Author Topic: The cricket... (Read 256590 times)

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2225 on:** 22 September, 2020, 04:37:50 pm »

And now, after 3 weeks of September in which (in Southend at least) every day's maximum temperature has exceeded 19°C and 3.6mm rain fell on just 2 days, the final of the Bob Willis Trophy starts tomorrow just as autumnal weather sets in. Now the equinox is over we are expecting 3 days of rain in London and also much colder weather.

It's almost as though they want to kill proper cricket.

trekker12 · « **Reply #2226 on:** 23 September, 2020, 09:48:03 am »

I think they do.

In the event there is any play. It's being streamed live on the BBC Iplayer and website from 10:30. Working at home has just got better

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/54247914

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2227 on:** 23 September, 2020, 11:30:15 am »

Thanks! That's the next 5 days catered for...

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2228 on:** 23 September, 2020, 04:11:32 pm »

Somerset 107-4. Rain.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2229 on:** 24 September, 2020, 01:29:36 pm »

Excellent morning for Somerset. 245-5.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2230 on:** 24 September, 2020, 06:19:43 pm »

Somerset 301 all out. Essex 0-0.

It looked as though Somerset were going to post a bigger total but their last 5 fell for 35 runs and that left 23 of their 125 overs unused. 3 days left, 3 innings left. Essex's first target is first innings lead, as in the event of a drawn game, that's the tie break, apparently.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #2231 on:** 24 September, 2020, 10:36:53 pm »

Am just wondering about the Vitality Blast finishing in October. We should take our hats off to county groundsman that it is possible to play cricket at all. The average village pitch would long since disintegrated into a blancmange.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2232 on:** 24 September, 2020, 11:17:56 pm »

The commentators were saying that, for major grounds like Lords, they are the least-worn they have ever been at this time of year. It hasn't rained much, in teh south at least.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #2233 on:** 25 September, 2020, 12:49:41 pm »

I think I saw an article earlier this year about picking the best opening batsman in England. The critic went directly for Sir Alastair Cook. After such an illustrious test career, it is a fine thing for him to turn out for his county and battle in cold and blustery conditions long after stumps would have been drawn in a normal season.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #2234 on:** 25 September, 2020, 04:44:51 pm »

Sir Alastair now has 500 runs for the season. But I jibe slightly at this being described as a victory for the older generation at the age of 35, when south of the river, the (opening) bowler who bowled more overs in the regular 5 matches of the Bob Willis trophy (including the spinners) was one Darren Stevens, at the tender age of 44.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2235 on:** 25 September, 2020, 07:13:35 pm »

It's a lot closer than looked likely when Cook and Westley were making batting look easy. Lots of mileage in this match yet. There's something sneaky about me that wants both sides to have a first innings total of 301. I don't know what the tie break would be in the event of a draw then.

Essex have (potentially) 27 more first innings overs to go, but I think I'll be pleased if they get to use half of them.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2236 on:** 26 September, 2020, 11:30:01 am »

Essex 313-8 so Essex have a first innings lead and presumably win on tie-break if the game ends as a draw. But they have to bat last and it must be pretty grim playing in January conditions...

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2237 on:** 26 September, 2020, 01:45:54 pm »

Somerset 301 and 35-0. Essex 336-8 (innings closed).

That's pretty even.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2238 on:** 27 September, 2020, 11:51:21 am »

Sussex set Essex 237. 34-2 at the moment.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2239 on:** 27 September, 2020, 01:37:25 pm »

Cook given out caught behind, but clearly thought he didn't touch it. Very slow to walk off. 78-3.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2240 on:** 27 September, 2020, 05:33:50 pm »

Match drawn, so Essex win the trophy. Hussah!

Peter · « **Reply #2241 on:** 27 September, 2020, 06:59:41 pm »

Seems a little hard on Somerset, who scored over 50 more runs than ~~Cook~~ Essex. But both teams play by the same rules, so well done Essex.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2242 on:** 27 September, 2020, 09:19:15 pm »

I think it's pretty derogatory to the rest of the Essex side, implying that they are a 1-player set-up. They've been the strongest 1st class county for the past 40 years, judging by the number of County Championships they have won (8, all since 1979), and in a lot of that time their best player(s) have been on contract to England*, so never turned out for the county.

