General Cricket Thread (It's Come Home)

Champion's Trophy anyone?

I'll admit I've been a bit distracted as of late because of irl things, so I've fallen off the wagon when it comes to cricket. Have heard about the rumblings about a pay dispute between the players and CA at the moment though.

Which has been suggested as a reason they ballsed it up this time around. Still, always nice to thrash the old enemy. Just ask India.

That said, this has actually been a pretty good tournament. England aside, plenty of upsets - including Pakistan > SA, SL > India, and Bangladesh > NZ in three days. The tourney itself's an antiquated dinosaur, a symbol of elitism, and basically stupid... but due to the quality of some of the cricket, it's actually doing quite well. (Today's match is a stinker, mind.)

Balladeer wrote:

Which has been suggested as a reason they ballsed it up this time around.  Still, always nice to thrash the old enemy.  Just ask India.

I'm half tempted to make a retort regarding the upcoming Ashes series to that, but if CA continues to be CA there's a good chance half the teams going to be in awful form because of pressure off the pitch yet again.

Still good to hear the tourney's had some good matches, even if by the sounds of things Australia was alas not a contributing party to them.

Athers (or any admin. foolish enough to stumble in): we need a title change. This is the biggest thing to happen in world cricket since... well, since Bangladesh got accepted probably.

After about fifteen years (I think), the ICC has once again slowly expanded its boundaries. Afghanistan and Ireland are full members! That means more Tests! Albeit probably not in Afghanistan for a while. Still, it's all but unarguable that this is a great thing! Hoping for the first Ireland vs. England Test before too long. (Ireland will probably get thrashed, but it's the symbolism of the thing.)

So, yep. More Tests! Title change! And the women's world cup is happening now too, so that's good.

What about that game at Taunton?

Title changed, good news about Ireland and Afghanistan that is.

masofdas wrote:

What about that game at Taunton?

Did you go see it? It's not the format that Athrun and myself care much about, but if it got another person on this forum to go see it, then all good!

I didn't even know it was on in till it was brought up in the morning huddle at work and how the store might be dead due to roads closed and the game going on (I don't know what format, it was) but I know someone that went and have been too few games this year including going in the posh boxes at the county ground.

I think one of the women's world cup games was today as well and if someone at work etc asked about going I would, just to say I've been but it would have to be a format where someone wins in a day.

Well everything's gone to s*** here in aus, doomsday has occurred and now the rest of the calendar year is in doubt. Sounding more and more like I'm going to need to get some pay TV streaming subs going to get my cricket fix for the time being.

You think that's bad? English Cricinfo has Jade Dernbach's tattooed and sweaty stomach on its front page!

But yep that's rubbish, hope Sutherland comes in and drops a proverbial nuke on the bunch of them. I don't know enough to know who I'm rooting for, but I'm guessing it's not the men in suits.

Definitely siding with the players on this one, CA has been pretty lame for years so even without the small info that is seeping through the cracks I wouldn't believe the players are anything but in the right over this. Especially considering how jam packed the calendar year is for players nowadays, with the best even being expected to play (and play well) in all three forms of the game. The way they tried to cow the players during the Champions Trophy through public humiliation also speaks volumes about CA's sincerity regarding negotiations.


So I say look forward to that England v South Africa test series, because I suspect it's going to be the highlight for the rest of the year regarding Test Cricket.

Latest news is that the Ashes is on the ropes. Jesus Christ.

Yes, my child?

Balladeer wrote:

Latest news is that the Ashes is on the ropes. Jesus Christ.

Sadly that's old news over here. This spat's been bad enough that me and another person I chat about cricket with irl have both suspected this Ashes series has been in danger for a while. It's an excellent weapon in the players arsenal, as being unable to field a team for the Ashes would likely hurt CA far more than the players.

Personally I've already given up on the Ashes this year. Even if the pay spat is concluded in time for the series to happen I suspect the team's going to be too undercooked to provide a decent show.

Well better hope SA offer something better: with AB (A)being rubbish and Faf faffing about with his kid, the office Saffers aren't that hopeful. But then England's playing a spinner with a county average of 38 so...

Maybe just watch the Women's World Cup. Especially since Oz are favourites again.

ZeroJones wrote:

Yes, my child?

Does that make Jay the Holy Ghost?

Balladeer wrote:

ZeroJones wrote:

Yes, my child?

Does that make Jay the Holy Ghost?

Technically Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit are one and the same. Must rename thread 'Cricket & Christianity'.

Preaching to the Catholic mate.

Go home South Africa, you're drunk.

England have upped the odds of the Ashes not going ahead this year with the declaration that if Australia cannot host warm-up matches the tour's off! Not that I blame them mind, that said it's not like Australia's team is exactly going to be having warm-ups before the Ashes either so I'd say it'd be a pretty even field there!

Either way it gives both sides of the current state of affairs only a few months to resolve things, and with both of them still firmly entrenched in their way of things that's not looking likely right now.

What's better, getting stomped by Bangladesh or getting stomped by the West indies? These Ashes are certainly shaping up to be the series to watch!

Bangladesh. They're a force to be reckoned with at home these days! And while neither set of conditions is anything like Australia, 'Eadingley is marginally more so.

Matthew Wade is utter bum though. Australia unquestionably have the better top five and pace attack, but Wade is utter utter bum.

Looks like the boys are getting back into the swing of things with a roaring win over Bangladesh. I would remark about England's thumping of the Windies but, well, lets be honest here, thumping them before the Ashes doesn't exactly make the best bar to judge by. Australia thumped them in two matches before touring England and we all know how well that series went, and how engaging it was to watch.

Either way seems both teams are going to be up to scratch, which is good news after all the frackar earlier this year.

But what are they going to do about Matthew Wade though?

No idea what England are going to do about three of their top five. Which suggests an utter thumping Down Under.

I have found the reaction image to end all reaction images.



Some fool saying that Gary Ballance isn't good enough to play in the Ashes?



Some muppet saying that later Paper Marios are better than TTYD?



Some cretin saying that Nintendo are doomed, doomed they say, doomed?



Finally, Virat Kohli makes a valuable contribution to the world.

Bit 'arsh.