Our Sportswide don Gilles Peterson leaves no ball unused when it comes to his sports reporting, as this time he waxes passionate about a ‘classic’and underated sport, cricket. You can catch Gilles’ very own top ’spin’ when he hosts the Mulatu & The Heliocentrics event May 20 at Koko in London…..let the games begin:

you’ve got to love Test Match Special on BBC Radio 4. its about as eccentric and extreme as any sports commentary can be anywhere on this globe. I mean to have a bunch of raconteurs just letting off verbal gas around a five day game of cricket is about as indulgent and beautiful as radio can be. And with BBC Five Live extra available on digital or online you get even longer doses…this is Olde England and even though many have complained that the commentary has been watered down in recent years there is nothing more comforting to me than listening to Henry Blofeld and Jonathan Agnew discussing their dinner preparations in between overs in Bombay…cricket is a classic game not to be messed with. To create a match that can last 5 days is unimaginable in 2009 and as such must be kept alive and sacred at this time of high speed mass consumption sport. I get so excited listening to my radio under the pillow during the depths of an English winter and listening to Tuffers and Geoffrey Boycott discussing ‘the wicket’ at Melbourne’s MCG…

I’ve enjoyed a fair few Baseball matches on my many trips to the States,I’m a secret Chicago Cubs fan following a day spent in Wrigley Field, but as far as the ultimate sporting chill out room, Cricket has to top the poll. However, playing the West Indies over 3 tests in England after having just returned from there having played 5 tests and about a hundred one dayers is pushing the idea of ‘a contest’ into the realm of ‘why’ but I suppose its all leading towards the much anticipated return of Australia and the oldest contest of all: ‘the Ashes’ which begins in Cardiff on  July 1 – I won’t be there but I’ll certainly try and get a ticket to the Second Test which takes place at the home of Cricket, the wonderful Lords Cricket Ground (picture above)

…the Football season may be almost over so the time has come to enjoy a rather more cultured and laid back sport this summer.