International Cricket Thread

[diggedy derek]

International Cricket Thread

Do we have a domestic T20 thread – I feel we need one, been really enjoying the IPL, obv with reservations etc etc

[Etienne]

International Cricket Thread

I don't think we do.

There have been IPL specific threads before, but not for this edition.

[Ray de Galles]

Scotland beat Zimbabwe to claim first ODI win over a Test nation :


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40296048

[Kevin S]

Once again, the ICC considers scrapping the Champions Trophy. Seems a bit churlish after a tournament where the final group games and the knockouts were rather special. There's something about an eight-team two-group tournament, that works: and I mean in sport generally, because you end up with a nice tight competition.

The proposed reforms to the international calendar just keep dragging on, don't they?

[Kevin S]

BREAKING CRICKET NEWS!


Afghanistan and Ireland have been approved as Full Members by the ICC, becoming cricket's 11th and 12th Test-playing nations.

[Diable Rouge]

And the ECB had already promised Cricket Ireland a full Test series at Lord's, once the status had been confirmed.

[Etienne]

*Like*

[pebblethefish]

I know they don't like letting any Test matches be played outside London, but a whole series at Lord's seems a tad excessive. Old Trafford would make sense for one of them in terms of any travelling fans.

But most importantly, agree with Etienne, excellent news

[longeared]

England are already booked up for the next couple of summers, so any series wouldn't be until 2020. Leeds has a significant Irish population so they might be in line for a Test.

Excellent news, though.

[Kevin S]

I was just thinking - I know there's more than one barrier to the whatever-name-it-gets-called 'World Series of Test Cricket', but one I've seen mentioned frequently is that two divisions of six will upset some of the mid-ranking nations.

Would it not make sense, then, to run the first edition as three divisions of four? Because they would seem pretty much to pick themselves:

England, India, Australia, South Africa
Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Bangladesh*
West Indies*, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Ireland

Then you see how the middle division ends up the first time, and move the top two up and the bottom two down to create the two divisions of six on merit.

(* OK, perhaps some debate about these two, but Windies need a kick up the arse somehow.)

[Kevin S]

And the ICC follow that up by expelling the USA Cricket Association.

[SouthdownRebel]

Well that's lovely news to get home to. A second test nation in Europe could be a very valuable thing. And, best of all, it's extremely refreshing to be free of the previous administration's drive to reduce the amount of participation in international cricket.

[Flynnie]

And the ICC follow that up by expelling the USA Cricket Association.

Which is great news, the USACA make FIFA look honest. They've been a complete shitshow for decades and the prospect of having a US team not stuffed full of West Indian immigrants who happen to know Gladstone Dainty seems like it could happen.

[Kevin S]

Is the idea that cricket in the US will be organised by direct rule from the ICC?

Meanwhile, this is "Option C" for the Test and ODI leagues... which doesn't include Ireland, Afghanistan or Zimbabwe.

[Flynnie]

I believe there's an organization called the American Cricket Federation that has been lobbying the ICC for recognition for some time.

[Ray de Galles]

BREAKING CRICKET NEWS!


Afghanistan and Ireland have been approved as Full Members by the ICC, becoming cricket's 11th and 12th Test-playing nations.

Great news, do Scotland have any hope of making that leap in the distant future? Wish Welsh cricket had the vision and balls to make the break.

[ursus arctos]

Indeed there is

[Kevin S]

Great news, do Scotland have any hope of making that leap in the distant future? Wish Welsh cricket had the vision and balls to make the break.

Would the balls part of that have to include withdrawing Glamorgan from the County Championship?

[Ray de Galles]

I doubt they would have to, do you think they would?

They'd lose the hosting of England tests but it's a bit embarrassing that they have to borrow (then renege on the repayment of) millions of pounds of local government money to do so.

Better that than continue as a client state of England and have their name, players, flag and anthem be ignored for every single England match save for those Wales has paid to host.

[Kevin S]

Perhaps not. In the consultation of 2013, Glamorgan appeared to claim they would go bust as soon as Wales decoupled from England, though they don't really explain why (edit - reading again, they claim they rely on England Test match funding). Also notable that the players there were said to be in favour of having a Welsh team.

