The Official Cricket Thread

[Ymx]

Ollie Robinson suspended from all international cricket pending an ECB investigation.

Be interested to see how they handle this. Matera said far worse for a single skipped game.

[Saint]

Ollie Robinson suspended from all international cricket pending an ECB investigation.

Be interested to see how they handle this. Matera said far worse for a single skipped game.

Investigation, public slap on the hand, move on

[Enzedder]

Boult could be in the side for Thursday - but would you rest Southee?

Pace spearhead Trent Boult could be ushered back for Thursday night’s (NZ time) second cricket test after all, as New Zealand chase a first series victory in England in 22 years.

Coach Gary Stead initially ruled Boult out of the test at Edgbaston, Birmingham, before he arrived in London and had his first training with the Black Caps wider squad at Lord’s on Saturday.

Now, after New Zealand drew the first test against England, the coach said Boult was likely to be considered, which adds to the bowling selection conundrums with the World Test Championship final against India looming on Friday week.

“There is a chance. There are a few things that have changed … the British Government has relaxed their quarantine stipulations, so Trent is out of isolation three or four days earlier than we expected,” Stead said. “We still have not made a firm call on that and we will give it the next 48 hours before we work out what we do with Trent in that second test.”

Boult, whose last international was the one-dayer against Bangladesh in Wellington on March 26, returned to New Zealand when the Indian Premier League was postponed.

After completing 14 days of managed isolation, Boult reunited with his young family in Mt Maunganui before flying to Britain and saying he hoped to be part of the second test.

Assuming Boult is picked, that creates two headaches for Stead and captain Kane Williamson: which bowler to leave out, and whether Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner can all handle an intense three tests in as many weeks or be given a freshen up.

[Rinkals]

Rob Key was a bit disparaging about the NZ attack in the first England innings, and though I thought he was being very unfair at the time, it really does seem that they don't have the bowlers to take twenty wickets.

Ludicrous comment given they bowled NZ to a 100-run first innings lead and only had two sessions on the last day.

England really should have won this but I don't see NZ getting into this good a position again. I can easily see England winning the rest of the games this series.

Games = game.

And England winning that game would represent the sort of improvement that would have stewards all over it if it happened at the racetrack. They were always second in this game and only got a chance to win it due to rain. Having finally got some overs under their belt (and got rid of Santner), the NZ attack will also be much more potent next time.

Twenty wickets.

Key was suggesting that the England batsmen got themselves out with poor shot selection in the first innings rather than the Kiwi bowlers being anything special. I think he said something like "Southee isn't something England batsmen have never seen before". In the second innings, I didn't feel that the England batsmen were in any danger of being bowled out, not even had there been another day.

Perhaps the addition of Boult (if he plays) will make a difference, but I still can't see NZ winning the second test.

(You are right: this is a two test series. The third game is against India).

[Insane_Homer]

Ollie Robinson suspended from all international cricket pending an ECB investigation.

Be interested to see how they handle this. Matera said far worse for a single skipped game.

Investigation, public slap on the hand, move on

3-6 months of sensitivity rehabilitation and social media training.

[Slick]

Ollie Robinson suspended from all international cricket pending an ECB investigation.

I find this all incredibly sad. The mob are out to destroy someones life in the name of racism and sexism which is of course completely laudable, but forgiveness of an 18 year old? Nah fuck that, string him up so they can get a warm glow of having made the world a better place.

To see the ECB, media, etc cower in the face of a handful of social media warriors who have , I imagine, never had an interest in cricket or given a single thing to the sport, is horrible to watch. What is the point of suspending someone for something he said a decade ago whilst still a kid? Let him apologise, welcome that apology, and get him to do something useful in penance - go out and coach some Asian and girl cricketers so some actual, real life, good comes out of it.

[Hal Jordan]

We moan when everyone gets out flinging the bat. We moan when they glue themselves in for the draw. We'd have moaned if we lost.

You know those aren't the only two options, right?

