The Official Cricket Thread

[OomStruisbaai]

Proteas struggling . 56/2 after 10

[OomStruisbaai]

Miller has been devastating. Breaking flat walls.

[OomStruisbaai]

Klaasen & Miller probably our most talented hitters. They are hammering the Irish

[OomStruisbaai]

184/6 after 20.

[Hugo]

England.women chasing 165 v India in the commonwealth games semis. Looked a tall order but its 24-0 after two overs.

[Lobby]

England.women chasing 165 v India in the commonwealth games semis. Looked a tall order but its 24-0 after two overs.

Sciver too slow, just going for singles.

[Kiwias]

Kiwi lasses absolutely thrashing England in bronze medal match at the C’Wealth Games.

[Hugo]

Was at the 100 at Lords last night, only the second time I've ever gone to a cricket match.

Credit where it is due, it was packed and they really went the extra mile to engage the fans - they had Harry Kane doing some pre match entertainment and players came out to sign autographs after the match. The place was full of kids and I suppose thats the important thing when all is said and done.

[Paddington Bear]

Was at the 100 at Lords last night, only the second time I've ever gone to a cricket match.

Credit where it is due, it was packed and they really went the extra mile to engage the fans - they had Harry Kane doing some pre match entertainment and players came out to sign autographs after the match. The place was full of kids and I suppose thats the important thing when all is said and done.

Have to say I'm almost completely won over by it, for all the gimmicks if you concentrate the talent in English cricket into a smaller number of teams you get a very good cricketing product. No interest in a DJ etc but it doesn't overwhelm the game either. It is definitely engaging a new audience and the amount of kids running around at my club on a Sunday morning wearing Hundred team shirts tells its own story.

[Biffer]

Like it or not I'll keep posting about associate cricket and Scotland in particular.

Scotland beat UAE today by 64 runs in World League 2.another game against UAE and two v USA over the next six days. Win those and well be very well placed to guarantee our spot in the World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe early next year.

[Biffer]

Like it or not I'll keep posting about associate cricket and Scotland in particular.

Scotland beat UAE today by 64 runs in World League 2.another game against UAE and two v USA over the next six days. Win those and well be very well placed to guarantee our spot in the World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe early next year.

Most of you won't know this but Scotland will have had to play 44 ODIs in about three years in the qualifying campaigm. Big ask when sides aren't fully professional. Any games to raise cash against big teams are in addition to that.

[Paddington Bear]

Like it or not I'll keep posting about associate cricket and Scotland in particular.

Scotland beat UAE today by 64 runs in World League 2.another game against UAE and two v USA over the next six days. Win those and well be very well placed to guarantee our spot in the World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe early next year.

From my perspective please carry on. Don’t always have tons to add but interesting to follow

[Biffer]

Associate cricket correspondent checking in.

Current three nation odi series in World league 2 in Aberdeen seems to be producing a fair amount of runs.

USA chased down the UAE total of 253 with five balls to spare on Thursday, solid contributions from the top order made the difference. Although a decent game, the most memorable thing was probably this



Today Scotland chased down 295 against USA, getting to 301 in the 48th over. 123no from Aaron Jones not enough for the USA, Callum Macleod with 117 providing the bulk with some big hitting cameos from Leask and Greaves right at the end. Looked a bit off the pace needing 66 off the last eight overs but a quick display of hitting scored 81 off 36 balls to get home comfortably.

Scotland now looking very well placed to go to the CWC qualifier in Zimbabwe along with Oman, USA and UAE both now looking over their shoulders at Namibia and Nepal in the competition for the final place.

[Biffer]

Scotland v UAE today. Scotland set a total of 254/9 from their 50, might be a little under par, maybe twenty short of where they'd want. 85 from 92 balls from captain Matt Cross and Callum Macleod continues his excellent form with 77 off 107.

UAE have started reasonably briskly 42/1 off the first 8.

[OomStruisbaai]

Like it or not I'll keep posting about associate cricket and Scotland in particular.

