The Spin | Revealed after 100 years: how a corrupt official robbed Percy Fender of the England captaincy

Documentary makers seeking funds to finish making film of an extraordinary man and his influence on the game

After a mere 100 years the Spin, always first with the news, is finally able to reveal the details of one of the more extraordinary secrets in the history of English cricket. The story comes from the private family archives of the former Surrey captain Percy Fender, which are being compiled into a fascinating new documentary film. It has always been a mystery that Fender, who was described by Wisden as “the shrewdest county captain of his generation” was never picked to lead England. After all these years, it now appears he was blackmailed out of the job by a corrupt cricket official.

In a private audio recording made shortly before his death in 1985, Fender explains that in May 1924 he was approached “by a gentleman who was very well known in the cricket world” who, during the course of a conversation over two half-bottles of champagne in Fender’s flat at the Adelphi, offered him the England captaincy for the 1924-25 Ashes tour. Fender was an amateur, and had a day job as wine merchant that meant he would need to arrange cover while he was away on the six-month tour. The “very well known” gentleman suggested he could do it for him.

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Penguins Notebook: Malkin Returns To Practice, Forward Exits Early After Collision

After a long month, it appears the Pittsburgh Penguins are close to welcoming one of their best players back to the lineup. 

For the first time since going on injured reserve Dec. 9, center Evgeni Malkin skated in a full capacity with the team on Tuesday. Malkin, 39, has missed the last 15 games with an upper-body injury, which he clarified was a shoulder injury following practice.

His last game came Dec. 4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, when he recorded two goals and three points. Malkin has eight goals and 29 points in 26 games on the season. 

"It's, like, crazy, because I'm not feeling any pain after game, but next morning, I wake up, and, like, my upper body, it's like I can't move my shoulder," Malkin said. "It's crazy."

Adding Malkin back to the lineup should bolster an already-buzzing group that has won five consecutive games since the holiday break. Prior to some bad injury luck for the Penguins, Malkin was skating on a line with Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha, and they saw a lot of success as a line. 

Tommy Novak has been centering that second line, where Malkin figures to slot back in. His return might make for some tough lineup decisions, but it's a good problem for the Penguins to have. 

"I think it was a good step in the right direction having him out there," head coach Dan Muse said. "Full-blown practice, looked good, got another practice day tomorrow... So, we'll continue to have conversations, but it was a good day for him."

Malkin said he hopes to play this week, but Muse didn't offer a specific timeline for his return to the lineup. The Penguins next play the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.

Takeaways: Penguins Roar Back From Three-Goal Deficit, Beat Blue Jackets In OTTakeaways: Penguins Roar Back From Three-Goal Deficit, Beat Blue Jackets In OTThe Pittsburgh Penguins extended their winning streak to five games in dramatic fashion against the Columbus Blue Jackets, which is just another indication that this team may be better than anyone thought.

- Unfortunately, another player may have sustained an injury during practice. 

After a collision with a teammate, forward Rutger McGroarty left the ice and was attended to by the trainers, and he did not return to practice. Muse could not offer an update on McGroarty after practice. 

McGroarty has two goals and three points in 16 games this season. 

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- Tuesday's practice was optional, as Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Yegor Chinakhov, Erik Karlsson, and Kris Letang were absent. 

- A decision looms on rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke, who is headed back to Pittsburgh after helping Canada earn a bronze medal at the World Junior Championship. 

Brunicke, 19, cannot play in the AHL this season and has played in nine games at the NHL level, which means his entry-level contract has not been activated. However, another deadline looms, as Jan. 31 would mark 40 games that Brunicke will have been on the active NHL roster. 

Should Brunicke remain on the roster beyond that game, the Penguins lose a year of restricted free agency, and, therefore, team control. The Penguins are expected to come to a decision in the coming days on whether or not he will spend the rest of the season in the WHL.

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