Have you watched England lately? They're the only options, it seems.

<insert boring stats to prove me wrong here>

[Mahoney]

Ollie Robinson suspended from all international cricket pending an ECB investigation.

I find this all incredibly sad. The mob are out to destroy someones life in the name of racism and sexism which is of course completely laudable, but forgiveness of an 18 year old? Nah fuck that, string him up so they can get a warm glow of having made the world a better place.

To see the ECB, media, etc cower in the face of a handful of social media warriors who have , I imagine, never had an interest in cricket or given a single thing to the sport, is horrible to watch. What is the point of suspending someone for something he said a decade ago whilst still a kid? Let him apologise, welcome that apology, and get him to do something useful in penance - go out and coach some Asian and girl cricketers so some actual, real life, good comes out of it.

Has there actually been any anti-Robinson noise about it on social media? I've missed it if so.

My impression is that the ECB & cricketing establishment are over-reacting in anticipation and fear of a social media storm that hasn't happened.

[SaintK]

Ollie Robinson suspended from all international cricket pending an ECB investigation.

I find this all incredibly sad. The mob are out to destroy someones life in the name of racism and sexism which is of course completely laudable, but forgiveness of an 18 year old? Nah fuck that, string him up so they can get a warm glow of having made the world a better place.

To see the ECB, media, etc cower in the face of a handful of social media warriors who have , I imagine, never had an interest in cricket or given a single thing to the sport, is horrible to watch. What is the point of suspending someone for something he said a decade ago whilst still a kid? Let him apologise, welcome that apology, and get him to do something useful in penance - go out and coach some Asian and girl cricketers so some actual, real life, good comes out of it.

Has there actually been any anti-Robinson noise about it on social media? I've missed it if so.

My impression is that the ECB & cricketing establishment are over-reacting in anticipation and fear of a social media storm that hasn't happened.

The Government appear to think that the ECB are over reacting

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden says the England and Wales Cricket Board "has gone over the top" in suspending bowler Ollie Robinson for historical racist and sexist tweets.

The posts from 2012 and 2013 were revealed while Robinson was making his England debut during the drawn first Test against New Zealand at Lord's.

Robinson, 27, has been dropped for the second Test, which begins at Edgbaston on Thursday.

Dowden asked the ECB to "think again".

[JM2K6]

Ollie Robinson suspended from all international cricket pending an ECB investigation.

I find this all incredibly sad. The mob are out to destroy someones life in the name of racism and sexism which is of course completely laudable, but forgiveness of an 18 year old? Nah fuck that, string him up so they can get a warm glow of having made the world a better place.

To see the ECB, media, etc cower in the face of a handful of social media warriors who have , I imagine, never had an interest in cricket or given a single thing to the sport, is horrible to watch. What is the point of suspending someone for something he said a decade ago whilst still a kid? Let him apologise, welcome that apology, and get him to do something useful in penance - go out and coach some Asian and girl cricketers so some actual, real life, good comes out of it.

What mob?

The ECB has unfortunately made a rod for its own back here. Because they seem to have no real understanding of the problem or the issues surrounding racism and sexism in this country, they're all about the optics. I think it's brilliant that Sky haven't let the BLM and related stuff fall by the wayside, but there's zero doubt in my mind that the people who run Sky cricket and the people at the top of the ECB haven't got a fucking clue about this stuff and only give a shit in as much as it affects how they look.

If the ECB genuinely cared, a lot more would've been done about the many issues of racism in English cricket. If the ECB really cared, Craig "go back to your own fucking country" Overton wouldn't be within a mile of being able to replace Robinson. If they actually understood the issues, they'd know that there's alternative ways to make it clear they take these things seriously while also not throwing Robinson to the wolves. But they don't, so instead we get this ridiculous circus based on very little at all.

Shit, turning this into a positive would've been a piece of piss for them to do given Robinson seems very willing to admit fault and talk about it all. But instead all that happens is we get this ridiculous tone-deaf response that only serves to piss everyone off and makes anti-racism campaigners look like loons, even though they've not had anything to do with this.

