UPDATE: Reviews section refreshed, redesigned, searchable: Go take a look
It's crackpot but (possibly for the last time)
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!!!
No issue with Stokes going in, but after that go back to normal and chase the runs. Gay in at 3, Bethell down to 6, easy. But no, we had to go full moron. Not a good look.
think they will be for the chop now.
I can only hope so. I've had more than enough of them failing to prepare and giving it away.
Thread resurrection, to discuss cheating at the lower levels of the game. Keep your sandpaper, your dirt in the pocket to dry the ball, this is far better. Not least for the nickname that's been given to the perpetrator (and I won't spoil it, read the article to find out)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/cg7m5grrp7ko
My social media feeds are absolutely full of 1) this guy Clicky Ponting, and some excellent analysis of how many catches the wicketkeeper takes in matches he plays vs those he doesn't; and 2) absolutely slating the Hundred
absolutely slating the Hundred
Me and my son absolutely enjoy watching the 100. Is it me or do the crowds seem down this year?
A lot of people have suggested that, definitely, and contrasting it with crowds for the One Day cup
The issue that the Hundred has that franchise cricket doesn't in other countries is that the British like history and rivalry in there sport team, and generally some link to an area. Our football teams have been around forever adn the only on that's dare move area (MK Dons) is generally considered an outcast. The county sides have long histories that people can get behind, MI London or Sunrisers Leeds don't have that so once the free tickets and the new thing bounce is done it was always going to struggle. I also thing there's a growing feeling that we need to stop making things that appeal to Indian teenagers and start listening to people who actual like and watch cricket. Make them ambassadors of the game, and get them to bring other people on that journey.
As for Clicky Ponting, well that's just not cricket at all...
Not least for the nickname that's been given to the perpetrator
The club have royally thrown him under the bus when it cannot have been an 'unknown' thing to the team/other players. The club should be sharing the blame and protecting/supporting him.
They should also have posted a link to their apology with a 'click here' to access it...
On Clicky Ponting, has there been any mention of the keeper? Or any of the other slips? They'll know damn well that the sound came from beside them, not the bat, but all go up nonetheless - they're far from innocent in this.
The issue that the Hundred has that franchise cricket doesn't in other countries is that the British like history and rivalry in there sport team
Fair point. But there's also the ECB taking one of the foundational aspects of cricket of any type (overs are 6 balls long) and just binning it for some marketing BS. It's always been an absolutely ridiculous decision, and frankly shows that the ECB are unqualified to manage the game in England and Wales.
Make it a standard T20 franchise format, and while it may still have those challenges of team history and heritage, it'd be a far far easier sell
taking one of the foundational aspects of cricket of any type (overs are 6 balls long) and just binning it for some marketing BS.
To be fair the 6 ball over has not been a universal that long in the big scheme of things. It was only a thing in the first place in 1900 (before that it was 5 and early 4 ball overs) and from 1918 to 1979 Australia, South Africa and New Zealand used 8 ball overs.
But agreed with the above - franchise sport is just does not seem to appeal to the British, especially when overlaid over traditional grounds and names etc. So if no one actually cares about the result between two manufactured for profit teams you are reliant on entertainment by the spectacle. And....if you only have a passing interest in cricket there are only so many balls being bashed before you feel you've ticked the been there seen it done it box. And....if you are into cricket the lack of nuance of tactics or ebb and flow in bishbash cricket it means there's not much to get your teeth stuck into.
And Clicky Ponting......I don't get it. Unless he is some sort of mystic he doesn't know when the batsman is going to 'just' miss the ball in time to snap his fingers. I suppose if they hit it, no drama as the noise of the bat hitting the ball drowns out his finger click. But if they miss it by 6 inches and Clicky snaps his finger it's going to be well sus!
I like the Hundred. I have a job so I don't have time to sit and watch cricket for hours and I like that I can watch some quality cricket in two and a half hours and get a result. 5 balls an over is fine and with the 10 balls from each end rule the games move on more quickly. I believe the requirement from terrestrial TV was a game that lasted 2.5 hours for scheduling so it was either 17 six ball overs or a new format.
Contrast that to county cricket which I love on the radio, but to go and watch it's soooo slooooow. That's why some counties have an average of 200 spectators per day.
There's 70 counties in England and Wales. Only 18 of them play first class cricket and they are very specific - you either live in Yorkshire or you don't. So if you live in say Hertfordshire who do you follow in the Blast? With the Hundred it's more regional "Northern Superchargers", "Southern Brave", " Welsh Fire", etc so the idea is everyone is in the catchment area of a team.
Crowds are down this year because tickets have doubled in price. It used to be £5 for children and £20 for adults. Now most tickets are £40 or £50 for the better seats. That's just stupid.
And while we are at it - Fleming and Root.....maybe the best that could have been done.
Another Kiwi that was a successful red ball captain but with zero red ball coaching to his name. But he seems a good guy and has enough of a relationship with Macullum that the two should be able to do their jobs in tandem.
And Root...probably the only choice for test captain given a combination of Brook being Brook and his workload across 3 formats. Maybe the idea is Root will hold the role until Bethell has more experience. I hope that a Root that has played through the Bazball era might be a little more creative as a captain this time around.
Fleming was a brilliant captain but he lack of recent red ball experience is a concern. I don't hate the appointment but I don't love it either.
Root, I suspect like most people, I'm conflicted on. I'm not sure he's a particularly good captain, and if there's even half a chance that is shortens his England career then this is not good. But, who else is there? Not Brook, so Bethell? Duckett? Who knows?
