Cricket Thread

[TRF_heineken]

Man oh man. Have you guys seen the mess at Cricket South Africa. Not good, not good at all.

Standard Bank this morning announced they won't renew their sponsorship agreement with CSA in April. After their affiliation of over 20 years with the sport and the main sponsor of the international ODI's, T20's and Tests.

Sunfoil, the other main sponsor wrote an open letter demanding the resignation of the CEO and the President of CSA.

2 of the independant directors have resigned already because of the maladministration of the CSA board, how the CEO is abusing his power and spending money he shouldn't.

3 CSA officials were recently suspended for doing their job.

The SA Cricketers Association has a pending court case against CSA for the illegal use of player names without compensation. Plus they are threatening to strike as well.

The Current domestic T20 series is being badly funded by CSA without any sponsorship deals.

The CEO called a press briefing, and then cancelled it the very last minute.

The Media spokesperson couldn't answer questions when he was asked at a previous press conference.

CSA banned certain well-respected journalists from all their media events. To the outrage of nearly every corner of the cricketing community.

This is an all-time low for the sport, worse than the Hansie Cronje saga, the 1999 CWC semi-final or the 2003 CWC D/L debacle.

 

[BiggusLaddus]

Jimmy takes his 600th test wicket in an empty ground.

Covid has really gone too far now.

 

[ncurd]

Jimmy takes his 600th test wicket in an empty ground.

Covid has really gone too far now.

On the flip side I would of been at work and not been able to see it live.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

On the flip side I would of been at work and not been able to see it live.

This!

Glad I got to see it today. Fantastic bowler.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Hell of an achievement. Most test wickets of any fast bowler.

 

[Leinster Fan]

I'm a rare thing, an Irishman complimenting an English cricketer (I'm pretty sure it's just me and Eoin Morgan).

But fairplay to him, amazing achievement. England are very lucky to have him.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Who writes Joe Root's scripts?

After another huge ton he brings himself on to bowl and mops up the last 2 Sri Lankan wickets without conceding a run.

Now 4th on Eng's all time list of test run makers having played in fewer tests than those around him and with an average at least a couple of runs higher.

Only a matter of time before he overtakes Stewart and Gooch. Cook is a long way ahead, but played 62 tests more than Root has so far.

 

[Reiser99]

Who writes Joe Root's scripts?

After another huge ton he brings himself on to bowl and mops up the last 2 Sri Lankan wickets without conceding a run.

Now 4th on Eng's all time list of test run makers having played in fewer tests than those around him and with an average at least a couple of runs higher.

Only a matter of time before he overtakes Stewart and Gooch. Cook is a long way ahead, but played 62 tests more than Root has so far.

It's that old saying, you make your own luck. It's weird how when someone is playing well things seem to go right for them. Maybe it is just confidence and committing properly rather than being nervous and mentally holding something back.

 

[ncurd]

I wouldn't read too much into those two wickets damage already done but twas an inspired decision sometimes people take a part timer on.

Roots a great a player and it's good after last year he's converting those 50's but real tests are in India (where we are deliberately wrecking our already fragile batting line up) and Australia laster this year.

I'm also not a fan of his captaincy in the field even if he seamed to have a good day today.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Roots a great a player and it's good after last year he's converting those 50's but real tests are in India (where we are deliberately wrecking our already fragile batting line up) and Australia laster this year.

Well he's made a pretty good start.....

He's the real deal as a test batsman. 4th highest Eng run scorer of all time and of the top 50 he has the highest average of anyone who's finished their career since 1968. Especially impressive given nearly half his caps have been as captain which often causes form to tank.

May not be Brearly as a captain but not terrible and still learning.

Bowling's only occasional but does have a habit of picking up useful wickets.

 

[ncurd]

Well he's made a pretty good start.....

He's the real deal as a test batsman. 4th highest Eng run scorer of all time and of the top 50 he has the highest average of anyone who's finished their career since 1968. Especially impressive given nearly half his caps have been as captain which often causes form to tank.

May not be Brearly as a captain but not terrible and still learning.

Bowling's only occasional but does have a habit of picking up useful wickets.

I'm not going to complain about his batting he absolutely should playing on that for the point of difference is having a series like 10/11 Ashes for Cook where he just rips a quality opposition apart. He does looks like in a great run of form to contribute that.

His captaincy he's just way way too conservative for my liking he especially doesn't give his spinners much help, many time in the Sri Lanka series he set fields that allowed them to pick off singles all day long requiring a high degree of control from a lad still learning his trade and another who has barely bowled a ball in anger for a year. When they did pick up wickets he still refused to put men around the bat.

Still its a good start I'm especially happy India appear to have ballsed up thier selection more than we have, Ashwin is one thing but I think they certainly have at least 1 spinner too many for whats avaialible to them these days in the pace department. Egnland on the other hand for some reason have decided to send first choice players home instead of rest them in Sri Lanka but I don't get why you don't pick Anderson and Broad for an opening test who both are probably bowling better now than ever have.

 

[Which Tyler]

Joe root, bowling superstar.
5 for 8 off 38 balls!

When will England learn that spinners are pack hunters?
I remember learning this in the 90s

 

[ncurd]

The pitch is a disgrace though, with no weather planned all pitches should be good enough for both sides to play 4 days.

 

[Which Tyler]

Well, that'll teach me to go to the loo!
0-2

 

[BiggusLaddus]

Stuart MacGill: Ex-Australian cricketer kidnapped and released in Sydney

Former Test bowler Stuart MacGill was abducted and released in an alleged gang kidnapping last month.

www.bbc.co.uk

Stuart MacGill was kidnapped at gunpoint last month.

I can only assume that the kidnapper's preferred target was Shane Warne, but he must have been unavailable for selection.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Anyone watching england new zealand?

whats the rundown in your depleted team? Do you have depth?

timing of the game over here isnt great, starts at 10pm and finishes at 5 am

 

[ncurd]

Anyone watching england new zealand?

whats the rundown in your depleted team? Do you have depth?

timing of the game over here isnt great, starts at 10pm and finishes at 5 am

Bowling wise we are good Stokes is not a front-line bowler these days and were playing Anderson/Broad, we are slightly mad not playing a real spinner, Root is fine on a spinning pitch but can't really be entrusted to hold up an end and Leach would of bowled twice as many overs yesterday especially in the heat. Robinson deserved a shot (although I'd have picked Overton who's FC figures these past two seasons have been outstanding). The issue is it's Lord's and it rarely offers assistance to bowlers which means its hard when especially when against a great batting line up like NZ.

Our batting however is a shambles Bracey is fine but when Foakes wwent lame we should of called up one of Buttler and Bairstow (who both should be playing) take out Stokes and Woakes and it make our middle to late order very weak in comparsion to what it should be. More importantly we don't have a player who can up the strike rate and suddenly turn the game on its head.

Root is a fine batsman his figures tend to be a misleading in that his list of great innings feels thin and its hard to point them out, when he's your best batsman that's worrying. We don't have an established 1, 2 or 3 all of whom can do a job but none to to be confident about. Root won't move from 4, Pope is a fine lad but again still looking for confidence, Lawrence I'm utterly unconvinced about.


Still quite like Somerset have signed up Conway after this series has finished which should be 2-0 to NZ unless we prepare absolute roads.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Conway with a double ton on debut and brings it up with a six....i would seriously consider retiring after that

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Conway with a double ton on debut and brings it up with a six....i would seriously consider retiring after that

Yep, and at Lord's too.

Can only go downhill from here!

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Yep, and at Lord's too.

Can only go downhill from here!

i think i would have demanded to open the bowling too