The Official Cricket Thread

[Slick]

Good win for Scotland, beat Zimbabwe by 7 runs.

Scotland 141/6 Berrington 82 n.o.
Zimbabwe 134/9

Was coming on to say it sounded like a good match. Set up nicely for Friday!

[inactionman]

Michal Holding retiring from commentary

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/ ... ommentator

[Torquemada 1420]

Michal Holding retiring from commentary

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/ ... ommentator

Booo. Whispering Death has such a distinctive voice like Cozier had. Not sure why age should be a thing: Benaud went on until 127.

[GogLais]

Michal Holding retiring from commentary

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/ ... ommentator

Booo. Whispering Death has such a distinctive voice like Cozier had. Not sure why age should be a thing: Benaud went on until 127.

He's on Desert Island Disks today.

[Slick]

Reasonably fun afternoon at the Scotland v Zim T20.

Zim won by about 12 runs to level the series - although doesn’t look at the moment that there will be much play on Sunday

Zim made 3 world class catches around the 3/4 over with one in particular absolutely incredible. Then 3 catches on the boundary in the last over.

[Enzedder]

Fair bit of shit flying over this decision - who knows if it was the right one but the players are all still alive so that's the positive

Ardern feared Blackcaps 'would be attacked outside stadium'

AuthorNZ Herald, Publish DateSat, 18 Sep 2021, 9:44AM

Blackcaps tour of Pakistan abandoned after security threat

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern feared the Blackcaps would be attacked once they arrived at the Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi for the first one-day international against Pakistan.

A Pakistan government official says the claim was made by Ardern in a conversation with Pakistan PM and cricket great Imran Khan.

Neither Ardern's office, nor New Zealand Cricket have released any detail about the nature of the threat that saw the tour abandoned last night - minutes before the first ball was to be bowled.

The Blackcaps haven't played in Pakistan since 2003 and abandoned their tour the year before following an explosion outside the team hotel in Karachi.

International cricket only returned to Pakistan in 2019 - more than a decade after the visiting Sri Lankan team bus was attacked in Lahore.

The attack left seven people dead and several players injured.

Reaction to New Zealand's decision to cancel the tour has been swift, with fans and current and former players heavily criticising the move.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad overnight, Pakistan's Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed claimed Ardern told Khan the Blackcaps could be attacked outside the stadium.

He echoed earlier comments from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that there was no security threat against the Kiwis.

"He [Khan] told her [Ardern] that the law and order situation is the best in our country and we give a guarantee that there is no security problem here, there is no security threat," Ahmed said.

"But the Prime Minister of New Zealand said that the issue is not the threat but we have such information that when the team goes out it can come under some attack, so they have unilaterally cancelled their tour."

Ahmed said the PCB had earlier offered to host the matches - three ODIs in Rawalpindi followed by five Twenty20s in Lahore - without spectators but New Zealand rejected the offer. The stadiums were subsequently allowed to be at 25 per cent capacity, due to Covid-19 restrictions.

According to Ahmed, Blackcaps security advised local authorities of the security threat on Friday. When asked about the nature of the threat, Ahmed claims The New Zealanders "did not have any".

Pakistan had deployed commandos from Pakistan Army's Special Services Group (SSG), soldiers, and 4,000 policemen for the matches in Rawalpindi, Ahmed said.

He also claimed the cancellation was a "conspiracy" but declined to elaborate.

"He [Khan] called [Ardern] and assured her of complete security to the Kiwis. The New Zealand prime minister said there was no issue of a threat.

"She said the [New Zealand] government received intelligence that the team could be attacked when it steps out to go to the stadium.

"It is their decision. We had deployed heavy security for the team. Pakistan is a peace promoter in the world. And this tour was cancelled through a conspiracy. It is their problem and what they decide."

NZC last night said they were preparing to leave Pakistan after arriving on September 11. Following brief isolation, the team had completed three training sessions under heavy police guard.

[Sandstorm]

Stupid bint

[Big Nipper]

Stupid bint

exactly. NZ should hang their heads in shame, this was a ridiculous call made with absolutely no risks identified. The Pakistani govt has their special forces all around that stadium and 4000 cops ffs. This pathetic

[Kiwias]

Big Nipper belongs over on PR with this sort of idiotic commentary.

