The Cricket Thread

[Mark V]

There is plenty of cricket going on at the moment. The West Indies are touring in Australia

England are doing rather well in South Africa

Sri Lanka is touring New Zealand and the Black Caps golden summer is still on a hight. Pakistan is to tour here soon, then those Australians will come to our shores in February.

 

Plus, The KFC Big Bash is on, and Chris Gayle is being Chris Gayle, on and off the field. LOL

 

So, your thougths, wisdom etc on the great summer game we call, Cricket....

[Humphrey B Bear]

This is a very poor summer of cricket for us Aussies.  It started well hosting your Kiwis but that was over all too quickly, and they didn't quite live up to expectations - possibly due to lack of preparation. And it was over before November was finished.  It would have been great to have a proper 5 or 6 test series against the Kiwis, but instead the hapless Windies are wasting our time during the main part of summer. While I'm complaining, it seems the pitches being prepared (apart from Adelaide) have been way too batsman friendly).

Fortunately the Big Bash has been a bit of a diversion, and while it's all meaningless, it's fun to watch. 

Unfortunately only 2 tests in NZ to look forward to - they should be rippers - amongst a whole heap of ODIs and T20s.

[Bosstralian]

"Theres plenty of cricket going on at the moment"......

Not in Sydney, two days in a row now rained out 

 

[Mark V]

Sri Lanka left NZ and I don't think that they could leave fast enough. Played two tests and lost two, played 4 ODIs (1 was rained out) and they only won 1. And they lost the two T/20s

Pakistan are in NZ now and the first ODI is at Eden Park on Friday.

 

Have been watching the KFC Big Bash, because I need my cricket fix when there is no other cricket on. Big crowds there too. Now, India are taking on Australia.

[GJ21]

South Africa v England has been a superb series so far, this match looks like being much of the same, I think with these scores we should see a result at least.

[GJ21]

Brilliant win against the best test side in the world at the moment.

 

Broad was a good as it gets for that spell.

[Bosstralian]

Australia have chased down two 300 plus targets in consecutive ODI matches against India this week.

20/20 has made a difference to the 50 over game. It appears to me the chase strategy now is to canter for 30 overs at around 5 an over while trying to ensure that you hold wickets in hand. From there, a target in the range of 140-170 becomes a standard 20/20 type chase.

[Daisey Jeep]

(much) closer to home there is a wellington club match going on at the park down the road

and kids are having a bat in the practice nets

nothing to me sounds more like summer than the sound of leather on willow or a noisy LBW appeal 

but a bit of a mystery

usually when ever we drive past an Indian family is always out there having a bat down the park and this Christmas I havn't seen hide nor hair of them

 

 

[Mark V]

NZ wrapped up Pakistan with a 2-0 clean sweep at Eden Park yesterday. Although, it could have gone to Pakistan had Corey Anderson been given out. Once the appeal was turned down, he hit two sixes in a row.

 

India won the T/20 series agaisnt Australia by winning on the last ball of the last over.

 

NZ will host Aust with the first ODI on Wednesday at Eden Park.

 

To me, I think NZ is a very strong team, and Kane Willimason is one of the great batsman on the planet at this moment in time.

[Mark V]

That was a fine win for The Black Caps against Australia. A real beating by 159 runs. I know that Eden Park is a small and odd shape for a cricket ground, but you would think that Aust could chase down 300+. I guess Aussie do not like our pitches. They're use to their 'roads'

 

[Bosstralian]

Thankfully I didn't see any of the game or indeed any highlights. So don't know if the pitch was behaving in any weird way

Certainly looks like Australia have become flat track bullies, though. Part of the problem I think as a cricket watcher of limited education (i.e. never actually played the game) is that in years past every Australian pitch had a distinct personality. We had the advantage of being in such a big country that we had pitches in humid semi tropical Brisbane (and to a lesser extent Sydney), through to dry and hot Perth down to a much cooler Hobart and the pitches were in situ and behaved to some degree like a pitch in the respective conditions would elsewhere. So Australia played on semi-sub continent wickets, semi NZ wickets, semi England wickets etc etc.

Now we have these drop in things and God knows what else is going on but we seem to have a series of, as you say, roads. And none of the batsmen seem to have the temprament to adopt to a different situation and bat accordingly.

