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Spectator sport

Test cricket and the Archers are both in deep trouble

Plus: What’s not to admire about Brian O’Driscoll

1 November 2014

9:00 AM

1 November 2014

9:00 AM

Lions and weasels

The Archers and Test cricket: words you rarely find in the same sentence and more’s the pity as there’s not much else that can give greater innocent pleasure. But could these magnificent institutions be in the midst of some existential crisis? On peaceful old radio, the writers seem devoted to purging The Archers of the Archers: David, Ruth and Jill could be junking Brookfield for Northumberland, Tom Archer hasn’t been seen in Ambridge since that unfortunate incident in the vestry; Elizabeth should be hounded out soon for sexual witchcraft; and then there’ll be just Shula and Kenton.

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Roger Alton is executive editor of the Times.

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