The Cricket Thread

[kevshat]

All I heard in the build up to the test series is South Africa have a quick attack, full of real pace etc etc. The reality is they've got a guy who can bowl quick and a tall guy who is usually accurate. The rest are shitheaps. Anyone would think we've never played pace before the way this series was being talked about .

Ian Bell was superb today. Could've done with him getting another 50 because I've backed him for the series top bat but he's ahead which I should take . Bowden's poor decision may well have cost Collingwood his test spot.

[kevshat]

Looks like a draw at Lords after SA batted the day out and only lost one wicket.

I guess with the money coming into the game we'll get more and more of these ...................

Unnamed IPL player tests positive

The International Cricket Council have confirmed that an unnamed player tested positive for a banned substance in the recent Indian Premier League season. The tests were carried out under the supervision of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), after the IPL adopted the ICC's code on doping. Checks will now be made to establish if the player in question had been taking any pre-declared prescribed drugs. If not, the player will be informed and a 'B' sample sent for testing. If that too were to prove positive the matter would be taken up by the IPL's drugs tribunal. The committee will study the issue and take a decision, for which there will be a separate appeals tribunal. IPL commissioner Lalit Modi said: "As of now we are at the first stage where one sample has tested positive. The issue is now with the IPL's medical committee. "The identity of the player will matter only after we check on the pre-declared drugs."

[TheRat]

Worst days play I have seen for ages today, so boring
Fair play to SA though

[meatman]

Who is dropped for Freddie then eh? Gotta be Collingwood for me

[Sharpe1ne]

Originally Posted by kevshat

Looks like a draw at Lords after SA batted the day out and only lost one wicket.

I guess with the money coming into the game we'll get more and more of these ...................

I see it's Mohammed Asif who's the culprit,and even more funny he was detained at Dubai for having drugs.Probably something like Codeine get's you stopped in Dubai.

This malarky about an EPL Twenty/20,do they not realise that were in a recession and people are struggling for money,54 more games on the calender is stretching peoples funds quite a bit but i can't see them doing what India did and busing people in to the grounds to watch it free of charge.
I'd say our normal Twenty/20 had as much excitement as the IPL and at a fraction of the cost.


And yep meatman, Collingwoods a goner unless Sidebottoms back flairs up again due to sleeping on dodgy matresses

[davidmphill]

Originally Posted by meatman

Who is dropped for Freddie then eh? Gotta be Collingwood for me

Without a doubt unless an injury flares up elsewhere.

[TheRat]

Yea same for me too, can't see it being any other way

[kevshat]

Originally Posted by meatman

Who is dropped for Freddie then eh? Gotta be Collingwood for me

Yep I agree and if Sidebottom comes up lame then I'd get Tremlett in for him. (I would say Harmison but he's in my fantasy team )

[TheRat]

When do you think Jones will be back then?
Been in some blistering form for us so far but fitness still not there

I initially though Ashes next but think he will go to India now

[kevshat]

I don't think he will be back mate. I saw him at the Rose Bowl 2 months ago and he wasn't fit at all. He bowled his 10 overs in 3 spells and went off for treatment at the end of each spell. With the ICC changing the substitute thing that immediately puts Jones back a bit of time.

Can't see why we'd take him to India. The time we're going out there and the venues they've picked it'll spin not swing and if it does swing they'll have Sidebottom, Anderson and Flintoff and dare I say Hoggard too. He might go to the Windies if we take a barrel load of seamers out there but as I say, I don't think his knee is fit enough.

[TheRat]

Yea, I agree, as I said, he really isn't looking too fit, but was just thinking he may be taken in the squad. No one can doubt when he is out there he is looking good. Test matches are a different story though
From spain I'm not at New Road, just looking at the figures and reading the reports which is why I asked

[kevshat]

Originally Posted by Sharpe1ne

I see it's Mohammed Asif who's the culprit,and even more funny he was detained at Dubai for having drugs.Probably something like Codeine get's you stopped in Dubai.

