The Official Cricket Thread

[Indian Red]

Its a similar thing with Ranji and other domestic competitions in India (barring the IPL). Empty grounds etc. for the most part. Most state associations survive from BCCI`s hand me downs.

I love test cricket though. Was raised believing test cricket was the true way to judge a player`s calibre and that still holds for me.

 

@LF, How`d ya get close enough to Smith for a ruck? What happened? Scenes of Inzi running into the stands were the first thing that came to mind there.

Smith usually seems to have his head screwed on right, but then again I`ve always had a soft spot for watching the Proteans play.

[lifetime fan]

Its a similar thing with Ranji and other domestic competitions in India (barring the IPL). Empty grounds etc. for the most part. Most state associations survive from BCCI`s hand me downs.

I love test cricket though. Was raised believing test cricket was the true way to judge a player`s calibre and that still holds for me.

 

@LF, How`d ya get close enough to Smith for a ruck? What happened? Scenes of Inzi running into the stands were the first thing that came to mind there.

Smith usually seems to have his head screwed on right, but then again I`ve always had a soft spot for watching the Proteans play.

 

Years ago Smith was playing for and captaining Somerset at T-20, they had played a few games maybe 2/3 and had won them very, very easily with out anyone further down than 7 having to bat.

 

Smith turned up at the T-20 game against Gloucester (a local derby) giving it the Billy big bollocks and Caddick was his usual wanker self.

 

To be fair to Smith he took the usual stick in good humour but Caddick was a twat. Glos won the toss and put Somerset in to bat in very dodgy conditions.

 

Caddick refused to change out of his tracksuit into 'whites' or what ever you call the T-20 kit saying he'd never be needed till he had to bowl. Somerset were something like 6 for 40 odd and Caddick got sent in to the changing rooms with a flea in his ear. The changing rooms at Gloucester are right next to the members bar so after his comments you can imagine the banter/shite Caddick got as he quickly disappeared to get changed.

 

Seconds later Smith is out and walking off as Caddick is coming out to bat, Caddick is getting plenty and Smith decides to stand up for him. When we fucking laughed at Smith and asked him if there were any Saffers that were as annoying cunts as Caddick he lost his rag and started to swing his bat in the vague direction of us. A copper then stood between and us and when Smith was walking off he started to chat shit saying a copper stopped him having 'a word' so I dipped under the coppers arms and asked him what 'word' he wanted?

 

The cunt shot up the stairs, I was escorted out of the ground and Somerset got saved by the rain.

 

Cunts.

[Yozzer]

In my opinion, there's nothing better than the 4/5 day version of the game. It was great popping down to Aigburth this season and seeing us win the County Championship for the first time in 77 years. In fact, the whole season was one of the most exciting things I've seen in sport. It's just a shame that all around the country there are dwindling crowds for the longer version - I don't know what the ECB can do but it definitely needs new initiatives to promote the County Championship.

[Ian Sea]

I'm firmly in the longer form of the game camp, I much prefer it to the limited overs stuff. There's nothing better than a Test match, either live or on TV. I don't buy that it's not suited to modern life either. I try to go to one or two Tests a summer but not all 5 days. Even if you can just get to a day or two then the experience is fantastic; much better than attending any limited overs game, in my opinion. The rest of the game can be followed in so many different ways these days that you never feel far from it. In fact, I'd argue that Test matches are more suited to modern life than it was back in the day.

 

Don't get me wrong, I do think limited overs stuff has it's place and it's definitely improved cricket overall but as a spectacle I still prefer the longer form of the game, and by quite a distance.

 

I don't even think that County Championship attendances are dwindling; they've been shit for years! There was the golden period in the early part of the 20th century but that was a long time ago. I would like to see the Championship revamped which may help attendances but you're never going to get sell out any more, not with the amount of cricket that is played in this country. There needs to be a balance between the long and short forms of the game but that's not happening at the minute.

[Yozzer]

I don't even think that County Championship attendances are dwindling; they've been shit for years! There was the golden period in the early part of the 20th century but that was a long time ago. I would like to see the Championship revamped which may help attendances but you're never going to get sell out any more, not with the amount of cricket that is played in this country. There needs to be a balance between the long and short forms of the game but that's not happening at the minute.

 

I agree with you on the points of the dwindling crowds actually, I'm only young but I've never actually seen a CC match at least nearly half full! The one place that has been packed was Aigburth this year but obviously it doesn't hold as much as the other large stadiums.

 

The problem we've got, without sounding pretentious, is that society has altered significantly over the last couple of decades. The problems are that people want instant entertainment so look towards the T20 and the fact that people just don't have enough time to spend their whole day to watch a CC game. I bet if you took an average age of the crowd in a CC match it would most likely be over the 50's which says a lot about the interest from the younger generation. The ECB often get blamed for many problems within this countries game but in all honesty I don't really know what they can do to improve the attendances. It's all a bit shit when you think about it, the fact that the games core version is playing second fiddle to some shite T20 is extremely depressing.

 

Fucking hell, reading that back I sound like Boycott.

