LEE PAYNE
An aspiring writer on sport, music, history and more
recent posts
- If you’re going to win an Ashes Test, you need to get more than 200 on the board
- England are once again the laughing stock of world cricket
- Something made me laugh at Lincoln Cathedral
- AI vs Human Writing
- Lincoln’s Steep Hill is aptly named, Southwell is proud of its apples and Boston is a bit rough – my July 2024 holiday (part 2!)
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Category: England
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As ever, it’s the hope that kills you. No matter what has gone before, no matter how many thrashings England have been on the end of, the build up to an Ashes series gets me as excited as a toddler does for Christmas. Test cricket is the aristocracy of sport, and Ashes Tests are the…
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The figures make for grim reading. England’s men’s cricket team, who were world champions in the 50 over format in 2019 and the 20 over version in 2022, have gone out of the Champions Trophy having lost all three of their games. Brendon McCullum took over as coach of the white ball side in January…
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Hello from Nottingham! I’m writing this in my hotel room near the River Trent, where I am on holiday. The main reason for coming here was to watch the England men’s cricket team play in the Test match against the West Indies at Trent Bridge, my favourite cricket ground in the country. Mum and I…
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It’s hard to believe, but we are nearing the end of another year. Here are some of my highlights from watching sport in 2023. Football This year has been one to forget for Norwich City. In fact, it’s been the club’s worst year since… well, last year. David Wagner was appointed as head coach in…
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Football and cricket are my two favourite sports, but seeing as Dean Smith’s tactics are continuing to bore everyone at Carrow Road and a World Cup built by slaves is about to kick off in the desert it’s hard to get excited about the former at the moment. So cricket it is. Indeed, cricket is…
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England vs South Africa1st Test (of 3)Lord’s, London17th, 18th, 19th August 2022Result: South Africa (326) beat England (165 & 149) by an innings and 12 runs The latest issue of The Cricketer magazine was laying on the doormat when I got home from work on Friday. Its front cover asked the question: “Can the Proteas’…
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England are the champions of Europe. I, and no one else who holds their national pride through the prism of sport, will ever tire of saying that. The power of sport is incredible. It brings people together, it divides them, it captures the nation’s attention and it even brings about huge changes in society. I…
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I’ve been back from my holiday for a week now, but as these things often do, it feels like a lot longer! I usually go away around my mum’s birthday (19th July) and this year was no different. In 2021, we stayed in Salford to make it easy to get to Old Trafford for a…
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England vs New Zealand3rd Test (of 3)Headingley, Leeds23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th June 2022Result: England (360 & 296-3) beat New Zealand (329 & 326) by 7 wicketsEngland win the series 3-0 It was only innate English pessimism that put any doubt in the ability of our re-energised Test team to knock off the 113 runs…
LEE PAYNE 