My dear old things, it's STW TMS!

Come on Jimmy, you missed that c&b, now inswinger top of off and wicket cartwheel

Bah.

?

:,0(

No Sunday cricket then

For the final time,

The Burnley express departs.

That’s over, Jimmy.

Go well!

Lords gave him a decent send off – pretty much a full house – didn’t see him necking a pint on the balcony though – looks as if he might have done that a couple of times before.

Greatest fast bowler I’ve seen, his mastery of swing bowling is unprecedented.
loved watching him set batsmen up like a spinner.

Just a shy lad from the Lancashire league. Class act.

Graham Thorpe has died aged 55. Proper gutsy battler at a time when England were playing against some fearsome attacks.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/c06kkkkjmz6o

Very sad news

A very sad day indeed. The word great is over used but he was a great player, tough opponent and a great player for Surrey and England.

RIP

A class act, whose average was better in Australia than his overall one. Against McGrath, Warne etc shows his quality.

Aye, a real shame. Great player.

It gets worse 🙁

https://news.sky.com/story/graham-thorpes-wife-reveals-former-england-cricketer-died-by-suicide-13195870

I tried in my early 20s, and seriously contemplated again 6 or so years ago before getting help.

Please FFS talk to someone, anyone. 🙁

Yes, today’s revelations are so sad. Poor guy. And his family. I’m assuming it was a well kept secret amongst those that knew him professionally. His public persona was of such a together, strong dependable person – I guess the typical person who carries this stuff without seeking help or others having concerns…..until it’s too late.

His public persona was of such a together, strong dependable person

TBH he came across as very (maybe a bit too) intense to me. Don’t know if that is my bias having heard/read things that his contemporaries said. It’s not intended as a criticism, just an observation.

Poor bloke. It doesn’t sound like anything was missed so much as he just couldn’t recover enough. This is why mental illness needs the same recognition as physical illness. People shake their heads when strong, athletic people get cancer – “but he kept himself fit, didn’t smoke” etc. It is the same with mental illness “she always seemed so ‘together’ and ‘normal'”. It can strike any one of us at any time. All of a sudden perspective and fortitude can disappear.

RIP.

So sad. RIP Thorpey.

The world felt a better place when he was at the crease. RIP.

“We are not ashamed of talking about it,” said Thorpe’s daughter Kitty. “There is nothing to hide and it is not a stigma. We were trying to help him get better before and trying to protect him, which is why we said nothing. This is the time now to share the news, however horrible it is. We’ve wanted to be able to talk and share and we’d now like to raise awareness, too.

“He had loved life and he loved us but he just couldn’t see a way out. It was heartbreaking to see how withdrawn he had become. He was not the same person. It was strange to see this person trapped in the body of Dad. That’s why we’ve been so happy that the many reflections have been about his life before this illness took over. I’m glad that’s how everyone does remember him, rightly so, as the complete character he was.”

RIP

A terrible loss, top player, top bloke.

A happier cricket story – it’s old but cropped up on my SM feed earlier

**

MARK NICHOLAS for “The Cricket Monthly”

In Swansea in 1993, Viv was on strike to Marshall in a county match between Glamorgan and Hampshire. These were contests to savour, us hackers briefly living in a parallel universe with the greatest players of the day.

Malcolm sprinted in, but at the split second of his delivery stride Viv pulled away, clearly furious. There was silence. We looked at each other, then at him: no one dared say a word.

He marched forward, a smouldering warrior, and screamed, “HEY!” He was most of the way down the pitch now, marching faster with each step, thankfully past Marshall and past the umpire. “YOU!” Nothing, bar the horrified look on the spectators either side of and above the sightscreen. “THAT’S YOU! ” He was halfway to the boundary now and pointing to a spot just above the sightscreen, pointing to a man who was sitting alone, lost in the newspaper that hid his face. “YOU! ” Alerted by those around him, the man looked up from his broadsheet and, startled, pointed at himself like, “WHAT, ME?”. “YES, YOU!!!

