The Official Cricket Thread

[Sandstorm]

Never doubted the lads........

[Insane_Homer]

10.52am: [15:52 UK time] Some more intel from the ground, as we inch closer to the prospect of a toss. "Topley and Jordan have both marked out their run-ups," reports Matt, who currently forms a one-man UK press corps in Guyana. "Reckon England might go unchanged to give Buttler as much flexibility as possible in his bowling options."


10.45am: "Umpires out there having a look," says Matt. "DJ just played 'Here Comes The Sun'. Both teams out there kicking footballs about. Final cover being removed now." Could we... Could we be about to get some cricket? Well, not just yet. Inspection at 11.15am, so half an hour from now. Time enough for you to dip into Nagraj Gollapudi's tactics board on where the semi-final will be won and lost

[OomStruisbaai]

Any link to the cricket?

[Torquemada 1420]

Any link to the cricket?

Take your pick
https://cricket2.sportshub.stream/event ... 213517820/

[Torquemada 1420]

Bairstow

[JM2K6]

Bairstow you useless ginger fuck.

England are toast here, they're very bad on anything other than flat tracks and this is a dreadful wicket. I hope Mott pisses off soon.

[Wyndham Upalot]

Bairstow

Unexpected, not. He's been fucking dreadful these last few years.

[JM2K6]

Thoroughly enjoyed Moeen being pushed up the order as a pinch hitter and wasting 10 balls looking to nudge the ball around for singles before a genuinely embarrassing stumping.

This is a team with no clear thinking at all.

[Torquemada 1420]

Thoroughly enjoyed Moeen being pushed up the order as a pinch hitter and wasting 10 balls looking to nudge the ball around for singles before a genuinely embarrassing stumping.

This is a team with no clear thinking at all.

Yeah: that was a f**kwitted way to get stumped. Who runs without knowing where the ball is?

[Oxbow]

This has all gone to shit very quickly.

[JM2K6]

What gets me is he was setting up to nurdle every time. Almost no backlift. What exactly do they think is going to happen here? They score four an over for six overs and ???

This is a lot like watching old England bat in India, except it's a t20. They sure are going to die wondering.

[Torquemada 1420]

I know it's short pyjama format, but the amount of outs to first ball from a new bowler. And playing dumb shots at that.

[Torquemada 1420]

What gets me is he was setting up to nurdle every time. Almost no backlift. What exactly do they think is going to happen here? They score four an over for six overs and ???

This is a lot like watching old England bat in India, except it's a t20. They sure are going to die wondering.

The only rationale there would be to rotate strike if you had a pinch hitter at the other end. But that's way more suited to 50. You can't have guys up the order consuming balls like that in T20.

[Torquemada 1420]

All over now.

[JM2K6]

Brook blameless here - the only man willing to take risks and was having some effect, but the scale of the task meant he had to go for everything.

Good luck in the final SA, you'd be popular winners and you can't say that very often!

[Torquemada 1420]

Brook blameless here - the only man willing to take risks and was having some effect, but the scale of the task meant he had to go for everything.

Good luck in the final SA, you'd be popular winners and you can't say that very often!

Because they don't get past semis often?

But yeah. Go SA.

[Paddington Bear]

Son’s crying, nice one

[JM2K6]

Obviously don't want to make excuses here but perhaps the three paced wicket that turns square when it feels like with variable bounce isn't the best for a quality game of t20, particularly when one team has about eighteen spinners in the side

[Torquemada 1420]

Obviously don't want to make excuses here but perhaps the three paced wicket that turns square when it feels like with variable bounce isn't the best for a quality game of t20, particularly when one team has about eighteen spinners in the side

India chooses everything. Where they will play. Who can and can't practice on wickets they will be playing on etc

[Paddington Bear]

Say what you like about world rugby but they would never have a semi final of a major tournament played in front of about 6,000 people.

India get what they want, and I get it, it’s just a shame they’re so shit at running anything

[Torquemada 1420]

Say what you like about world rugby but they would never have a semi final of a major tournament played in front of about 6,000 people.

India get what they want, and I get it, it’s just a shame they’re so shit at running anything

I don't. If we are saying they get to do what they like because they are the biggest economic draw, then why bother playing at all? Just give them all the trophies now. The other nations should simply tell them to f**k off.

[Insane_Homer]

Last semblance of hope gets run-out

[Torquemada 1420]

FM. Clownshow run out

[JM2K6]

Dozy as fuck by Jofra. That's not your call for fucks sake

[Torquemada 1420]

Dozy as fuck by Jofra. That's not your call for fucks sake

Yeah. And Livingstone let Archer know as he walked off.

