Cricket: More Than a Game

We have 2 tests in New Zealand in March, 2 tests vs Pakistan at Lords and Headingly in July, we host the Bangers for 2 tests in August then The Ashes in November.

All amongst far too much T20 and F50 including the October cash cow series in India in October to play 7 utterly meaningless matches. And who could forget the World T20 championship in April. I hope they run it better than the last World Cup.

As for England in Bangladesh - KP seems so thoroughly out of sorts that even the Bangers should be able to knock him over with KP Plan A. Mid on, mid wicket and wait for him to shovel one across the line.

And you're very pessimistic about the 7-for. The fact that he got most of them in a single spell means others didn't really get the chance.

That's not much first rate for competition for Australia before the Ashes, definite cause for concern. New Zealand can be good, but the rest isn't likely to be much competition.

Bruce wrote:

And you're very pessimistic about the 7-for. The fact that he got most of them in a single spell means others didn't really get the chance.

True, but I'm used to lack of penetration from our bowling attack, especially after we let the English off a few times. Thankfully there is a better distribution of wickets in this innings.

India just look like they're committing suicide now. I suspect Kirsten will be asking for the South African job soon.

edit

*air punch*

Was thinking that we may need to bat again, what a relief.

Another 10 wicket match for Steyn in only his 37th test. He is bloody awesome.

He is amazing. Came out of nowhere and just totally dominated everyone. It's easy to forget how new he is and he's the senior bowler in the team, he's constantly coaching the younger guys. I think he's going to be lurking around the top of the rankings for a long time.

There are, of course, rumours that around the end of Day 3, the Indian selectors were trying to find the Brigadier's phone number...

Hehehe, Colly as the new Indian Batting coach, curriculum; 'How to stick around frustratingly and not try to go out in a blaze of glory.'

But cricket also plays fast and loose with nationalities. *cough* Eoin Morgan *cough* So he could probably play for them because his Great-granddad was stationed in Calcutta in the old days.

I watched at least the highlights of most of the 5 days play - but where were the crowds ? As far as I could tell, there were about 50 people in the ground who weren't schoolkids, the latter of whom seemed to be making a noise designed to annoy any passing canines.

My mind still goes back to that chance Amla offered when he was about 60, when the ball went between keeper and first slip without either actually bothering to move. Still, fine bowling performance.

I'd love to see some highlights from Steyn's tearaway, but the videos I've found have all been clamped down on by the BCCI.

Understandably, I suppose, but surely those sort of clips are good for the game?

davet010 wrote:

Say hello to 27 seasons of following the Bengals

PS - As far as the Colts go, I remember Channel 4 actually showing pictures of the artics packing up and moving off the week after it happened.

I feel your pain, Dave.
Maybe not all 27 seasons of it, but having watched some of the Bengals in the 80's & 90's, I know where you're coming from.

The heart-attack Colts have hard to support over the last ten years, too. Because you know they're the best team on the field, but will get beat by a missed field goal or a dropped pass and will proceed to get torn apart by the haters over their failure to execute.

The lack of crowd was perturbing. Indian games are usually full, so I wonder what the issue there was.

Haakon07, maybe the videos here are not blocked. Not too sure what's there, but I'm sure the relevant highlights are available.

http://www.supersport.com/video/defa...

MrDeVil909 wrote:

Haakon07, maybe the videos here are not blocked. Not too sure what's there, but I'm sure the relevant highlights are available.

Well, you're right. The video is there but content laws won't let me access them because I'm in a different country.

Thanks for the thought, though, de Villiers!

Bugger.

You could try here perhaps:
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...

Ugh.

As good as we were in the first test, that's how bad we have been in the second.

You had one awful session and are paying the price.

From 1/218 to all out 296 - ouch. But we've done it too and too often in the last 2 years.

Modern batsmen just don't seem capable of pulling their heads in and riding out a tough period. They are all flat track bullies from 1-8 in almost every team.

Sadly that's true. I do expect more from Kallis and De Villiers though. I expected Prince to do better down the order, he must be on his last chance now. And Duminy is proving to be a one hit wonder, at least he can bowl now.

250-7 going into the final session, both Amla and Parnell playing well when I left for work during the middle session, and at least not getting too bogged down.

Let's see how much they've picked up from the Blockmeister.