[JM2K6]

The Government appear to think that the ECB are over reacting

We both know why. Dowden isn't speaking from a position of wanting more nuance and sensitivity. Dowden is a fucking arsehole who is all BLM BAD GRR BRITAIN GREAT THERE'S NO RACISM HERE WOOHOO CULTURE WAR.

So yet another way the ECB simply made things worse.

[Slick]

Ollie Robinson suspended from all international cricket pending an ECB investigation.

I find this all incredibly sad. The mob are out to destroy someones life in the name of racism and sexism which is of course completely laudable, but forgiveness of an 18 year old? Nah fuck that, string him up so they can get a warm glow of having made the world a better place.

To see the ECB, media, etc cower in the face of a handful of social media warriors who have , I imagine, never had an interest in cricket or given a single thing to the sport, is horrible to watch. What is the point of suspending someone for something he said a decade ago whilst still a kid? Let him apologise, welcome that apology, and get him to do something useful in penance - go out and coach some Asian and girl cricketers so some actual, real life, good comes out of it.

Has there actually been any anti-Robinson noise about it on social media? I've missed it if so.

My impression is that the ECB & cricketing establishment are over-reacting in anticipation and fear of a social media storm that hasn't happened.

Didn't the posts come out on social media?

[fishfoodie]

The Government appear to think that the ECB are over reacting

We both know why. Dowden isn't speaking from a position of wanting more nuance and sensitivity. Dowden is a fucking arsehole who is all BLM BAD GRR BRITAIN GREAT THERE'S NO RACISM HERE WOOHOO CULTURE WAR.

So yet another way the ECB simply made things worse.

That's the word that never seems to get incorporated into the reactions !

There's a world of difference between the witterings of an immature kid; & the stuff that the ECB need to be ruthless on; but the problem is that, it seems, none of the people in positions of authority, want to stick their heads above the parapet, & call it as such.

So the default option is the harshest approach.

[Mahoney]

I find this all incredibly sad. The mob are out to destroy someones life in the name of racism and sexism which is of course completely laudable, but forgiveness of an 18 year old? Nah fuck that, string him up so they can get a warm glow of having made the world a better place.

To see the ECB, media, etc cower in the face of a handful of social media warriors who have , I imagine, never had an interest in cricket or given a single thing to the sport, is horrible to watch. What is the point of suspending someone for something he said a decade ago whilst still a kid? Let him apologise, welcome that apology, and get him to do something useful in penance - go out and coach some Asian and girl cricketers so some actual, real life, good comes out of it.

Has there actually been any anti-Robinson noise about it on social media? I've missed it if so.

My impression is that the ECB & cricketing establishment are over-reacting in anticipation and fear of a social media storm that hasn't happened.

Didn't the posts come out on social media?

I don't know. 10 minutes googling hasn't revealed how they came to the attention of the UK newspapers.

[Biffer]

A better response from the ECB would be

Stand him down for the next game
Then tell the truth about the guy - he was a kid when he made these comments and the journey he's taken since then in changing his attitudes and realising the way these words can be damaging is an example of the journey many people across our society need to take and are taking. We understand much of English cricket needs to do this as well and will work to further help more people understand the damage that words and attitudes do to all of our success and failure in this country.

[dantedelew]

Isn't this what they've done (the standing down)? It's just a suspension not a total kicking out I thought?
Just need to see how long it is for.

[Mahoney]

I don't see why we need to stand someone down at all for being a bit of a dick in 2012 aged 18 when they have made a fulsome apology for it.

If it were recent, perhaps. But 2012... leaving aside his age at the time, and how much anyone can change in 9 years, it was a different world. The pace of social change in the last decade has been really fast. And awareness of the dangers of making any attributable comment on long lasting social media has also increased dramatically. It seems over the top to me.

