Nick Friend

I asked a bunch of English spinners, anonymously, about the challenges facing them in county cricket and the realities of their position. What followed was hours of revealing insight that the game could learn from. thecricketer.com/Topics/premium…

No one has bowled more overs in the country this season than Ben Aitchison. A fine effort from someone who took an unconventional, tough route into the pro game and then spent two whole years on the sidelines with a back injury. Five-fer at Lord's today: thecricketer.com/Topics/county-…

First of several first-class hundreds for Ben Dawkins, no doubt. Not the first time he's faced Stokes and Potts - netted against them, Mark Wood and Josh Tongue at Loughborough between lectures, ahead of their Ashes winter

Great piece from a great man, @CameronSteel44

Tom Norton's story is really cool: bowled off-spin until a few years ago, clocked regularly at 83mph vs Somerset, had never taken a 5fer until last month and is a proper case of a youngster with his local club, Abergavenny, to thank for his development. thecricketer.com/Topics/county-…

On this episode ⤵ 🏏 Marcus North's arrival as national selector. 🏏 Beth Barrett-Wild's ECB departure. 🏏 @melindafarrell and @NickFriend1 discuss the role of county cricket in the selection of England's Test squad. WATCH → youtu.be/I7AEqAdQOA8

Liam Dawson retires from first-class cricket as a Hampshire legend. I spoke to him shortly after he informed his teammates ⬇️ thecricketer.com/Topics/premium…

Surrey have used proceeds from the Hundred sales to help in paying off £7m in bank debt. thecricketer.com/Topics/county-…

"When kids want the players to sign things and I walk past unacknowledged, I quite enjoy that now. I'm just one of the coaches." Piece on new England Men's fielding coach Sarah Taylor, a role model in so many ways and one of the absolute best. thecricketer.com/Topics/england…

🎧 NEW EPISODE! 🎧 🎙️ @melindafarrell 🎙️ @NickFriend1 WATCH → youtu.be/I7AEqAdQOA8 LISTEN → tinyurl.com/TCCCP

Interview with Sarah Taylor from the start of the winter, ahead of working in Perth with England Lions. Chuffed that she'll be the senior side's fielding coach this summer:

Not the story of the day, but a proper reshuffle at Kent to fill the void of Senuran Muthusamy's injury. Dian Forrester in as replacement Blast overseas, Jake Lintott in on an all-format loan, Bertie Foreman signed on a two-month contract. thecricketer.com/Topics/county-…

Liam Dawson has retired from first-class cricket, which is a major blow to Hampshire, who could do with some good news.

Big news in English women's cricket: Beth Barrett-Wild leaving the ECB after the T20 World Cup. Has been seconded as tournament director in recent times, but an administrator who's made a huge impact - both with Project Darwin and the Hundred. thecricketer.com/Topics/womens-…

@JackRuleLD Think they've just been more unlucky to be fairly depleted than their oppo tbh - lost both original overseas, several bowlers injured etc

@NickFriend1 It feels Leicestershire have been hard done by having to face Sussex twice within the block within 4 weeks.

This might be recency bias talking here, but five Champo rounds in, 16 of the 18 counties have won a game, which feels unusually high for recent years. Leicestershire will be the last side waiting, if Derbyshire can find one more wicket...

Such a good win for Glamorgan, whose biggest strength under Richard Dawson is their resourcefulness. Batters who bowl, bowlers who bat. A year ago today, they beat Kent in three days to move off the bottom of Division Two. Incredible transformation through terrific coaching.

Ryan Hadley had never faced 55 balls in an innings before this.

He's yet to get a really big score, but every time I watch this guy, I'm convinced he's going to be exceptionally good.

Good to be at Trent Bridge for the latest instalment of the Notts/Surrey rivalry. Without quite the same drama as last time, but a proper game nonetheless. Serious intensity, no quarter given. Great that we'll have a return leg later this season. thecricketer.com/Topics/county-…