“Have you noticed that England’s top three all end in –ly or –ley?” our foreign editor asked, anxious for a diversion from his usual fare of war, pestilence, famine and death. He has a good love of cricket, despite supporting Warwickshire, so the two of us then spent a jolly time working out an all-time England XI of similar-ending players. Zak Crawley and Joe Denly, alas, did not make the cut but we came up with quite a decent side: DP Sibley, JM Brearley, GE Tyldesley, CT Radley, JP Crawley, FE Woolley, P Willey, TE Bailey, GR Dilley, DW Headley, AD Mullally. John Crawley would have to keep wicket, as he did in an ODI, while Mike Brearley pips Denly for his captaincy. Denly and Crawley did not make the cut in a team of players with -ly or -ley surnames SIPHIWE SIBEKO/REUTERSIf we…

Source: The Times January 18, 2020 00:05 UTC