Cricket

[Howardh]

The sheer number of runs being scored is getting silly. We need to get bowlers back into the game - otherwise kids simply won't want to bowl and we'll end up using bowling machines with tennis balls so they go further out of the ground.

Scrap powerplays - a pointless exercise in confusion.
Keep the 30-yrd circle but allow 6 outside it.
Allow one bowler to have an unlimited number of overs (clearly that's a max of 25 in 50 over games!)
In all cricket scrap the rule where you can't be out if you are hit outside the line of off stump if playing a shot. If it's gonna hit - you're out.

 

[Busaholic]

The sheer number of runs being scored is getting silly. We need to get bowlers back into the game - otherwise kids simply won't want to bowl and we'll end up using bowling machines with tennis balls so they go further out of the ground.

Scrap powerplays - a pointless exercise in confusion.
Keep the 30-yrd circle but allow 6 outside it.
Allow one bowler to have an unlimited number of overs (clearly that's a max of 25 in 50 over games!)
In all cricket scrap the rule where you can't be out if you are hit outside the line of off stump if playing a shot. If it's gonna hit - you're out.

I'd not really object to any of those, but on the overs bowled by any one bowler I'd make it 15 in a one day game and 6 in a T20, initially at least.

 

[Howardh]

I'd not really object to any of those, but on the overs bowled by any one bowler I'd make it 15 in a one day game and 6 in a T20, initially at least.

Just to clarify, you mean 3 bowlers can bowl 15 and one five, or all can bowl no more than 10 but one 15?

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

You could just change the size of the bats.
I've got my first cricket bat when I played juniors. The edge at it's thickest point is 13mm.
Here's what today's juniors get to play with:
http://www.cricketcentre.com.au/product-group/10071-gn-powerbow-1350-nat-ew-cricket-bat/product
That's a hell of a lot bigger than 13mm.

 

[Busaholic]

Just to clarify, you mean 3 bowlers can bowl 15 and one five, or all can bowl no more than 10 but one 15?

The former, Howard. I've always considered it rather unfair that if a side picks five bowlers and one gets injured, then they may have to introduce an occasional bowler. With my proposal it would still mean four bowlers would be needed, but those doing better could bowl more overs.

 

[Howardh]

The former, Howard. I've always considered it rather unfair that if a side picks five bowlers and one gets injured, then they may have to introduce an occasional bowler. With my proposal it would still mean four bowlers would be needed, but those doing better could bowl more overs.

Gotcha. I'm also in favour of restricting the size of bats. I'm not so sure I can pick one up these days, let alone bat with it. But when top edges go for 6 (and those awful "ramp" shots) then there's something wrong.

Questio for any umpires on here -

Club game, slow bowler on, fielders surround the bat.
Bowler bowls wide, it hits silly-point. But the ball rebounds towards the batsman who hits it for four.
Now, clearly it's a wide in the first place, but not if the batsman hits it. So what's the decision? I think he can't give a dead ball as it's gone wide in the first place (otherwise all wides would be dead balls??), but he should as it's hit a fielder first!

Also - very slow bowler, batsman charges down the wicket for a heave-ho but misses. Ball then hits the base of the stumps, but the bails stay on. Ball rolls back towards the batter, who hits it for runs. Verdict? (NB - I've seen it happen on a primary school playground when they were using a tennis or soft ball!!)
More likely senario, batter is yorked off a no-ball, and the ball rolls towards him. Then what?
*Note, if it's a no ball, and the stumps are broken, and the ball runs away, the batsmen can still run for byes (until they stop or the wicket is removed) but they won't have hit the ball after it has hit the stumps..

 

[vrbarreto]

Gotcha. I'm also in favour of restricting the size of bats. I'm not so sure I can pick one up these days, let alone bat with it. But when top edges go for 6 (and those awful "ramp" shots) then there's something wrong.

Questio for any umpires on here -

Club game, slow bowler on, fielders surround the bat.
Bowler bowls wide, it hits silly-point. But the ball rebounds towards the batsman who hits it for four.
Now, clearly it's a wide in the first place, but not if the batsman hits it. So what's the decision? I think he can't give a dead ball as it's gone wide in the first place (otherwise all wides would be dead balls??), but he should as it's hit a fielder first!

Also - very slow bowler, batsman charges down the wicket for a heave-ho but misses. Ball then hits the base of the stumps, but the bails stay on. Ball rolls back towards the batter, who hits it for runs. Verdict? (NB - I've seen it happen on a primary school playground when they were using a tennis or soft ball!!)
More likely senario, batter is yorked off a no-ball, and the ball rolls towards him. Then what?
*Note, if it's a no ball, and the stumps are broken, and the ball runs away, the batsmen can still run for byes (until they stop or the wicket is removed) but they won't have hit the ball after it has hit the stumps..

