The Official Cricket Thread

[Sandstorm]

Can't see a mention of cause of death yet, so assume it was his long battle with depression. RIP.

[Random1]

By far my favourite England batsman of that era. What a shit piece of news. Best wishes to his family and friends.

[Insane_Homer]

Can't see a mention of cause of death yet, so assume it was his long battle with depression. RIP.

Don't think so, he was hospitalised and diagnosed with a 'serious illness' in '22

[Sandstorm]

Can't see a mention of cause of death yet, so assume it was his long battle with depression. RIP.

Don't think so, he was hospitalised and diagnosed with a 'serious illness' in '22

Ah, cheers.

[Paddington Bear]

One of my true heroes growing up, an English batsman who showed the doggedness that was more associated with a Steve Waugh type, which I attempted (still attempt) to emulate. Still use Kookaburra bats as I have done since pestering my parents to buy me my own version of his one. Test average in the 40s, a very underrated cricketer who didn’t have a great deal of luck in life.

His hand in the win in the dark in Karachi should ensure he is always remembered as a legend of the English game. RIP

[Insane_Homer]

https://www.threads.net/@englandsbarmya ... GqwAVWnFJg

[Hal Jordan]

Fuck, he was a touchstone of the years when I first really got into cricket and a rare bright light during some terrible, terrible days for English cricket.

From the BBC report -

Thorpe averaged 45.17 at home, 47.85 in Asia and 48.18 in Australia - a player for all situations.

That's excellent for a player of that, or any era, never mind an English one.

[Hal Jordan]

Can't see a mention of cause of death yet, so assume it was his long battle with depression. RIP.

Don't think so, he was hospitalised and diagnosed with a 'serious illness' in '22

Sadly, the anti-vaxx cunts are fouling up threads about him on social media.

[Slick]

I got to know him reasonably well on the 2004 tour of the WI. Really top guy who was always willing to engage with the supporters I was looking after. Really sad about this

[Paddington Bear]

Fuck, he was a touchstone of the years when I first really got into cricket and a rare bright light during some terrible, terrible days for English cricket.

From the BBC report -

Thorpe averaged 45.17 at home, 47.85 in Asia and 48.18 in Australia - a player for all situations.

That's excellent for a player of that, or any era, never mind an English one.

Wildly under appreciated player given the nonsense batting from the other end and the sheer pressure that placed on him. In a better team he’d have averaged well over 50. The first of my childhood sporting heroes to die, really quite cut up about this

[Rhubarb & Custard]

On balance, and after it took a weirdly long timer him to get a chance at test level, he was for a long time the best English batsman I'd seen at test level, even if he's now surpassed by Root it's still a hell of a record.

This does just feel like that slow ball beamer from Walsh, just a horrible way to get out. RIP Thorpey

[inactionman]

This is just so horribly sad.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/art ... 84x7rrppno

Former England batter Thorpe took his own life, family says

It's such a desperate, dreadful illness.

[epwc]

Great that his family are talking about it though.

[Rhubarb & Custard]

Great that his family are talking about it though.

Either way that's wholly their choice, I wouldn't want to cite this as praiseworthy, or certainly allow anyone to infer they're not doing the right thing if they didn't want to go public. And in this instance we don't know the degree to which the family felt they had a choice with the papers willing to run a story in the 'public interest'

[Sandstorm]

Depression is a horrible disease. RIP Thorp, you were a fucking great cricketer.

[SaintK]

This is just so horribly sad.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/art ... 84x7rrppno

Former England batter Thorpe took his own life, family says

It's such a desperate, dreadful illness.

Aaaaah bollocks. So fucking sad

[Paddington Bear]

Oh Jesus. Hard to know what to say

[tabascoboy]

Very sad, had no idea he'd attempted to take his own life before

[Big D]

That is grim. Sad that it came to a point he felt that was his only option.

[Torquemada 1420]

This is just so horribly sad.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/art ... 84x7rrppno

Former England batter Thorpe took his own life, family says

It's such a desperate, dreadful illness.

Wife just told me. Really sad.

[Guy Smiley]

Just dropped into the thread and saw this news, very sad.

[Biffer]

I'm 53,so of the same age. Saw him play test cricket multiple times. Played cricket for thirty years. Suffered from depression for a long time. So I'm feeling this quite deeply. Poor guy, and I feel so much for his family. Awful.

[Uncle fester]

Awful news

[Insane_Homer]

Some great tributes to Graham Thorpe in today's coverage.

His passing has hit me particularly hard for reasons I can't yet entirely put my finger on. I'm not an England cricket fan, but I've always admired him as a class player and person. No hero worship. if anything it's was his normality that I think I identify with the most.

But there are a couple of things that are bringing this home.
1. Metal Health is not an unkown problem for me, it's been a battle since 2017 in particular. Thankfully still many many more goods days that far outweigh the tough ones.
2. The timing, when he was at Esher station, just down the road from me and a station I commute through every day, it was ~08:30am on 4 of August, my birthday. At that time was I really happy and opening presents from the kids and wife & he was not.
3. He had a loving family, no doubt many friends and a support network but it still wasn't enough and that scares the fuck out me.

[Big D]

Free hit for Sri Lanka here. If the spinners get belted they can say they're bringing on pace and that will be the close.

[Big D]

Little spin and England see it out well enough. Lawrence needs to be really careful playing back given the low bounce we have seen today.

[duke]

Apologies for the link to the Daily Hate, article about Kumar Sangakkara's latest team. A tenuous link for me as I used to play against Shillingstone in the local evening league.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/crick ... cle-bottom

[Big D]

Are Lancashire in the middle of an injury crisis or do they believe in Rocky Flintoff that much? Out for 30odd in a CC game.

