NPR

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Wed Aug 17, 2022 2:48 pm

SaintK wrote: ↑Wed Aug 17, 2022 1:53 pm

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Wed Aug 17, 2022 1:31 pm Great start by the Proteas.

Back to business as usual from England!

England bat deep. Only one session, still a marathon

SaintK wrote: ↑Wed Aug 17, 2022 3:00 pm

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Wed Aug 17, 2022 2:48 pm

SaintK wrote: ↑Wed Aug 17, 2022 1:53 pm
Back to business as usual from England!

England bat deep. Only one session, still a marathon

You're amongst the tail already

Enzedder wrote: ↑Wed Aug 17, 2022 8:27 pm Crappers first ODI against the Windies being played on a real turner in Barbados. Crappers sent in to bat and are struggling at 122/6 off 30 overs. Williamson just gone.

Neil: "Does the pitch look difficult to bat on or are New Zealand just making it look difficult?"
Answer - It is not difficult, but perhaps slower than expected. Plus, turning and bouncing too.

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Wed Aug 17, 2022 8:54 am

Ovals wrote: ↑Tue Aug 16, 2022 9:34 pm

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Tue Aug 16, 2022 3:06 pm
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.

Ovals wrote: ↑Wed Aug 17, 2022 9:49 pm

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Wed Aug 17, 2022 8:54 am

Ovals wrote: ↑Tue Aug 16, 2022 9:34 pm

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.

However, those hubs would still be hosting games plus the other 10 county venues - so using all 18 locations (withe the corresponding increase in macthes, patently makes the matches more accesible. Had the ECB promoted a relaunched Blast, in the same way it did the Hundred - we'd have even more young, new, people attending and it would have cost far less. The Hundred is losing around £15M a year when the compensation to the counties (for using their players) is taken into account.

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 1:03 pm Lots of movement

SaintK wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 1:48 pm

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 1:03 pm Lots of movement

Is that why SA are charging along at 4 runs an over?

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 8:58 am

Ovals wrote: ↑Wed Aug 17, 2022 9:49 pm

Paddington Bear wrote: ↑Wed Aug 17, 2022 8:54 am

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.

However, those hubs would still be hosting games plus the other 10 county venues - so using all 18 locations (withe the corresponding increase in macthes, patently makes the matches more accesible. Had the ECB promoted a relaunched Blast, in the same way it did the Hundred - we'd have even more young, new, people attending and it would have cost far less. The Hundred is losing around £15M a year when the compensation to the counties (for using their players) is taken into account.

I understand your point but remember that the Blast in it's original Twenty20 Cup guise was the next big thing to break into the mainstream, and it didn't. Plenty of other factors of course but I'm deeply, deeply sceptical that county cricket is able to preach to anyone but the converted. I'm biased from my minor counties perspective but for me growing up going to a game was always about pestering my parents to take me on the hour train to Lord's, an hour+ drive to Northampton or 90 minutes on the tube to The Oval. This hasn't materially changed

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 5:08 pm Need to bowl very short to Jansen. The days without helmets , you had to play the hook/pull quickly.

Trundler: "Given that the cricket fans who follow your commentary are spread across the globe, I'm intrigued as to why by far the majority of comments are focused on England's Bazball approach and on English players. Are there not many Protea supporters following the match, is there not as much interest in the Protea team or their approach, or are South African cricketers and their cricket just boring?" Well, I guess there's no similar label for SA's approach, for all that their consecutive chases against India were scarcely less impressive in their own way

And 1 guest wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 5:13 pm

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 5:08 pm Need to bowl very short to Jansen. The days without helmets , you had to play the hook/pull quickly.

Jansen's box is probably chest protector height to most people

Biffer wrote: ↑Fri Aug 19, 2022 1:49 pm You know that thing I said about the new England approach getting found out v better sides? Yeah, that.

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Fri Aug 19, 2022 1:55 pm

Biffer wrote: ↑Fri Aug 19, 2022 1:49 pm You know that thing I said about the new England approach getting found out v better sides? Yeah, that.

The Cricinfo lot went into silence with their Neverending Bazball shite.

This test is far from over with Stokes still batting