Cricket

[ABBEY]

Test match results ?

[Iceman]

Test match results ?

Come on Abbey, you are better than that

We still have to bat, and batting 2nd at Newlands is not always great. So if you get to 250 or 260 then it wil be tough going for us

Edited February 14, 2016 by Iceman

[jim mk2]

Your team got stuffed in the proper cricket, and you were nowhere to be seen.

Now your team is suddenly winning the slap and tickle stuff, you're back.

Poor.

[Iceman]

Your team got stuffed in the proper cricket, and you were nowhere to be seen.

Now your team is suddenly winning the slap and tickle stuff, you're back.

Poor.

Oh calm down, i posted when we lost the test series. I took it on the chin, and had no problem with losing. So where do you come to the fact that i was nowhere to be seen?

This game is not over yet as i said, and yet you want to moan because im having a little fun that we at least giving England a bit of run here ffs. Be a good sport Jim, instead of calling this tickle form of the game. If you want to call a format a tickle, then its the T20 format of the game.

Hales has played really well, and its a pity the rest have thrown their wickets away. We could easily be bowled out for 150 and lose this game. Thats cricket, so the game is far from over

Well played Hales, fantastic century

Edited February 14, 2016 by Iceman

[Iceman]

What do you know hey Jim, 14/2 and we are struggling in this silly format of the game

[Husky]

England STILL not quite there (as always). Even when we're good you can't help but feel there's always something a bit flakey about the team. Like in the 4th game - so many chances to win it yet ultimately they flaked out and ended up losing,

[Al]

We rely far too much on Root and need a better number 4/5. Time to beg KP to come back. If Strauss does not agree, sack him. He no longer plays anyway.

[onlyonetugay]

Congratulations to South Africa , any team that comes from 0-2 down to win 3-2 deserves the plaudits. We had chances to put this series to bed , but dropped catches cost us, on top of two catastrophic batting collapses.

In response to an earlier post I think we have to be careful about down playing ODI cricket. Granted , for England , South Africa and Australia, test cricket is still the holy grail. Personally I much prefer us to win the Ashes than win an ODI world cup.

However for India , the great cricketing powerhouse, and most of the rest , one day cricket is where it's at. One of the reasons Trevor Bayliss was appointed , was to improve our performances in the ODIs. He's made a good start ( ironically in the Test arena !) and we are playing better cricket, but there will be falls along the way.

Having said that I'm much more optimistic for the T20 world cup under the new management. I agree with Iceman , T20 is more tickle, but hopefully if it gets young kids into playing cricket then that can only be a good thing.

Although my first love is test cricket , I'm an armchair fan. The only first class tickets I've bought so far in 2016 are for the T20 Lancashire v Yorkshire on 3rd June. If last seasons games are anything to go by , we'll have another great night of cricket followed by another great night of celebrations in Manchester ! Come on Lancs !

PS It's time to forget about KP

Edited February 15, 2016 by onlyonetugay

[Iceman]

Congratulations to South Africa , any team that comes from 0-2 down to win 3-2 deserves the plaudits. We had chances to put this series to bed , but dropped catches cost us, on top of two catastrophic batting collapses.

In response to an earlier post I think we have to be careful about down playing ODI cricket. Granted , for England , South Africa and Australia, test cricket is still the holy grail. Personally I much prefer us to win the Ashes than win an ODI world cup.

However for India , the great cricketing powerhouse , one day cricket is where it's at. One of the reasons Trevor Bailey was appointed , was to improve our performances in the ODIs. He's made a good start ( ironically in the Test arena !) and we are playing better cricket, but there will be falls along the way.

Having said that I'm much more optimistic for the T20 world cup under the new management. I agree with Iceman , T20 is more tickle, but hopefully if it gets young kids into playing cricket then that can only be a good thing. I have to admit that although I'm a test cricket armchair fan , the only first class tickets I've bought so far in 2016 are for the T20 Lancashire v Yorkshire on 3rd June. If last seasons games are anything to go by , we'll have another great night of cricket followed by another great night of celebrations in Manchester ! Come on Lancs !

