Cricket's back!

boltonbonce wrote:The first time I went to see Viv Richards, he was out for 3. Thoughtless bastard.

He speaks well of you, though....

Loved watching Sir Viv as a kid but never saw him play in the flesh unfortunately. I did see him, Botham and David Gower coming out of the commentary box a few years ago so thats as close as i got 

What a player. Never seen a cricketer play the ball so late. He had eyes like a hawk.
Used to love his entrance too. A long pause before he eventually emerged from the dressing room, then a languid swagger to the wicket. No helmet of course.
Intimidation on legs.

Clive Lloyd was my hero - huge man who made batting look so easy and I always felt Lancashire were in with a shout whilst he played for us which was pretty much all of his career. And he hit the ball so damn hard. Absolutely riveting watch.

And what a fielder, Lusty! Telescopic arms in the covers, brilliant catcher in the slips. 

Murali was incredible....didn't look like an athlete at all but I stared, mouth open in astonishment, when a ball was skied yards and yards away from him in the outfield. I gave him no chance of getting to it but his little legs propelled him at breakneck speed to take a scintillating catch on the run....didn't even have to dive!

 Deceptive athletes....who strikes you as a most unlikely star? Brickfeet?

boltonbonce wrote:What a player. Never seen a cricketer play the ball so late. He had eyes like a hawk.
Used to love his entrance too. A long pause before he eventually emerged from the dressing room, then a languid swagger to the wicket. No helmet of course.
Intimidation on legs.

My (vivid!) memories of Viv are of him stepping across to his off stump and just nonchalently flicking a rapid delivery over square leg time and again for six, still chewing his gum and swaggering down the pitch to eye the bowler's reaction.

Until one day he had a nasty attack of piles and could hardly move!

There's a great story about a bloke who'd taken his girlfriend to OT, and Clive and little Harry Pilling were batting together.
'Which one is Clive Lloyd'? asked the girl.
The one in the glasses', came the reply.

Bumble mentioned this on TV during England's Test against W.I. at OT this week when they were discussing the outstanding cricketers who had played as professionals in the Lancashire League:-

In 1964, playing for Burnley, fearsome West Indian,Charlie Griffiths took 144 wickets at an average of 5.20!!! Imagine facing him!

Put an hour aside. Well worth it.

I can imagine it goes something like this

I worked down pit for 73 hours just in my undies and then went straight to match and bowled 87 overs in a row in my hob nail boots, modern cricketers have it easy 

I had the pleasure of being at the 1st ODI V West Indies at OT in 84 to see Viv's legendary 189 not out. Windies batted 1st and were reduced to something like 160 for 9 as Holding came out to the middle to join Viv who at that stage was about 90 odd not out. Still remember about 3 of the sixes flying over my head as I watched on in amazement like everyone else. He made it look all so effortless as well.West Indies ended with a score of about 270 of which Viv had scored 189no. They won easily of course but what a fabulous day's cricket.

Thought I'd post this up for any cricket fans we have, it is Matt Parkinson of Lancashire today who did this to Northants Rossington.

The greatest wicket taking delivery by a blonde haired leggy at @EmiratesOT?

We can't think of any better, @mattyparky96...

#RedRoseTogether @ShaneWarne pic.twitter.com/xrUOQtt4wW

— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) April 16, 2021

Who did it better? @ShaneWarne, @mattyparky96

#RedRoseTogether pic.twitter.com/HwLQgwM9De

— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) April 16, 2021

Fifth Test at Old Trafford called off.

boltonbonce wrote:Fifth Test at Old Trafford called off.

Thought this was an interesting perspective -

'The IPL would have a lot to do with this' - analysis
BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew

This is quite bizarre because last night the players all passed their PCR tests. We went to bed thinking the match would go ahead.

I suspect the IPL would have a lot to do with this. It starts in 10 days' time. The players are on huge contacts. The IPL is worth £300m to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

They are desperate to protect their product and the players protect their contracts. This stands to cost the ECB £20m, one assumes there would be some negotiations about that with the BCCI.

It is a shame Covid has interfered with a brilliant series.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/58512624

IPL teams chartering planes .. 6 days quarantining required in the UAE .. 7 days till the tournament starts !!!! Don’t tell me the Test was cancelled for any other reason but the IPL ..

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 11, 2021

It does sound dodgy, the IPL has too much pull it seems. Test matches get lower down in the priorities which is a real shame.

Amazing win for Lancs just now!!!

I've been listening to the commentary all afternoon and it's been utterly nail-biting stuff!!!

We need two, they needed one wicket!