Parnell had a brainfart and hit one down Harbhajan's throat. Harris can stick around, and needs to. 25 overs to draw.

Come on SA !

Gaaaaahhhhhhh, 7 overs left and one wicket in hand.

The tension is killing me.

*edit*

Well, sh*t.

*edit again*

The game was essentially over when De Villiers was out this morning. Morkel did well to last as long as he did, he showed Graham Onions like determination and gave a faint ray of hope.

Our middle order needs urgent rethinking.

Watched the end of Australia's innings in the latest ODI. and it's clear that the West Indies have given up even attempting to look like they are bothered. Gayle is completely passive as a captain, just allows the batting side to dictate the pace. Fielding was largely shambolic as usual, with some quality drops that had the spectators in stitches, and Hinds (I think) completely misjudged a slog, coming in about 10 yards from his boundary position and then having the ball sail over his head. All the while Gayle is stood there in a little world of his own, smiling benignly.

Australia ended up 324-5. And a quick check of the scorecard shows WI....39-4.

Are the Aussie team good ? Yes. Are they THAT good ? No.

The hubris here is killing me. All the press want to talk about is this golden, undefeated summer as if it bodes well for The Ashes. Ignoring completely how poor Pakistan and the West Indies have been.

Hopefully the Windies win this afternoon's T20 so we can shut that talk down.

Could be worse....if it were the English press, they'd have started off with how poor Pakistan and WI had been.

going undefeated is still a good effort but I agree beating west indies A and a pakistan that seemed to have no real direction or intent hardly indicates the strength needed to beat an england side that seems to have a lot of determination about it.

Australia's batting has been mediocre at best. When they have got big scores it has been because the opposition attack has not been able to bowl consistantly. When the opposistion got it together it has only been some lack lustre batting from them combined with some good bowling that has saved us.

On a more positive note I would say Australia now has a very good selection of fast bowlers to choose from. Both Bollinger and Hilfenhaus have performed at the top level and Johnson while perhaps not as devastating is at least bowling more consistantly at first change and siddle continues to provide good aggression.

IMAGE(http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/47364000/jpg/_47364724_tend.jpg)

This is Sachin Tendulkar. I do not know who that is.

Apparently, he has hit a "Double Ton". I do not know what that is, other than apparently it means he was 200 Not Out. That's a lot of swings, i'm sure.

So, India just kicked South Africa's ass, right?

You're catching on. They slaughtered us, although we helped with our own stupidity.

Tendulkar scored 200 runs at more than a run a ball. He has the highest score in the history of 50 over cricket.

He is a true legend, he's been playing for his country since he was 16.

And holy crap, the Wikipedia page already has his double century on it.

*edit*
I tried to type out a simple explanation of the sport, but I found this instead.

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cri...

It does get far more technical, but this will serve as a primer.

I was in meetings most of the day today, which means out and about in London, so I had no idea it was going on until I walked into a pub for lunch. I managed to see him squirt the last few runs away and celebrate, then it was the interval, where I promptly saw what I had missed. Wow.

Pred, a ton is slang for a century, or one hundred runs. A double ton is... well, you get the idea. 200* (where *=not out, meaning he did not lose his wicket while batting) is a phenomenal achievement in the one day game, as DeVil has already said.

If you can find some highlights, watch them. He really did look imperious. I only hope I can bat like that by the time I'm 36.

Haakon7 wrote:

I was in meetings most of the day today, which means out and about in London, so I had no idea it was going on until I walked into a pub for lunch. I managed to see him squirt the last few runs away and celebrate, then it was the interval, where I promptly saw what I had missed. Wow.

Pred, a ton is slang for a century, or one hundred runs. A double ton is... well, you get the idea. 200* (where *=not out, meaning he did not lose his wicket while batting) is a phenomenal achievement in the one day game, as DeVil has already said.

If you can find some highlights, watch them. He really did look imperious. I only hope I can bat like that by the time I'm 36. :D

If you get deliveries like some of them, you won't get a duck

It looked like Bangladesh had stolen our uniforms and taken to the field. The pitch was pretty flat and easy for the batsmen, but our bowlers did a very poor job.

And our batsmen just threw it away, we could have chased it down if the batsmen kept their heads.

What happened to the team that chased down 420 just a couple of years ago?