Oh sorry, he is already clogging the cricket thread there with his BS

[Enzedder]

We don't know the details of the threat and the accuracy of the intelligence. But, once it was received it had to be acted on.

[Gumboot]

We don't know the details of the threat and the accuracy of the intelligence. But, once it was received it had to be acted on.

Absolutely, caution first. Would've been irresponsible to do anything else.

[Rinkals]

We don't know the details of the threat and the accuracy of the intelligence. But, once it was received it had to be acted on.

From what I've seen, neither does Ardern. Otherwise, they would have mentioned it as a "credible threat" or some such, rather than refusing to identify it.

I would tend to agree with Sandy that she's just sticking her oar in.

South Africa toured there a few months ago without incident.

Mind you, we are not the super-important World-shaking Nation that New Zealand are.

Obviously.

[Gumboot]

We don't know the details of the threat and the accuracy of the intelligence. But, once it was received it had to be acted on.

From what I've seen, neither does Ardern. Otherwise, they would have mentioned it as a "credible threat" or some such, rather than refusing to identify it.

I would tend to agree with Sandy that she's just sticking her oar in.

South Africa toured there a few months ago without incident.

Mind you, we are not the super-important World-shaking Nation that New Zealand are.

Obviously.

Yep, it was done out of spite to prove what a global force we are.

[Rinkals]

We don't know the details of the threat and the accuracy of the intelligence. But, once it was received it had to be acted on.

From what I've seen, neither does Ardern. Otherwise, they would have mentioned it as a "credible threat" or some such, rather than refusing to identify it.

I would tend to agree with Sandy that she's just sticking her oar in.

South Africa toured there a few months ago without incident.

Mind you, we are not the super-important World-shaking Nation that New Zealand are.

Obviously.

Yep, it was done out of spite to prove what a global force we are.

I'm glad you picked up on the sarcasm, but I was anticipating a response along the lines of: "yes, but that's South Africa.".

As I say, South Africa toured there a few months ago, but, while it may have been safe for them, this is New Zealand.

[Gumboot]

Well Ardern said today the threat was specific and credible, and abandoning the tour was the only option. She also said it was normal to keep details of such threats confidential.

I was travelling in India in 1987 and looking forward to catching some of NZ's tour of Sri Lanka, when a bomb went off outside the team's Colombo hotel and that tour was cancelled. There have been another couple of aborted tours to the sub-continent for similar reasons since, I think. Most of the current squad have probably heard their predecessors talk about seeing bloodshed and body parts and fearing for their lives.

I don't give a rat's arse how safe other people think Pakistan is or how offended Pakistan is by us bailing on the tour. Shoaib Akhtar's a hysterical cunt and for all I care he can go drown in his own frothy spittle.

[Calculon]

She's not gonna say the withdrawal was a mistake and the NZ team overreacted. No one here has any idea of the alleged threat so seems pointless commenting on whether the withdrawal was justified orr not.

[Calculon]

Will the ashes go ahead? England players unhappy, threatening boycott, about quarantine situation and I can't say I blame them.


https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/the- ... nt-1278049

[Gumboot]

Will the ashes go ahead? England players unhappy, threatening boycott, about quarantine situation and I can't say I blame them.


https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/the- ... nt-1278049

Agree, that's too much to ask of the players, especially those with young families.

Love the Ashes - hope they can sort it out.

[SaintK]

Well bugger me Kent win a first trophy for 14 years
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/58609102
An astonishing catch on he boundary if you click through

[Biffer]

Scotland smash 30 off the final over to end 177/4 in the third t20 v Zimbabwe.

Could have been worse as 25 came off the first three balls - 6, 4nb, 1lb, 6, 6nb

[Biffer]

Really poor bowling from Scotland in the last few overs to hand it to Zimbabwe. Terrific hitting from Milton Shumba as well. But very disappointing from Scotland.

[Sandstorm]

Well bugger me Kent win a first trophy for 14 years
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/58609102
An astonishing catch on he boundary if you click through

That was great

[tabascoboy]

England's men's and women's team withdrawn from Pakistan white-ball tour

England have withdrawn their men's and women's teams from series in Pakistan that were due to take place in October.

The men were set to make their first trip to Pakistan since 2005, while the women had never before played there.

