Great moments in cricket and cable knit

Sport Review #239

Everyone knows that cable knit is the most iconic of all knits - combine it with the blessed sport of cricket and you open a world of fashion, function and creativity. Behold.

Everything here is amazing - the Duncan Fearnley bat, the rockstar grooming, but most of all the simple cream jumper and central logo. Less is definitely more | photo

Amazing. We need new Test teams just for the knitwear. One colour. Iconic iconography. I recommend keeping a spray bottle of Vanish Preen Oxi Action Stain Remover in the kit bag for Guinness stains but otherwise good to go | photo

Holy fucking shit, there it is. Everything is perfect, no notes.

Imagine describing this to your grandma: "It’s a cricket jumper. Cream and MCC colours! And it’s a hat!” He’s got the result though, and paired it with a challenging rowing blazer. Absolute baller | photo

A glimpse into the Sport Review cable rotation with this Pakistan ODI number circa mid-90’s - left in the Seddon Park dressing room and auctioned on Trade Me years later. Not recommended near open flames and more snug fitting than is ideal to be honest.

To make a quality dish, you need quality ingredients. Tim has curated an absolute banger with fresh kicks, Test cap, puffer and WTC special edition of the undisputed world #1 cricket cable knit, the BLACKCAPS’ own | photo

At first I hated it but now I love it. Imagine someone bowling at you with ‘bodyline’ stiched into the sleeve. Imagine your bat creating wind. Imagine.

OK, not technically cable knit, but WHY are there not more skivvies in cricket, WHY? Victor Trumper nailing everything except his grip | photo

Respect to the Aussies, who steadily maintained cable knit while other nations tarried into sweat-shirt-related crime. There’s something about the darkness of the green in that hem detail that sends a shudder through your heart | photo

Thanks for reading - Richard

This week's best NZ sport content

“I like to win. I like doing things a wee bit differently because I get bored myself. I like to get the energy moving and create something that hasn’t been done before.

“There’s always a bit of angst in there. Athletes need to know everything is not smooth, that you’ve got to be comfortable in the uncomfortable.”

A big Dame Noeline Taurua profile from Liam Napier [NZ Herald]

Duncan Greive on NZR+ - as someone who spends a lot of time looking for glorious Waikato Ranfurly Shield wins and the like, the archive bit is potentially really exciting [Spinoff]

Sportsfreak previews the Ashes match ups, while the Guardian has a fascinating look at Bazball, historical precedents and how our former streetfighter captain has England absolutely fizzing [Sportsfreak, Guardian]

Galloway Park’s finest, Claudelands Rovers, is possibly the only Hamilton club football team that has had Kevin Keegan play for them [Friends of Football]

Sarah Cowley Ross talks to retiring Silver Ferns Claire Kersten and Bailey Mes [Locker Room]

Video nasty

One of the most difficult parts of the job.

Long read

What happens when your mind gets in the way of playing your sport? Daniel Bard is a naturally talented baseball pitcher who loses and re-learns the ability to throw, repeatedly [New Yorker]

Recommendation 

My GOD, watch this Bluey cricket episode if you love cricket, families, the finer points of off side trap field settings and also crying [TVNZ+]

Bring back the gif 

Every time you open an Air Pods case and there are two.