This malarky about an EPL Twenty/20,do they not realise that were in a recession and people are struggling for money,54 more games on the calender is stretching peoples funds quite a bit but i can't see them doing what India did and busing people in to the grounds to watch it free of charge.
I'd say our normal Twenty/20 had as much excitement as the IPL and at a fraction of the cost.


And yep meatman, Collingwoods a goner unless Sidebottoms back flairs up again due to sleeping on dodgy matresses

Have to admit it wasn't much of a suprise when they announced it was Asif, Sharpey. He had an elbow injury during the IPL too didn't he so he could've taken something for that. Still, I bet the BCCI will ensure he isn't banned for next years IPL .

As for the twenty20, I couldn't agree more. The only reason I'd support franchises is so Hampshire can get moved out of the bloody south group . I look at the other two groups every year and wish we were in there. I went to about 10 twenty20 matches this year, never paid more than £20 for a match and the £20 was at The Oval where I don't mind paying £20 because the OCS stand is a quality place to watch cricket. I only saw one bad game and that was because of rain before hand. I'm off to finals day next Saturday which I can't wait for because it's always a good day and it's got about 5m times more important this year .

Only the ECB can find a way for Glamorgan to play Durham in the quarter final. Have to feel for Notts. They've been proper shafted but I guess they'd expect it from the ECB.

[kevshat]

Originally Posted by TheRat

Yea, I agree, as I said, he really isn't looking too fit, but was just thinking he may be taken in the squad. No one can doubt when he is out there he is looking good. Test matches are a different story though
From spain I'm not at New Road, just looking at the figures and reading the reports which is why I asked

I keep an eye out for him because he's in my fantasy team too. His figures are actually a bit misleading because a lot of the time he's taken 3 or 4 wickets but has mopped up the tail. Give him the rest of this season, and the 1st two months of next season and if he's right bring him back in via the twenty20 world cup then see if he can do the Ashes.

[TheRat]

Only cause Taxi mops up the batsmen

Nah, Ashes as I said was when I though was his next chance but wondered peoples opinions, been reading alot of people want him back sooner rather than later, but waste of time rushing him back into the international scene

[kevshat]

Fair do's mate. I wouldn't rush him anyway. Maybe if we get a few injuries bring him into the squad. Your lot are on sky tomorrow night (I've backed you too ) if you can find a stream online

[TheRat]

I saw, that's why I asked to be honest on here, though about Jones and what other had been saying

Fingers crossed for a stream. The ones I had on England last few days were poor though, glad I didn't miss much!

[kevshat]