On Friday, New Zealand's men abandoned their tour of Pakistan because of a "specific and credible threat".

An England and Wales Cricket Board statement said: "We know there are increasing concerns about travelling to the region."

It continued: "We believe that going ahead will add further pressure to a playing group who have already coped with a long period of operating in restricted Covid environments."

[FalseBayFC]

England's men's and women's team withdrawn from Pakistan white-ball tour

England have withdrawn their men's and women's teams from series in Pakistan that were due to take place in October.

The men were set to make their first trip to Pakistan since 2005, while the women had never before played there.

On Friday, New Zealand's men abandoned their tour of Pakistan because of a "specific and credible threat".

An England and Wales Cricket Board statement said: "We know there are increasing concerns about travelling to the region."

It continued: "We believe that going ahead will add further pressure to a playing group who have already coped with a long period of operating in restricted Covid environments."

Maybe participating in an invasion in a region that they had colonized and invaded a couple of hundred of years before didn't win them too many friends.

[Calculon]

sounds like they are cancelling the tour on grounds of player mental health rather than on any security concerns

[Torquemada 1420]

England's men's and women's team withdrawn from Pakistan white-ball tour

England have withdrawn their men's and women's teams from series in Pakistan that were due to take place in October.

The men were set to make their first trip to Pakistan since 2005, while the women had never before played there.

On Friday, New Zealand's men abandoned their tour of Pakistan because of a "specific and credible threat".

An England and Wales Cricket Board statement said: "We know there are increasing concerns about travelling to the region."

It continued: "We believe that going ahead will add further pressure to a playing group who have already coped with a long period of operating in restricted Covid environments."

Having all ready thanked the Pakis for their efforts to tour here last year by giving them the 2 fingered salute, you'd think the ECB could at least get its excuse straight. Is it safety concerns or is it player welfare?

[FalseBayFC]

England's men's and women's team withdrawn from Pakistan white-ball tour

England have withdrawn their men's and women's teams from series in Pakistan that were due to take place in October.

The men were set to make their first trip to Pakistan since 2005, while the women had never before played there.

On Friday, New Zealand's men abandoned their tour of Pakistan because of a "specific and credible threat".

An England and Wales Cricket Board statement said: "We know there are increasing concerns about travelling to the region."

It continued: "We believe that going ahead will add further pressure to a playing group who have already coped with a long period of operating in restricted Covid environments."

Having all ready thanked the Pakis for their efforts to tour here last year by giving them the 2 fingered salute, you'd think the ECB could at least get its excuse straight. Is it safety concerns or is it player welfare?

A lot of Pashtuns in Pakistan. I don't think they will quickly forget the drone strikes or the Royal Marines strutting around their tribal lands like they owned the place. I would imagine that tours to anywhere on the sub-continent by teams that have the Union Jack on their flag might be disrupted. That includes Sri Lanka and India. What an effective way to disrupt life without any risk. Just make a threatening phone call and suddenly a tour gets called off.

[Torquemada 1420]

Having all ready thanked the Pakis for their efforts to tour here last year by giving them the 2 fingered salute, you'd think the ECB could at least get its excuse straight. Is it safety concerns or is it player welfare?

A lot of Pashtuns in Pakistan. I don't think they will quickly forget the drone strikes or the Royal Marines strutting around their tribal lands like they owned the place. I would imagine that tours to anywhere on the sub-continent by teams that have the Union Jack on their flag might be disrupted. That includes Sri Lanka and India. What an effective way to disrupt life without any risk. Just make a threatening phone call and suddenly a tour gets called off.

TBC, I would not go. It's just the mixed messages i.e. "We aren't going because of player burn out". I assume burn out was not a reference to IUDs?

[Rinkals]

She's not gonna say the withdrawal was a mistake and the NZ team overreacted. No one here has any idea of the alleged threat so seems pointless commenting on whether the withdrawal was justified orr not.

https://mannersoncricket.substack.com/p ... F3NWEk_2xo

Maners has a good point.

Surely, if a 'credible threat' exists, then it behoves the NZ Government to share this with the Pakistanis. The fact that they refused to do so raises the suspicion that they were extremely flimsy.

The ECB doesn't come out well in this either.

“We know there are increasing concerns about traveling to the region and believe that going ahead will add further pressure to a playing group who have already coped with a long period of operating in restricted Covid environments,” the ECB statement said.