Scotland beat UAE today by 64 runs in World League 2.another game against UAE and two v USA over the next six days. Win those and well be very well placed to guarantee our spot in the World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe early next year.

From my perspective please carry on. Don’t always have tons to add but interesting to follow

Yep Keep it up Biffer

[Biffer]

Scotland bowl UAE out for 168,comfortable win. Now pretty much nailed on to get the the qualifier in Zim.

Table here, hasn't been updated for today yet

https://www.espn.co.uk/cricket/table/se ... c-league-2

Quite competitive for third place, and actually similarly close in the top division to see who of Ireland, Sri Lanka, West Indies and South Africa will also end up going to Zimbabwe

[Biffer]

If I can add another example of rank ICC incompetence with associate level as well - they've decided that they're now going to have regional qualifiers for the next t20 world cup. Which means PNG are nailed on to qualify every time as there's no one else in their region within 40 world ranking places of them. Fucking nuts.

[Paddington Bear]

If I can add another example of rank ICC incompetence with associate level as well - they've decided that they're now going to have regional qualifiers for the next t20 world cup. Which means PNG are nailed on to qualify every time as there's no one else in their region within 40 world ranking places of them. Fucking nuts.

It's hard to escape from believing they just don't give a shit. Which is mad but there we are

[Biffer]

If I can add another example of rank ICC incompetence with associate level as well - they've decided that they're now going to have regional qualifiers for the next t20 world cup. Which means PNG are nailed on to qualify every time as there's no one else in their region within 40 world ranking places of them. Fucking nuts.

It's hard to escape from believing they just don't give a shit. Which is mad but there we are

Yeah , like when they tried too grow the game by reducing the world cup from 16 teams to 10

[Ovals]

If I can add another example of rank ICC incompetence with associate level as well - they've decided that they're now going to have regional qualifiers for the next t20 world cup. Which means PNG are nailed on to qualify every time as there's no one else in their region within 40 world ranking places of them. Fucking nuts.

It's hard to escape from believing they just don't give a shit. Which is mad but there we are

Yeah , like when they tried too grow the game by reducing the world cup from 16 teams to 10

Much like the ECB replacing our premier short form cricket tournament with one with just 8 teams (from 18). And turning our 50 over tournament, the format we are World champs in, into a 2nd XI competition !!

[Paddington Bear]

It's hard to escape from believing they just don't give a shit. Which is mad but there we are

Yeah , like when they tried too grow the game by reducing the world cup from 16 teams to 10

Much like the ECB replacing our premier short form cricket tournament with one with just 8 teams (from 18). And turning our 50 over tournament, the format we are World champs in, into a 2nd XI competition !!

The argument is a little different within England as the standard of counties #14 or so downward is pretty average and affects the product. Hence Berkshire (at least nominally amateur) thumping Middlesex a few weeks ago.

[OomStruisbaai]

Proteas starts their test series vs England tomorrow at Lord's.

[SaintK]

Proteas starts their test series vs England tomorrow at Lord's.

Getting spicy!

England captain Ben Stokes says South Africa "seem to be doing a lot of talking" before the first Test at Lord's begins on Wednesday.
Proteas skipper Dean Elgar questioned the "longevity" of the attacking style that has seen England win all four of their home Tests this summer.
"We're not the ones talking about it all the time. It's them," Stokes told BBC Sport.
"We play cricket how we play cricket, they play how they play."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/62564634

[OomStruisbaai]

England team for first Test against South Africa: Zak Crawley, Alex Lees, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (capt), Ben Foakes (wkt), Matthew Potts, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, James Anderson.

[OomStruisbaai]

PROTEAS TEST SQUAD AGAINST ENGLAND

Dean Elgar (captain, Momentum Multiply Titans), Sarel Erwee (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Marco Jansen (Gbets Warriors), Simon Harmer (Momentum Multiply Titans), Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Aiden Markram (Momentum Multiply Titans), Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Anrich Nortje (Gbets Warriors), Keegan Petersen (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Kagiso Rabada (Imperial Lions), Ryan Rickelton (Imperial Lions), Lutho Sipamla (Imperial Lions), Rassie van der Dussen (Imperial Lions), Kyle Verreynne (wicketkeeper, Six Gun Grill Western Province), Khaya Zondo (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Glenton Stuurman (Gbets Warriors).

