Author: Jonathan Campion

Bear Bats: The players who swear by the bear for their cricket kit

November 10, 2024

From a workshop in Ammanford, South Wales, Bear Bats is what founder Richard Gullam calls “a hobby that’s gone wrong”. From repairing other companies’ bats, Richard and his co-owner Hedd-Wyn Jones now make their own – including for the Glamorgan player Ben Morris, and dozens of serious club cricketers.

My bat – a 2lb10oz ‘Hunter’ – is a beautiful piece of willow, with a really fast ping to it. My budget was enough for a grade 2 blade, when the big brands only sell patchy grade 3 at that price, even on discount. … More Bear Bats: The players who swear by the bear for their cricket kit

Interview about Kazakhstan and the Astana SCO Summit — Mir24 TV

October 30, 2024

In July I was in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, to cover the 2024 Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) for The Times of Central Asia.

The day after the Summit I gave a short interview to Mir24 TV, a prominent Russian-language television channel in Eurasia, about the SCO and Kazakhstan’s role in Central Asia. … More Interview about Kazakhstan and the Astana SCO Summit — Mir24 TV

Uzbekistan’s Cricket Team: We’re Ready For International Matches — The Times of Central Asia

October 29, 2024

Supporters of Uzbek sport have had a lot to celebrate this year. The national football team currently sits at the top of its qualifying group for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while eight of the country’s athletes took gold at this summer’s Paris Olympics.

But next year Uzbekistan wants to enter the world stage in a more surprising sport: cricket.

The Central Asian country joined the game’s governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), in 2022. As an “Associate” ICC member there are hopes that the Uzbek squad will play its first international matches in 2025, in the Twenty20 (T20) version of the game. T20 games are much shorter than traditional five-day Test matches. … More Uzbekistan’s Cricket Team: We’re Ready For International Matches — The Times of Central Asia

Cricket in Uzbekistan: Some writing in the 2023 Wisden Almanack

April 20, 2023

The Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack 2023 includes a piece that I wrote for its Cricket Round The World section, about the growth of the game in the Central Asian republic of Uzbekistan. 

Having played and followed cricket all my life, I’m very proud that my article has a place alongside writing by my favourite journalists. Following the Notes by the Editor Lawrence Booth, the 2023 Wisden features essays by writers including Mike Atherton, Gideon Haigh, Tanya Aldred, Tim de Lisle and Emma John. … More Cricket in Uzbekistan: Some writing in the 2023 Wisden Almanack