[Thor Sedan]

Kinda feel that the lad has been thrown up as the poster child for 'look at what we are doing against this sort of thing'.

He was 18 - he was being an 18 year without thought of how it would appear later on. He probably thought he was being funny as f**k. And he has apologized for it and no doubt had a couple of slaps around the back of the head from other professionals. Instead of dumping him - why not use him as a teaching tool for others? Let the guy play and show folk that people can change.

Plus the fact that Overton got done for straight up racist language directed at one indvidual during a game when he was 21 - and only got a 2 game ban......sheesh.

[Insane_Homer]

Yes it was 9 years ago.

It's also simple enough for them to suspend him to make an assessment as to whether his views have actually changed since then (hoping, but not assuming, it was only stupid naivety of a lad trying to get a laugh). As part of that and to afford him a path to redemption you put him on awareness course(s), make him do some charity work, to ensure it doesn't happen again and he gets a second chance.

Turn it into a positive and make him the poster boy for rehabilitation and redemption (yes, I know it's OTT, but that's the marketing angle) and the next time he takes the field for England all those fans that booed the soccer team on Saturday can boo him too for becoming woke

[Hal Jordan]

The Government appear to think that the ECB are over reacting

We both know why. Dowden isn't speaking from a position of wanting more nuance and sensitivity. Dowden is a fucking arsehole who is all BLM BAD GRR BRITAIN GREAT THERE'S NO RACISM HERE WOOHOO CULTURE WAR.

So yet another way the ECB simply made things worse.

Lest we forget, Dowden is the cunt making not very veiled threats to defund museums who don't toe the Government line on the wonders of the Empire and how good it was for the benighted heathens that we brought our muscular Christianity to their mud huts.

[ScarfaceClaw]

The Government appear to think that the ECB are over reacting

We both know why. Dowden isn't speaking from a position of wanting more nuance and sensitivity. Dowden is a fucking arsehole who is all BLM BAD GRR BRITAIN GREAT THERE'S NO RACISM HERE WOOHOO CULTURE WAR.

So yet another way the ECB simply made things worse.

Lest we forget, Dowden is the cunt making not very veiled threats to defund museums who don't toe the Government line on the wonders of the Empire and how good it was for the benighted heathens that we brought our muscular Christianity to their mud huts.

Gun beats spear!

[Ymx]

Boult could be in the side for Thursday - but would you rest Southee?

Pace spearhead Trent Boult could be ushered back for Thursday night’s (NZ time) second cricket test after all, as New Zealand chase a first series victory in England in 22 years.

Coach Gary Stead initially ruled Boult out of the test at Edgbaston, Birmingham, before he arrived in London and had his first training with the Black Caps wider squad at Lord’s on Saturday.

Now, after New Zealand drew the first test against England, the coach said Boult was likely to be considered, which adds to the bowling selection conundrums with the World Test Championship final against India looming on Friday week.

“There is a chance. There are a few things that have changed … the British Government has relaxed their quarantine stipulations, so Trent is out of isolation three or four days earlier than we expected,” Stead said. “We still have not made a firm call on that and we will give it the next 48 hours before we work out what we do with Trent in that second test.”

Boult, whose last international was the one-dayer against Bangladesh in Wellington on March 26, returned to New Zealand when the Indian Premier League was postponed.

After completing 14 days of managed isolation, Boult reunited with his young family in Mt Maunganui before flying to Britain and saying he hoped to be part of the second test.

Assuming Boult is picked, that creates two headaches for Stead and captain Kane Williamson: which bowler to leave out, and whether Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner can all handle an intense three tests in as many weeks or be given a freshen up.

Really depends upon how fit he is.

But I’d like to have Boult and Wagner.

