All things cricket

[tomytony]

TT - I know this might appear very cynical but this is a 3 match series at the end of a busy cricket summer with limited interest as no real reason for it. England won the first test easily, and then somehow do not win the second against opposition they should beat. This keeps the series alive which will be good for interest/crowd receipts etc.

I have thought this before in previous summers when 3-match series ALWAYS go to the decider.

Horrible aren't I!!

That's just not cricket Aya, but it might well be rugby.

Lords tests always sell out for the first 2-3 days so I am not sure it is relevant in this instance.

One of the bigger subjects of discontent with the ECB revolves around test grounds. Lords and the Oval get one every year but the rest are 'shared' amongst the test venues, originally 6, Heavenly, Edgbaston, Trent Bridge, Old Trafford, Lords and the Oval so one missed out every 5 test series year on a rota basis.
The ECB then had Durham, Hampshire & Glamorgan also create test fit grounds , at great expense, and then has all venues bidding for tests but, if they decide your ground's not fit then you don't get considered so Yorkshire are having to spend £20m ( I can't remember exact figure) to knock down and rebuild the stand dividing the rugby/cricket ground just to be able to bid for tests.It's being done by private investment who will, effectively, lease it back to Yorks i.e basically pay rent for it ( sound familiar).

Durham, after going to great expense were RELEGATED due to breaking the equivaleny of Fair Play rules as they tried to build a team to fill the ground!

The last test was a bit of a bonus for Yorks because of the 5 days but sometimes bidding for a test v eg Sri Lanka scheduled for early May say is just not going to cover the cost.

And, after all that, your cynical idea is just too clever for the ECB to think up!

[Ayamonteblade]

That's just not cricket Aya, but it might well be rugby.

Lords tests always sell out for the first 2-3 days so I am not sure it is relevant in this instance.

One of the bigger subjects of discontent with the ECB revolves around test grounds. Lords and the Oval get one every year but the rest are 'shared' amongst the test venues, originally 6, Heavenly, Edgbaston, Trent Bridge, Old Trafford, Lords and the Oval so one missed out every 5 test series year on a rota basis.
The ECB then had Durham, Hampshire & Glamorgan also create test fit grounds , at great expense, and then has all venues bidding for tests but, if they decide your ground's not fit then you don't get considered so Yorkshire are having to spend £20m ( I can't remember exact figure) to knock down and rebuild the stand dividing the rugby/cricket ground just to be able to bid for tests.It's being done by private investment who will, effectively, lease it back to Yorks i.e basically pay rent for it ( sound familiar).

Durham, after going to great expense were RELEGATED due to breaking the equivaleny of Fair Play rules as they tried to build a team to fill the ground!

The last test was a bit of a bonus for Yorks because of the 5 days but sometimes bidding for a test v eg Sri Lanka scheduled for early May say is just not going to cover the cost.

And, after all that, your cynical idea is just too clever for the ECB to think up!

Interested to read that TT - actually I am surprised that test matches still survive in their current format......5 days really is too long IMHO and nothing would really change if they were reduced to 4. However, in other ways cricket has made the effort to move with the times - ie the Big Bash/night cricket etc etc - unlike sports like golf which really have done nothing and are now suffering the consequences.

If and when there are accusations of match fixing/collusion in the press - you heard it here first

[tomytony]

Interested to read that TT - actually I am surprised that test matches still survive in their current format......5 days really is too long IMHO and nothing would really change if they were reduced to 4. However, in other ways cricket has made the effort to move with the times - ie the Big Bash/night cricket etc etc - unlike sports like golf which really have done nothing and are now suffering the consequences.

If and when there are accusations of match fixing/collusion in the press - you heard it here first

After yesterday's epic the 5 day format is alive and well and was shown to be the purest form of the game.

Cricket has moved with the times but the ECB are just money grabbers and are actaully cutting their noses to spite their faces with the endless pursuit of the one day and T20 format, but it's at the expense of the county championship, the game that provides the test players .
there has been NO county cricket since July because they chose to play the t20 in a block format so in this test they brought back a clearly unfit ( match fit) player in Woakes who was hopeless with the ball.

There's been plenty of match fixing already, and plenty prosecuted/banned eg Hansie Cronje ex S African captain among others so no scoop for you there.

As for golf, it's a good walk ruined and, to me, beyond boring. It's the only sport I can think of where every shot is a problem " His feet are above the ball" That's in a difficult spot above/below/at the sidep/ behind/ in front of a blade of grass" - and they all treat it as some sort of ceremonial service that's beyond reproach.

[BlockD]

Nice article about Blowers

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cri...-47-years.html

[bulmer1889]

Only saw the highlights on ch5 yesterday and even tho it was a good day for bowlers what a performance from Ben stokes he'll have all on to better 6/22 in his career,unfortunately our batsmen fared worse than theirs good job rain is forecast or this wouldn't make the weekend !

[BlockD]

Only saw the highlights on ch5 yesterday and even tho it was a good day for bowlers what a performance from Ben stokes he'll have all on to better 6/22 in his career,unfortunately our batsmen fared worse than theirs good job rain is forecast or this wouldn't make the weekend !

Wonderful bowling from Ben,pace and swing,unplayable,abject batting so far from England

[rodcurrie]

Wonderful bowling from Ben,pace and swing,unplayable,abject batting so far from England

I spose our Joe was due to flop wi the bat.What a cricketer Stokes is,the new SIR BEEFY? UTCB

[BlockD]

I spose our Joe was due to flop wi the bat.What a cricketer Stokes is,the new SIR BEEFY? UTCB

Said it before,i am sure he is a Yorkshireman,he will be the key to retaining the Ashes this winter

[rodcurrie]

Said it before,i am sure he is a Yorkshireman,he will be the key to retaining the Ashes this winter

I don't see us winnin darn under,our battin's too weak at the top end.Stokes deserves enormous credit for the way he's shrugged off gerrin pummelled in that World cup final v. The Windies.UTCB

[bulmer1889]

I see Lyons on fire atm for the aussies a 6 fer and a 7 fer in their latest test win