The report said this should be investigated further but that the responsibility lay with Glamorgan and Cricket Wales to do this, not the Assembly. Certainly the changing ICC landscape - this year we've had Scotland hosting 2 ODIs against a Test nation, and Ireland hosting an ODI tournament with two Test nations (and becoming one themselves) - should mean there is scope for this to be looked at again. But I don't think either of the two organisations will do that without a lot of public pressure and campaigning.

In that report, GCCC said "So, the best that Wales could hope for would be to battle it outwith Ireland, Scotland, Kenya and so on every four years to try to get a place in the World Cup.” And CW said "Other small cricketing nations (e.g Ireland and Scotland) arethought to struggle for meaningful, appropriate competitionbetween major events (i.e the Cricket World Cup)."

Jonathan Edwards MP appears to be the man to push for it, if he's not too busy.

[Antepli Ejderha]

20 years ago Wales would have had a decent side, I'm so out of touch with county cricket that I've no idea what they'd be like now. The granny rule would be used I'm sure of that.

Would Eoin Morgan be allowed to play for Ireland? If the rules are the same as in football be would be, I'm thinking of Kosovo players who've resented other nations but were allowed to represent Kosovo.

[Kevin S]

Would Eoin Morgan be allowed to play for Ireland?

Boyd Rankin and Ed Joyce went Ireland-England-Ireland, so presumably it would be ok?

This is one of the things raised in the report as an argument against a Wales team, bizzarely. They suggest that the very top Welsh players would still choose to play for England as they would be in a better team playing top class matches.

Well, if that's the decision any such player comes to, then that's their call. I presume that's the way Morgan sees things.

But I don't really see why the odd one or two players wanting to play in the Ashes (are Simon and Geraint Jones still the last Welshmen to do this? It's a long time ago now if so) should preclude the rest of the cricket players in Wales from representing their country.

[SouthdownRebel]

My dear old thing! Henry Blofeld has announced he will retire from TMS at the end of the summer, with a final test match against West Indies being his curtain call. In his own words:

Listeners will now be relieved to know that their chances of being told the right name of the fielders at third man and fine leg have greatly increased.

Personally I'll be sad to see him go - I know there are many who couldn't abide his style, or regular mistakes, but I never quite get why. Part of the charm of TMS is its avuncular nature, trying to entertain as much as inform. For me (Clive), Blowers has been thoroughly entertaining to listen to over the years - the Rowley Birkin of the commentary box, if you will.

[Haddock]

I'm surprised to learn that Blowers is 77; I had him in his late 80s. Amusing due to his plumminess but the factual mistakes when commentating in recent years have been almost past counting. For that reason, I've found myself thinking he should retire but on reflection he leaves the TMS box poorer.
Simon Mann and Daniel Norcoss are competent but dull, dull, dull. Ed Smith is dull but fancies himself as a deep thinker on the game and life, without showing any evidence that this is the case. By far the worst actual commentator is Charles Dagnall, whom someone must have told once was amusing and to keep it up. Plus, he has a voice better suited to mime. I genuinely hate listening to him and often turn off when it's his turn.
Aggers and Alison Mitchell are fine in their different ways. .
Of the summarisers, only Vick Marks is genuinely of the standard of the past. Boycott is Boycott, and I'll probably miss him when's gone for all that he clearly has a deeply unpleasant side to his character. Ebony Rainford-Brent is ok-ish: pleasant but nothing yet to make you think she'll be an outstanding addition to the team. Tufnell is decent and has an unforced sense of humour which is good when not overindulging his cheeky chappie side. Swann only has a cheeky chappie side, and clearly loves the #TopBantz. Michael Vaughan somehow manages to combines the worst of Dagnall, Swann and Boycott for self-satisfaction and ignorance, which make the relatively rare moments when he delivers analysis of the game far beyond the level of others all the more frustrating.
TMS should somehow poach David Lloyd back from Sky as a Blofeld replacement and add John Holder, who does the lunchtime umpire slot once each test, to the regular team.

[SouthdownRebel]

See, I don't mind Dagnall personally but I'm with you on Norcross, Swann and Victor (who really is superb). Boycott is probably the best authority on cricket and maybe the worst on everything else. I think Vaughan brings plenty of insight but you're right - he can seem unbearably smug at times.