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    Matthew Engel

    Life & Arts Contributor

    Matthew Engel has had a journalistic career of unusual variety, covering everything from terrorism to tiddlywinks. He has reported from 50 countries and seven continents, clocking up No. 7 in January 2012 when the FT sent him to the Antarctic.

    For 12 years, he was editor of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack. His latest book, ‘Engel’s England’, came out in October 2014.

    Add to myFT Digest

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    • Friday, 14 July, 2023
      News in-depthCricket
      Thrilling Ashes series gives England cricket team chance to inspire new generation

      Finely balanced contest against Australia is teed up for a nail-biting climax — weather permitting

      From left: England’s Heather Knight and Kate Cross after squaring the Women’s Ashes; Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali at Headingly
    • Wednesday, 5 July, 2023
      Cricket
      Bad blood as England and Australia spar over ‘spirit of cricket’

      How controversy at Lord’s is overshadowing faltering bid to win Ashes playing ‘Bazball’

      Australian players celebrate as England’s Jonny Bairstow, centre, looks dumbfounded after being adjudged stumped on day 5 of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s
    • Friday, 23 December, 2022
      Cricket
      England men’s cricketers deliver miracle end to year full of weirdness

      Change of captain, coach and style of play bring team newfound success

      Ben Stokes
    • Friday, 16 September, 2022
      The Weekend Essay
      King Charles and the future of the monarchy

      Can Britain’s new line of kings hold the union and Commonwealth together?

      King Charles in uniform walks past clergymen, followed by Queen Consort Camilla in black dress and hat
    • Saturday, 5 February, 2022
      Cricket
      Ever more gimmicky cricket would leave WG Grace stumped

      Administrators risk neglecting the soul of the game in their relentless pursuit of profit

      cricketer WG Grace, c1900
    • Friday, 28 February, 2020
      Life & Arts
      How Britain fell back in love with the railways

      A pledge to roll back the Beeching cuts has rekindled a strange national obsession

      Volunteers at Burn Naze station near Fleetwood in Lancashire. credit Harry Mitchell
    • Friday, 29 November, 2019
      Life & Arts
      The battle for the Brexit-backing north

      Will Britain’s election be decided in the Labour heartlands? Matthew Engel reports

    • Friday, 16 August, 2019
      UK infrastructure
      The foreign states that own Britain’s railways

      Train travel in the UK now combines the worst features of capitalism and socialism

      M94015 Cross Country (CrossCountry) 5 carriage Voyager train on a British railway in Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK. Travel concept,
    • Thursday, 1 August, 2019
      Cricket
      England face Ashes examination after World Cup cricket glory

      Amity between old adversaries almost certain to crumble once first ball is bowled

      England captain Joe Root, left, and Australia's captain Tim Paine pose with the Ashes urn before the first Ashes Test match between England and Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham, England, Wednesday July 31, 2019. The first Test match starts Thursday Aug. 1 at Edgbaston. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
    • Friday, 19 April, 2019
      Tiger Woods
      Child prodigy Tiger Woods becomes the ultimate comeback kid

      The holder of this title until now would, for me, have been Muhammad Ali

      Golf - Masters - Augusta National Golf Club - Augusta, Georgia, U.S. - April 14, 2019 - Tiger Woods of the U.S. celebrates on the 18th hole after winning the 2019 Masters. REUTERS/Brian Snyder TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
    • Friday, 12 April, 2019
      Cricket
      Cricket has started to eat itself

      The pursuit of novelty is leading to ever-shorter forms of the game

      BASSETERRE, ST KITTS, SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS - MARCH 10: England captain Eoin Morgan hits out for six runs during the 3rd Twenty20 International match between England and West Indies at Warner Park on March 10, 2019 in Basseterre, St Kitts, Saint Kitts and Nevis. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images,)
    • Friday, 11 August, 2017
      ReviewLife & Arts
      The Last Wolf by Robert Winder — island stories

      Geography is destiny in this historical meditation on the peculiarities of the English

      'A Stampede From A Wolf' (1867) by SJ Carter
    • Friday, 14 July, 2017
      Sport
      Johanna Konta and the sporting citizens of nowhere

      National identity matters less in an age of globalised sport

      Tennis - Wimbledon - London, Britain - July 11, 2017 Great Britain’s Johanna Konta in action during her quarter final match against Romania’s Simona Halep REUTERS/Tony O'Brien
    • Friday, 23 June, 2017
      FT SeriesSummer books 2017
      Summer books of 2017: new titles by FT writers

      Recent books by Matthew Engel, Edward Luce and Anne-Marie Slaughter

    • Friday, 23 June, 2017
      Sport
      Henry Blofeld, voice of the English summer, to retire

      Doyen of radio cricket commentary will hang up his microphone in September

      LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 20: Henry Blofeld, Test Match Special commentator looks on during day three of the 2nd Investec Ashes Test match between England and Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground on July 20, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
    • Friday, 16 June, 2017
      ReviewLife & Arts
      That’s the Way it Crumbles by Matthew Engel — the conquest of English

      An entertaining inquiry into the relentless advance of American expressions among the British

    • Friday, 2 June, 2017
      Life & Arts
      Why is Britain so disenchanted with its politicians?

      Matthew Engel tours Middle England in search of the root of voter disillusionment

    • Friday, 12 May, 2017
      Life & Arts
      All work and no play? The new ‘uni’ experience

      Academics and students on campus life in the era of ‘knowledge corporations’

      Mortar Board or Graduation Cap, Education symbol on light background
    • Friday, 5 May, 2017
      ReviewLife & Arts
      Do I Make Myself Clear? by Harold Evans — eloquence under siege

      A celebrated journalist’s guide to crisp, accurate expression is full of sound advice

    • Friday, 10 February, 2017
      Life & Arts
      Are we witnessing the strange, lingering death of Labour England?

      In Stoke-on-Trent, Matthew Engel finds a party struggling to answer the simplest questions

    • Friday, 23 September, 2016
      Sport
      Middlesex take county cricket title in blazing fashion

      With an hour of season to go, three of the nine teams were all in with a chance of winning

      LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 23: Sam Robson of Middlesex drinks champagne from the County Championship trophy following victory during day four of the Specsavers County Championship match between Middlesex and Yorkshire at Lords on September 23, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
    • Friday, 9 September, 2016
      ReviewLife & Arts
      The Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Peter Gilliver review — from A to Z and back again

      A fascinatingly detailed history one of the world’s great scholarly projects

      NORTH QUEENSFERRY, SCOTLAND - MAY 15: The Flying Scotsman crosses the Forth Rail Bridge as it makes its way into Fife on a rare tour North of the border on May 15, 2016 in North Queensferry, Scotland. The Famous steam train built in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, in 1923, the Flying Scotsman pulled the first train to break the 100mph barrier in 1934. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)
    • Friday, 12 August, 2016
      Olympic Games
      Rio Olympics 2016: BBC wins medal for hype and hyperbole

      Commentators have forsworn understatement

      David Coleman: anchored the coverage with complete mastery
    • Friday, 22 July, 2016
      ReviewLife & Arts
      Golden years

      In Rio, records will fall and reputations will be made. But are the Olympics losing their ability to inspire?

    • Monday, 11 April, 2016
      World
      Willett’s star rises as Spieth learns to lose

      Golfers need no reminding of their fallibility, especially on the back nine at Augusta

      Danny Willett, of England, celebrates on the 18th hole after finishing the final round of the Masters golf tournament Sunday, April 10, 2016, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
    Previous page You are on page 1 Next page

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