The Cricket Thread

[rossdapep]

What a shame for it to end like this.

Im sure some aussies will be happy but that has ruined what promised to be an incredible last test for everyone.

For such an inteluctual game, it is such a daft thing to let happen

 

[Timbo Tottenham]

All to play for at the Oval, at least the bowlers had a good break!

All to play for, apart from the actual Ashes.

 

[Impspur1]

All to play for, apart from the actual Ashes.

Still a series to level up

 

[Oscar22]

I enjoy watching the ashes, but I’m not someone who has a mass of knowledge around cricket and it’s rules, I just enjoy the actual ashes series - I always wondered, if a test is rained off like today, why can they not just extend the series by a day? Actually play the thing out rather than it being up to the weather?

 

[tommo84]

Should have been a terrific weekend of sport but really it’s been awful.

The cricket decided/washed out by the rain, the F1 decided on the first lap, and it looks like the Open is being won at a canter having effectively been won on Friday (not begrudging Harmon his win - he’s been excellent through 60-odd holes so far but you want to see these things be closely contested).

What a let down.

 

[longtimespur]

Should have been a terrific weekend of sport but really it’s been awful.

The cricket decided/washed out by the rain, the F1 decided on the first lap, and it looks like the Open is being won at a canter having effectively been won on Friday (not begrudging Harmon his win - he’s been excellent through 60-odd holes so far but you want to see these things be closely contested).

What a let down.

Also Spurs friendly washed out as well.

 

[PCozzie]

I enjoy watching the ashes, but I’m not someone who has a mass of knowledge around cricket and it’s rules, I just enjoy the actual ashes series - I always wondered, if a test is rained off like today, why can they not just extend the series by a day? Actually play the thing out rather than it being up to the weather?

I understand why many feel this way, but I'm actually in the opposite corner on Test cricket. I think it's the holistic approach to the game that appeals. That is to say that everything has to be considered by the teams from the state of the game to the state of the weather. In game decisions have to be made not only around the sport, but also the playing conditions and what might or might not happen three days hence. I don't think anything should be contrived to attain a win/lose result.

 

[1882andallthat]

Excuse the pun, but this should be a watershed moment and a wake up call for test cricket.

It's quite ridiculous that one of the best and most exciting Ashes series for many a year is effectively being decided by two days of rain.

The Ashes and matches between India and Pakistan are the two most intense rivalries in cricket. It is frankly embarrassing to the game and farcical that a match should be decided in this way by chance rather than being decided on merit.

It is high time we introduced reserve days and charged much lesser prices for these reserve days so as to engage and enthrall the next generation so as to make it more accessible to the masses as many parents would bring kids if it was clearly affordable. We know how many overs have been lost to the weather so it should be possible to introduce reserve days.

Yes as an England fan we've benefited from rain giving us a get out of jail card, but this is about much more than that. Making it and keeping it relevant and moving with the times, is more important if it means England lose a few more because rain doesn't save them so be it.

Some may say history is important but let's face it, rain influencing outcomes harks back to a bygone era of W.G Grace and Public School Ties and Goodbye Mr Chips. Not all history is good history either, if that was the barometer women would still be excluded from the MCC and cricketers from working class backgrounds would be playing from their country. Fortunately those elitist and sexist traditions are being removed, albeit not before time and there is still some way to go and we all know that recent reports have highlighted widespread racism which needs to be tackled.

In conclusion, whilst much needs to be changed, introducing reserve days that take the weather out of deciding games, and effectively in this case a series should be consigned to history IMHO.

 

[tommo84]

I enjoy watching the ashes, but I’m not someone who has a mass of knowledge around cricket and it’s rules, I just enjoy the actual ashes series - I always wondered, if a test is rained off like today, why can they not just extend the series by a day? Actually play the thing out rather than it being up to the weather?

I understand why many feel this way, but I'm actually in the opposite corner on Test cricket. I think it's the holistic approach to the game that appeals. That is to say that everything has to be considered by the teams from the state of the game to the state of the weather. In game decisions have to be made not only around the sport, but also the playing conditions and what might or might not happen three days hence. I don't think anything should be contrived to attain a win/lose result.

I think there’s a balance to be struck. Losing time to the weather/bad light is one thing and is part and parcel of long form cricket. But I think in instances where the weather accounts for 2 whole days of play over the 5 scheduled days, that is more extreme and measures should be in place to try and avoid scenarios where, frankly, it wasn’t worth starting the match in the first place as the weather gave no chance for a result.

My proposal would be that if, due to bad weather, 4 sessions or more are lost in their entirety then a reserve day can be activated at the request of either team captain. There would probably be instances where neither captain requested it be activated as a result wasn’t close after only 3 days play.

