The Estadio Azteca in Mexico City sits at 7,352 feet above sea level, a plateau where the oxygen is thin and where Maradona scored with the Hand of God. And where, last night, England beat Mexico 3-2 in the World Cup round of sixteen. Jude Bellingham scoring twice, Jordan Pickford decisive throughout as ten-man England held on. Broadhalfpenny Down in Hampshire sits at a more modest 518 feet above sea level and hosted Brigands v Saints yesterday in an equally hard-fought sport

Ben Stokes learned the game at Cockermouth Cricket Club, a proud town side in Cumbria, a stone's throw from Jennings Brewery, where everyone knows your name. Before Headingley. Before the World Cup final. Before Bazball rewired the sport. He started somewhere modest and local. At 3.25pm on Sunday afternoon, he announced his retirement from International cricket. At the same moment, at the ground where first-class cricket began, the Rioteers were 73-6 and had other things on t

We have showcased much-loved cricket photographers in recent years, from Ryan Pierse and Dave Vokes, to Dave Bodymore and Marc Aspland. Gareth Copley has been travelling with the England cricket team for more than 180 Test Matches, and his new book, written with Rory Dollard, is mesmerising. With beautiful and award-winning cricket photography, the book gives a front-row seat to England's World Cup glory at Lord's and the Ben Stokes’s Headingley miracle in 2019, human stories

Tuesday 23 June 1772 was market day in Hambledon, Hampshire and on that day the first designated first-class match was due to take place...

By Stephen Saunders Tuesday 23 June 1772 was market day in Hambledon, Hampshire and on that day the first designated first-class match...