The Yorkshire Post Says: The ultimate Test - cricket's allure at Headingley
Even though the current West Indies side is much inferior to the XI who famously lost the Headingley Test in two days in 2000, it's heartening that advance ticket sales are holding up for the start of today's encounter with England.
The allure is as strong as ever. Not only is this testament to the popularity of the longer format of the game, but also the goodwill that exists towards England’s new captain Joe Root, and Jonny Bairstow, ahead of this winter’s Ashes. It helps, too, that the ECB has, for once, allocated Headingley in what is supposed to be high summer.
If only Test match cricket was this healthy elsewhere. The global game needs competition to attract the crowds and the sport’s sorry state in the Caribbean is perturbing. It’s not so long since matches with the West Indies were the ultimate test because the calypso kings had a battery of fast bowlers and magisterial batsmen like Viv Richards in their pomp. Those were the days...