Welcome to Twenty Two Yards, a weekly newsletter celebrating cricket's culture and characters.

In this issue:

• Olympics welcomes T20 cricket

• Sir Alastair Cook calls it quits

• Stampede in Lucknow

LA28 Brings Cricket Back From The Ashes

By Ollie Goodwin

Finally, cricket has arrived in all its glory. Sound the horns. Light the torch. LA28 is four-ish years away, and cricket is back after 128 years.

In 1900, when Britain was about the only country playing, naturally, we took home the gold. Have some of that France.

LA 2028 games had become a top priority for the ICC.

T20 is the format because a test format would live beyond the closing ceremony. However, cricket is one of five new entries to receive the golden ticket.

Softball/Baseball: I don't like the look of this lot. The same game but different. They feel like a direct competitor. A bat and ball game played in the summer, white kits, ridiculous rules. It's got to be us or them. There can only be one.

Flag Football: I actually had to google this one. It's just American football for children but played by adults (fewer concussions?). We have a thing in Britain called tag rugby, but you don't see us trying to get that into the Olympics, do you? Another gold for Uncle Sam.

Lacrosse: Guys, seriously, stop now. I know it's in LA, but you have enough Gold medals. You're just being greedy.

Squash: I've never really got squash. It's a bit of a Dad sport, but like if your Dad runs a hedge fund. Quite in-offensive. Build them a little box and let them get on with it.

So, there you have it. The 2nd most prominent sport in the world is chosen in the same pack as squash. I can't wait for the Yanks to tell us about this cricketer named Virat Kohli.

He Came. He Cooked. He Conquered.

By Angus Wilson

The moment has arrived. Sir Alastair Cook has officially hung his pads up, and the eulogies, tributes and flowers can now follow.

It might be the least surprising retirement announcement to 'break' in sports news, but it seems fitting for a player like Sir Alastair. And we wouldn't want it any other way.

Everything about the legendary left-hander and his career has been dependable, honourable and somewhat predictable - we'll look past the 2013/14 Ashes series - but those traits have made him the most successful opening England batsman we will ever likely see.

Everything about the man has been proper. He's a 'proper' opening batsman. Who plays 'proper' shots. Is a 'proper' gentleman. Who delivered a 'proper' retirement to international cricket with one final century. Before playing out a 'proper' end to his professional career by seeing out the remainder of it at his childhood county club.

With 26,643 First Class and 12,472 International runs to his name, Alastair delivered for his county and country. And although he might not "fit" today's Test squad & mantra, English cricket would be in a worse place if Cooky hadn't been proper.

The Slip Corden

• Afghanistan shocks England
  Despite Harry Brook’s 66, Afghanistan unleashed a beating on England at the CWC. Hopefully, some joy was felt in Afghanistan, which is suffering from an earthquake that hit within the same week.
  

• Aussies finally win

  Not the best showing so far. The Aussies, who finally got their first win in the CWC vs Sri Lanka, are keeping their hopes alive. At the match, reports of a stampede filled the stadium after part of the stadium collapsed. And we thought the Long Room at Lords was rough.

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Issue: The Olympics Brings Back Cricket
Publisher: J. LaLonde
Editor-At-Large: Angus Wilson
Contributing Writer: David Scipione
Contributing Writer: Ollie Goodwin
Illustration: Sidney Secolo