Also, they absolutely need to stop the nonsensical 6:30 finishes when the light is good and they’ve only bowled 82/90 overs planned for the day. It’s as if they want test cricket to fail when they carry on with that bullshit.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

I think we all know there are certain aspects of test cricket that could do with being updated. Overs bowled, I mean, 90? A struggle? fuck off, they could manage 100 easy it the sort of cheating of the public that goes on in football where you only get like an hours playing time but only 4 minutes added time.............. Start and finish times could be looked at as well as some flexibility on scheduled breaks, where floodlights are available, light shouldn't even be an issue. I suspect fuck all will be done though

 

[Gb160]

I think we all know there are certain aspects of test cricket that could do with being updated. Overs bowled, I mean, 90? A struggle? fuck off, they could manage 100 easy it the sort of cheating of the public that goes on in football where you only get like an hours playing time but only 4 minutes added time.............. Start and finish times could be looked at as well as some flexibility on scheduled breaks, where floodlights are available, light shouldn't even be an issue. I suspect fuck all will be done though

The light thing made me laugh yesterday. Broad daylight, floodlights on, a bright red ball, yet we could only bowl spin? They're human beings not fucking moles.

 

[midoshairband]

that's a real shame. always likely to get at least one rain ruined game in this country though.

probably shouldn't have given up such good positions in some of the other games - arguably could and should be 3-0 up.

as for smug, scared cons, I'm sure we'd be praying for rain in similar circumstances.

 

[hutchiniho]

that's a real shame. always likely to get at least one rain ruined game in this country though.

probably shouldn't have given up such good positions in some of the other games - arguably could and should be 3-0 up.

as for smug, scared cons, I'm sure we'd be praying for rain in similar circumstances.

2-1 without this weekend’s weather for sure.
Australia definitely better in the 2nd.
We should have at least drawn the first.
Clearly dominant in this 4th.

Really not much can be done about the weather, light. Red ball under lights very hard to see.
International schedules so tight, reserve days would be very difficulty to manage.
Play could easily be started an hour or two earlier however. Really no need for 11am starts.

 

[midoshairband]

2-1 without this weekend’s weather for sure.
Australia definitely better in the 2nd.
We should have at least drawn the first.
Clearly dominant in this 4th.

Really not much can be done about the weather, light. Red ball under lights very hard to see.
International schedules so tight, reserve days would be very difficulty to manage.
Play could easily be started an hour or two earlier however. Really no need for 11am starts.

agreed, can't see reserve days working.

no issues with starting at 10:30 and finishing at 7pm. and for gods sake make these teams bowl their overs faster. there's so much time wasted.

one of those lot had the 12th man run on the other day for a drink and change of gloves - an over after tea.

 

[matty74]

2-1 without this weekend’s weather for sure.
Australia definitely better in the 2nd.
We should have at least drawn the first.
Clearly dominant in this 4th.

Really not much can be done about the weather, light. Red ball under lights very hard to see.
International schedules so tight, reserve days would be very difficulty to manage.
Play could easily be started an hour or two earlier however. Really no need for 11am starts.

When so many overs are lost there should be a reserve day put in place . 2 hours in 2 days pretty pathetic really . I live down south Been fine all day . To many tests played up north

 

[southlondonyiddo]

Excuse the pun, but this should be a watershed moment and a wake up call for test cricket.

It's quite ridiculous that one of the best and most exciting Ashes series for many a year is effectively being decided by two days of rain.

The Ashes and matches between India and Pakistan are the two most intense rivalries in cricket. It is frankly embarrassing to the game and farcical that a match should be decided in this way by chance rather than being decided on merit.

It is high time we introduced reserve days and charged much lesser prices for these reserve days so as to engage and enthrall the next generation so as to make it more accessible to the masses as many parents would bring kids if it was clearly affordable. We know how many overs have been lost to the weather so it should be possible to introduce reserve days.

Yes as an England fan we've benefited from rain giving us a get out of jail card, but this is about much more than that. Making it and keeping it relevant and moving with the times, is more important if it means England lose a few more because rain doesn't save them so be it.

Some may say history is important but let's face it, rain influencing outcomes harks back to a bygone era of W.G Grace and Public School Ties and Goodbye Mr Chips. Not all history is good history either, if that was the barometer women would still be excluded from the MCC and cricketers from working class backgrounds would be playing from their country. Fortunately those elitist and sexist traditions are being removed, albeit not before time and there is still some way to go and we all know that recent reports have highlighted widespread racism which needs to be tackled.

In conclusion, whilst much needs to be changed, introducing reserve days that take the weather out of deciding games, and effectively in this case a series should be consigned to history IMHO.

That’s all good but let’s leave the 1pm lunch and 3.40 tea time alone. I set my watch by it and get rather peckish too

 

[JimmyG2]

Wonderful series, ironically lost to the English weather.
England should have won at least one of the first two
but threw the 1st with that awful first day declaration.
Batted too long yesterday especially in view of the weather.

In the main this has been a proper 5 day test series,
some fine bowling and outstanding batting from Root on the first day
to Labuschagne on what turned out to be the last.
Bazball has no place in a five day test, there are plenty of forms of cricket
where Bazball is not only appropriate but required.
It's not cricket but few seem to care
except us old fogies struggling to keep the flame alive in every sense.

 

[ziggy]

Only time I've been to that ground was in 2002 and it pissed down and I got soaked.
Difference was when Bowie came on the clouds parted and the sun came out.

 

[midoshairband]

christ, Glen McGrath doesn't half come out with some utter garbage.

 

[midoshairband]

moving on to Thursday. sad to say, but there's no room for Anderson in this side. as long as Woakes and Wood are fit, that will probably be the only change I reckon.