Jacob Bethell’s place still a puzzle as gifted batter is let down by England’s planning

Barney Ronay at the Sydney Cricket Ground Sun, 4 January 2026 at 9:45 am UTC·5 min read One down. Devilish gamble on Aussie plonk (5, 7) Would Douglas Jardine have cheated at the crossword? No he would not. Or rather he would, but only in a way that still technically complied with the current rules of crosswords, while also causing a violent crossword-based diplomatic incident. Would Mike Brearley cheat at crosswords? No. He would instead ask the crossword why it feels it needs to be so difficult.Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There has been a search for a defining Brendon McCullum image on this haphazard Ashes tour: a need-to-look-at-the-data moment, a McClaren’s brolly. If...