I would suspect it would depend on at what point the ball becomes 'dead'

I've only umpired in friendly games but I suppose it's not a wide when it went past the batsman.. No ball territory definitely!

Ball hitting the stump scenario.. You haven't hit it and it hasn't gone past the stumps so you can hit it wherever you like, the balls still live..

My 2 pennies worth. Oh yeah.. opener def out LBW first ball.. Def didn't get a massive inside edge, or pitched outside leg or foot over no ball...no sireee!.

I used to have a bigger bat.. Even if you edged it, the edges were so big that the ball tended to fly very quickly and quite high.. hence if you're going to flash then flash hard.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Second ODI match

India 381-6 (50 overs)
Yuvrav 150
Dhoni 134
Woakes 4-60

England 366-8 (50 overs)
Morgan 102
Roy 82
Moeen 55
Ashwin 3-65

India recovered from being 25-3 and won the match by 15 runs. Now two up in this series.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

In the last week or so of BBL:

Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Renegades
REN: 9/171
STR: 6/165

Melbourne Stars vs Brisbane Heat
STRS: 7/138
HEA: 3/139

Sydney Thunder vs Adelaide Strikers
STR: 5/178
THU: 101

Brisbane Heat vs Melbourne Renegades
RNG: 5/199
HEA 198

Hobart Hurricanes vs Perth Scorchers
HUR: 6/134
SCO: 3/135

Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Sixers
STRS: 8/156
SIX: 7/160

The top 4 at the end of the season:
Perth Scorchers
Brisbane Heat
Sydney Sixers
Melbourne Stars.

Big Semi 1 was between the Scorchers and the Stars. Fair to say the stars did thier now traditional choke. Johnson produced a massive 3/3 off 4 overs. Hussey also announced his retirement from cricket.

STRS: 8/136 off 20 overs
Gotch: 48
Hussey: 26

Johnson 3/3
Turner 1/11

SCO: 3/139 off 16.5 overs
S.Marsh 56
Bell: 26

Gulbis: 1/9
Stoinis: 1/15

Big Semi 2 was between the Heat and Sixers. An absloute thriller. Going to the Super over!

HEA: 9/167 off 20 overs.
McCullum: 47
Wildermuth: 29

Lyon 4/23
Abbott 4/40

SIX: 8/167 off 20 overs
Henriques: 64
Hughes: 46

Steketee: 2/21
Cutting: 1/14

SUPER OVER:
SIX: 0/22
Henriques: 18
Munro: 0

Cutting 0/20
Ball by ball: 1b 2 6 1nb 1b 6 4

HEA: 0/15
McCullum: 13
Cutting: 1

Abbott: 0/15
Ball by ball: 0 2 wd 4 1 1 6

The Big Final will be between the Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers at the WACA Saturday.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Does anyone know why Tom Smith isn't playing for Lancashire?

Because of the accumulation of injuries sustained in his professional career, he has just announced his retirement from the game at the early age of only 31.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Having been soundly defeated in both the Test Match and ODI by India on this tour, England decided that they might as well add the T20 series to the "Hall of Shame" by losing their last eight wickets for the princely total of eight runs in the last T20 match.

If this tour against a very good India side has achieved anything, it most certainly has been a reality check to any delusions of grandeur that could have given false hopes to the England team management and also to the individual team players.

 

[vrbarreto]

Having been soundly defeated in both the Test Match and ODI by India on this tour, England decided that they might as well add the T20 series to the "Hall of Shame" by losing their last eight wickets for the princely total of eight runs in the last T20 match.

If this tour against a very good India side has achieved anything, it most certainly has been a reality check to any delusions of grandeur that could have given false hopes to the England team management and also to the individual team players.

I do think the ODi series was a little closer.. I do wonder though about so much of England's batting revolving around Root.. He seems to get in, have a few dot balls, goes a bit mental, gets out and then the players after him start playing 'sweep and out'.

Some of the batting and bowling does seem formulaic.. Is this the result of too much coaching or a lack of experience?

I could tell that the head coach wanted more players to get involved in the IPL but couldn't because of the landmark series against Ireland.

Also this tour brought the promise of Hamed and a few other potential plus points for the Ashes.

Also good to see Yuvraj back in action...

 

[Busaholic]

I do think the ODi series was a little closer.. I do wonder though about so much of England's batting revolving around Root.. He seems to get in, have a few dot balls, goes a bit mental, gets out and then the players after him start playing 'sweep and out'.

Some of the batting and bowling does seem formulaic.. Is this the result of too much coaching or a lack of experience?

I could tell that the head coach wanted more players to get involved in the IPL but couldn't because of the landmark series against Ireland.