[Ovals]

Yeah , like when they tried too grow the game by reducing the world cup from 16 teams to 10

Much like the ECB replacing our premier short form cricket tournament with one with just 8 teams (from 18). And turning our 50 over tournament, the format we are World champs in, into a 2nd XI competition !!

The argument is a little different within England as the standard of counties #14 or so downward is pretty average and affects the product. Hence Berkshire (at least nominally amateur) thumping Middlesex a few weeks ago.

SHouldn't read anything into Berks beating Middx - None of the counties put out anything close to a 1st team for those friendlies - in a straight fight Middx would win 10 times out of 10. And, in terms of whte ball cricket, the 'lesser' 1st class counties tend to do very well in the T20. WHat the ECB have done is reduce the number of venues that people can go to wtach cricket in, for the whole of the summer hols - the vast majority of people are really nowhere near enough to the venues to actually attend.

[Paddington Bear]

Much like the ECB replacing our premier short form cricket tournament with one with just 8 teams (from 18). And turning our 50 over tournament, the format we are World champs in, into a 2nd XI competition !!

The argument is a little different within England as the standard of counties #14 or so downward is pretty average and affects the product. Hence Berkshire (at least nominally amateur) thumping Middlesex a few weeks ago.

SHouldn't read anything into Berks beating Middx - None of the counties put out anything close to a 1st team for those friendlies - in a straight fight Middx would win 10 times out of 10. And, in terms of whte ball cricket, the 'lesser' 1st class counties tend to do very well in the T20. WHat the ECB have done is reduce the number of venues that people can go to wtach cricket in, for the whole of the summer hols - the vast majority of people are really nowhere near enough to the venues to actually attend.

The reason I picked out Middlesex was that was actually a half reasonable Middlesex side and they got pumped. You're right of course wrt say Bucks beating Surrey the same day.
Got to say I don't fully buy into this argument at all - attendances are pretty strong across The Hundred and being in the major cities makes them more of a 'hub' to get to than they'd otherwise be (West Country I accept has been shafted to maintain a Welsh presence). Also if you go to a County game you really do see the same old faces, the same old boys, the same Dads with the same kids who were born with a cricket bat in their hand. That's not meant pejoratively, that describes my school summer holidays pretty accurately. It's undeniable that The Hundred is engaging a young audience that have not been going to the Blast.
I don't hate the Blast and I don't hate County cricket, but what has become increasingly the case is cricket has isolated itself from mainstream sport and society. It's become more insular, if you play now and you're under 35 or so the odds of you either having a Dad who was a club cricketer, you went to private school or are from a South Asian background is near certain. The Hundred is the only prospect of reversing that and making cricket more a part of the popular culture of the country again that I see, which is why I'm a qualified supporter of it.

[Insane_Homer]

Toss news:South Africa have won the toss and have opted to bowl

Rabada fit and playing

[Insane_Homer]

6/1

"Rabada to Lees, OUT
Climbing through, feathers an edge, Rabada strikes! Too good for Lees, who was sticking to the stated mantra of positivity but ended up playing a loose waft outside off"

[Mahoney]

From the cricinfo feed it seems like Pope is a walking wicket

[Paddington Bear]

Crawley - please fuck off

[Thor Sedan]

From the cricinfo feed it seems like Pope is a walking wicket

Maybe weathered that and moving on now?

[Insane_Homer]

56/4

[Paddington Bear]

Bad toss to lose

[handyman]

Come on lads, one more before lunch.

[handyman]

Come on lads, one more before lunch.

Mine.

[Mahoney]

Good thing we've got a long tail.

Oh.

[OomStruisbaai]

Great start by the Proteas.

[SaintK]

Great start by the Proteas.

Back to business as usual from England!

[OomStruisbaai]

Great start by the Proteas.

Back to business as usual from England!

England bat deep. Only one session, still a marathon