Cricket Thread

[ncurd]

What's the craic with the weather today (as above: very much a cricket newbie)

Looks like rain until 12-1ish, then clear until 4 - do they sit around and wait for the dry spell (like the last test where they were in and out) or is there a threshold where they say it'll rain for >50% of the day so the whole day's off?

It'll take about 2 hours to prepare the ground. The key factor is the outfield and making it safe for especially the bowlers run ups.

 

[Reiser99]

Well barring the biggest collapse in history the Ashes have gone.

 

[BrokenWing]

I wonder if Stokes is still sure he'd rather lose trying to win than draw.

 

[OldSchoolRugga]

Australia retain the Ashes.

 

[ncurd]

I wonder if Stokes is still sure he'd rather lose trying to win than draw.

I think it will all depend on what happens in India this winter and if they still get chance Down Under 25/26. They'll also still be aiming to force a drawn series knowing full well that could of been home series 5-0 win.

Its about whether you consider this one series important or the broader spectrum.

That all said this sucks this series has been so good, the British weather has spoiled it nobody wants to win or lose in this particular manner. More need to be done to make sure over are bowled and using good weather/light when possible.

 

[Reiser99]

I think it will all depend on what happens in India this winter and if they still get chance Down Under 25/26. They'll also still be aiming to force a drawn series knowing full well that could of been home series 5-0 win.

Its about whether you consider this one series important or the broader spectrum.

That all said this sucks this series has been so good, the British weather has spoiled it nobody wants to win or lose in this particular manner. More need to be done to make sure over are bowled and using good weather/light when possible.

Simple fact is he forced a result in the first test with a ridiculous declaration. If England hadn't lost that game (win or draw) then this game wouldn't have been a must win. If Stokes had declared like that in this game knowing the weather and needing to win then fair enough. But first day of a 5 test series was a very bad decision that for me has ultimately cost England the Ashes.

 

[OldSchoolRugga]

Reading Skysports website, people are talking alternatives to finish the game, if weather intervenes. I like this idea:

"If more than 60 overs are lost to the weather then come back for a sixth day."

 

[ncurd]

Reading Skysports website, people are talking alternatives to finish the game, if weather intervenes. I like this idea:

"If more than 60 overs are lost to the weather then come back for a sixth day."

A 6th Day is complex not least because today may well have been a washout as well.

• Enforce better penalties to over rates
• If forecast is predicting poor weather start early/end late (overs to be reduced from final day if actually caught up)
• Early/Late Start for over not bowed day previously.
• ie. unless the overs have been bowled good light should never stop play
• Stop taking tea/lunch if players have been off for longer than that the period of break.

 

[Reiser99]

A 6th Day is complex not least because today may well have been a washout as well.

• Enforce better penalties to over rates
• If forecast is predicting poor weather start early/end late (overs to be reduced from final day if actually caught up)
• Early/Late Start for over not bowed day previously.
• ie. unless the overs have been bowled good light should never stop play
• Stop taking tea/lunch if players have been off for longer than that the period of break.

Yeah, sixth day has a whole host of problems, especially if you want a crowd and you have to employ people.

Over rate is a big one and should be addressed, but the biggest one is the nonsense that they can't start earlier than scheduled. Wastes so much time.

 

[Which Tyler]

A 6th Day is complex not least because today may well have been a washout as well.

• Enforce better penalties to over rates
• If forecast is predicting poor weather start early/end late (overs to be reduced from final day if actually caught up)
• Early/Late Start for over not bowed day previously.
• ie. unless the overs have been bowled good light should never stop play
• Stop taking tea/lunch if players have been off for longer than that the period of break.

I like the first 4, but the 5th lacks nuance; especially if being combined with an early start / late finish.

Over rates are relatively easily fixed - the rate is set (per hour, not just session), and failure to meet it (due to cynicism), awards 10 extras per over short.

 

[ncurd]

I like the first 4, but the 5th lacks nuance; especially if being combined with an early start / late finish.

Over rates are relatively easily fixed - the rate is set (per hour, not just session), and failure to meet it (due to cynicism), awards 10 extras per over short.