Great to see young talents get a chance.

[Biffer]

Are Lancashire in the middle of an injury crisis or do they believe in Rocky Flintoff that much? Out for 30odd in a CC game.

Great to see young talents get a chance.

I think there's a lot of belief in him. He's been playing for England U18 at 16 years old.

[Big D]

Are Lancashire in the middle of an injury crisis or do they believe in Rocky Flintoff that much? Out for 30odd in a CC game.

Great to see young talents get a chance.

I think there's a lot of belief in him. He's been playing for England U18 at 16 years old.

Scored a ton for the 19s too (Vaughan's son and Denly's nephew are in the same side). Seems a real talent and ahead of his brother who is also in the academy.

Really enjoy his old man's BBC1 programme on a Wednesday. It is a good watch.

[Biffer]

Got to feel a little sorry for 20yo Josh Boyden, who also made his first class debut for Lancashire today, but everything is about Rocky Flintoff.

[Big D]

Couple of good balls from Sri Lanka to pick up wickets today.

Big partnership for England now.

[SaintK]

Couple of good balls from Sri Lanka to pick up wickets today.

Big partnership for England now.

Brook gone
Jayasuriya gets one to turn square. Brook could hardly believe it!!!!

[Biffer]

Couple of good balls from Sri Lanka to pick up wickets today.

Big partnership for England now.

Brook gone
Jayasuriya gets one to turn square. Brook could hardly believe it!!!!

I like Harry Brook, but the look on his face is quite entertaining

[Big D]

Couple of good balls from Sri Lanka to pick up wickets today.

Big partnership for England now.

Brook gone
Jayasuriya gets one to turn square. Brook could hardly believe it!!!!

Yeah was a beauty. The one that got Pope was a good 'un too.

[SaintK]

Maiden century for Jamie Smith and the tail wagging
England 100 ahead

[Insane_Homer]

1st Test, Rawalpindi, August 21 - 25, 2024, Bangladesh tour of Pakistan

PAK 448/6d & 146
BAN 565 & 30/0

Bangladesh won by 10 wickets

Another unsurprisingly dodgy capitulation from Pakistan again.

[tabascoboy]

Global attention for cricketer's 0 not out off 137

An opening batsman who faced 137 balls without scoring a run in a club cricket match has said he has been getting attention from "all over the world".

Ian Bestwick faced down bowlers in a spell of attrition for Darley Abbey's 4th XI on Saturday, and finished it not out. The steely player took the approach after the opposition posted a total of 271, which left him thinking that as "we had quite a young, inexperience team... let's just see if we can protect our wickets".

It worked. Derbyshire-based Darley Abbey finished on 21-4 after 45 overs which meant the match against Mickleover 3rd XI ended in a draw - with Mr Bestwick's knock causing a stir.

The 48-year-old said the response to the match had "gone crackers".

"It's gone round the world," he said. "It has been mentioned in Australia, Pakistan, Qatar.

"I have had friend requests from around the globe."

While the teams are at the bottom of the table in Division Nine of the Derbyshire Cricket League, it felt to the batsman like he had won The Ashes.

"Our dressing room was bouncing" after the draw, he said, telling BBC Radio Derby: "[The players] were all grinning, and thought it was brilliant. It shows you how good local cricket can be."

He explained: "We had been in the field for three hours chasing leather all over the place.

"They came off and were dejected, [but] at the end it was like we had won a cup or something.

"The atmosphere in our dressing room was second to none. It was brilliant."

He added: "Towards the end it became a thing where I was determined not to score."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yk980lrlvo

[Slick]

I see young Jacob Bethell is included in the white ball squad.

Interesting lad who I know a bit. His dad sent him away from the West Indies because of the racism in the game over there meaning he wasn't going to get anywhere near the pathways etc. I've seen a few videos of him practising at home from a young age (a friend of mine is best mates with his dad) and it's absolutely incredible. Apparently has been expected to play for England since he was 14.

[Paddington Bear]

Global attention for cricketer's 0 not out off 137

An opening batsman who faced 137 balls without scoring a run in a club cricket match has said he has been getting attention from "all over the world".

Ian Bestwick faced down bowlers in a spell of attrition for Darley Abbey's 4th XI on Saturday, and finished it not out. The steely player took the approach after the opposition posted a total of 271, which left him thinking that as "we had quite a young, inexperience team... let's just see if we can protect our wickets".

It worked. Derbyshire-based Darley Abbey finished on 21-4 after 45 overs which meant the match against Mickleover 3rd XI ended in a draw - with Mr Bestwick's knock causing a stir.

The 48-year-old said the response to the match had "gone crackers".

"It's gone round the world," he said. "It has been mentioned in Australia, Pakistan, Qatar.

"I have had friend requests from around the globe."

While the teams are at the bottom of the table in Division Nine of the Derbyshire Cricket League, it felt to the batsman like he had won The Ashes.

"Our dressing room was bouncing" after the draw, he said, telling BBC Radio Derby: "[The players] were all grinning, and thought it was brilliant. It shows you how good local cricket can be."

He explained: "We had been in the field for three hours chasing leather all over the place.

"They came off and were dejected, [but] at the end it was like we had won a cup or something.

"The atmosphere in our dressing room was second to none. It was brilliant."

He added: "Towards the end it became a thing where I was determined not to score."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yk980lrlvo

Have to admit I find this more than a little bizarre. I’m perfectly happy with blocking for a draw (and have done so successfully twice this season), I cannot quite work out why they didn’t make an attempt to pick up some batting points. Also can’t work out how a team can finish on 20 something after 45 overs and be buzzing.

Either they are a very very bizarre bunch of blokes or there’s more going on, a bust up between the teams etc