[Frankie]

Well that was a big surprise. Thought Stokes declaration was a bit generous and opened the door for a potential Pakistan victory. But the job got done in the end. Couldn't understand the hours of play. Sunsets around 4.30pm and even with the floodlights on its off for bad light and the end of a days play.

[bazzap]

Fancy watching a game of T20? You would be in heaven at the moment.

Most days kick off with the Super Smash in New Zealand. This rolls into the Big Bash in Australia. When that finishes, the Bangladesh Premier League kicks in followed by the SA20 in South Africa and finally, the International T20 series in the UAE. A few women's games are intertwined with that lot plus on weekends, many of these leagues play double-headers.

All on tv. I can watch them all on Sky Sports, BT Sports and ESPN+ out of the USA. The FHD pictures I get from the English channels are stunning. I use an IPTV provider based in the UK and Australia. The cost is 60 pounds a year for 2 people which I share with my mate Stumpy in Chiang Mai.


Total overload as far as I am concerned but it is the way cricket has gone. It's all about the money and being a product for tv. Players play for the highest bidder. Loyalty to any team (franchise?) must be near zero. I mean who really cares who wins? Just another tin cup for the mantle piece.


Still, I get to hear the dulcet tones of David Gower again so not all bad.


I am still old school and really only follow the Tests and first-class games. The rest are meaningless to me.

Won't be long before those arseholes Warner & Smith will be gone and I can go back to watching the Australian Test team again.


Look out for Aaron Hardie when he makes the Test team. Only a matter of time. Another fast bowler allrounder. Just as good as Cameron Green and another Western Australian. He scored 174 no in last year's Sheffield Shield final and also opens the bowling for WA. Currently wowing them in the Big Bash. He also plays for Surrey. Yes, he was born in Bournemouth but I won't hold that against him.


Hopefully he and Lance Morris are wearing the Baggy Green in the near future

[ferocious]

I was in the take away the other night and the Indian owner had the cricket on was T20 somewhere and I seen Cameron Bancroft at the crease first time I’d seen him since the ball tampering carry on

We’ve got one day series with SA starting Friday should catch a bit of it maybe all of the 2nd one

[Frankie]

Totally agree with you Baz about T20. There's competitions on worldwide and mercenaries concentrate on this format and play wherever for whoever as long as they're getting paid big bucks. If you can get a gig in the IPL then you're guaranteed others worldwide. Can't blame them really as sports pros usually chase the top dollar. It's especially easy on quick bowlers only having to bowl a maximum 4 overs per game. Of course it just reinforces the fact how much harder First Class and Test Match cricket is.

[bazzap]

The real cricket is back today. India vs Australia. Australia will be up against it. Not like playing the easy beats in Australian conditions like the last few months. When you have won only one Test series in India in the last 50-odd years, (in 2004?), you know you might be in a bit of bother.


A bit like winning an Ashes series in England which also hasn't happened since 2001.


England plays next week against the Kiwis in NZ so it will be wall-to-wall Test cricket from 0500'ish to around 1800 Thai time for a while though I still won't be watching when Smith or Warner is at the crease.


Every time their names get mentioned in articles on social media, the usual comments come up from both sides of the fence. It gets quite vicious at times. It doesn't matter if you are the Wisden Cricketer of the Decade, Alan Border medalist multiple times, Test or ODI player of the year or how much tv commentators say how good you are or if you cried like a baby on tv and said a hollow sorry, people will never forget the shame you brought to the Baggy Green and by extension, the Australian cricket public.


They will be stuck with it for the rest of their lives which is a good thing

[bazzap]

I'm sounding all bitter & twisted in my old age

[ferocious]

Warner didn’t hang about for long Bazza

[ferocious]

Lost count of how many wickets I seen yesterday
Got up for the finale of NZ v ENG then when that finished put the IND v AUS match on & if my maths is correct 18 wickets in 5 hours play all in
Australia slight favourites going into the days play but imploded with the bat
England got a bit of fortune in bowling twice under the lights with a new pink ball against NZ top order wise decision first day to get 300+ on the board first day then declare to get into the bowling when the lights came on

[Frankie]

Originally Posted by ferocious

Lost count of how many wickets I seen yesterday
Got up for the finale of NZ v ENG then when that finished put the IND v AUS match on & if my maths is correct 18 wickets in 5 hours play all in
Australia slight favourites going into the days play but imploded with the bat
England got a bit of fortune in bowling twice under the lights with a new pink ball against NZ top order wise decision first day to get 300+ on the board first day then declare to get into the bowling when the lights came on

I got up later than you Mr F. Checked with BBC Sport and England had won. So thought I would watch India v. Aus. Couldn't understand why there were some tarts on instead from NZ playing T20 franchise cricket. Took a while to work out that Test had also finished then it was back to the usual Sunday morning shit of watching The Bill. FFS.

[bazzap]

A Sign of the Times



From the BBC Sport website

https://bbc.com/sport/cricket/




Future of Test cricket could be like Wimbledon, says Rajasthan Royals owner Manoj Badale

Here is the gist of it

The future of Test cricket might be short once-a-year events like the Wimbledon tennis tournament, according to Rajasthan Royals lead owner Manoj Badale.

One of the biggest issues cricket faces is the scheduling with some sides playing two series in two different formats concurrently in recent years.

"We can make Test cricket work if we make it more of an event," Badale told the Tailenders podcast.

"We should have it at the same time every year, played between a small set of nations that can actually afford it and Lord's becomes like a Wimbledon, an event that is the diary.

You can imagine the comments underneath the main article.


I did not listen to the podcast where these comments were made




My view


So, basically a Test series between England, India & Australia. Play each other once then some convoluted formula to work out which team has won. Innings a maximum of 90 overs so all over in 4 days to save time. Done & dusted in less than 3 weeks


All to please the 10-15-year-olds in India.


Nearly 150 years of tradition out the window. ODIs gone as well.


No need for first-class cricket like county cricket or the Sheffield Shield. Suburban grade cricket and school cricket probably gone too.


Major and minor league T20 & T10 or "100" tournaments only. Naturally, all are run by the BCCI


This bloke has it all sorted out


There are huge multi-million (billion?) tournys planned in the near future in the USA and Saudi Arabia.


In the USA, Aaron Finch has been lured out of retirement to captain a side based in San Francisco. This series is backed by both Cricket NSW and Cricket Victoria. WTF???? It starts in July, the same time as the Ashes is on.



Finch Signed for Major League Cricket




Something will have to give. Tradition vs money. It is all about content for tv networks. We saw what happened nearly 50 years ago with the Packer circus World Series Cricket.


Money always wins



Dr Grace and "The Don" will be turning in their graves