Cricket

[EM2]

Essex are almost there!
8 wins (no other team has more than 4).
4 wins by an innings.
Only undefeated team in both divisions.

I must admit, when Topley and Mills left and then Napier and Masters retired, I thought it was going to be a long, hard season. I've never been so happy to be wrong!

 

[Busaholic]

Essex are almost there!
8 wins (no other team has more than 4).
4 wins by an innings.
Only undefeated team in both divisions.

I must admit, when Topley and Mills left and then Napier and Masters retired, I thought it was going to be a long, hard season. I've never been so happy to be wrong!

I think it goes to show that there isn't so much of a divide between the First and Second Divisions, except that two or three teams regularly at the bottom of the second find it hard to retain talented players or recruit a decent overseas player. Congratulations to Essex, they're a hardworking club operating from an unglamorous HQ. I'd love to see Middlesex go down with Warwickshire, rather than Somerset or Yorkshire.

 

[DarloRich]

i have decided to come out of retirement and offer my services to England for the ashes tour. I can go in three, scratch about, look out of my depth and get out cheaply as well as the best of them.

We are in trouble batting wise. It is going to be a very tough tour!

 

[Busaholic]

i have decided to come out of retirement and offer my services to England for the ashes tour. I can go in three, scratch about, look out of my depth and get out cheaply as well as the best of them.

We are in trouble batting wise. It is going to be a very tough tour!

I think you're very likely to be right. The problem last time, selection-wise anyway, was the fast bowling, because what happened with Trott and Swann couldn't have been predicted, but if Bayliss and co are determined not to select anyone for the tour who hasn't played test cricket in the last year we're up the creek. If that is the case, then Hales should go (as no.5) because he's a class above most of the other contenders. Westley's first class average is only about 2 above James Foster's, and the latter was ditched as England wicketkeeper because Geraint Jones then Prior were reckoned able to score more runs!

 

[PudseyBearHST]

Have any of you watched the Verdict special on SkySports where Atherton, Botham, Gower, Warne and Hussain discuss the Ashes and decide a team that they would like to see go to Australia?

 

[Busaholic]

Have any of you watched the Verdict special on SkySports where Atherton, Botham, Gower, Warne and Hussain discuss the Ashes and decide a team that they would like to see go to Australia?

I'm unable to access this, but I'm prepared to wager that Hussain supports Westley going and Warne is championing the inclusion of the Hampshire leggie Mason Crane. Am I right?

 

[Whistler40145]

i have decided to come out of retirement and offer my services to England for the ashes tour. I can go in three, scratch about, look out of my depth and get out cheaply as well as the best of them.

We are in trouble batting wise. It is going to be a very tough tour!

Are you a batsman or a bowler DarloRich?

 

[PudseyBearHST]

I'm unable to access this, but I'm prepared to wager that Hussain supports Westley going and Warne is championing the inclusion of the Hampshire leggie Mason Crane. Am I right?

As far as I remember, yes you are! Westley made it into their team and so did Hales. There was a bit of a debate about whether to take Rashid or Crane and in the end, they opted for Crane. I will post their team later on today when I check on the TV. They all wanted Joe Root to bat at three.


At the end, David Gower asked them individually who they thought would win and here goes:

1. Nasser Hussain: England
2. Shane Warne: Australia
3. Sir Ian Botham: 7-0 England (at this point, everyone laughs ) EDIT: See the second video below, from 16:20- 16:30 to see this moment)
4. Michael Atherton: Australia

And Gower says he hasn't got a crystal ball so he won't comment.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

The SkySports England Squad were the following:

Their team were the following:

1. Alastair Cook
2. Mark Stoneman
3. Joe Root (they wanted him to bat at three not four)
4. Tom Westley
5. Dawid Malan
6. Ben Stokes
7. Jonny Bairstow
8. Moeen Ali
9. Chris Woakes
10. Stuart Broad
11. James Anderson

Ales Hales, Ben Foakes, Toby Roland-Jones, Mark Wood, Mason Crane

Bizarrely, I found the Ashes Verdict special on youtube. I'm surprised that there isn't a copyright issue.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

[youtube]ihvOkCBL5J8[/youtube]


[youtube]k_EAF5adH4M[/youtube]


See from 16:20 - 16:30 in the second video to see Sir Ian Botham say England are going to win 7-0

 

[PudseyBearHST]

Are you a batsman AND/or a bowler DarloRich?

Let me correct it for you He might be an all-rounder!

 

[Howardh]

Let me correct it for you He might be an all-rounder!

I'm a solid all-rounder.


Hopeless at everything. Where's my cap??

 

[Busaholic]

I'm a solid all-rounder.


Hopeless at everything. Where's my cap??

It's been pinched by Liam Dawson.

 

[DarloRich]

We cant have three top order players in the rabbit caught in the headlights slot ( jennings/Stoneman/Hameed + Mallan + Westley) We will be not much for 3 on a regular basis

Root is our best player and if want sot bat 4 he bats 4 in my book. I would go for Stoneman and/or Hales, Ballance and Westley or Mallan (on the basis there is no one else as I feel neither are good enough)

(I cant take Jennings as the Aussies will destroy him and Hameed is out of form)

Bowling wise we need a fit Mark Wood & Jimmy Anderson a firing Chris Broad, backed up by which ever one of the likes of Roland Jones, Woakes, Finn, Bell best suit conditions. Spin From Moeen backed up by someone else ( Dawson/Crane)

going to be a long slog!

