The Cricket Thread

[sycophantia]

McGrath will probably feel like a bit of a tit back in the hotel tonight if the umpires are such home bias then Smith would’ve been judged to have grounded the ball in the first innings.

Yeah they've already got away with one.

 

[PuntsWolf]

It does aid him.

If he didn't slide the ball across the ground he falls over.

It's fairly simple that you can't slide the ball across the ground for a catch. I thought that would be blindingly obvious.

I mean aiding him in the catching process. Like I said he’s an idiot for sliding the ball accross the floor. He could just roll over and it’s doesn’t leave his grasp. And if there was still any doubt, in my first line I said it’s not a catch.

 

[PuntsWolf]

McGrath will probably feel like a bit of a tit back in the hotel tonight if the umpires are such home bias then Smith would’ve been judged to have grounded the ball in the first innings.

I have no idea why that was given

 

[jd1981]

It’s really bad form from him basically putting the integrity of the umpires into question. Problem is a lot of people will hang on his words and believe it to be true.
I wouldn’t mind but it won’t stop Australia winning the match.

 

[AndyWolves]

Anyone got a link / highlight of the "catch"?

 

[pagey]

Tbh I was starting to warm to and appreciate the Aussies, the games so far have been played in a decent spirit and their captain seems like a bloke I'd love to share a drink with. But then despite being the better team they resort to cheating and whinging. Twats.

 

[AndyWolves]

Anyone got a link / highlight of the "catch"?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1675204117814292480

That's not out imv, he took the catch cleanly enough but then for some reason doesn't ensure the ball doesn't touch the ground as he's finishing the slide.

 

[Wolftone]

The second I saw it I said not out. Ball grounded. Never had been out in that circumstance, the one Smith caught should have been given not out in my book too.

 

[jd1981]

He uses the arm with ball in to control his fall causing it to slide on the ground. Amount of people saying if he’d turned his arm the other way it would’ve popped out well that’s tough shit and a dropped catch also.

 

[jd1981]

Couple of years and Stokes, Barstow, Broad, Anderson, Wood and maybe Root will have all retired.

With the decimation of cricket in schools and the privately educated dominating cricket we're in for a bit of a lull in quality for at least 10 years.

SKY taking all cricket behind a paywall means kids don't see it and play it as much and selection for counties is nothing short of Formula 1 level disgraceful.

Thankfully the ECB have realised this and increased their outreach, it's going to take time though.

Points i generally agree with, Sky however aren’t the bad guys in this they’ve pumped a lot of money into the game, don’t like things behind a pay wall though.
Reason I got into cricket was due to watching live TMS, NatWest trophy B&H cup etc on BBC.
It’s an expensive sport to play at club level too.
Two sets of whites, gloves, Pads, Box, Jock strap, Bat, tea fees etc. That’s the basics.
It’s a very time consuming sport to basically sacrificing your weekends from April to September.
A lot of High schools treat Cricket as something they just have to cover when the Football, Rugby season is over, not all before people jump on my back but if you’re interested in playing at school you’ll have numerous classmates who’ve got zero interest.

 

[Wolftone]

Points i generally agree with, Sky however aren’t the bad guys in this they’ve pumped a lot of money into the game, don’t like things behind a pay wall though.
Reason I got into cricket was due to watching live TMS, NatWest trophy B&H cup etc on BBC.
It’s an expensive sport to play at club level too.
Two sets of whites, gloves, Pads, Box, Jock strap, Bat, tea fees etc. That’s the basics.
It’s a very time consuming sport to basically sacrificing your weekends from April to September.
A lot of High schools treat Cricket as something they just have to cover when the Football, Rugby season is over, not all before people jump on my back but if you’re interested in playing at school you’ll have numerous classmates who’ve got zero interest.

I think it was ever thus, well as far as I can remember.
The main route into cricket was through family ties, village cricket, tradition. Grandad, dad's, kids, wives, teas, clubhouse, pub. Once the kids are hooked, talent levels/coaching comes into play.
The other way in traditionally has been through private/public school obviously.

 

[Johnny75]

Points i generally agree with, Sky however aren’t the bad guys in this they’ve pumped a lot of money into the game, don’t like things behind a pay wall though.
Reason I got into cricket was due to watching live TMS, NatWest trophy B&H cup etc on BBC.
It’s an expensive sport to play at club level too.
Two sets of whites, gloves, Pads, Box, Jock strap, Bat, tea fees etc. That’s the basics.
It’s a very time consuming sport to basically sacrificing your weekends from April to September.
A lot of High schools treat Cricket as something they just have to cover when the Football, Rugby season is over, not all before people jump on my back but if you’re interested in playing at school you’ll have numerous classmates who’ve got zero interest.

It's been a while since you were at school I'm guessing.

It isn't like that anymore.

Taking the visibility of cricket (or any sport) behind a paywall dramatically reduces participation, that's indisputable, there's studies on that all over the place.

Sadly there is almost no connection to club cricket and the county game anymore which is why rich kids are paying county coaches to get into the system. It's a huge problem. One that the ECB has now recognised and has put in place several initiatives which are visible at club level.

 

[jd1981]

No not been at school for 25 years but that rot didn’t heal the day I left. Both my daughters are at high school and say the summer sports are athletics and rounders or softball for the boys. Boys play cricket but most of them see it as a chore which goes back to a lack tv coverage.
I agree on the club cricket scene as a colt we always had someone in the first team who had a connection in the county game whether that be first class or minor county level or players moved to a higher level of club cricket etc.

 

[ROVERT47]

I remember hearing various pundits saying things like “of course they’ll be setbacks to Bazball” when England were hammering teams.
I thought at the time that’ll be the Ashes then.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Just away from the Test for a moment, now confirmed that West Indies won't be at the World Cup. They lost to Scotland so are mathematically out.

 

[sycophantia]

Just away from the Test for a moment, now confirmed that West Indies won't be at the World Cup. They lost to Scotland so are mathematically out.

That's sad man. My first real interest in cricket was mid 70s-80s. Imagine a team with Greenidge and Haynes opening, Richards, Lloyd and Kallicharan to come in and a bowling attack of Roberts, Croft, Marshall, Holding and Garner.
A dominant team but you couldn't not like them.

 

[jd1981]

Duckett out that should end any remaining doubt now.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Carey is an excellent keeper, that was superb anticipation. Stand orthodox to right arm over and that goes for four.

 

[jd1981]

As said all the damage done on Friday morning this will probably be a decent 4th innings total to be fair.

 

[Del Woppio]

What a fucking cretin