New-look English Twenty20 agreed

Middlesex and Lancashire in Twenty20 action this season English cricket is to be given a major overhaul with a new Twenty20 English Premier League to start in 2010. The EPL will have two divisions of 10 teams featuring the 18 existing counties plus two overseas teams. A radical proposal by David Stewart and Keith Bradshaw, which would have left out half of the counties, was rejected by the England and Wales Cricket Board. The Pro40 will be scrapped after 2009, allowing for a total revamp of club cricket in England. The board also agreed the 2010 season would include a 50-over competition and 16 County Championship matches in a two-division structure. The EPL is expected to feature promotion and relegation and a finals weekend which, according to BBC sports editor Mihir Bose, could generate £60m a year for the game. If Twenty20 cricket is managed carefully it can bankroll cricket for decades BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew "It means English cricketers, for so long the poor relations of Premier League footballers, will be earning much more money," said Bose. The introduction of the EPL follows the successful debut of the Indian Premier League, which has stimulated huge interest and offers the ECB the potential of attracting more television revenue. The lucrative IPL and its unsanctioned rival, the Indian Cricket League (ICL), has seen Twenty20 cricket dominate the cricket headlines in recent months. In order not to be left behind, England agreed a five-year deal worth £50m with businessman Sir Allen Stanford where they will play a winner-takes-all Twenty20 match each year in the Caribbean. And in June the ECB along with the Indian, Australian and South African governing bodies also unveiled plans for a Twenty20 Champions League tournament. "Broadcasters in this country and in Asia are interested in county sides - they are not interested in made-up sides," ECB chairman Giles Clarke told BBC Radio 5 Live, explaining why cricket's ruling body had veered clear of a franchise-based competition similar to the IPL. 606: DEBATE Cricket is hitting a new and exciting turn in its history AM The latest overhaul of the English game is based on market research that suggested fans wanted to watch more Twenty20 cricket. The EPL will be staged in June, while there will be a Twenty20 League, replacing the Pro40, in July, August and September, with games to be staged primarily on Friday nights. English counties will have the opportunity to qualify for an international Champions League via a new version of the already existing domestic Twenty20 Cup. "How much 20 overs cricket do people want to watch?" said BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew. "We don't know who the overseas teams will be, but one might be Sir Allen Stanford's and we don't know how many overseas players each county will be allowed to have. "I suspect there will be four overseas players allowed in each squad to freshen it up. "There is a danger of having two Twenty20 competitions, looking much the same, trundling along next to each other. "If Twenty20 cricket is managed carefully it can bankroll cricket for decades. But if it is flogged to death it will all to quickly disappear. This cuts it pretty fine." Lancashire chief executive Jim Coombes questioned whether two Twenty20 competitions were necessary. "I don't know if people are going to be able to differentiate between the two competitions," said Coombes. Although the ECB rejected Stewart and Bradshaw's franchise idea, it did take on board some of their funding proposals. Surrey chairman Stewart said: "These are extremely exciting and satisfying proposals for the future of domestic cricket in England and Wales. I am delighted to support them. "They incorporate some excellent ideas and Keith Bradshaw (MCC chief executive) and I were delighted to be able to submit our ideas as part of the decision making process and to build on the robust structure proposed by ECB as a result of detailed consultations undertaken." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I think I'm cool with this because although I don't mind the Pro40 I don't see where it fits in with regards international cricket really because it's neither 20 overs or 50 overs. My only concern would be the same as Jim Coombes, why do we need two competitions. I'm glad they're keeping the 50 over competition and of course the Championship. Thoughts?

[Sharpe1ne]

I'm glad that the counties won't be split up into franchises meaning more people will be able to watch and still support their local teams.
Though how they are going to work out the Divisions will be a mystery to me what if one of the overseas teams gets relegated into the bottom division,will they even play again the following year plus these overseas teams will have recruited English players when playing abroad and where will there loyalties lie then.
Though the thing that bothers me most when they say they don't want to "overdo" 20/Twenty is that were going to see the same bunch of players that play in the IPL coming to play in England.
It also allows for an even bigger influx of Kolpax players meaning a whole English team could be made up of foriegners out hunting for cash.No other country in the world allows this many foreign players in their leagues so why should we.
Players should actually be paid based on a performance and not just a weekly salary as some of the money spent on players in the IPL just haven't paid off at all.
I fear for cricket really as at the moment it's a cash cow but attendances have dropped of this year in the 20/Twenty and with the reccesion biting how will the money be raised to bring in these players it just smacks of Kerry Packers Superstar series all those years back which fell into oblivion after a few years.
And Stanford can just feck off for my liking,he's a feckin mercenary and is only out there to make a profit out of our game cos he can't do it in the West Indies or America too much money coming into the game and overspending could leave the counties in disarray and finacially up shit creek.

My ideas.
2 overseas players per team and no Kolpax(the counties could make a stand and just refuse to employ them outright)
2 players under 21 in each team.
County Championship games played Monday-Thursday.Friday or Saturday night for 20/Twenty.
Basic weekly salary(not too much though) and the rest based on performances.
With the amount of money involved then all decision referred to camera's and Hawkeye,plus if more than 3 appeals fail by camera then 5 runs to be knocked off for each incorrect decision there after.
Nasser Hussain to not be allowed to commentate on any matches,Bob Willis to just feck off the miserable sod,£2.50 a pint max and no more than £20 to go to a game.When a camera-man focuses on a fit lady she must bare her breasts on the big screen

[Charlie Wong]

Siders a big doubt for tommorrow, shame Headingley would aid any swing for him.

McKenzie a doubt for SA aswell,

bet they both play though.

[davidmphill]

Ambrose to bat at 6? That worries me big time if its to happen.