Darren Stevens

This is where you will find all The Cricket Paper’s Darren Stevens columns, opinion and content.

Darren Stevens: Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy ends regional era

29 September 2024 0 comments

It was a funny old way to bring down the curtain on women’s regional cricket on Saturday at Grace Road in the 50-over final.

Darren Stevens: Gloucestershire deserving T20 Blast champions

22 September 2024 0 comments

After Gloucestershire’s heroics a week ago, I can’t hide my pleasure at seeing a smaller county triumph on domestic cricket’s biggest stage.

Nothing as graceful as a Moeen Ali drive, except for the man himself…

15 September 2024 0 comments

By Darren Stevens After Moeen Ali announced his international retirement last week, I looked up how many times I came […]

Blink before you miss it: Finals Day looms for lucky eight

1 September 2024 0 comments

There aren’t many bigger days in the county calendar than the T20 quarter-finals, which take place later this week. I say quarter-finals, but really it feels like a semi because the prize is Finals Day at Edgbaston, to my reckoning still the biggest day of the domestic summer.

Rubbing shoulders with Sri Lankan greats

25 August 2024 0 comments

Darren Stevens This Sri Lanka side must be given a chance before they are written off, but it’s fair to […]

My mission statement: Turn England into World Cup winners

11 August 2024 0 comments

It’s two years since Kent released me but the fire still burns and I’m certainly not hanging up my boots just yet. As a matter of fact, I’ve just been appointed England captain (unofficially). That’s England Over40s, to be precise.

What makes a good captain?

4 August 2024 0 comments

Darren Stevens discusses the role of a captain – and feels Harry Brook has what it takes, but says England need to give him some time to get more experience.

CARIBBEAN ADVENTURES ACROSS THE SHIRES

21 July 2024 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS I was sorry to see the West Indies succumb so feebly in the first Test, but their arrival […]

GLOVES PASS TO SMITH – BUT ENGLAND ARE SPOILT FOR CHOICE

7 July 2024 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS The last week or so has been quite a time for wicketkeepers. We have to start with that […]

STARS IN MY EYES

23 June 2024 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS By the time you’re reading this we’ll either be floating on cloud nine or else drowning our sorrows. […]

Batters: Do your homework then trust your instincts

16 June 2024 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS Last week we spoke about the expanding variety of slower balls employed by fast bowlers in T20 cricket […]

The evolution of the slower ball: A white-knuckle ride

9 June 2024 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS I coach a number of 12-14-year old seamers, and as you might expect the first thing we nail […]

All eyes on the World Cup – But Blast still packs a punch

2 June 2024 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS If Twenty20 is your thing then you’ve got it made over the next few weeks. Between now and […]

Slaughtered seamers need not despair

26 May 2024 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS The T20 World Cup begins next Saturday hard on the heels of the Indian Premier League in which […]

Keeping sane on the country merry-go-round

12 May 2024 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS There will be those who will have rolled their eyes after the PCA released a statement voicing the […]

One last ride with the Stars before I’m a brown hatter

5 May 2024 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS For women’s domestic cricket this will be the last summer under the current structure, following the ECB’s decision […]

What is going off out there?

28 April 2024 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS You are forgiven if a glance at the scorecards has left you scratching your head during these first […]

Long live the battle of the bridge, and rip deadly

21 April 2024 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS It was great to see my old team Kent hold out for a draw in the Battle of […]

White pitches, red Kookaburras and rain: A perfect storm for the new season

14 April 2024 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS It wasn’t quite a case of bursting out the blocks, was it? Two of the Championship’s opening nine […]

Over and out!

1 October 2023 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS Rob Key, my old Kent captain and a great mate, has been on at me about retiring for […]

The 50-over game is in better nick than ever

24 September 2023 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS Last Saturday at Edgbaston I was flicking from one 50-over game to another, the match going on in […]

2022 and all that

10 September 2023 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS It’s hard to believe it’s already that time of year again – the county one-day final. Is it […]

After a taste of Ten10 Texan style, I’m hooked

3 September 2023 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS Exactly one week ago, I walked out to bat in the final of the US Masters T10 in […]

Could there be a twist in the tale?

27 August 2023 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS After a rush of white-ball cricket over the last month, the domestic schedule now makes space for September’s […]

Just me, my boy, and the Oval Invincibles

20 August 2023 0 comments

DARREN STEVENS A week or so ago I had the perfect view of Spencer Johnson’s 3-1 – that’s three wickets […]