OOT, thats the biggest problem for me. ie T20 being the reason why kids want to play cricket, rather than the hard slog and patience of test cricket. Im a big fan of test cricket myself, and im not a fan of either the 50 or T20 formats. I was brought up watching test cricket, and have played 3 day cricket locally on an amateur level, but its great the longer format.

T20 has imo destroyed the test scene when it comes to young kids

[onlyonetugay]

OOT, thats the biggest problem for me. ie T20 being the reason why kids want to play cricket, rather than the hard slog and patience of test cricket. Im a big fan of test cricket myself, and im not a fan of either the 50 or T20 formats. I was brought up watching test cricket, and have played 3 day cricket locally on an amateur level, but its great the longer format.

T20 has imo destroyed the test scene when it comes to young kids

I take your points, but I think we have to accept that a match lasting 5 days in the modern era, is for the purists. I was brought up on test cricket but love watching cricket in any form . I also played " one day " cricket in the Lancashire League . The question is, if T20 didn't exist would more kids watch or be interested Test cricket ? I'm not so sure. My hope is that the young kids get into to cricket through going to watch T20 or watching it on TV and then as they get older learn to appreciate the longer form .

Edited February 15, 2016 by onlyonetugay

[Al]

Congratulations to South Africa , any team that comes from 0-2 down to win 3-2 deserves the plaudits. We had chances to put this series to bed , but dropped catches cost us, on top of two catastrophic batting collapses.

In response to an earlier post I think we have to be careful about down playing ODI cricket. Granted , for England , South Africa and Australia, test cricket is still the holy grail. Personally I much prefer us to win the Ashes than win an ODI world cup.

However for India , the great cricketing powerhouse, and most of the rest , one day cricket is where it's at. One of the reasons Trevor Bayliss was appointed , was to improve our performances in the ODIs. He's made a good start ( ironically in the Test arena !) and we are playing better cricket, but there will be falls along the way.

Having said that I'm much more optimistic for the T20 world cup under the new management. I agree with Iceman , T20 is more tickle, but hopefully if it gets young kids into playing cricket then that can only be a good thing.

Although my first love is test cricket , I'm an armchair fan. The only first class tickets I've bought so far in 2016 are for the T20 Lancashire v Yorkshire on 3rd June. If last seasons games are anything to go by , we'll have another great night of cricket followed by another great night of celebrations in Manchester ! Come on Lancs !

PS It's time to forget about KP

Time to forget the best batsman we have? I think not!

[Mattyblue]

Biggest problem is the sport's complete move behind the paywall.

When I was a kid, I used to watch Test matches on TV throughout the summer holidays. Now, as the majority of kids don't have Sky, we've a lost generation.

Think back to the 2005 Ashes team, they were household names, 9 million people watching on Channel 4.

Now the Ashes gets around 900k watching.

Rugby Union now has a much higher profile than cricket- why? because the big events are on free to air television year in year out.

If Joe Root walked down the street, how many people would recognise him?

[onlyonetugay]

Biggest problem is the sport's complete move behind the paywall.

When I was a kid, I used to watch Test matches on TV throughout the summer holidays. Now, as the majority of kids don't have Sky, we've a lost generation.

Think back to the 2005 Ashes team, they were household names, 9 million people watching on Channel 4.

Now the Ashes gets around 900k watching.

Rugby Union now has a much higher profile than cricket- why? because the big events are on free to air television year in year out.

If Joe Root walked down the street, how many people would recognise him?

Yes I agree , cricket has sold it's soul, just like football and a number of other sports. Having said that , in my opinion Sky coverage is fantastic. Just like you as a kid I used to watch Test cricket on the BBC, but they took cricket for granted. I remember hating tennis because cricket coverage was severely restricted in Wimbledon fortnight and unless my memory is playing tricks , if there was some important horse race , they'd interrupt the coverage to cover that !

Edited February 15, 2016 by onlyonetugay

[Al]

Yes I agree , cricket has sold it's soul, just like football and a number of other sports. Having said that , in my opinion Sky coverage is fantastic. Just like you as a kid I used to watch Test cricket on the BBC, but they took cricket for granted. I remember hating tennis because cricket coverage was severely restricted in Wimbledon fortnight and unless my memory is playing tricks , if there was some important horse race , they'd interrupt the coverage to cover that !

