly/44bb6Jx

08.12.2025 13:00 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com

Double #Ashes win for England today, as Joe Root got his first Test hundred in Australia and in the process ensured David Warner would stay top of this list stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/st...

04.12.2025 12:48 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Pat Cummins might miss the first Test after being abducted by aliens It's wall-to-wall Cummins watch in the lead-up to the you know what. But there's some other stuff here as well

This month's #LightRoller is a scientific deep dive* on the likelihood of Pat Cummins featuring in the Ashes

*Not really, just the usual BS
www.espncricinfo.com/story/pat-cu...

16.10.2025 11:34 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Switch Hit: Dub smash After two topsy-turvy series against South Africa, England round off their season with a trip to Ireland. Alan Gardner, Andrew Miller and Matt Roller discuss white-ball form and Ashes selection latest

After two topsy-turvy series against South Africa, England round off their season with a trip to Ireland - @alanrgardner.bsky.social, @millercricket.bsky.social and @mattrollercricket.bsky.social discuss white-ball form and Ashes selection latest on #SwitchHit 🎧

17.09.2025 11:15 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Five consecutive QF defeats in five consecutive seasons for Birmingham Bears in the T20 Blast - a feat unmatched in the competition's history (although they did manage six in seven years as plain old Warwickshire back in the early days)

06.09.2025 20:41 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Que Siraj, Siraj Switch Hit Podcast Β· Episode

After a nerve-shredding end to an amazing series at The Oval, Alan Gardner catches up with Andrew Miller and Sid Monga to pick through all the Test match goodness

#SwitchHit podcast πŸ‘‡

05.08.2025 21:30 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Hundred's 'transition' year is relying on Test star Steven Smith as headline act Steven Smith hoping to use his first appearance for Welsh Fire as a platform to reclaim a T20I spot for Australia with the long-term aim of playing in the 2028 Olympics

Never mind the Bazballs... it's the Hundred! Have a read of @mattrollercricket.bsky.social's interview with New South Welshman turned new Welsh Fireman, Steven Smith www.espncricinfo.com/story/hundre... then join me for bbb of the men's opener at Lord's www.espncricinfo.com/series/the-h...

05.08.2025 16:51 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Que Siraj Siraj. Fitting end to a brilliant series

#EngvsInd

04.08.2025 11:02 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

C'mon Hoppsy. You know, that scientifically speaking, it'll take at least 10 years of games with the Kookaburra to disprove the hypothesis that 95mph speed merchants are a natural byproduct of being bored rigid...

30.06.2025 15:13 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

"We'll have a chase..."

24.06.2025 17:38 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

What a genius decision at the toss, eh? #EngvsInd

24.06.2025 17:36 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
Matt Roller on WTC oddities

Matt Roller on WTC oddities

✍️ The World Test Championship might be fundamentally flawed, but after three missed attempts to reach the final on home soil, it is time for England to take it seriously

Matt Roller writes πŸ”— bit.ly/4kW0UuU

19.06.2025 09:15 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

The Wizard with an opening spell of 6-3-8-2 against India A at Northampton. Tasty

06.06.2025 11:03 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Switch Hit: Zim sing while England win Alan Gardner speaks to Andrew Miller and Firdose Moonda about the Trent Bridge Test, while Matt Roller joins to preview the WestΒ IndiesΒ series

@alanrgardner.bsky.social, @millercricket.bsky.social and @firdosem.bsky.social reflect on the Trent Bridge Test, while @mattrollercricket.bsky.social joins to preview the West Indies series on the latest #SwitchHit podcast 🎧

28.05.2025 19:00 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
I feel like Test wickets are really hard to get, actually, so getting 100 wickets is 
a big achievement for any fast bowler. That would be really special.

I feel like Test wickets are really hard to get, actually, so getting 100 wickets is a big achievement for any fast bowler. That would be really special.

Heath Streak is the only player to take more than 100 Test wickets for Zimbabwe - Blessing Muzarabani is aiming to be the second 🎯

Interview by @alanrgardner.bsky.social: bit.ly/3F19d8Z

19.05.2025 13:00 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
Switch Hit: Summer's hotting up Alan Gardner is joined on the pod by Andrew Miller and Valkerie Baynes to discuss the England Test squad and Nat Sciver-Brunt's appointment as captain

England's international summer is fast approaching!

@alanrgardner.bsky.social is joined on #SwitchHit by @millercricket.bsky.social and @valkeriebaynes.bsky.social to discuss the England Test squad and Nat Sciver-Brunt's appointment as captain 🎧

06.05.2025 19:00 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Couple of rare old finishes going in Division Two www.espncricinfo.com/live-cricket...

05.05.2025 17:18 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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When your luck's out... Zak Crawley getting dropped at slip, then caught by the keeper off a rebound, for 1

live.nvplay.com/ecb/#vbf1d22...

19.04.2025 12:01 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Never mind the tariffs, cricket's trade wars are the ones to watch Harry Brook and Corbin Bosch have been the first casualties in this game of cricket chicken, and no one is safe

Harry Brook and Corbin Bosch have been the first casualties in this game of cricket chicken, and no one is safe

✍️ @alanrgardner.bsky.social | #TheLightRoller

16.04.2025 21:00 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Cheers! Simpson has been terrific, and Hunt looks ready to step up a level. Hope you get to sing GOSBTS tmw

13.04.2025 22:03 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Went to Hove actually in pursuit of visible otters. Wasn't disappointed

www.espncricinfo.com/series/count...

12.04.2025 08:42 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Ah ha, an important corrective! Happy to be put right, and will tweak

11.04.2025 20:11 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Confirmed: Sonny Baker is β›½

Baker vs Bairstow - the duel in the Southampton sun www.espncricinfo.com/series/count...

06.04.2025 07:36 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Bairstow goes on to hit the first fifty of the match. Yorkshire battling their way into the lead three down, having given up a 128-run deficit on first innings

05.04.2025 16:20 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Sonny Baker has just had Jonny Bairstow dropped twice in as many balls - both bumpers that the batter took on

Nick Gubbins seemed to lose the first one on the rope and took a glancing blow to the head. He went off to be checked over, sub Joe Weatherley then couldn't quite scoop up a miscued pull

05.04.2025 14:39 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

And now he's out for 10 off 22 balls, top-edging Sonny Baker's second ball to third (his first was smacked for four)

04.04.2025 11:28 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Heeeeeeeeeeere's Jonny

04.04.2025 11:07 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Joined-up thinking at the ECB? www.espncricinfo.com/story/charlo... @espncricinfo.com

02.04.2025 07:50 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Buttler goes down with the ship as England journey comes full circle Brendon McCullum hoped to lift his spirits but it seems Jos Buttler could not stir himself for another voyage of discovery

Glug www.espncricinfo.com/story/jos-bu... #championstrophy

28.02.2025 21:47 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1