Cricket thread

Kingstonian

Kingstonian

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It is that time of the year again.

The county championship struggles for attendances, but T20 goes from strength to strength.

A daytime game is being changed into a night time game that finishes after a few hours and without a drawn result.

Meanwhile, the county game suits me. It costs very little. I have friends who are members at Surrey, so I can use the pavilion at The Oval.

Lords is even better. You can still bring in your own food and drink. Lords even had a beer festival last year. Final day of the county championship was free entry. A cracking day. Middlesex v Yorkshire. A draw would leave Somerset as champions for the first time in their history. A draw would have been the result on the evidence of the play in the previous days. However, that suited neither team, so the captains got together and agreed a plan. Yorkshire would be allowed to get a set number of runs unopposed. Middlesex could then chase the total. I was in the 'anyone but Yorkshire' camp so delighted to see Middlesex lift the trophy - but a little sorry for Somerset.
 
I wish I was informed enough to talk about cricket, but I used to be surrounded by Trinidadians so I know who Brian Lara is. And then recently through exposure to a bunch of Indians, I know Sachin Tendulkar.

There is a bit of a revival here as more immigrants are coming in, baseball diamonds are being converted to cricket pitches.
 
Fwiffo said:
I wish I was informed enough to talk about cricket, but I used to be surrounded by Trinidadians so I know who Brian Lara is. And then recently through exposure to a bunch of Indians, I know Sachin Tendulkar.

There is a bit of a revival here as more immigrants are coming in, baseball diamonds are being converted to cricket pitches.
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Interesting piece of trivia - the first international cricket match was played between Canada and the USA.
 
prince nez said:
Interesting piece of trivia - the first international cricket match was played between Canada and the USA.
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Some of the founding fathers of the States were fond of it as well in spite of the overall anti-British sentiment.

Indian Premier League. I just saw a news headline about it. I always thought that was a ratings & cash tournament given the short length of the "season".
 
Last cricket match I saw had Dennis Lilly and Rod Marsh.
 
Dropbear said:
Last cricket match I saw had Dennis Lilly and Rod Marsh.
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My father's claim to fame was that he saw Bradman play. It was an exhibition game shortly after he retired and he made 235 or something ridiculous, and when he got out, my grandfather turned to my father and said "such a shame - he's just a shadow of his former self".
 
Middlesex v Surrey on the radio. The discussion makes the point that county cricket and daytime cricket is being squeezed out for limited over T20 matchs. This hits the counties financially as well.

Might go along to Lords tomorrow. Weather is nice. So far it has not been cricket weather - cold and rain stops play.
 
The Sunday final is between India and Pakistan.

This is after more than a week of daily cricket updates showing up on my iPhone.
 
Bag search and body search at Lords. For a counties match! Middlesex v Yorkshire.

Reason given? Recent events.

Phew what a scorcher! Middlesex played well.
 
England have a big lead against South Africa at The Oval.

Time to declare soon. Then hope you have time to bowl them all out and that rain does not stop play.
 
Good day yesterday at The Oval. Surrey v Glamorgan one day cup match. Glorious weather. Good value sport. Seven hours plus for a small entry fee. Lots of sixes and a definite result. Could bring beers in and move around the ground. Walk on the pitch during the interval too. Good crowd in the pavilion.
 
I get daily updates from one of my friends on her national side in cricket. Especially when it's India vs Pakistan.
 
The largest cricket field complex in the northern hemisphere is currently being built outside of my city. Two fields with stadium seating and lighting for night play and another dozen fields for day play as well as practice nets.

Build it and they will come or impending bankruptcy and housing development site?
 
England does not do stadiums for cricket. So traditional grounds hold around 25,000 when full. I prefer a ground to a big stadium.

Cricket World Cup on at the moment, but no terrestrial TV coverage.

I am not keen on the push for limited over games or, worse still, 100 ball matches. Cricket should be a daytime, red ball, game. I don’t mind the one day, 50 over stuff but that has all been rushed out of the way already this year to facilitate World Cup matches.
 
Sheldon-Cottrell.jpg


Windies out.
 
My friend was upset for a day that England beat India.

The first generation born in Canada do play. Unfortunately after you get to a certain level unless you leave Canada you don't progress. That's why my old work mate sent his son to Trinidad for the summers hoping he'd become a star.

Around the north of my city they are converting baseball diamonds for cricket instead so you know there is a demographic change.
 
Fwiffo said:
My friend was upset for a day that England beat India.

The first generation born in Canada do play. Unfortunately after you get to a certain level unless you leave Canada you don't progress. That's why my old work mate sent his son to Trinidad for the summers hoping he'd become a star.

Around the north of my city they are converting baseball diamonds for cricket instead so you know there is a demographic change.
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In England state schools are dropping cricket. It’s not on terrestrial TV either. Both will damage the game’s popularity in the long run. However, the powers that be will just take TV money and prop up county cricket with it. When I was a kid, the football season had a definite end and then it was the cricket season. Players were better known - famous cricketer cards in packets of tea etc.

I hear the West Indies cannot get decent cricketers these days as the kids follow other sports.
 
Isn't cricket still the most watched sport in the world? Or is that only because 1 1/2 billion Indians watch it?
 
Fwiffo said:
Isn't cricket still the most watched sport in the world? Or is that only because 1 1/2 billion Indians watch it?
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I think it is football that is most watched, then cricket. However, in England cricket is in decline apart from test matches and limited over games.
 
Kingstonian said:
I think it is football that is most watched, then cricket. However, in England cricket is in decline apart from test matches and limited over games.
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I've never really got cricket, quite unlike a sport at all. More akin to some slow moving Japanese martial art designed to instil gentlemanly behaviour and etiquette in the player.
 
England win Cricket World Cup: Ben Stokes stars in dramatic victory over New Zealand

"England beat New Zealand to win the men's World Cup for the first time after one of the most amazing games of cricket ever played was tied twice. In an emotional and electric atmosphere at Lord's, both sides scored 241 in their 50 overs and were level on 15 when they batted for an extra over apiece. It meant England were crowned world champions by virtue of having scored more boundary fours and sixes - 26 to New Zealand's 17 - in the entire match. That it even got to that stage was astonishing in itself and came as a result of a barely believable conclusion at the home of cricket - the first tie in a World Cup final."
 
It was on terrestrial TV too. Some channel hopping required but very good coverage. At one stage it looked like England would never get the runs but a changing wicket and Stokes partnership improved England’s chances.
 
I couldn’t believe England beat Australia at Headingley. Then I watched the highlights and saw an amazing innings from Ben Stokes. Some fantastic batting strokes, lots of fours and sixes. Geoffrey Boycott said it was the best innings by an Englishman he has seen in fifty years.
 
Kingstonian said:
I couldn’t believe England beat Australia at Headingley. Then I watched the highlights and saw an amazing innings from Ben Stokes. Some fantastic batting strokes, lots of fours and sixes. Geoffrey Boycott said it was the best innings by an Englishman he has seen in fifty years.
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England's Stuart Broad on Sky Sports: "It was one of those 'I was there' moments. It was absolutely spectacular. I don't think anyone in this ground will see a better innings. It had everything.

"The bloke has got the heart of a lion. Everything he does is for the team. He is the perfect team-mate. He's an incredible cricketer and an even better bloke."

www.bbc.com

England win epic to keep Ashes alive

Ben Stokes' astonishing 135 not out repeats his World Cup heroics and gives England one of their greatest victories to keep the Ashes alive.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com
 
Windies are going to England to play Test cricket. Three week quarantine. I thought that was excessive for one Test but it's actually a series of three.
 
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