Accessibility helpSkip to navigationSkip to contentSkip to footer
  • Sign In
  • Subscribe
Open side navigation menuOpen search bar
Financial Times
SubscribeSign In
  • Home
  • World
    Sections
    • World Home
    • Middle East war
    • Global Economy
    • UK
    • US
    • China
    • Africa
    • Asia Pacific
    • Emerging Markets
    • Europe
    • War in Ukraine
    • Americas
    • Middle East & North Africa
    Most Read
    • UK
      Sections
      • UK Home
      • UK Economy
      • UK Politics
      • UK Companies
      • Personal Finance
      Most Read
      • Companies
        Sections
        • Companies Home
        • Energy
        • Financials
        • Health
        • Industrials
        • Media
        • Professional Services
        • Retail & Consumer
        • Tech Sector
        • Telecoms
        • Transport
        Most Read
        • Tech
          Sections
          • Tech Home
          • Artificial intelligence
          • Semiconductors
          • Cyber Security
          • Social Media
          Most Read
          • Russian court approves scandal-hit Wildberries merger
          • AI-powered devices dominate Consumer Electronics Show
          • The uncomfortable truth about social media networks
          • Silicon Valley’s largest start-ups to shun IPOs in 2025
          • Musk calls on California and Delaware to force auction of OpenAI stake
        • Markets
          Sections
          • Markets Home
          • Alphaville
          • Markets Data
          • Crypto
          • Capital Markets
          • Commodities
          • Currencies
          • Equities
          • Wealth Management
          • Moral Money
          • ETF Hub
          • Fund Management
          • Trading
          Most Read
          • Climate
          • Opinion
            Sections
            • Opinion Home
            • Columnists
            • The FT View
            • The Big Read
            • Lex
            • Obituaries
            • Letters
            Most Read
            • Lex
            • Work & Careers
              Sections
              • Work & Careers Home
              • Business School Rankings
              • Business Education
              • Europe's Start-Up Hubs
              • Entrepreneurship
              • Recruitment
              • Business Books
              • Business Travel
              • Working It
              Most Read
              • American Airlines’ use of ‘ESG activist’ BlackRock failed workers, US judge says
              • Do you want the good feedback, or the bad feedback? 
              • The underwear brand that’s neither Victoria’s Secret nor ‘Bridget Jones granny pants’
              • Narcissist CEOs like risky insider trading and are bad at it: study
            • Life & Arts
              Sections
              • Life & Arts Home
              • Arts
              • Books
              • Food & Drink
              • FT Magazine
              • House & Home
              • Style
              • Travel
              • FT Globetrotter
              Most Read
              • HTSI
              MenuSearch
              • Home
              • World
              • UK
              • Companies
              • Tech
              • Markets
              • Climate
              • Opinion
              • Lex
              • Work & Careers
              • Life & Arts
              • HTSI
              Financial Times
              SubscribeSign In

              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.

              • 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

              Useful links

              Support

              View Site TipsHelp CentreContact UsAbout UsAccessibilitymyFT TourCareersSuppliers

              Legal & Privacy

              Terms & ConditionsPrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyManage CookiesCopyrightSlavery Statement & Policies

              Services

              Share News Tips SecurelyIndividual SubscriptionsProfessional SubscriptionsRepublishingExecutive Job SearchAdvertise with the FTFollow the FT on XFT ChannelsFT Schools

              Tools

              PortfolioFT AppFT Digital EditionFT EditAlerts HubBusiness School RankingsSubscription ManagerNews feedNewslettersCurrency Converter

              Community & Events

              FT Live EventsFT ForumsBoard Director Programme

              More from the FT Group

              Markets data delayed by at least 15 minutes. © THE FINANCIAL TIMES LTD 2025. FT and ‘Financial Times’ are trademarks of The Financial Times Ltd.
              The Financial Times and its journalism are subject to a self-regulation regime under the FT Editorial Code of Practice.
              Edition:UK
              International
              Subscribe for full access

              Top sections

              • Home
              • World
                • Middle East war
                • Global Economy
                • UK
                • US
                • China
                • Africa
                • Asia Pacific
                • Emerging Markets
                • Europe
                • War in Ukraine
                • Americas
                • Middle East & North Africa
              • UK
                • UK Economy
                • UK Politics
                • UK Companies
                • Personal Finance
              • Companies
                • Energy
                • Financials
                • Health
                • Industrials
                • Media
                • Professional Services
                • Retail & Consumer
                • Tech Sector
                • Telecoms
                • Transport
              • Tech
                • Artificial intelligence
                • Semiconductors
                • Cyber Security
                • Social Media
              • Markets
                • Alphaville
                • Markets Data
                • Crypto
                • Capital Markets
                • Commodities
                • Currencies
                • Equities
                • Wealth Management
                • Moral Money
                • ETF Hub
                • Fund Management
                • Trading
              • Climate
              • Opinion
                • Columnists
                • The FT View
                • The Big Read
                • Lex
                • Obituaries
                • Letters
              • Lex
              • Work & Careers
                • Business School Rankings
                • Business Education
                • Europe's Start-Up Hubs
                • Entrepreneurship
                • Recruitment
                • Business Books
                • Business Travel
                • Working It
              • Life & Arts
                • Arts
                • Books
                • Food & Drink
                • FT Magazine
                • House & Home
                • Style
                • Travel
                • FT Globetrotter
              • Personal Finance
                • Property & Mortgages
                • Investments
                • Pensions
                • Tax
                • Banking & Savings
                • Advice & Comment
                • Next Act
              • HTSI
              • Special Reports

              FT recommends

              • Alphaville
              • FT Edit
              • Lunch with the FT
              • FT Globetrotter
              • #techAsia
              • Moral Money
              • Visual and data journalism
              • Newsletters
              • Video
              • Podcasts
              • News feed
              • FT Schools
              • FT Live Events
              • FT Forums
              • Board Director Programme
              • myFT
              • Portfolio
              • FT Digital Edition
              • Crossword
              • Our Apps
              • Help Centre
              • Subscribe
              • Sign In