Cricket

abbeybufo · **Posted:** 03 Apr 2016, 19:25

So near yet so far... Still, as Victoria said, at the beginning of the tournament, no one gave them a tinker's chance of getting beyond the round-robin stage, so well done, England; & jolly good for getting to the actual final

Pingaware · **Posted:** 20 Jul 2016, 15:38

It's been a while, but given it seems like the Pakistan series should be quite enthralling, I wondered on what people would do with the bigger squad we have for Old Trafford. I'm not a fan of chopping and changing frequently, as history shows that's ineffective at best, but here is the team I'd pick from the squad.

1. Cook
2. Hales
3. Root
4.
5.
6. Stokes
7. Bairstow
8. Woakes
9. Broad
10.
11. Anderson

Obviously I've left 4, 5 and 10 open. I think what I favour is giving Vince and Ballance another go at 4 and 5 respectively, then letting Rashid take the 10 spot. With Stokes and Woakes both capable all-rounders, this seems not too batting light, and Moeen, much as I like him, is really not at his best currently. However, given the current selection policies, which I'm mostly in favour of, I think it's more likely Ballance will be dropped for Stokes, Anderson will come in for Ball, and the order will stay the same.

abbeybufo · **Posted:** 20 Jul 2016, 20:52

As a Hampshire Member, I have a lot of time for Vince, but either he's let it go to his head, or he's had some bad advice, because his batting for England isn't being gone about in the same way as he does for Hampshire. But I'd keep him in with a talking-to.

I also like Ballance, but he has had more chances than Vince; and I wonder about putting in Sam Billings - but then who keeps wicket?...

Victoria · **Joined:** 17 Nov 2011, 02:45 **Posts:** 923

My hope, when I proposed this group, was that I'd have people to talk to durring the Tests. That hasn't quite happened!

However, when it comes to "the Team", the person I want dropped is Geoffrey Boycott.

Alison H · **Posted:** 06 Aug 2016, 18:52

Boycott does my head in! Thank goodness Sky have lovely David Lloyd

. I've been keeping an eye on the cricket, but I'm watching the Olympic tennis. I've got a soft spot for Edgbaston because I was at university in Birmingham and the university's also in Edgbaston. I once managed to get sunburnt at the cricket ground when I went to watch a one-dayer between Warwickshire and Lancashire!

Victoria · **Joined:** 17 Nov 2011, 02:45 **Posts:** 923

Sky for the pictures, TMS for the commentary, Cricinfo for the stats.

ivohenry · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2016, 10:33

Good win for England! bit nail-biting at the end when Pakistan' last pair were sticking around.

Pingaware · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2016, 12:15

Very pleased - showed good character from the English team to bring that back.

Victoria · **Joined:** 17 Nov 2011, 02:45 **Posts:** 923

The Baistow Affair - where he manages to sprain his ankle, gets it strapped up and goes on to score a 50 - was very GO!

Victoria · **Joined:** 17 Nov 2011, 02:45 **Posts:** 923

Lovely comment posted on the Cricinfo site regarding today's Eng vs Australia match

"Listening to radio broadcast backed with crinifo commentary right hear the Bangladesh -Myanmar border. But dont think we are slacking protecting the borders...even the smugglers took a day off. GO ENGLAND."

Victoria · **Joined:** 17 Nov 2011, 02:45 **Posts:** 923

Somewhat annoyed by the ECB's proposals for a 100 ball game.

They claim this is designed to attract "women, children and British Asians". They've forgotten that there already exists a form of cricket that is proven to do just that. It's called "women's cricket". The 2017 World Cup pulled in a lot of "women, girls and British Asians" and the final filled Lords with many attenders never having been to a cricket match before. Could it be that the ECB actually mean they want mothers to take their sons to cricket matches?

Given the ECB were "selling" the new franchise game as similar to the IPL/Big bash, I would expect the broadcasters who have (allegedly) signed-up to be feeling a bit aggrieved too.

And finally, the Counties said they didn't want anything that devalued the current competitions, clearly meaning that they already miss players on international duties and off playing in the IPL and other tournaments, and don't want to be missing yet more players. The ECB have ignored this choosing to pretend that the Counties meant they didn't want more 4 day/1 day/T20 competitions. And then they add insult to injury by claiming out that the Big Bash ran alongside Australia playing international cricket while failing to mention that Australia plays far less domestic cricket than is played in England.

The whole thing smacks of the fake arguments for day/night cricket.
It's been successful in Australia (where they have trouble filling grounds for Test matches, the grounds within walking distance of the city centre and on the way home for many people, "part day" tickets were available and the weather's warmer) so it will be good for England cricket (attendance at test matches is much higher, Edgbaston routinely sells out anyway, the ground's not on people's way home/within strolling distance of the city centre so public transport becomes an issue and the weather is iffy at the best of times, only tickets available were full day and it's rarely warm enough to sit around after dusk).
The first game was a sell-out (it would have been anyway) and people had to leave early because trains didn't run late enough, there was no need to sell "part day" tickets (because it was a sell-out) - and it was cold. So nothing like the Australian situation but hey! it was a sellout! It's a success! Let's do it again (nothing to do with the broadcasters, no, sirree!)

Rant over

Alison H · **Posted:** 17 May 2018, 12:48

There's a Metrolink station right next to Old Trafford, so it's easy enough to get there and back, and people round here are used to sitting around for night-time football matches

, but it can still be a rush after work - my brother-in-law once decided to go to a day/night match at Lord's after work, and'd missed most of it by the time he'd got there! I appreciate that they try to schedule things so that it's not too late for children on a school night, but that doesn't help working adults!

The basic problem with attendances is that people will take a day off work to go to a Test match, or possibly go there on a hospitality package, but aren't able to do that on a regular basis for county matches.

This thing with introducing "exciting" formats to appeal to broadcasters drives me mad, though. Don't get me started on that ridiculous "Next Gen" tennis tournament at the end of last year, with first to 4 sets instead of first to 6, a tiebreak at 3-3, no lets, no advantage points and all the rest of it :banghead:

.

Caroline · **Posted:** 17 May 2018, 18:13

I found that alledged reason (women and children etc.) both sexist and incredibly patronising...

What are they saying, that “the poor dears” don’t have the attention span for “proper” cricket or something?

Idiots.

Victoria · **Joined:** 17 Nov 2011, 02:45 **Posts:** 923

Amazing performance by Scotland!

shesings · **Joined:** 18 Aug 2009, 17:12 **Posts:** 231

The nation is amazed! Even those who don't know how many balls make up an over are muttering "Well done, lads!"

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