I think a prime example for number 5, is 2 hours of play have gone by, rain has stopped it will take groundsman roughly 20 mins to the get ground prepared so we'll early lunch and thus extend that 40. Oh dear it started raining again just as players were during out.

This kind of thing has happened countless times during my years watching cricket. Of the weather is good they should be playing not taking breaks after they've not been playing for hours.

Equally another example is its 20 mins for Tea, we've just pulled them off for rain so we'll have tea now.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Haven't seen any of today's play but bowled out in 55 overs for a below par score sounds pretty feeble.

Extras scoring half as many again as Root, Stoles and Bairstow combined.

 

[OldSchoolRugga]

Haven't seen any of today's play but bowled out in 55 overs for a below par score sounds pretty feeble.

Extras scoring half as many again as Root, Stoles and Bairstow combined.

I gave up after the last test. I want competition. Not dead rubbers.

 

[ncurd]

Haven't seen any of today's play but bowled out in 55 overs for a below par score sounds pretty feeble.

Extras scoring half as many again as Root, Stoles and Bairstow combined.

Root/Bairstow have only had two knocks of note the entire series we'd expect far more of them.

Ultimately though a lot of it was just good bowling, Ali probably guilty the most guilty of throwing his wicket away but had a groin injury so was hitting out rather than retiring hurt.

 

[ncurd]

I gave up after the last test. I want competition. Not dead rubbers.

Drawing or Losing the series is on the line, its not a dead rubber. I'd rather a winner takes all Test admittedly.

Retaining the Ashes has and always will be nonsense language.

 

[ncurd]

Root/Bairstow have only had two knocks of note the entire series we'd expect far more of them.

Ultimately though a lot of it was just good bowling, Ali probably guilty the most guilty of throwing his wicket away but had a groin injury so was hitting out rather than retiring hurt.

Triple post!

I say this yet I have Root in my team of the series and Carey only just beat Bairstow as wicketkeeper.
Brook aside its not been a great series for middle order Batters with some not outs pushing a few averages over 50 skewing the results on a small sample size.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Root/Bairstow have only had two knocks of note the entire series we'd expect far more of them.

Ultimately though a lot of it was just good bowling, Ali probably guilty the most guilty of throwing his wicket away but had a groin injury so was hitting out rather than retiring hurt.

Fair enough. Having rattled along at over 5 an over I was assuming there'd be some cheap wickets in there somewhere. But 4 batsmen and 2 bowlers (Woakes nearly an all rounder) all getting decent starts suggests that conditions were far from impossible.

Aussies going along much slower and just about where we were when things started to go south.

Ashes have gone but still a live series, so quite a bit to play for in my book.

 

[ncurd]

Haven't seen any of today's play but bowled out in 55 overs for a below par score sounds pretty feeble.

So ultimately you bore the crowd to death in almost twice as many overs and score 12 runs more...(should of been less if Run Out had been given).

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

So ultimately you bore the crowd to death in almost twice as many overs and score 12 runs more...(should of been less if Run Out had been given).

If the crowd's just interested in boundaries they're more prawn sandwich brigade than cricket fans.

Australia don't have to win so will have been quite happy to take time out of the game. Haven't seen it, but sounds like attempted smart, lower risk cricket on their part. If they'd have bazballed it they may have been facing a deficit.

All depends what you want from your cricket. I like the strategic and subtle build ups of pressure, ebbs and flows and changes of pace of test cricket. Over time as many people, probably more, will remember Panesar and Anderson's low scoring last wicket partnership for a draw in 09 as will recall Crawley's spectacular 189 the other day. The great thing is that both have their place in tests.

Run rate and the spectacular is not the be all and end all, for me at any rate. Personally not really interested in the slogging of T20 or the lamentable hundred. But I accept many will be and will frame their attitudes to tests.

Similarly, the driving maul has its place alongside the counter attack from your own try line.

 

[OldSchoolRugga]

If the crowd's just interested in boundaries they're more prawn sandwich brigade than cricket fans.

This bazball nonsense is ruining Test cricket. McCullum is bringing T20 cricket to Test cricket, which is abhorrent. Stoke's last innings in the previous test showed as much. Shocking stroke play. Australia have always been the standard, and they show how to play aggressive, while still honouring the values of batting in Test cricket.