[Ymx]

Ollie Robinson: PM Boris Johnson supports Oliver Dowden's comments that ECB 'has gone too far'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has backed comments made by the Culture Secretary that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) went "over the top" in suspending bowler Ollie Robinson for historical racist and sexist tweets.
The posts, from 2012 and 2013 when Robinson was a teenager, were revealed while he was making his England debut during the drawn first Test against New Zealand at Lord's.
Robinson, 27, has been dropped for the second Test, which begins at Edgbaston on Thursday, pending an investigation.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden asked the ECB to "think again".
Dowden said the tweets were "offensive and wrong" but "also a decade old and written by a teenager".
A spokesperson for Mr Johnson said: "The PM is supportive of Oliver Dowden's comments. As Dowden set out, these were comments made more than a decade ago written by someone as a teenager and for which they've rightly apologised."

[Lobby]

Ollie Robinson: PM Boris Johnson supports Oliver Dowden's comments that ECB 'has gone too far'

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has backed comments made by the Culture Secretary that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) went "over the top" in suspending bowler Ollie Robinson for historical racist and sexist tweets.
The posts, from 2012 and 2013 when Robinson was a teenager, were revealed while he was making his England debut during the drawn first Test against New Zealand at Lord's.
Robinson, 27, has been dropped for the second Test, which begins at Edgbaston on Thursday, pending an investigation.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden asked the ECB to "think again".
Dowden said the tweets were "offensive and wrong" but "also a decade old and written by a teenager".
A spokesperson for Mr Johnson said: "The PM is supportive of Oliver Dowden's comments. As Dowden set out, these were comments made more than a decade ago written by someone as a teenager and for which they've rightly apologised."

To which he could have added, ‘and I have said far worse in my columns and articles over the years, without the excuse of being a teenager at the time, and have got away with it.’

[Random1]

Ollie Robinson suspended from all international cricket pending an ECB investigation.

I find this all incredibly sad. The mob are out to destroy someones life in the name of racism and sexism which is of course completely laudable, but forgiveness of an 18 year old? Nah fuck that, string him up so they can get a warm glow of having made the world a better place.

To see the ECB, media, etc cower in the face of a handful of social media warriors who have , I imagine, never had an interest in cricket or given a single thing to the sport, is horrible to watch. What is the point of suspending someone for something he said a decade ago whilst still a kid? Let him apologise, welcome that apology, and get him to do something useful in penance - go out and coach some Asian and girl cricketers so some actual, real life, good comes out of it.

What mob?

The ECB has unfortunately made a rod for its own back here. Because they seem to have no real understanding of the problem or the issues surrounding racism and sexism in this country, they're all about the optics. I think it's brilliant that Sky haven't let the BLM and related stuff fall by the wayside, but there's zero doubt in my mind that the people who run Sky cricket and the people at the top of the ECB haven't got a fucking clue about this stuff and only give a shit in as much as it affects how they look.

If the ECB genuinely cared, a lot more would've been done about the many issues of racism in English cricket. If the ECB really cared, Craig "go back to your own fucking country" Overton wouldn't be within a mile of being able to replace Robinson. If they actually understood the issues, they'd know that there's alternative ways to make it clear they take these things seriously while also not throwing Robinson to the wolves. But they don't, so instead we get this ridiculous circus based on very little at all.

Shit, turning this into a positive would've been a piece of piss for them to do given Robinson seems very willing to admit fault and talk about it all. But instead all that happens is we get this ridiculous tone-deaf response that only serves to piss everyone off and makes anti-racism campaigners look like loons, even though they've not had anything to do with this.

Spot on.

[Big D]

Apparently they've found another tweet by a current player that was made when they were 15.

Not sure how they'll play that one. 15 is still a kid.

[Paddington Bear]

Imagine trawling through to find a child said something stupid a decade ago.

This is silly - if you're 25-35 chances are you grew up with social media but at a time where we were much less aware of the consequences. There's no suggestion that Robinson et al are active racists today as adults. I'm sure we're all horrified by things we said/did as teenagers. Not convinced the ECB need to take the action they clearly feel they have to.

[Slick]

Imagine trawling through to find a child said something stupid a decade ago.

