County season arrives with fresh hope of domestic displays paving path to international stage

Not everyone in the county game is optimistic but players should start the season believing performances will be noticed by the England setup

Peter Moores could be forgiven for raising an eyebrow at England’s backing for Brendon McCullum after four years as head coach and that bleak Australian winter. Moores was afforded barely three across his two spells in the job, neither of which included an Ashes series.

But as his Nottinghamshire side begin the defence of their County Championship title away at Somerset this Friday, Moores is keen to look forwards. During his Ashes mea culpa, the England team director, Rob Key, said he wanted better communication with the counties on selection – music to the ears of the leading domestic coach.

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The Spin | Cricket’s Tetris calendar is a recipe for player burnout and fan apathy

South Africa v New Zealand T20 series highlights schedule that is increasingly hard to keep up with

Clinical guidance suggests recovery from emotional trauma can take weeks or months. In some cases, the lingering pain can last for years. Elite cricketers, though, are expected to compress that timeline into days.

Take Mitchell Santner. The New Zealand captain oversaw his team’s crushing 96-run loss by India in the T20 World Cup final on 8 March. It was the Black Caps’ fourth defeat in an ICC final since 2019 and, having swatted aside South Africa in the semi-final, would have stung. Well, Santner had to do his contemplating on the flight back home as seven days later he was suited and booted for a T20 international against the Proteas at Mount Maunganui.

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