I had that reaction to tennis too. Still hate it.

[K-Hod]

It's the worst thing about not having Sky. Absolutely no chance of watching cricket! Have to catch it at my folks' gaff. Granted it's only a mile down the road but it's just a chore!

[den]

I remember watching the roses game live on Granada for three days - many years ago. Come 6O'clock on the third day, closing overs being bowled with the result in the balance, Granada just finished the programme to go to the news. They never showed the final overs. Happy about that I was.

Edited February 15, 2016 by den

[onlyonetugay]

It's the worst thing about not having Sky. Absolutely no chance of watching cricket! Have to catch it at my folks' gaff. Granted it's only a mile down the road but it's just a chore!

I resisted Sky for many years but then they bought the cricket coverage and I had no choice but to subscribe . It annoyed me and it still does. If it ever goes back to free to air , I'd cancel my sky subscription in an instant.

[onlyonejackwalker]

I resisted Sky for many years but then they bought the cricket coverage and I had no choice but to subscribe . It annoyed me and it still does. If it ever goes back to free to air , I'd cancel my sky subscription in an instant.

First time ever I have not had Sky this year. Not missed the football, apart from the odd game, but have missed the cricket very much, especially with us doing so well in the test arena.

Not concerned at losing the one dayer's. Bet the players are dying to come home. Very pleased with the test performances against a decent side.

[Mattyblue]

Not concerned at losing the one dayer's. Bet the players are dying to come home. Very pleased with the test performances against a decent side.

Straight on to India for the Twenty20 World Cup for some of them.

For the ones that also did the full tour of the UAE from early October, that's some schedule.

[onlyonetugay]

As a lover of test cricket , but with an understanding of the pull of T20, this worries me

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-3449798/It-s-real-fear-no-Test-cricket-10-years-Sportsmail-s-experts-threat-posed-rise-Twenty20.html

Edited February 17, 2016 by onlyonetugay

[Iceman]

As a lover of test cricket , but with an understanding of the pull of T20, this worries me

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-3449798/It-s-real-fear-no-Test-cricket-10-years-Sportsmail-s-experts-threat-posed-rise-Twenty20.html

as i said to you previously OOT, the ICC is turning cricket into a circus with T20. I hate the format of the game, because imo its just not cricket. I dont care what people say, whether it be a refreshing change or something else, it becomes a problem, because what the kids see, is throwing the bat at ball, and not being taught proper technique and concentration.

[onlyonetugay]

as i said to you previously OOT, the ICC is turning cricket into a circus with T20. I hate the format of the game, because imo its just not cricket. I dont care what people say, whether it be a refreshing change or something else, it becomes a problem, because what the kids see, is throwing the bat at ball, and not being taught proper technique and concentration.

As I imply in my post, I agree with you to an extent . However would elimination of T20 mean that more kids would take up the longer form of the game ? I just think cricket would end up as an even more minority sport than it is now.

Test cricket is thriving in Australia and England , despite T20 . Ticket sales for the first 3 days are going well for the England v Sri Lanka and Pakistan test matches this summer . They are struggling to sell for the 4th day but that's due to last years 3 day Ashes matches and people thinking they'll not last more than 3 days ! ( probably due to the influence of ODI and T20 with players moving from one to the other )

What makes these two countries different from the rest?

Edited February 18, 2016 by onlyonetugay

[onlyonetugay]

Just another point about T20 , if franchises are introduced, I could never see myself watching/supporting Manchester Maniacs v Leeds Lunatics , that really would be the end for me

[gumboots]

Quite agree. It's not T20 that is bad. It's the idea of franchises. I watch all formats of the game, different challenges, differently interesting. But I wouldn't go to watch a franchise. Football is bad enough with players moving increasingly often but buying players in for a few week tournament goes against how I want to watch my sport.

[chaddyrovers]

Not a fan of the T20 at all anymore.

Been made about money and stupid franchises