This is silly - if you're 25-35 chances are you grew up with social media but at a time where we were much less aware of the consequences. There's no suggestion that Robinson et al are active racists today as adults. I'm sure we're all horrified by things we said/did as teenagers. Not convinced the ECB need to take the action they clearly feel they have to.

It was Wisden apparently

[Hal Jordan]

Apparently they've found another tweet by a current player that was made when they were 15.

Not sure how they'll play that one. 15 is still a kid.

<coughShamimaBegumcough>

"Just saying"

[Paddington Bear]

Imagine trawling through to find a child said something stupid a decade ago.

This is silly - if you're 25-35 chances are you grew up with social media but at a time where we were much less aware of the consequences. There's no suggestion that Robinson et al are active racists today as adults. I'm sure we're all horrified by things we said/did as teenagers. Not convinced the ECB need to take the action they clearly feel they have to.

It was Wisden apparently

Madness.
English cricket is a small world - half a chance that a cricket journalist knows one of the England players from back in the day and holds a grudge of some sort.
Depressing stuff.

[JM2K6]

Eh, I'm pretty sure Wisden aren't the ones who dug it up, they just wrote about it after it appeared on Twitter.

[fishfoodie]

***** BREAKING NEWS ****** BREAKING NEWS ****** BREAKING NEWS ****** BREAKING NEWS ****** BREAKING NEWS ******

Joe Root called an Asian class mate, "Mr stinky pants" ...... when he was 5

ECB announce his immediate suspension.

[Lobby]

Eh, I'm pretty sure Wisden aren't the ones who dug it up, they just wrote about it after it appeared on Twitter.

I think the new allegation about an as yet unnamed player comes from Wisden. From the BBC report:

Wisden said it uncovered a tweet containing a racist term but had "obscured" the identity of the player, who was under 16 when it was posted.

[Insane_Homer]

<coughShamimaBegumcough>

"Just saying"

That's gonna expose a few hypocrites

[JM2K6]

Eh, I'm pretty sure Wisden aren't the ones who dug it up, they just wrote about it after it appeared on Twitter.

I think the new allegation about an as yet unnamed player comes from Wisden. From the BBC report:

Wisden said it uncovered a tweet containing a racist term but had "obscured" the identity of the player, who was under 16 when it was posted.

Ah, I see.

[Paddington Bear]

<coughShamimaBegumcough>

"Just saying"

That's gonna expose a few hypocrites

Joining ISIS is the same as sending unpleasant tweets, types intelligent person

[Insane_Homer]

<coughShamimaBegumcough>

"Just saying"

That's gonna expose a few hypocrites

Joining ISIS is the same as sending unpleasant tweets, types intelligent person

Excusing one as a stupid teenager, while vilifying another stupid teenager types the hypocrite.

[Paddington Bear]

That's gonna expose a few hypocrites

Joining ISIS is the same as sending unpleasant tweets, types intelligent person

Excusing one as a stupid teenager, while vilifying another stupid teenager types the hypocrite.

It's not hypocritical to differentiate between saying something stupid on social media and joining a terrorist organisation. I'm staggered this needs to be said.

[Insane_Homer]

It's not hypocritical to differentiate between saying something stupid on social media and joining a terrorist organisation. I'm staggered this needs to be said.

If only Ollie had been groomed into being a racist we could vilify him properly

Both sets of actions have consequences,

but some want to argue that one stupid teenager should be given a full pass, while thinking a groomed 15 year old should be vilified and punished for the rest of her days, in the extreme, by removing her Nationality and denying her a fair trial.

[Lobby]

Joining ISIS is the same as sending unpleasant tweets, types intelligent person

m

Excusing one as a stupid teenager, while vilifying another stupid teenager types the hypocrite.

It's not hypocritical to differentiate between saying something stupid on social media and joining a terrorist organisation. I'm staggered this needs to be said.

And one has apologised for his tweets and admitted he was stupid, while the other has reportedly continued “to espouse the ISIL ideology and to try to justify its atrocities”.