Bear in mind the entire ‘tour’ was to have lasted four days with just a single day’s quarantine, two back-to-back T20Is and a travel day home. The entire trip would have been shorter than the six days of quarantine that England’s players had to fulfil before the resumption of the IPL in the UAE. And if the tour had gone ahead, it would have (theoretically) removed the England players from the play-off stages of the IPL.

[Monkey Magic]

She's not gonna say the withdrawal was a mistake and the NZ team overreacted. No one here has any idea of the alleged threat so seems pointless commenting on whether the withdrawal was justified orr not.

https://mannersoncricket.substack.com/p ... F3NWEk_2xo

Maners has a good point.

Surely, if a 'credible threat' exists, then it behoves the NZ Government to share this with the Pakistanis. The fact that they refused to do so raises the suspicion that they were extremely flimsy.

The ECB doesn't come out well in this either.

“We know there are increasing concerns about traveling to the region and believe that going ahead will add further pressure to a playing group who have already coped with a long period of operating in restricted Covid environments,” the ECB statement said.

Bear in mind the entire ‘tour’ was to have lasted four days with just a single day’s quarantine, two back-to-back T20Is and a travel day home. The entire trip would have been shorter than the six days of quarantine that England’s players had to fulfil before the resumption of the IPL in the UAE. And if the tour had gone ahead, it would have (theoretically) removed the England players from the play-off stages of the IPL.

On the first point, I'm only guessing but I can imagine that if they're getting intelligence through 5 eyes, that the details are held pretty close and if removing the team removes the threat then they wouldn't share it in case it compromised whoever sourced it

[Rinkals]

“We're saying ‘share that information, let's work collectively as a cricket family, let’s find a solution’ because at the moment there's an inequality which is ‘one rule for one and another rule for others’ – and that has to stop,” Khan said.

“If there was a threat then surely that threat is also to the civilians of Pakistan. So, are we saying that the lives of the civilians in Pakistan are any less important, or that the threat only applies to sports people?”

“If potential threats can't be discussed at a government-to-government level then we have a real problem in cricket. This is something that needs to be discussed amongst members to ensure, from a very basic courtesy and respect level, this isn’t allowed to happen.

“Embassies and High Commissions change their travel advisories when threat levels increase,” Khan said. Indeed, the British High Commission’s ‘security advisory’ made no change to its threat level.

“There were nine checkpoints to get into the ground. Those checkpoints ensured complete safety of fans before they arrived. Everything was in place from our side and those plans and protocols were given a clean bill of health by the NZ security expert,” Khan said.

[Calculon]

She's not gonna say the withdrawal was a mistake and the NZ team overreacted. No one here has any idea of the alleged threat so seems pointless commenting on whether the withdrawal was justified orr not.

https://mannersoncricket.substack.com/p ... F3NWEk_2xo

Maners has a good point.

Surely, if a 'credible threat' exists, then it behoves the NZ Government to share this with the Pakistanis. The fact that they refused to do so raises the suspicion that they were extremely flimsy.

The ECB doesn't come out well in this either.

“We know there are increasing concerns about traveling to the region and believe that going ahead will add further pressure to a playing group who have already coped with a long period of operating in restricted Covid environments,” the ECB statement said.

Bear in mind the entire ‘tour’ was to have lasted four days with just a single day’s quarantine, two back-to-back T20Is and a travel day home. The entire trip would have been shorter than the six days of quarantine that England’s players had to fulfil before the resumption of the IPL in the UAE. And if the tour had gone ahead, it would have (theoretically) removed the England players from the play-off stages of the IPL.

On the first point, I'm only guessing but I can imagine that if they're getting intelligence through 5 eyes, that the details are held pretty close and if removing the team removes the threat then they wouldn't share it in case it compromised whoever sourced it

Do you have a source for implying the intelligence comes from 5 eyes? I would have thought at least some details of the nature of the threat, beyond " a threat", could be given without compromising any source.

My understanding is that the ECB and new Zealand cricket are sharing the same security consultants, so it seems seems a bit odd to me that the ECB are not citing security reasons for their withdrawal.

Were the New Zealand players actually looking forward to touring Pakistan? I've read that at least one player was very reluctant to be there. If that was a feeling shared with his teammates it is possible any further threat, irrespective of its nature, could have led to the decision to withdraw.

