******Cricket Thread******

[ancoats]

The aussies aren't amazing, but in Warner and Smith they have players who can dig in and give them a total. And their bowling lineup is a match for ours. It is our mentality. We play too quick or too slow. Little middle ground. Burns tried to play the mental battle but let the lack of scoring get to him. Without Cook we really will struggle. Bairstow has lost his touch in tests. Positively, Buttler and Stokes can come in and it gives us a bit more. But I can't see us beating the aussies and regaining the Ashes with a top 3 like we have and a middle order that loves a collapse. Our ODI team has hit 400 more often than the test team in recent memory.

the open pair and the number 3 are the key to any test team, and have a good opening 2 and somebody to come in at 3 are better than having one good world class bowler like a shane warne who takes wickets, its the foundation you need to build your innings with and getting runs on the board and add pressure its priceless

england should have addressed the top 3 batting order after the last ashes defeat down under but the ECB just papered over the cracks even using moeen ali ??? and how on earth did he ever get picked for his batting ?? never mind part time spin, again this ashes will be down to jimmy anderson if fit and broad and maybe woakes at lords, also archer is unknown to test cricket, but pace could be key in this summer ashes with it being late summer ?? and packed into 6 weeks, the wickets will be up and down and uneven bounce kills the batters minds, and its the most hated thing in cricket (uneven) bounce for the batters they don't know to come forward or stay back

they have 2 or 3 very fast bowlers just going to love the ashes with it being late summer and england have the worst open pair they have had for a long time coming into a ashes series and not much better coming in at 3 or 4 so i can see england losing more than they win, and don't forget they only have to tie the series to retain the ashes ???

 

[ancoats]

Was watching earlier when the pundits were naming their team for the Ashes. Nasser didn't even want to name or pick who would bat at 1 & 2. Quite damning really.

hahahaha just leave them out then ?? why not use a reverse batting line up with number 10 and 11 coming in first it worked vs ireland hahahahahahaha

 

[waspish]

For an opener you need players who only have a couple of shots in his bag or someone with the discipline of only play shots of his hips and leave everything else frustrate the bowlers! But new cricketer now know the short game earns them a fortune so every shot in the book and more they learn.

 

[leighton]

Can't see it ever being anything more than a niche sport Leighton. Which is a shame. A tactical test match is fascinating.

I be honest I watched the first 2 days and thought Jesus this is good not too boring wickets falling. A good watch for a match. Today didn't see much but a niche sport with the right backing and people behind it can go from niche sport to mainstream. Summer sport in Ireland you got Gas dominant next League of Ireland then there is nothing else. Also if they get some sort of TV coverage on free to air TV it will get more people into it. It might take years but who knows what will be if run correctly there be viewers. Also priced right there be people at games too. Just my thoughts.

 

[KS55]

Yep. Everyone knew England would be skittled against Ireland for 85 in their first innings....

Whooosh!

 

[jimharri]

Take out the rain breaks, and you're looking at 40 wickets falling in two days. Farcical stuff, even accounting for Woakes and Broad bowling the way they did yesterday. The Aussies must have been rubbing their hands watching some of our batting, in both innings.

 

[Corky]

I be honest I watched the first 2 days and thought Jesus this is good not too boring wickets falling. A good watch for a match. Today didn't see much but a niche sport with the right backing and people behind it can go from niche sport to mainstream. Summer sport in Ireland you got Gas dominant next League of Ireland then there is nothing else. Also if they get some sort of TV coverage on free to air TV it will get more people into it. It might take years but who knows what will be if run correctly there be viewers. Also priced right there be people at games too. Just my thoughts.

It is dying on its arse in England at all levels bar the national team and T20. The 100 ball thing next year will be the nail in the coffin, and it will end up like Rugby Union.

 

[ancoats]

It is dying on its arse in England at all levels bar the national team and T20. The 100 ball thing next year will be the nail in the coffin, and it will end up like Rugby Union.

lets call it right here 4 day cricket at county levels have always been badly attended because of fans work commitments in the week and its based around the older fans who are in retirement, and the last thing they want is sitting all day counting scores and knocking another day of their bucket list

test cricket vs county leagues no contest, but you need the county leagues to learn test cricket so what is the answer ?? well maybe open the gates for free in school holidays and when not get them involved more bring the schools to cricket, also maybe day and night county cricket could work, but he real answer is it never was great for attending fans its always been one man and his dog and the odd lady knitting

moving all country cricket to small grounds around the county's still does not work, and unless you have the big star players playing but they even struggle to, i had the idea of inviting england and 4 or 5 internationals teams every summer and play them in the county leagues like a champions league setup and bring back ireland and scotland and call it a super league, the UK is multicultural and have many fans of cricket so tap into that

 

[Gray]

English women started well against the Aussies again, 1 for 1 already.

 

[jimharri]

If you get the chance, try to catch "The Edge, a documentary tracking the journey of the England cricket team from the lows of early 2009, through to them getting to the top of the world rankings and through to the hammering down under in 2013/14. The Pietersen saga gets covered, as does the problems Trott faced. That era under Andy Flower was very intense and seemed to take its toll on several players. Interesting watch.

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt9780416/