[Torquemada 1420]

Humiliation.

[JM2K6]

Completely outplayed.

This absolute shitshow of a tournament got the semi finals it deserved.

[OomStruisbaai]

OK so now it's a shit show of a tournament?

[JM2K6]

OK so now it's a shit show of a tournament?

Loads of predictable washouts
The bizarre split of where matches were hosted
Some genuinely awful wickets, even dangerous in the US case
The lack of supporters
The what-the-fuck nature of India getting to decide where they play the semi final
Loads of pretty crap matches


The only highlights have been Afghanistan, the USA early on, and South Africa's displays.

[Sandstorm]

Crowds in Caribbean have been dismal, but that’s exactly the case in all forms of cricket since the mid-90s. No-one bothers to go to live matches.

[Enzedder]

OK so now it's a shit show of a tournament?

Loads of predictable washouts
The bizarre split of where matches were hosted
Some genuinely awful wickets, even dangerous in the US case
The lack of supporters
The what-the-fuck nature of India getting to decide where they play the semi final
Loads of pretty crap matches


The only highlights have been Afghanistan, the USA early on, and South Africa's displays.

Agree with this - other teams should put their foot down. India can play with themselves if they wish and to hell with their money

[JM2K6]

Crowds in Caribbean have been dismal, but that’s exactly the case in all forms of cricket since the mid-90s. No-one bothers to go to live matches.

I mean that's pretty obviously not true with a glance at other major tournaments

[JM2K6]

OK so now it's a shit show of a tournament?

Loads of predictable washouts
The bizarre split of where matches were hosted
Some genuinely awful wickets, even dangerous in the US case
The lack of supporters
The what-the-fuck nature of India getting to decide where they play the semi final
Loads of pretty crap matches


The only highlights have been Afghanistan, the USA early on, and South Africa's displays.

Oh, talking of highlights - a complete lack of them on free to air or other easily available platforms

[Jethro]

OK so now it's a shit show of a tournament?

Hell yeah, now I have to support the Saffas, who saw that coming, anyone but India

Actually haven't been watching, but tuned in for the SA v Afghan shambles, wow money well spent to go to that game.

Congrats to SA btw, apparently first ever T20 WC finals appearance.

[Paddington Bear]

OK so now it's a shit show of a tournament?

We’re all supporting you.

It doesn’t change the fact that cricket is totally incoherent, saturated and so clearly run for and by India.

We rock up at a tournament with no crowds, poor pitches, no discernible advertising to the population of the Caribbean, with rigged groups.

The pro landscape now is the odd well supported game, the IPL which is increasingly unwatchable, and constant short form games played anywhere in front of no one, played solely for Indian TV and gambling interests.

India’s economy and population comparative to the other cricket nations makes this to an extent inevitable, but as I say it’s just a shame they’re so shit at running it, so disinterested in actual competition and totally ambivalent at the need for a crowd and atmosphere for any game that doesn’t involve India. Rugby has more than a slight tilt towards the home nations but you can’t say any of the above apply.

India aren’t to blame for the incoherence of the English summer, but fundamentally this is a sport where nothing works and outside the Ashes spectacle is a thing of the past.

It’s just hard to care. Fortunately the Ashes does still matter and I’m part of a healthy local league structure, as 90% of what’s on offer is of absolutely no interest to me.

[assfly]

Well put.

[Thor Sedan]

Not sure why the English are bemoaning the power imbalance in cricket? England, Australia and India are a power unto themselves. When these three teams play each other in a test series it is minimum 3 tests. The likes of Pakistan, NZ, SA, Sri Lanka etc have to make do with the breadcrumb 2 test series at the beginning or end of a season and 'warm up' ODI's and T20's.

Yes India have way too much power - but England and Australia are more than happy to sacrifice other nations to cosy up to some of that Indian Rupees action.

[Sandstorm]

Not sure why the English are bemoaning the power imbalance in cricket? England, Australia and India are a power unto themselves. When these three teams play each other in a test series it is minimum 3 tests. The likes of Pakistan, NZ, SA, Sri Lanka etc have to make do with the breadcrumb 2 test series at the beginning or end of a season and 'warm up' ODI's and T20's.

Yes India have way too much power - but England and Australia are more than happy to sacrifice other nations to cosy up to some of that Indian Rupees action.

Preach brother

[Slick]

Crowds in Caribbean have been dismal, but that’s exactly the case in all forms of cricket since the mid-90s. No-one bothers to go to live matches.

The locals are completely priced out of live matches, it's been the same for years.

[Biffer]

Three Scotland v Australia T20I games confirmed for early September in Edinburgh.

Thanks Aussies!