[VladimirIlyich]

 

I agree with you on the points of the dwindling crowds actually, I'm only young but I've never actually seen a CC match at least nearly half full! The one place that has been packed was Aigburth this year but obviously it doesn't hold as much as the other large stadiums.

 

The problem we've got, without sounding pretentious, is that society has altered significantly over the last couple of decades. The problems are that people want instant entertainment so look towards the T20 and the fact that people just don't have enough time to spend their whole day to watch a CC game. I bet if you took an average age of the crowd in a CC match it would most likely be over the 50's which says a lot about the interest from the younger generation. The ECB often get blamed for many problems within this countries game but in all honesty I don't really know what they can do to improve the attendances. It's all a bit shit when you think about it, the fact that the games core version is playing second fiddle to some shite T20 is extremely depressing.

 

Fucking hell, reading that back I sound like Boycott.

 

Very well put,for a young whippersnapper!

[A_S]

Very nice, a proper cricket thread! It seems I only get on here to vent at the National team, but as they've only won 2 of their last 12 Tests, I've had plenty of reason to. Anyways , here are a few random thoughts:

 

• Mitchell Johnson still does my fucking head in with his brilliant games being about 1 out of every 5-10 played, with sweet FA in between. But Michael Clarke loves him so he'll continue to frustrate, given players generally don't change much once they hit 30.

 

• Brad Haddin should be shot or at least dropped for that disgrace of a shot in the 2nd innings of the most recent disaster to befall a once mighty team. Possibly the worst I have ever seen.

 

• The newly appointed panel of selectors (and not a fucking minute too soon!) need to make some hard calls soon regarding some aging, underperforming players. This, of course, having one eye on the next Ashes in 2013. For that reason, I can tolerate backing a young'un like Phil Hughes in, but as I said, some tough calls have to be made and soon.

 

• Test cricket will always be the best form of the game. The stamina, concentration, mental toughness required in this form far surpasses ODI or T20 cricket, not to mention things like a deteriorating pitch, declarations, follow ons, non-existent in the shorter forms, but the very things that make Test cricket the greatest.

[RobbieOR]

What ever happened to that Usman Khawaja? He played the last test against England last year and got a 50. I know that was in place of Ponting, who was injured but I expected to see him back maybe in place of one of the middle order batsmen.

[Total Longo]

That Haddin shot was one of the funniest things i have seen in a long, long time in a test match. Utterly ridiculous, as you say, at that stage to attempt something as stupid as that.

[Indian Red]

SA lost their last 6 for 25 apparently. A_S can be happy instead of venting for a bit. Also, what do you guys think on the Windies getting back to their glory days? Read something a while ago about that being impossible as they lost their best kids to NBA, but its mad the decline they`ve had.

[ChrisM]

SA lost their last 6 for 25 apparently.

 

Plus Jacques Kallis becoming only the fourth person to go past 12,000 test runs. Bit of a legend really.

[Jairzinho]

Plus Jacques Kallis becoming only the fourth person to go past 12,000 test runs. Bit of a legend really.

 

He's quietly become the best allrounder ever. By some distance.

[Indian Red]

Best of his generation, I reckon. Dont know about him being the best ever. Hard to compare eras. Some old timers would beg to differ methinks.

Kallis is a proper legend though. All rounders are few and far between nowadays, specially in test cricket.

[RobbieOR]

I was watching it.

 

South Africa shot themselves in the foot big time. Plus, Mitchell Johnson is awful. If he actually had some sort of plan other than 'wanging it in' he'd be useful.

[A_S]

Best of his generation, I reckon. Dont know about him being the best ever. Hard to compare eras. Some old timers would beg to differ methinks.

Kallis is a proper legend though. All rounders are few and far between nowadays, specially in test cricket.

 

A true great of the game and in all facets too. Seems a real gentleman too, not drawing headlines off field but quietly going about his business. Absolute respect for the man. Bloody good thing we got him out when we did too, as he was looking ominous.

 

As for this game, the bowlers have carried on working hard and again restricting SA to a fairly small total. For me the game starts here. Australia's batting line up as a group is under pressure. It's also up against an in-form quality bowling lineup.

 

This is Test cricket. Game fucking on!

[lifetime fan]

I was watching it.

 

South Africa shot themselves in the foot big time. Plus, Mitchell Johnson is awful. If he actually had some sort of plan other than 'wanging it in' he'd be useful.

 

 

 

He bowls to the left

 

 

 

 

He bowls to the right

 

 

 

 

That Mitchell Jonson, his bowling is shite.

 

[Jairzinho]

Best of his generation, I reckon. Dont know about him being the best ever. Hard to compare eras. Some old timers would beg to differ methinks.

Kallis is a proper legend though. All rounders are few and far between nowadays, specially in test cricket.

 

The game has moved on immeasurably.

 

He may not have the style, on or off the pitch (he's actually a very thick, boring man), of Dev, Sobers, Botham etc but he's been consistently brilliant far more so than any of them.

 

Three batsman have scored more runs than him in test cricket...and he's taken 270 wickets. I just think we look back on the past in cricket with slightly rose tinted specs. Remembering all the mavericks great games, forgetting the painfully average ones.

