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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 11h

7degC & fog. But warm bus. Leaving Kaunas for last stop Vilnius, capital of Lithuania. Drawback of using cashier at terminus for first time: she knew UK not in EU. Only time I've failed to get away with half price for ancients! Bloody Brexit. 5 new nations visited, this long trip. 82 in life total.

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Coming to the end now of this post-season overland progress via the Arctic circle to the Baltic states with seven more nights in Lithuania, the 82nd country of my life's travels. Usually I speak of mountains but Hampstead Heath would seem lofty here. On Curonian Spit tomorrow: 15mls at zero feet!

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Frightening Jimboy. Greetings from Estonia. That look would be in fashion here!

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Crossing the Baltic from Helsinki; now about two hours from Tallinn. I'm promised Estonia's beer is more sanely priced than Scandinavia's so I should be able toast reaching my 80th country. Nothing much higher than a molehill in Estonia, however: the count of metres climbed will not be increased!

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I'm at Narvik, infamous to all with any WW2 history for the catastrophic British army attempt in spring 1940 to destroy the railway bringing Swedish iron ore from Kiruna for German armaments. My furthest ever north (68.44deg), 137mls beyond Arctic Circle. Taking that same rail line tomorrow.

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

At some stage this afternoon the train I'm sitting on in bright Norwegian sunshine with glorious autumn colours all around will cross the Arctic Circle. I'm told they sound the horn. The Times sent me to Iceland 22 yrs ago for a 'cricket in 3am daylight' feature but the AC remained 60 odd mls north!

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

From past experience KP the mole will presumably then pass their secrets and anxieties on to his South African confreres. It beggars belief that this man is being invited to wreak havoc yet again

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

That is the kind of stat I like!@

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Pleased to have covered the champo climax again yesterday. Fourth time since 2017 that I'd been able to report the title being won, though this was first for the Sunday Times. Off to Norway tomorrow to attempt the Arctic Circle rail route via Sweden & N Finland to Baltic states. No updates for while

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Choose your timespan: if Warks win the title, they will have claimed as many (4) as Surrey in the last 23 Championships, just pipping Sussx and Durham in that period. To overhaul them, Somerset need 11 more pts against Surrey than Warks can achieve against Leics. I'll be there in Brum for the Times

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

By any objective call, Kent, but for rain, were 80% likely to have lost at home to Northmtn in April and 60% likely when away to them in August. True, Nrthmtn had a 50/50 escape to Lancs but rain, conspiculously absent overall, has greatly influenced promotion. It's now denying Nrthmtn v Derbys!

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

For Notts to retain their title now they'll have to win well while Warks lose with few bonus points at Edgbaston next week. They'd also have to take five more points than Som manage at Taunton. "The word 'dire' puts their postion rather well" as Sir Arthur Streeb-Greebling would say

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Spinners winning games all across the country. Superb effort from Ralphie Albert, the Surrey offie and Eng U-19 captain, with 6-68 (backed up by a late 4-36 form Middx leggie Jack Nelson) to pull off a superb 10-run win in the youth 'Test' v Pakistan. Needing 78 more at 184-3, they were 251 ao

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Manny Lumsden, the 17-year old Hampshire pace bowler from Basingstoke, has just completed 5-52 in Pakistan's all-out reply of 305 at Arundel. England led the U-19 'Test' by 28 on first innings. Could be tight finish, though rain meant only 154 overs remained when England went in again.

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

The issue is not whether Grace Road and the Oval are to be docked points for poor pitches but when the ECB will deign to tell us. The discipline process belongs to the age of Dickens. By the time the creaking has ceased, and a verdict's vouchsafed, the season could be over. Relegation? Who cares?

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

No idea. Just seemed like the classic location! He is a Yorkie, though.

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Yes, whatever happened to the blunt-talking, mine's-a-pint, shovel-that-shit stereotype of the hard-bitten Yorkie journo? Answer: infantilisation of society has now even reached Barnsley.

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Before Pakistan obligingly imploded, the best Eng news often came lately from the U-19s. Rain in the 'Test' at Arundel against Pakistan U-19 has left Somerset's Bertie Michael sweating on 98 not out. The opener earlier anchored a 152-run stand with Ralphie Albert (88 from 93 balls). 264-5 when rsp

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

I see it's Derbyshire v Glos in Bristol rather than Rotterdam Dockers v Dublin Guardians (I'm not making this up) for Aneurin Donald today, playing his first champo game for a year. The world grows more bizarre by the week.

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

In this Champo round, Matty Potts became this season's first to 50 f-c wkts and Joe Clarke first to 1000 runs. Covered latter for Times yesterday. www.thetimes.com/sport/cricke... Glory be - two products of home comprehensive schools. Now England nick talent nurtured at other countries' expense!

thetimes.com

Joe Clarke passes 1,000 runs and rescues Notts with unbeaten ton

Batsman becomes first to reach landmark this season having come to the crease after two early ducks while George Hill leads Yorkshire to commanding position

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

No idea what all these press references to a Derby "night club" re Carse are supposed to mean. The only places actually named (in a couple of sources) are both ersatz plastic theme boozers where no self-respecting genuine ale lover would be seen dead. Abject lack of taste might be the true crime!

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

18 wkts in 74 overs' play on first day of Mackay's maiden Test. Another dodgy Aus pitch, it seems (or 'seams'?). Things have changed big time with squares and kookaburra balls down under over the last 2-3 years. Oz batters are beginning to grumble. Bad toss for Banga to lose. The dream looks over?

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

More drama north of the Tropic of Capricorn, let's hope, for those following events in steamy Mackay where Test cricket arrives for the first time. It's hard to imagine there'll be a neutral in the world who doesn't want Bangladesh to take the series against Oz. Too much to hope for?