“YOU’VE GOT DAVID GOWER AND ROBIN SMITH AT SLIP; YOU’VE GOT MALCOLM MARSHALL, THE GREATEST FAST BOWLER IN THE WORLD, BOWLING TO VIVIAN RICHARDS. AND YOU READING THE F***ING NEWSPAPER!?!

I felt very privileged to see the Hampshire team of the late 80’s & early 90’s. It didn’t do my A-level results much good as we used to bunk off and get a train into Southampton to watch them play!

First first class game I saw was at Southampton in the mid 80’s, while Gower was still at Leics. It was a one day cup game, B&H IIRC and my folks allowed me to get the train down there to watch my batting hero.

I had a seat at midwicket / cover so you couldn’t see the ball out of the hand very easily; my memory was of Macho bustling in, his fast arm, a languid curly haired waft of a drive, and someone at cover turning to jog after the ball as it raced to the boundary. Marshall looked like he was trying his arse off; Gower like he couldn’t care less, this was just a way to pass time before he had a social event to be at later. Two of the Gods of the game, at the peak of their powers, as the article above says descended to play among mortals for a young lad’s entertainment.

He made 20-odd if I recall, each run glorious and then a waft too many. Ah well, there was always tomorrow, or the day after. Sadly Marshall did not have anywhere near enough tomorrows. Robin Smith made 80 in the chase; now he did take things seriously.

Lovely story – the cynic in me says check for corroboration if it was told by Oily Nicholas…

I only saw Macco bowling live once – Oval 91. He was quick and skiddy but overshadowed on that occasion by Patterson and particularly Ambrose who went after the batters like fury. Huw Morris in particular stood up to them admirably, but it did no good. Simply surviving at the crease wasn’t enough even back then – he was dropped and forgotten soon after. The thing about Marshall is to look at the numbers and also his numbers on the subcontinent. Back in the day before reverse swing was mainstream that speaks of an incredibly skilful athlete. Batters always said they never felt ‘in’ against Marshall and the numbers bear that out.

Three West Indian cricketers have scored 10000 first class runs and taken 1000 first class wickets…..

And I have heard that story from other sources too

Over by lunch at this rate ……

I love test cricket, but if they can’t do something to make these series more competitive it’s hard to see it flourishing. Same when England go to India or Australia and get thrashed. The only “good” series these days seem to be when a stronger nation tours to a weaker one.

I have tickets for Saturday and even with the 3 day results we’re seeing more regularly I thought the weather might guarantee some viewing but maybe not!

RM.

Sri Lanka showing some fight, good to see.

Yes, good to see, but to be honest mopping up the tail has been a bit of an issue for England for a while now. Not sure if they just get too cute. You’d think having the option of Mark Wood steaming in at the number 10 would be simple enough.

A good game brewing, with some big hitting and Aussie wickets falling. Livingstone hit Starc for 28 from the final over – most ever in an international oner at Lords.

Sounds like some needle in the commentary box between Geoff Lemon and Sir Alistair.

2-2, series set up nicely.

yep – shame the weather’s not better for Sunday. I’d have settled in with a cuppa and some cake to watch it

Also worth bearing in mind Aus had won 7 or 8 in a row or something, so good to break the run, and even better put them on a losing streak

7 or 8 in a row or something

I think the run was 15 wins in 50 over ODIs

Marsh wicket from Jofra was a beaut.

I bought my ticket for the first test in Christchurch today. Test match Cricket and  mountain biking in the port hills what better ways are there to spend your time.(hope the weather is good))

Was just typing how Salt was peppering the boundary…….as he was caught on it. Good start.

Damp squib ending to the international home game cricketing summer

let’s be fair, the ‘season’ ended about 3 or 4 weeks ago. Why we’re still playing international games with a potential for clubs to spend loads in prepping grounds on the last weekend of September is daft.

What on earth is the point of this game being played on this wicket? How mind-numbingly dull.

Hot hot hot. Some stint by root.

Draw?