Welcome to the Twenty Two Yards Weekly Picks! The T20 World Cup has officially kicked off, the County Championship is in full flow, and women’s internationals have been added to the mix.

We’ve cut through all the action like Joe Root to a ball offering too much width, bringing you the top stories you need to know about. Enjoy.

The US of A

Welcome to the cruel world of cricket where nothing is ever good enough. Yes, Uncle Sam might have pulled this together in just over three months, but was it worth it? The World Cup started in the backyard of a former President convicted on 34 felony counts…this is peak America. Plus, the mansplaining to Dale at the World Trade Center ICC Fan Zone. Tanks, snipers, and troopers in the cricketing Fort Knox were there protecting Fortune 500 CEOs, the God (Sachin), and the stars (Trevor Noah) - we even saw Malala, too, despite the unglamorous pitches. If you're gonna spend all that money importing big squares of dirt, at least make sure it works. I’m sorry to our American brothers; it's not your fault. Besides, if Oasis, Blur, and the Stone Roses couldn’t break the US, what chance would this niche sport have? But then, out of the blue comes Saurabh Netravalkar - the new face of American cricket. When he’s not beating PAK, he’s wearing a lanyard at Oracle. We sent him a LinkedIn request, but he hasn’t accepted (yet).

America has some kinks to work out, but maybe, just maybe, there’s hope.

Pat Gets Paid

Speaking of America…..Pat Cummins has signed a contract with the San Francisco Unicorns. What a sentence. The 31-year-old Aussie star has just inked a FOUR-year deal to dominate the MLC until 2027. Cummins said, “The MLC is developing rapidly, and the US market potential is huge for cricket”. Sure thing, mate, but let's call a spade a spade. Pat’s getting paid, big time. It's going to be carnage. Fifers by the bucket load. He’ll probably get runs, too. Solar panel Pat in the land of the Free and the home of the brave. You just can’t make it up. Good luck, Patty, doubt you’ll need it.

How To Sell The Hundred

The ECB’s recent proposal to shift 49% of its shares for the eight franchises has gone down exactly as expected. Nobody seems bothered. It's hard to feel passionate about the teams and competitions when most cricket fans can’t understand The Hundred's purpose in the ECB cricketing calendar. Selling the array of crisp sponsored franchises could raise an estimated £500 million. It looks like franchise cricket and private equity are destined to take control of cricket here in the UK. The wheels are in motion. There's not much anyone can do. The ECB has hired US-based Raine Group, known for its work on Chelsea and Manchester United sales, to find partners to monetize the competition before its fourth season in July. It seems to have worked for those clubs…..

Shot of the Week

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Issue: Weekly Picks - The Best Worst Job In The World
Publisher: J. LaLonde
Editor-At-Large: Angus Wilson
Contributing Writer: Ollie Goodwin