Also this tour brought the promise of Hamed and a few other potential plus points for the Ashes.

Also good to see Yuvraj back in action...

Playing in the IPL is now not being discouraged by England management; in fact it is positively encouraged. The only player afaik who has been told they must be available for the Ireland game is Morgan, both as captain and one who has been far too indulged in the past,

The problem is that many England players won't land a deal or, even if they do, may not get any/many games.

Ben Stokes's score of 38 in one of these T20 games was his highest, beating his 31 of six years ago. Mind you, Dhoni in this last match reached his first 50 in T20 in his 76th match, so even vg players don't automatically nail it.

 

[Busaholic]

I do think the ODi series was a little closer.. I do wonder though about so much of England's batting revolving around Root.. He seems to get in, have a few dot balls, goes a bit mental, gets out and then the players after him start playing 'sweep and out'.

Some of the batting and bowling does seem formulaic.. Is this the result of too much coaching or a lack of experience?

I could tell that the head coach wanted more players to get involved in the IPL but couldn't because of the landmark series against Ireland.

Also this tour brought the promise of Hamed and a few other potential plus points for the Ashes.

Also good to see Yuvraj back in action...

Andrew Strauss and England's management are now positively encouraging IPL take-up. The only player afaik who's been told they must be available for Ireland is Morgan, both because he's captain and because he's been given too much latitude in the past (the latter unspoken, but a move to Buttler or Root as captain would surely follow his making himself unavailable for the Ireland game.)

Wonderful to see Yuvraj back in his pomp, both at his age and after his health travails.

Sorry, some sort of c**k-up, probably by me, has resulted in some duplication.

 

[cjmillsnun]

Alastair Cook has today resigned as England Test Match Captain. It is thought that Joe Root will be his successor.

 

[Howardh]

Alastair Cook has today resigned as England Test Match Captain. It is thought that Joe Root will be his successor.

He's 26 (I thought he was younger!) so the right age, hope it doesn't affect his batting, can't see why it should.
Will Cook carry on opening up to and beyond the Ashes? If so, Cook/Hameed looks strong up top with Root 3 or 4.
If Cook won't be going to Aussie then I would like to see a permanent young partner for Hameed now and let them grow into the summer. Tough test v South Africa coming up though, may need Cook's experience.

Edit; just researched Root a bit further. He can't possibly skipper England. Eton? Oxford? Cambridge?? LSE?? Nope, Worksop College. Those up top will assume he can't even write...!!

 

[Busaholic]

He's 26 (I thought he was younger!) so the right age, hope it doesn't affect his batting, can't see why it should.
Will Cook carry on opening up to and beyond the Ashes? If so, Cook/Hameed looks strong up top with Root 3 or 4.
If Cook won't be going to Aussie then I would like to see a permanent young partner for Hameed now and let them grow into the summer. Tough test v South Africa coming up though, may need Cook's experience.

Edit; just researched Root a bit further. He can't possibly skipper England. Eton? Oxford? Cambridge?? LSE?? Nope, Worksop College. Those up top will assume he can't even write...!!

Ray Illingworth, Graham Gooch, Mike Gatting, Ian Botham. None of them could have been described as over-educated, and, of course, captained with varying degrees of success. The problem is, as arguably England's best batsman overall (and I would argue that) do you want to risk Root changing the way he plays? Despite no doubt protesting that he wishes to continue as a player, I would expect Cook to have finished his test career by halfway through next Summer, at the latest. If England are doing well he won't be needed, and if doing badly his presence will be seen as a jinx. So let's thank Alastair, he won't be remembered as one of the all-time greats as batsman or captain, but he did a pretty good job.

At least Root should bat at no. 4 again. Assuming Cook does continue for a couple of tests, the line-up could well start with Cook, Hameed, Jennings and Root. with Bairstow and Stokes to follow. If Hales ever plays again (a big if) it could be at no.5, but he'd have to get a shedload of runs for Notts first, and they're now in Division 2.

 

[Whistler40145]

Now that Alistair Cook has given up the England captaincy, there's more chance of him getting dropped from the Test squad if his batting gets even more depleted than it already is.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Over the weekend there were two T20 matches down under. Why they're on now when effectively the international cricket season is over and the AFL pre season games are on is beyond me. Especially when it was the Big Bash XI(AKA Australia) vs Sri Lanka.

First one was at the MCG:
AUS: 6/168 off 20 Overs
Finch 43, Klinger 38
Malinga 2/29, Gunaratne 1/11

SL: 5/172 off 20 overs
Gunaratne 52, Munaweera 44
Turner 2/12, Zampa 2/26

To be honest I spent most of the time in the Tom Willis Bar on N level of the G than using my 133 dollar seat. Not a thrilling performance by Australia one bit but they did get it to the last ball.

