Test Match Thread.

Blimey.....we back talking about cricket?

Don't tell Scott.

Although, given his earlier chemically inspired explosive burst of posting, he's probably coming down now somewhere under a motorway bridge in a puddle of his own piss.

I have a serious problem with modern day cricket.
20/20 and limited over cricket in general,has killed it as a game for me.
The powers that be are now even contemplating 4 day Test Matches. 3 day Test Matches won't be far behind.
It's a great game. Stop messing with it,and stop pandering to an audience that seems to have the attention span of a gnat.

God I hate cricket

boltonbonce wrote:I have a serious problem with modern day cricket.
20/20 and limited over cricket in general,has killed it as a game for me.
The powers that be are now even contemplating 4 day Test Matches. 3 day Test Matches won't be far behind.
It's a great game. Stop messing with it,and stop pandering to an audience that seems to have the attention span of a gnat.

I understand what you are saying Bonce but cricket had to evolve what with other sports getting all the money and exposure.

Like you I'm a test match cricket fan (who wouldn't be with all day drinking) and that should not be messed with under any circumstances.

Nothing against the one day format,but there's simply too much of it. No wonder players are mentally stressed.
I've already forgotten the World Cup. And I wouldn't even waste my time watching the IPL.
Maybe it's an age thing. Oh for the days of Chris Tavare putting me into a coma!

It's wilfully trying to go the same way as football (Copps' point I think) and I can understand that to a point but like you two, I'm a massive Test Match fan because it's the best form of the game in my opinion.

It's nuanced in a way that "Whoever hits the most sixes" T20 isn't.

T20 is cricket stripped back for the masses and I understand why it's needed and I like it for what it is but it'll never take the place of Test matches for me.

Next up,
4 stumps.
I wouldn't put it past them.

I've watched a bit of the IPL and it can be entertaining.

Dancing girls, crazy Indians jumping up and down and Chris Gayle trying to take out the Hubble Space Telescope.

It still doesn't come close to the arts of test match cricket.

Do we sound like snobs?



Where's my MCC tie.....?

Women....? No fucking chance!

It looks like 'It's a Knockout'. I half expect captain of the Madras Mandibles,or whatever their name is,to come out and play his joker.

boltonbonce wrote:It looks like 'It's a Knockout'. I half expect captain of the Madras Mandibles,or whatever their name is,to come out and play his joker.

Meanwhile, Stuart Hall's in the hot tub "interviewing" the dancing girls.

Only the young looking ones, obviously.

Still can't believe he was "one of them".

Listening to his two minute eulogies on Final Score about what had happened that afternoon at Anfield used to be a staple of my Saturday tea-time.

Bastard.

Just glad Eddie Waring's reputation remains unsullied.

(For now.)

This still kills me.

I don't know about snobs.

The last time I was at Old Trafford for a test match me and a chum snuck in to the members area and had 5 free pints of Warsteiner each.

I was just getting comfortable helping myself to nibbles and talking to a Rawtenstall fan when a hand came on my shoulder.

We were thrown out so we got a Gin and tonic and went in the Prayer tent (we were playing Pakistan) where there were cushions and mats. No one came in the tent, so there was no fatwa made against us.

Copper Dragon wrote:I don't know about snobs.

The last time I was at Old Trafford for a test match me and a chum snuck in to the members area and had 5 free pints of Warsteiner each.

I was just getting comfortable helping myself to nibbles and talking to a Rawtenstall fan when a hand came on my shoulder.

We were thrown out so we got a Gin and tonic and went in the Prayer tent (we were playing Pakistan) where there were cushions and mats. No one came in the tent, so there was no fatwa made against us.

How the fuck do you follow that.....?

The advantage in cricket is now far too much in favour of batsmen. The pitches generally offer little assistance to bowlers and technology has improved the striking power of bats massively: even edges can go for 6.

 In one-day matches, the fielding restrictions and shorter boundaries are ludicrously biased towards the batting side, so that the contest between bat and ball is not even and therefore unnecessarily dull. Spectators enjoy wickets and catches just as much as great stroke-play, so even up the contest.

 It was much too easy for Windies' tail-enders to bat for hours on that pitch yesterday and play became tedious.  For maximum interest, there has to be the sense that a wicket could fall at any time. Long, lingering tension is unique to cricket; don't let that be allowed to disappear.

Delayed start. It's bloody raining.

I'm taking advantage of the rain delay to polish my car.

And no, that's not a euphemism for reading a catalogue.

I've spent the past ten minutes trying to persuade a cold caller that I don't need to make a will.
She seemed deeply concerned. 
In the end I got youtube up and played Jimmy Young singing 'The Man From Laramie' until I heard her hang up.I've used other singers,but Jimmy is the best. Always works.

I've posted it before, but you can't beat this for dealing with cold callers:

Golden Boys live forever.