 

[Mark V]

WOW. who would have thought! The Black Caps defending a low 246 score in Hamilton. A bit of conterversy with Mitchell Marsh's dismissal, but he was out. The appeal was made, and appeals do not have to be blood thirsty screams that our Indain, Pakistani, and Sri Lanken friends make.

 

Good to see Baz go out on a winning note in the ODIs.

First test on Friday at the Basin Reserve near Dasiy's place.

IMO, NZ's best cricket ground

[Daisey Jeep]

it is a very beautiful ground

one day I will get organized and apply for annual leave so I can go to see a test there

[Bosstralian]

Interesting start. Well, on the scoreboard anyway. I was at work so haven't seen a ball and even if at home this was not on free tv. So no idea if it was the pitch, our bowling, your batting or what. Any thoughts?

 

[Daisey Jeep]

I was at work all day and have got home after the news the last two days

boo hiss work !!!

I wish I'd been at the basin

I have no idea if it's on free tv here

I will look into it 

 

 

[dr winston oboogie]

Truly wonderful how South Africa kept the TV audience, and nore importantly the ticket buying public interested right up until the last game.

Special special team to be able to play it like that. 

[GJ21]

It's been a great tour for England in South Africa an away test series win against the world ranked number one side , some great individual displays as well, some of which will go down in cricket legend .

 

[dr winston oboogie]

Beautiful,beautiful and a joy to behold the century in 47 deliveries by Chris Gayle this afternoon.

Watched it live and it was a priviledge to do so, watch the highlights if you missed it.

[Bosstralian]

I didn't / haven't seen Gayles innings. While most cricket purists consider T20 the ugly duckling of the cricket world, it does throw up some amazing stuff at times.

I'm sure it won't be the last time this T20 World Cup that fans are left mouths agape saying WTF?

[Mark V]

Two wins from two for NZ, knocking off India ans Australia.

[Mark V]

The four teams for the T/20 WC semi finals have been finalized.

NZ will play England

And hosts India will take on TheWest Indies.

No Australia or South Africa.

[dr winston oboogie]

1 hour ago, Mark V said:

The four teams for the T/20 WC semi finals have been finalized.

NZ will play England

And hosts India will take on TheWest Indies.

No Australia or South Africa.

Really, really difficult to predict who will play NZ in the Final....

West Indies are a joy to watch and really enjoy playing, but India and espically Kohli had a real purpose and determination about them today.,.too close to call that one..

[Mark V]

Really gutted that NZ Lost, but well done to England. And way to go Black Caps, get the cricketing world noticung.

[dr winston oboogie]

Carlos Brathwaite, what a hero...the new Diego Armando Maradona..

We love you soooo much.

Great tournament with worthy winners.

[Ninethumbs]

In celebration of the fact that a new season is under way & that it may now be possible to take to the field in only four jumpers, here is my world's best XI informed as it is by several decades of spectating. Possibly some hint of bias from much of that spectating being at Hampshire's pretty, old Northlands Road ground.

1. Barry Richards. Best batsman I've ever seen.

2. Gordon Greenidge. Barry's opening partner at Hampshire. Not sure who may ever have hit a ball harder.

3. Viv Richards. Second best bat I've seen.

4. Brian Lara. Could just as well have been Tendulkar but I want a lefty in my top order.

5. Steve Waugh (capt). The winningest cricketer you could hope to see - but any of that "mental disintegration" bollocks & he can fuck right off & Mike Proctor gets the gig.

6. Ian Botham. Hero.

7. Adam Gilchrist (keeper). 520 for 5, mid afternoon on day two. Gilchrist waks out to join Ian Botham. A good time to get a drink because the bars will be empty.

8. Shane Warne. The top spinner ever. See also Steve Waugh - any gobby shite & in comes Bishen Bedi (but he bats no higher than eleven).

9. Richard Hadlee. As good as Dennis Lillee with the ball, very, very much better with the bat.

10. Malcolm Marshall. The ultimate quickie. He could do it all & do it all day even in a meaningless County game with nothing at stake.

11. Michael Holding. A thrilling sight of his long run & Mikey also gets to give the end of play report with his glorious voice.

Five day tests only. No-one's is going to want only twenty overs from these guys.