Are you a batsman or a bowler DarloRich?

Equally bad at both. Will play wherever the captain asks me

 

[Busaholic]

We cant have three top order players in the rabbit caught in the headlights slot ( jennings/Stoneman/Hameed + Mallan + Westley) We will be not much for 3 on a regular basis

Root is our best player and if want sot bat 4 he bats 4 in my book. I would go for Stoneman and/or Hales, Ballance and Westley or Mallan (on the basis there is no one else as I feel neither are good enough)

(I cant take Jennings as the Aussies will destroy him and Hameed is out of form)

Bowling wise we need a fit Mark Wood & Jimmy Anderson a firing Chris Broad, backed up by which ever one of the likes of Roland Jones, Woakes, Finn, Bell best suit conditions. Spin From Moeen backed up by someone else ( Dawson/Crane)

going to be a long slog!



Equally bad at both. Will play wherever the captain asks me

But can you handle a drinks tray?

 

[EM2]

Essex hungover from celebrating I think, having been bowled out for for 76 and following on, in reply to Hampshire's 254.
The Alka-Seltzer must have done the trick though, because their second innings is currently 208/3.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

Essex hungover from celebrating I think, having been bowled out for for 76 and following on, in reply to Hampshire's 254.
The Alka-Seltzer must have done the trick though, because their second innings is currently 208/3.

The game doesn't seem to be on sky sports. Instead, they are showing the entire game from yesterday (Eng vs WI). Usually they only put on 1 hour highlights of an ODI game but this time they have put the entire thing.

 

[High Dyke]

The game doesn't seem to be on sky sports. Instead, they are showing the entire game from yesterday (Eng vs WI). Usually they only put on 1 hour highlights of an ODI game but this time they have put the entire thing.

Probably anticipated the washout at Trent Bridge yesterday, and the lack of highlights there would be... Still the summer rain was reasonably warm. :roll:

 

[DarloRich]

The game doesn't seem to be on sky sports. Instead, they are showing the entire game from yesterday (Eng vs WI). Usually they only put on 1 hour highlights of an ODI game but this time they have put the entire thing.

BBC offer live coverage of all county championship games on 5 live extra on your digital radiogram and/or online upon your computermaphon

 

[EM2]

Having been bowled out for 76 in the first innings, Essex inflict the same on Hampshire's second innings, and win by 108 runs.

 

[Howardh]

BBC offer live coverage of all county championship games on 5 live extra on your digital radiogram and/or online upon your computermaphon

It's worth noting that with little publicity, many county championship games are streamed (pictures, not just sound) for free, especially when Sky (who have the rights but don't use them much) aren't showing an England game.

With both divisions having an exciting relegation/promotion finale, the cricket blog in the Guardian will let you know what's available.

Often these streams are accompanied with the BBC commentary; and it's also worth checkin the websites of the counties involved for live streams. Unfortunately my lot, Lancashire, have never offered a live stream from Old Trafford. Dunno why not..I'd happily subscribe to help the costs.

 

[DarloRich]

Returning to the ashes selection debate - is their an England Lions tour to Australia at the same time as the main ashes party? if so take everyone!

Can I suggest people watch the odi innings unleashed by Moeen today. WOW!

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Its crazy that Yorkshire's reward for supplying five players to the England ODI team could have been, and still might be, relegation.

The only way to maintain the sporting integrity of the County Championship is to allow each county an overseas replacement for every player called away on England duty.

Can you imagine what might happen if Premier League football teams were forced to play league matches shorthanded during the international break?

 

[EM2]

Its crazy that Yorkshire's reward for supplying five players to the England ODI team could have been, and still might be, relegation.

The only way to maintain the sporting integrity of the County Championship is to allow each county an overseas replacement for every player called away on England duty.

Or invest in their Academy setup and make sure they have enough talented youngsters coming through.

 

[ainsworth74]

Or invest in their Academy setup and make sure they have enough talented youngsters coming through.

Well, then all that happens is that other Counties pick them off one by one with promises of first division cricket and being in the eyes of England selectors. As has been happening to Durham since the ECB decided to crucify us.

 

[DarloRich]

Well, then all that happens is that other Counties pick them off one by one with promises of first division cricket and being in the eyes of England selectors. As has been happening to Durham since the ECB decided to crucify us.

Yep - ECB have made sure that Durham wont upset the established order for quite some time. :cry::cry:

( still no idea why Durham didn't enter administration instead of taking the ECB "deal" )

 

[ainsworth74]

Or took them to court over the points deductions and relegation.

 

[EM2]

Well, then all that happens is that other Counties pick them off one by one with promises of first division cricket and being in the eyes of England selectors. As has been happening to Durham since the ECB decided to crucify us.

Then you keep developing. Essex lost Topley and Mills, but were then developing Porter and Lawrence, as an example.
But I agree that the Durham situation is absolutely diabolical.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Or invest in their Academy setup and make sure they have enough talented youngsters coming through.

Yorkshire develop more youngsters than most and miraculously have managed to win a couple of titles in recent years despite England calls. However the real key to success, it seems, is to develop players who are almost but not quite good enough for England.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

I saw many SWR adverts on sky sports when I was watching England vs West Indies game yesterday.