[Monkey Magic]

https://mannersoncricket.substack.com/p ... F3NWEk_2xo

Maners has a good point.

Surely, if a 'credible threat' exists, then it behoves the NZ Government to share this with the Pakistanis. The fact that they refused to do so raises the suspicion that they were extremely flimsy.

The ECB doesn't come out well in this either.

On the first point, I'm only guessing but I can imagine that if they're getting intelligence through 5 eyes, that the details are held pretty close and if removing the team removes the threat then they wouldn't share it in case it compromised whoever sourced it

Do you have a source for implying the intelligence comes from 5 eyes? I would have thought at least some details of the nature of the threat, beyond " a threat", could be given without compromising any source.

My understanding is that the ECB and new Zealand cricket are sharing the same security consultants, so it seems seems a bit odd to me that the ECB are not citing security reasons for their withdrawal.

Were the New Zealand players actually looking forward to touring Pakistan? I've read that at least one player was very reluctant to be there. If that was a feeling shared with his teammates it is possible any further threat, irrespective of its nature, could have led to the decision to withdraw.

Pretty sure Ardern mentioned 5 eyes during a press conference but might be wrong, I'd Google an article but I'm incredibly lazy.

Most of these players aren't heading to the world cup, it was their only chance to push their international case. From what I've seen players didn't have a clue any of this was going on until the decision was made.

From the articles I've seen, NZC heard from govt the night before the match and were going to pull out straight away - not yet having told players. Held off as the two prime ministers spoke, players wake up for the game and told to stay home, nothing good came of that head of govt chat so NZC pulled the pin.

EDIT To add, here is an article that outlines most of it from NZ perspective

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/bla ... -tour?rm=a

Reading that, I was wrong, Ardern was asked if it was 5 eyes at a press conference, she would not confirm it.

[JM2K6]

"Why won't these countries share their intelligence with Pakistan" is a bit of a weird line to take. Pakistan are a weird combo of ally and enemy. If you don't have to share intelligence with them, you're better off not doing it.

I'd also not conflate NZ and England's decisions to not tour - England clearly have just seen an opportunity and taken it.

[Rinkals]

The British Government supported the tour, did not advise against it on security grounds and our travel advice for Pakistan has not changed.

[Calculon]

So safe for the England cricket team to tour but not the new Zealand one. I guess one of these Islamic nutter organisations must really hate new Zealand.

[Biffer]

England's men's and women's team withdrawn from Pakistan white-ball tour

England have withdrawn their men's and women's teams from series in Pakistan that were due to take place in October.

The men were set to make their first trip to Pakistan since 2005, while the women had never before played there.

On Friday, New Zealand's men abandoned their tour of Pakistan because of a "specific and credible threat".

An England and Wales Cricket Board statement said: "We know there are increasing concerns about travelling to the region."

It continued: "We believe that going ahead will add further pressure to a playing group who have already coped with a long period of operating in restricted Covid environments."

Having all ready thanked the Pakis for their efforts to tour here last year by giving them the 2 fingered salute, you'd think the ECB could at least get its excuse straight. Is it safety concerns or is it player welfare?

Nice casual use of a racist epithet there.

[Rinkals]

Having all ready thanked the Pakis for their efforts to tour here last year by giving them the 2 fingered salute, you'd think the ECB could at least get its excuse straight. Is it safety concerns or is it player welfare?

Nice casual use of a racist epithet there.

I don't think it's casual: I see it as a deliberate reference to the ECB's attitude?

[Mahoney]

Torq routinely uses that term to refer to the Pakistan cricket team. He certainly does not intend it in the typical racist sense; I can't remember if he considers it as reclaiming the term, or just does not feel that he shares in any of the British cultural guilt around its usage himself & so is free to use it in the same way as Aussie or Kiwi or any other neutral nickname / shortening.

We've been round the houses on whether him doing so is or is not acceptable several times.

[Torquemada 1420]

Having all ready thanked the Pakis for their efforts to tour here last year by giving them the 2 fingered salute, you'd think the ECB could at least get its excuse straight. Is it safety concerns or is it player welfare?

Nice casual use of a racist epithet there.

My father was born in Sukkur. Look it up f**kwit.