But, as you say, both teams played to the same rules. It was a shame that the entire match was played in winter conditions.

*Looking through the records, I was surprised that John Lever was never the leading first class wicket taker in an English season. I particularly remember his feats in 1979, when he took 56 first class wickets in June alone, and Essex won the championship at a canter, but Derek Underwood was the leading wicket taker over the entire season with 104. Lever spent a good deal of that summer as 12th Man for England, so missed a few first class matches.

Peter · « **Reply #2243 on:** 27 September, 2020, 09:42:49 pm »

Bit touchy there, Wow! My reference to Cook was confined to his singular performance in this particular game, in which he scored the vast bulk of Essex's runs. Essex have obviously suffered from his contract with England. But not as badly as Durham, who made the mistake of winning the championship before most people realised they were a First Class county and have suffered in subsequent seasons by having players similarly contracted - usually, as now, more than Essex.

Take your well-deserved congratulations on the chin!

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2244 on:** 28 September, 2020, 10:46:40 am »

Sorry if I sounded a bit peevish. I'd had 5 days of commentators with nothing to say making exactly the same point. Also, whilst I was hunting around the internet looking, unsuccessfully, for the bowling averages from 1979, I came across a piece from Wisden about Essex's most successfully overseas cricketers of all time and they rated these in order: Keith Boyce, Mark Waugh and Stuart law. All of them were good, but I reckon that none of them matched up to Ken McEwan.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_McEwan

Peter · « **Reply #2245 on:** 28 September, 2020, 10:56:58 am »

Yes, he was certainly very special. I often wonder at the steady flow of South Africans into our game: so many from such a small population and almost all very good batsmen. I wonder if it's because, like in Australia, they get so much match practice early because the weather is much kinder for cricket?

ETA I sympathise with the Commentator Blues. I can only add that it's even worse in football. In the cricket if I follow a match on the BBC web-page I'm irritated by the in-non-jokes that they set up by asking the public to contribute to what is usually already a glib and unhelpful commentary. I tend to end up watching the score-card only.

Peter · « **Reply #2246 on:** 28 September, 2020, 01:04:53 pm »

I forgot to say that the ECB must be pretty pleased to have devised a competition which actually delivered the two best teams in the country to the final.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2247 on:** 28 September, 2020, 07:50:55 pm »

Quote from: Peter on 28 September, 2020, 10:56:58 am

Yes, he was certainly very special. I often wonder at the steady flow of South Africans into our game: so many from such a small population and almost all very good batsmen. I wonder if it's because, like in Australia, they get so much match practice early because the weather is much kinder for cricket?

ETA I sympathise with the Commentator Blues. I can only add that it's even worse in football. In the cricket if I follow a match on the BBC web-page I'm irritated by the in-non-jokes that they set up by asking the public to contribute to what is usually already a glib and unhelpful commentary. I tend to end up watching the score-card only.

A friend once gave me a ticket for the press box at Twickenham for the England v Wales international, 1986 IIRC. Anyway, it was Rob Andrew's debut and I think he broke the record for the number of points on debut, scoring all 21 of England's points from penalties. Wales scored 19, including a (4 point?) try from Adrian Hadley.

I found myself sitting between a reporter from Thames Valley Radio and another from the Western Mail. Neither of them knew a bugger about rugby*, and I spent the entire match explaining to them what was going on. You would have thought that a Welsh newspaper reporter would have a scooby, and, for that matter, someone who serves what is a pretty decent rugby-playing hinterland. Sadly not.

*Tips hat to Delme Thomas

The Family Cyclist · « **Reply #2248 on:** 17 December, 2020, 03:04:52 pm »

Amir has retired from all international cricket for Pakistan.

He is only 28 and I can't help feel it he hadn't got caught up as a naieve teenager in the spot fixing he could have gone on to be something rather special. Seem to recall him being rather special against us. In fact he was their layer of the series and took a five for in the first test

Jaded · « **Reply #2249 on:** 19 December, 2020, 10:37:22 am »

India have got a 5th highest* innings record!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/55375248

*could be the wrong word here...