And if they had taken that wicket and won the game they would have been county champions themselves!!!

We now head the County Championship table in the last round of games and only Warwickshire can now beat us - if the win on the last day tomorrow against Summerset - and by just half a point!

Wonderful stuff and fingers crossed!


Just to give you a flavour of the match -

Lancs need 20 to win with 5 wickets in hand -

16:46
Hampshire need five wickets to win the title
Lancashire 176-5 (Target 196) v Hampshire

Posted at 16:50
WICKET Lamb c Holland b Crane 5
Lancashire 177-6 (Target 196) v Hampshire

Posted at 16:54
Lancs need 19 runs to win; Hants need four wickets to win title
Lancashire 177-6 (Target 196) v Hampshire

16:58
Lancashire need 17 runs to win
Lancashire 179-6 (Target 196) v Hampshire

17:01
Wood survives
Lancashire 180-6 (Target 196) v Hampshire
Hants appeal for a catch to Vince at slip but umpire Alex Wharf is unimpressed.

Posted at 17:05
Lancashire need 11 to win
Lancashire 185-6 (Target 196) v Hampshire

Posted at 17:07
Down into single figures
Lancashire 187-6 (Target 196) v Hampshire

Posted at 17:09
WICKET Wood c Weatherley b Crane 3
Lancashire 187-7 (Target 196) v Hampshire

Posted at 17:13
Lancashire need seven to win
Lancashire 189-7 (Target 196) v Hampshire.

17:14
Three to win
Dane Vilas dances down and hits Liam Dawson through midwicket for four.

Posted at 17:15
WICKET Bailey run out (Crane) 0
Lancashire 193-8 (Target 196) v Hampshire
Incredible! Tom Bailey is run out!

Posted at 17:18
Two to win
New man at the crease Jack Blatherwick scampers a single off his first ball.

17:21
WICKET Blatherwick c Weatherley b Crane 1
Lancashire 194-9 (Target 196) v Hampshire
Jack Blatherwick has gone!

17:22
Post update
Here comes number 11 Matt Parkinson. Everything is on the line.

Posted at 17:22
Post update
Wonderful leg spinner from Mason Crane fizzes and spins past Parkinson's bat. Close!

Posted at 17:23
Post update
Parkinson survives the last ball of Crane's over.
And breathe.
Over to Vilas...

Posted at 17:24
Post update
Dawson versus Vilas. Who will come out on top?
Two runs. One wicket. Maybe even a tie?

17:26
Post update
Vilas tries to cut. They think of a single. No run.

Posted at 17:26
BREAKING
LANCASHIRE BEAT HAMPSHIRE BY ONE WICKET
Lancashire 141 & 198-9 v Hampshire 143 & 193

Dane Vilas sweeps Liam Dawson for four through midwicket and Lancashire have won!

Hampshire's title hopes are over.

Lancashire have done what they can. Now they must hope Somerset prevent Warwickshire from winning at Edgbaston.

Posted at 17:30
Captain's knock
Lancashire 198-9 beat Hampshire by one wicket

With that boundary, Dane Vilas has played one of the great captain's innings. He ends 47 not out to drag Lancashire over the line.

Posted at 17:33
Hard luck Hampshire
Lancashire 141 & 198-9 beat Hampshire 143 & 193 by one wicket

Hampshire end up one wicket short of being County Champions. Their chance has gone.

Posted at 17:37
Hearts in mouths
Lancashire 141 & 198-9 beat Hampshire 143 & 193 by one wicket

From 177-5 and 187-6, Lancashire looked like they would get over the line with a little bit to spare. But to go from 177-5 to 194-9 showed that nerves were jangling with a run-out and a crazy decision from a number ten to take the bowling.

Crucially though, Vilas stayed in the middle. Other than the two balls at Matt Parkinson, Vilas' presence meant Lancashire were always favourites.

17:41
Lancashire at Lord's
Lancashire 141 & 198-9 beat Hampshire 143 & 193 by one wicket

One thing we do know from Lancashire's point after that dramatic victory. They can finish no lower than second in the table and so they will be in the Bob Willis Trophy Final at Lord's next week.

Sluffy wrote:Amazing win for Lancs just now!!!

I've been listening to the commentary all afternoon and it's been utterly nail-biting stuff!!!

We need two, they needed one wicket!

We now head the County Championship in the last round of games and only Warwickshire can now beat us - if the win on the last day tomorrow against Summerset - and by just half a point!

Wonderful stuff and fingers crossed!

Very tense. Catch the end here. (I wouldn't bother with the whole 7 hours).

Where were Buttler, Livingstone & Anderson?