 

He maybe needed to be drunk more often, take drugs, maybe fall out of a small boat, to be rated more highly than he is. Perhaps the strangely coloured small garden he's recently decided to grow on top of his head is a step in the right direction.

[Indian Red]

Mitchell Johnson might be shite with the ball but scored some useful runs there. That 30 run lead might be very important.

 

Stats may back Kallis, but you really can not compare eras just going on stats. And doubt his personality has anything to do with his cricket either. Of the ones you mentioned, I never watched Sobers. Botham was good as was Kapil Dev for us. Imran Khan is another all time great. All 3 of their careers over lapped. Not many genuine great all rounders around in Kallis' time which makes him stand out/make him more special based on what viewpoint you look at it from.

 

Also, Kallis is a batting all rounder which makes him look great as far as stats go. Cricket in general is more of a batsman`s game now than it ever was, although you do have an ocassional exception. I believe all of Botham, Imran and Kapil would have had better batting records/averages/etc. in this era. And I bet you`d counter by saying their bowling stats would have taken a hit. I`d say not since they were bowling all rounders who were used to picking up wickets everywhere, but its a matter of opinion. Hence the greatest of all time is such a subjective issue. I find it very hard to compare eras. Everyone has arguments for and against each player.

[lifetime fan]

Mitchell Johnson might be shite with the ball but scored some useful runs there. That 30 run lead might be very important.

 

Stats may back Kallis, but you really can not compare eras just going on stats. And doubt his personality has anything to do with his cricket either. Of the ones you mentioned, I never watched Sobers. Botham was good as was Kapil Dev for us. Imran Khan is another all time great. All 3 of their careers over lapped. Not many genuine great all rounders around in Kallis' time which makes him stand out/make him more special based on what viewpoint you look at it from.

 

Also, Kallis is a batting all rounder which makes him look great as far as stats go. Cricket in general is more of a batsman`s game now than it ever was, although you do have an ocassional exception. I believe all of Botham, Imran and Kapil would have had better batting records/averages/etc. in this era. And I bet you`d counter by saying their bowling stats would have taken a hit. I`d say not since they were bowling all rounders who were used to picking up wickets everywhere, but its a matter of opinion. Hence the greatest of all time is such a subjective issue. I find it very hard to compare eras. Everyone has arguments for and against each player.

 

The trouble for Johnson and the Aussies is that at times he is completely unplayable. It just only happens once in a blue moon.

[RobbieOR]

The one time Ive seen him unplayable was at Perth last year. Thats because Perth is the bounciest pitch in the world and 'wanging it in' works.

[Indian Red]

I love cricket. Watchin the world cup now and a tad bevvied. Never seen us win it before this one. Dad always spoke about June 25, 1983 being one his greatest nights. He got married almost a year to the day. First one for me. Hope there`s mroe to come. I love needling england usually. Usually hate them, but some of you guys on here (LF, Jairznho, Vlad, Chris etc. and even Spybee) deserve success. Also you jailed a few from over there :D j/k I am glad you are winnign a few in recent times.

 

Saffers in the driving seat now. Oh and you irish I am glad you might be drinking with us in Oz land in 2015 should you make it. Twas a stupid decision to restrict teams and its great thats its been overruled. Cheers

 

PS: Get a few Indians in yer side and you mgiht do England again ;)

[lifetime fan]

I love cricket. Watchin the world cup now and a tad bevvied. Never seen us win it before this one. Dad always spoke about June 25, 1983 being one his greatest nights. He got married almost a year to the day. First one for me. Hope there`s mroe to come. I love needling england usually. Usually hate them, but some of you guys on here (LF, Jairznho, Vlad, Chris etc. and even Spybee) deserve success. Also you jailed a few from over there :D j/k I am glad you are winnign a few in recent times.

 

Saffers in the driving seat now. Oh and you irish I am glad you might be drinking with us in Oz land in 2015 should you make it. Twas a stupid decision to restrict teams and its great thats its been overruled. Cheers

 

PS: Get a few Indians in yer side and you mgiht do England again ;)

 

Enjoy the beers mate.

[A_S]

Game on now. Amla gone is a big wicket. Still a bit (ok, very!) concerned about the batting, especially with Steyn in superb form.

[VladimirIlyich]

I love cricket. Watchin the world cup now and a tad bevvied. Never seen us win it before this one. Dad always spoke about June 25, 1983 being one his greatest nights. He got married almost a year to the day. First one for me. Hope there`s mroe to come. I love needling england usually. Usually hate them, but some of you guys on here (LF, Jairznho, Vlad, Chris etc. and even Spybee) deserve success. Also you jailed a few from over there :D j/k I am glad you are winnign a few in recent times.

 

Saffers in the driving seat now. Oh and you irish I am glad you might be drinking with us in Oz land in 2015 should you make it. Twas a stupid decision to restrict teams and its great thats its been overruled. Cheers

 

PS: Get a few Indians in yer side and you mgiht do England again ;)

 

Can you fill me in on that headline please,I must have missed it.

[RobbieOR]

Can you fill me in on that headline please,I must have missed it.

 

They said the world cup was only for the top 10 in the world and they were scrapping the qualifying. We signed a few petitions and they are letting us qualify now.