Sam Billings is one of the few people who understand the hundred format. His record as captain is remarkable.
Philip Chapman
@pgpchappers.bsky.social
Father, cricket nut and hockey 🏑/cricket 🏏 coach | I work in the City. Sorry for all the typos!
Seems my house extension had a bigger impact than I realised.
Noble Francis@noblefrancis.bsky.social · 20h agoUK brick deliveries are a useful proxy for new house building starts in the absence of monthly starts data. As expected, deliveries in June 2026 were flat compared with May but 11.4% lower than a year ago, according to the Department for Business & Trade. (1/n) #ukhousing #ukconstruction
Apparently Flemming has approached Mike Hussey to be the England batting coach. Now I am sure Hussey would be good. But there are two guys, one called Trott and one called Bell who might be ok and who played for England. Have they been asked first?
Tadej Pogacar's absolute dominance of the tour de France this year is remarkable. Don Bradman esk numbers now.
Followed by 73no off 51. Ben Stokes playing in the 50 over competition is glorious.
Philip Chapman@pgpchappers.bsky.social · 2w ago108 not out is a rather good start from the former England captain. Brilliant to see.
In the Just Good Friends Christmas Special from 1984, there is a joke which amounts to ”imagine if a 99 cost a whole 99p omg!” But the price coincidentally hit 99p around the late 80s/early 90s when a lot of people who are 40/50-something today were kids.
Not to be Captain Skeptic about this. But a 99 Flake isn’t called a 99 because it was meant to be 99p. (Despite the howls of Reform voters incensed by the price of Freddos and ice cream.) 🍦 Leaving aside that they were introduced before decimalisation, in the 70s they were 10-15p.
108 not out is a rather good start from the former England captain. Brilliant to see.
Philip Chapman@pgpchappers.bsky.social · 2w agoThe good that Ben Stokes will be able to do playing in the metro bank cup is immense. I really hope he has a fun and successful run of it through the tournament.
The good that Ben Stokes will be able to do playing in the metro bank cup is immense. I really hope he has a fun and successful run of it through the tournament.
Spain (who have royally pissed of Trump with their response to his Iran war) winning the world cup and having to receive the trophy from him, is probably the best outcome. Now can we go back to the cricket please
I think Messi's legacy has been hurt by this world cup. Argentina should be a much better team than just a bunch of thugs.
Julianna 💎@batariangal.eurosky.social · 2w agoBBC panel talking about the post-whistle Argentina scrap taking a moment to talk about Messi being gracious in defeat and, ngl, as a tourist, I feel like that guys gets way too much of a free pass
And the women's world cup And the men's under-19 Euros And the women's under-20 world cup. Passing a lot works...
Philippe Auclair@philippeauclair.bsky.social · 2w agoSpain, now holders of the European, Olympic and World titles. Prodigious.
Watching Trump try to get into the World Cup photo, then shuffle off because no-one was paying attention to him, was the perfect ending to this evening.
That might be the best defensive tournament of all time by Spain. 1 goal conceded is nuts.
There is absolutely nothing to disallow this goal. I can't see any reason why the VAR wouldn't ask the referee to look again. Except it's against Argentina
Referee needs to take control and get the players back out there.
This isn’t halftime entertainment. Halftime entertainment is two blokes dragged from the stands and wearing replica shirts two sizes too small for them trying and failing to score penalties past the club mascot in the hope of winning a free oil change from the garage that is matchball sponsor.
You know when we said the people who thought of this half time show were Muppets, we didn't mean it literally
I can't decide if Animal playing the drums makes this "half time show" a good thing or not. On balance, I would rather be queuing for a good pie.
Lenient refereeing of Argentina challenges in this final is reminiscent of the semi against England. Clear yellow card fouls not punished as such.
While in the name of football, we all want the obvious team to win, there would also be something entirely fitting about this World Cup - defined by shameless corruption, pervasive greed, institutional cowardice and flagrant racism - being won by a team of outright cheats.
40 minutes and Argentina get their first yellow. By my count, it’s the fifth yellow card offence
