Girl power
England won the cricket World Cup for the fourth time. Huzzah! England reached the semi-finals of the European football championship.…
Game changers
Have you been cheering for the excellent Johanna Konta at Wimbledon? Go, Jo! Or should that be Go, Yo? Johanna…
Andy’s ace
Who will you cheer for if Andy Murray meets Roger Federer at Wimbledon? It’s not a straightforward question, at least…
Chez newts
The dragon hung motionless above the surface of the earth, belly picked out in the colours of fire and a…
Side-saddle is sexy
These days there are more than 1,000 members of the Side Saddle Association. Well, of course there are. People go…
Little birds, big trouble
A British military base is being used for a multi-million-quid criminal enterprise, possibly involving the Russian mafia — and Britain…
Save our stables!
There are plans in place to tax horses out of British life. Proposed adjustments in business rates for non–residential properties…
A stroke of genius
The picture had been chosen for its utterly gratuitous depiction of female beauty. It showed Justine Henin, the Belgian tennis…
Not cricket
Sport is a serious matter. If you have any doubts on that score, shed them now, because this is to…
The medal machine
Never forget Atlanta. Every time a British athlete wins a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Rio, remember the…
Olympic Notebook
How strange it is to be watching the Olympic Games on television. No wonder people have such rum ideas of…
What wasps do for us
Dom Perignon, Pimms, Carling Black Label, Coca-Cola — one’s as good as the other, so far as they’re concerned. Even…
Elephant in the room
Burning stockpiles of ivory was meant to wipe out poaching. After nearly 30 years, is it working?
The fairytale factory
Leicester City’s triumphs demonstrate once again sport’s capacity to replay archetypal stories
The brain-damage game
In most sports, injuries happen when things go wrong. In boxing, they’re the ultimate goal. It isn’t right
In praise of PC
Here’s another stock joke for your collection: Pembroke College, Cambridge, has cancelled a fancy dress party themed on Around the…
Of geese and men
They’re noisy, filthy, scary – and glorious. No wonder we have such complicated feelings about them
The song of the whales
How humanity learned to love them – and what we learned about ourselves in the process
Game over
If sport loses the public’s faith – and it’s starting to – then all its power and glory will fade
The wings of winter
Our harsh December days are a temperate escape for some gorgeous birds
Through terror and scandal, the joy of sport endures
Through terror and scandal, it endures
How to save the hedgehog
Mrs Tiggywinkle’s in deep trouble. But your garden could help
Our drugs cheat
Do you want to see Paula Radcliffe’s blood? If so, you’re not alone. Radcliffe, three-time winner of the London Marathon…
Pink horns and poison
Can anything protect the rhino from rapacious human stupidity?
Best of enemies
Why nothing in sport beats thrashing the Aussies at cricket