The 2nd T20 game took the game to a new venue for international cricket. Kardina Park in Geelong. Home of the Geelong Cats AFL side.
Of note for this game they had the pitch on a slight angle instead of a North South configuration. This was due to the ground being rather narrow and the boundaries would of been too short for the ICC.
The end result was a very strange looking field.
Again the game came down to the last ball with SL winning.

AUS:173 off 20 overs
Henriques 53*, Klinger 43
Kulasekara 4/31, Malinga 2/31

SL: 8/176 off 20 overs
Gunaratne 84*, Kapugedera 32
Tye 3/37, Faulkner 2/32

Of a rather annoying note umpire Simon Fry might want to get his eyesight checked. Got about 5 decisions wrong over the coarse of the game. Every one of them howlers.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

First Test Match (Day 2) at Pune

In response to the Australian first innings score of 260, India in response reached 94-3 then were devastated by the left arm spin of Steve O'Keefe and were dismissed for the paltry score of 105. O'Keefe took 6-35.

Australia built on their first innings lead of 155, by closing the day in their second innings at 143-4, a lead of almost 300, with three full days still to play.

Rather a reality check for India after their last series against England and I wonder if they can bat as poorly as this in their second innings on their own area.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

First Test Match (Day 3) at Pune

Australia continued to build their overall lead in their second innings and were eventually all out for 285.

India in their second innings were just as susceptible to spin bowling, with five of their first seven batsmen being lbw and were all out for 107 in only 33.5 overs. O'Keefe followed his six wicket haul in the first innings by taking 6-35 and Lyon took 4-53.

Australia win the first Test Match by 333 runs within three days.

 

[Busaholic]

First Test Match (Day 3) at Pune

Australia continued to build their overall lead in their second innings and were eventually all out for 285.

India in their second innings were just as susceptible to spin bowling, with five of their first seven batsmen being lbw and were all out for 107 in only 33.5 overs. O'Keefe followed his six wicket haul in the first innings by taking 6-35 and Lyon took 4-53.

Australia win the first Test Match by 333 runs within three days.

Shows what a visiting test team can do in India with a decent pair of spinners, one of whom is a left-armer. A shame England appeared to fail to grasp that realisation before choosing Batty and Zafari.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

One bright spark of news from the England Lions defeat in their last tour match was that Liam Livingstone of Lancashire scored 105 in the first innings and 140 not out in the second innings.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Am I the only one who feels that Alex Hales' return to the England one day squad after suffering that hand fracture is rather too soon.

 

[Busaholic]

Am I the only one who feels that Alex Hales' return to the England one day squad after suffering that hand fracture is rather too soon.

I've read that he is unlikely to play, unless perhaps Jason Roy's hand injury is worse than first thought.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

First Test Match (Day 3) at Pune

Australia continued to build their overall lead in their second innings and were eventually all out for 285.

India in their second innings were just as susceptible to spin bowling, with five of their first seven batsmen being lbw and were all out for 107 in only 33.5 overs. O'Keefe followed his six wicket haul in the first innings by taking 6-35 and Lyon took 4-53.

Australia win the first Test Match by 333 runs within three days.

I was sitting at the pub before the soccer watching this. You couldn't take your eyes off it. Smith's batting was something else.
I do laugh that India get undone by thier own pitch doctoring.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Second Test Match (Day 1) at Bangalore

India...189 all out
Despite opener Rahul making 90 of this total and being ninth man out, India again succumbed to spin on their own ground, moving from 156-4 to 189 all out. The chief tormenter this time was Lyon, who returned his best Test Match figures of 22.2-4-50-8

Australia...40-0 at close of play,

 

[BantamMenace]

Second Test Match (Day 1) at Bangalore

India...189 all out
Despite opener Rahul making 90 of this total and being ninth man out, India again succumbed to spin on their own ground, moving from 156-4 to 189 all out. The chief tormenter this time was Lyon, who returned his best Test Match figures of 22.2-4-50-8

Australia...40-0 at close of play,

https://twitter.com/Gotoxytop/status/837986119425921025/photo/1

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Second Test Match ( Day 4) at Bangalore

India 189 and 274

Australia 276 and 112

What a most strange Test Match, following after the first one. Australia had reached a stage of 101-4 in their second innings, chasing a total of only 188 to win, with a fifth day also available to them and to go two up in the series, but they proceeded to lose their last six wickets for only 11 runs.

Good second innings bowling return by Ashwin of 12.4 - 4 - 41 - 6.

India win by 75 runs and the series is now all square.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Mitch Marsh is heading home after injuring his shoulder. It's a blessing in disguise really considering how useless he's been in the series.