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

But manners and punctuality are all but a memory from another age in fact! Kindness just about persists, perhaps - though you'd not think so reading social media.

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

More a matter of finding the one venue (Taunton?) with a reasonable chance of play on first day, I fear, Kev. I'm doing Warks v Notts at Edgbaston next week (27,28,30). One of the really decisive games to come, I think. Interesting to see the pitch. Less a 'must win' than a 'mustn't lose' for both?

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Reposted by Neville Scott

CRICKETher @crickether.com · 17/08/2026

🏏

Andy Warhol (a black and white photo) saying "In the future everyone will be an overseas player at Surrey for 15 minutes"

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Greatly relieved that my fears about an Aus comeback in earlier posts were never realised. Bangla's victory is surely the result of the year so far. Nicely apt that this latest stage in their Test evolution came in...Darwin

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Speaking about the chunk of the schedule consecrated to The Hundred (even as English f-c spinners face extinction) ECB's Chief Exec now pledges: "That window will not get any longer". As in Pinocchio's nose, perhaps?

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Three catches (slip) off second new ball v Bangla in Darwin takes former Oz capt Steven Smith to 218. Draws level with Saint Joe (the returned Eng capt) as non-WKs with most in Tests. To be fair to Smith his avge is 1.73 per Test, Root's 1.31. Percentage of chances dropped might be more to point

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

The Bangla Beat! Tanzid Hasan makes a century in only his 3rd Test innings; Oz right up against it. Are Bangladesh evolving into a force in Darwin? Cummins/Lyon/Webster 2-170 between them. Glenn McGrath, your boys took a hell of a beating! বাংলাদেশ দীর্ঘজীবী হোক। Too good to last - but enjoy it while you can!

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

I've been amazed that news reports have made so little of Binface's 9,455 votes. That would seem the story here! Lee Neanderson was on the "Today" prog this morning claiming a ringing endorsement. The clear riposte was alas missed: "But a man with a bin on his head took almost 10,000 votes!"

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Thanks for all these - only just seen them. I suspected there must have been many (probably recent) instances of Kent O/S seamers gaining success. Signings are so numerous today and often for very few games. Mahmud's success, though must be one of the more surprising, given the opponents and venue!

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Who was the last 'Kent' fast bowler to take six wkts in a Test innings (Hasan Mahmud 6-55 in a remarkable 1st day at Darwin where Bangladesh have the unexpected advantage overnight)? I'm trying to think of their overseas signings in recent years. Surely we don't have to go back to Ellison?!

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

With Cox to bat No3 but Smith also in side, Eng will play two WKs. Yet Pope returns to squad, partly as "reserve WK". Does anybody get this? And Lawrence, in Stokes's slot at No6, presumably puts paid to fellow-spinner Bashir's hopes, certainly in Leeds. Tricky if drought has produced a bunsen.

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Stephen Fleming spent summer 1993 with the 2nd XI for Northamptonshire where I'd been ball-by-ball Cricketcall commentator. On an evening with the players, we soon realised that, even at 20, here was a man of high substance. Happily, time has confirmed the judgment: England have hired a good 'un.

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Until about mid-1980s, the game here was not all about public schools and 16yo players poached from an upbringing and education in South Africa (or occasionally other countries) to become British after two summers 'residence'. Our masters then slowly let the game in the wider community die.

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Certain events resound. In 1966, nine days after England lifted the World Cup on our b&w TV, I saw West Indies win the series at Leeds: it was my first ever day of f-c cricket. Sobers, our god, bowled in the flesh before us. And astoundingy, 23 years later, I met and interviewed him. Now he has gone

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

What chance, when we return to real cricket, that either Rehan Ahmed plays (should bone-dry pitches be turning) or Sam Curran is included, each as the all-round replacement for Stokes in the Pakistan Tests? It is startling to be reminded that Curran us still only 28!

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Was it about the scones at Trent Bridge?

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Read Orwell's essay "Charles Dickens", Hoppsy. Outstanding as much for the lucidity of its prose as for the acuity of its analysis. Gets precisely to the essence of Dickens. I have never understood the deep popular affection for his work. Unlike Hardy, he lacked a courage to move beyond sentiment

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Middx's Caleb Falconer made 102 but Eng u-19 lost their last wicket with 8 overs left, S Africa u-19 taking the 'Test' by 46 runs. Left-arm seamer JJ Basson, still nine months from his 19th birthday, seized the game with 7-73. At 283-5, Eng needed 103 @ 5.28po but Basson claimed last 4 in 31 balls

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Of their 15 UK players in the Champo this year, all but six were privately educated. And, even then, four of that half dozen were signed from other counties. Any genuine initiative (i.e. not a PR stunt) to widen access is truly to be welcomed - well done Sussex! But such a pity it's 30 years late.

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

At last this season, modest progress. The fact that some of us have been banging on in print for 35 years about the critical narrowing of the game's social base whilst the authorites gave not a monkey's may be set aside. We can at least applaud some belated action - albeit several decades late

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Meanwhile, tea at Beckenham finds SA u-19s seven down but 328 ahead of Eng u-19s with (theoretically) 127 overs left. They may already have enough though Yorkshire's Brad Sylvester whipped out two in five overs with new ball. May prove able to dec before being dismissed? Eng defeat likely?

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Indian declaration leaves England Women to make 457 @ 3.15 if all overs bowled. Or, realistically, to bat four sessions. Defeat looms, I fear.

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Neville Scott @nevillescott.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

McCullum: "Of course I'm gutted not to be continuing, but I respect the decision." Which of course means it wasn't his own. Silly of the ECB to put out the news under a "Brendon will step down as Test coach..." version. We badly need clarity as to what culture the side is now expected to embrace

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