My understanding is they simply don't play enough FC cricket now, and very few come over to the County Champ anymore either.
I remember when the likes of Law and DiVenuto would top the charts over here but still couldn't get a sniff of a test cap.
I totally jinxed England with the last comment. Complete collapse in India today.
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Crikey it's the Cricket Thread
Nov 18, 2016 at 4:16 AM
- babarvaart
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Nov 18, 2016 at 6:11 AM
- Zealot
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Originally posted by babarvaart:My understanding is they simply don't play enough FC cricket now, and very few come over to the County Champ anymore either.
I remember when the likes of Law and DiVenuto would top the charts over here but still couldn't get a sniff of a test cap.
I totally jinxed England with the last comment. Complete collapse in India today.
I've said this exact thing several times to mates and it's a huge part of our current problem in my opinion. Both Aussie and England players would regularly go and play in the others domestic competition which would give them a leg up when on a test tour. These days our blokes are too accustomed to being worshipped as gods and overpaid in b******t T20 leagues to be bothered with seeking out the relatively unglamorous competitions and conditions conducive to improving on their shortcomings.
Another problem (which stems out of the above) is our capacity against swing bowling. The last genuine world class swing bowler Aus had was Damien Fleming, in my opinion, so our guys these days get little practice against swing until their backs are against the wall in a test. All their T20 experience counts for absolutely f**k all then.
We need to get back to encouraging and developing the true arts of cricket, not reverse sweeps, ramp shots and other such BS.
[ Edited by Zealot on Nov 18, 2016 at 6:16 AM ]
Nov 19, 2016 at 1:16 AM
- KeepRabbitsOut
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So the thing that is keeping cricket relevant in an changing sports entertainment world ( T20) is actually killing the heart of the game.
Nov 19, 2016 at 7:47 PM
- Zealot
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Originally posted by KeepRabbitsOut:So the thing that is keeping cricket relevant in an changing sports entertainment world ( T20) is actually killing the heart of the game.
I reckon it is but others may see it differently. Young kids watching the Warner's and Kohli's blast a century off 50 balls in a quickfire T20 game might see that as the heart of cricket.
I just hope that test cricket survives and gets back the standard we used to see. All these catastrophic collapses, victories inside 3 days and home teams dominating series (except for us ) is becoming commonplace and makes tests predicable and boring.
Nov 19, 2016 at 9:55 PM
- KeepRabbitsOut
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Originally posted by Zealot:I reckon it is but others may see it differently. Young kids watching the Warner's and Kohli's blast a century off 50 balls in a quickfire T20 game might see that as the heart of cricket.
I just hope that test cricket survives and gets back the standard we used to see. All these catastrophic collapses, victories inside 3 days and home teams dominating series (except for us ) is becoming commonplace and makes tests predicable and boring.
Just like young kids think McDonalds is the heart and soul of food. Lol. I think I'm getting too old for this.
Nov 21, 2016 at 4:27 AM
- babarvaart
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I think the English players still view test cricket as the ultimate and we rarely let them go and play in the big 20/20 tournies unless they're out of the test picture.
But I think 20/20 enriches the game overall, not only is it comfortably the biggest earner but it encourages players to develop their game and the likes of Smith, Kohli and Root are accomplished in all forms.
Very rarely do you get bore draws in tests these days as teams look to force results and can score quicker.
But I think 20/20 enriches the game overall, not only is it comfortably the biggest earner but it encourages players to develop their game and the likes of Smith, Kohli and Root are accomplished in all forms.
Very rarely do you get bore draws in tests these days as teams look to force results and can score quicker.
Nov 22, 2016 at 2:00 AM
- Zealot
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I think our players put test above all else too, at least that's what they say. But when I see our guys go out there and seem unsettled unless they're scoring at a run a ball and subsequently throw their wickets away cheaply or collapse dramatically when they need to dig in and bat out a match, I can't help but think the T20 influence is playing a part in that. I view that as a bad thing.
Personally, I see nothing wrong with a drawn result. In fact, I believe it's actually a great quality of test cricket, especially the ones where guys bat in defiance for several sessions, fighting to avoid a loss. To me that's the character you want to see in tests and is exactly what seems lacking for now in the Aussie side at least. Watching SA bat out a test against all odds in Adelaide here a few years ago and our bowlers, particularly P. Siddle, bowl themselves to a standstill trying to win it was as memorable to me as any of the great victories I've witnessed. I understand that some draws are dull but they certainly all aren't.
Personally, I see nothing wrong with a drawn result. In fact, I believe it's actually a great quality of test cricket, especially the ones where guys bat in defiance for several sessions, fighting to avoid a loss. To me that's the character you want to see in tests and is exactly what seems lacking for now in the Aussie side at least. Watching SA bat out a test against all odds in Adelaide here a few years ago and our bowlers, particularly P. Siddle, bowl themselves to a standstill trying to win it was as memorable to me as any of the great victories I've witnessed. I understand that some draws are dull but they certainly all aren't.
Dec 4, 2016 at 3:08 AM
- Zealot
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From tonight's Aus vs NZ one dayer. As Richie would say, "What. A. Catch!"
[ Edited by Zealot on Dec 4, 2016 at 3:09 AM ]
Dec 5, 2016 at 12:44 AM
- Goatie
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Originally posted by Zealot:
From tonight's Aus vs NZ one dayer. As Richie would say, "What. A. Catch!"
Oh we did something right?
I could tell they run the reply about 50 times
One of the few highlights Australia has had this season
Dec 5, 2016 at 10:00 PM
- Zealot
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Originally posted by Goatie:Oh we did something right?
I could tell they run the reply about 50 times
One of the few highlights Australia has had this season
I reckon we got a lot right in that last test. SA didn't go easy, they wanted the sweep and it was really encouraging that we didn't just deny them with a draw but beat them soundly.
One day series is going very well so far.
Dec 6, 2016 at 2:52 AM
- Goatie
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Originally posted by Zealot:
I reckon we got a lot right in that last test. SA didn't go easy, they wanted the sweep and it was really encouraging that we didn't just deny them with a draw but beat them soundly.
One day series is going very well so far.
NZ have a chase on their hands
Dec 6, 2016 at 4:20 AM
- Goatie
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Well thank goodness we won this one. I didn't think it was possible to have NZ beat us. 116 runs ahead phew
Dec 7, 2016 at 5:24 PM
- Zealot
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Originally posted by Goatie:Well thank goodness we won this one. I didn't think it was possible to have NZ beat us. 116 runs ahead phew
Smashed em. Beyond Guptill and Williamson, NZ don't seem to have much with the bat.
Dec 8, 2016 at 1:47 PM
- Goatie
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Originally posted by Zealot:
Originally posted by Goatie:
Well thank goodness we won this one. I didn't think it was possible to have NZ beat us. 116 runs ahead phew
Smashed em. Beyond Guptill and Williamson, NZ don't seem to have much with the bat.
Thank goodness they don't. Hopefully this match helped the new blood gel and gave them all some confidence.
Definitely a moral booster
Dec 16, 2016 at 11:56 PM
- Goatie
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Looks like Australia is going to beat Pakistan. Thrashing them. It is about time we recovered our reputation