• The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Cricket- the sport not the insect

Page 60 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Jan 8, 2012
377
0
0
Visit site
We have the squads for the Champions Trophy now, who do you think will win? Without Pietersen I don't hold England as favourites anymore, instead I think it'll be South Africa.
 
Dec 30, 2011
3,547
0
0
Visit site
South Africa will always go in as favourites imo. Batting and bowling is just so solid. Amla and De Villiers can dismantle bowling lineups single handedly and that is without any of their other batsmen being considered.

England can go far and do very well but Cook will have to be the anchor at the beginning of the innings and Morgan has to go over and above the form he has been displaying for KKR. So far this season Root, Hales, Buttler and co. have all looked in superb form and if Root and Buttler in particular can perform then England's batting can match just about anyone's. And with our pace attack bowling on English wickets we can probably match everyone bar Steyn and his cronies.

India have named a good squad and their key players also seem to be coming into form at the right time.
 
I'm a bit worried about Joe Root's form going in to the Summer.

4 knocks and he's on 607 runs, and counting. Almost certain to end in a couple of pairs against the Kiwi's he's battering in the warm up game.

In more important news, Lancashire keep stealing wins, so an immediate bounce back is looking likely.
 
Aug 13, 2010
3,317
0
0
Visit site
Alphabet said:
Whenever it says "Ryan Harris", I read "Mitchell Johnson has been called up as a back-up" :D.

It's a far better squad than the army of timewasters we took to India, but we're really going to struggle to win the series in England. Best case scenario we lose 2-1 or 3-2 with some dignity and some good experience for the youngsters to build on and hopefully make a real fist of trying to win them back in Australia.
It as not long ago that England got crushed by ****stan so would not read too much wrt the India result. I think the Ashes will be closer then the media suggests esp. if Pattinson hits form.
 
Jan 8, 2012
377
0
0
Visit site
Don't be late Pedro said:
It as not long ago that England got crushed by ****stan so would not read too much wrt the India result. I think the Ashes will be closer then the media suggests esp. if Pattinson hits form.

Pattinson and Siddle can make a difference, but the problem is that Australia might pick Starc ahead of Bird which is wrong IMO. I think the latter can be really dangerous on English pitches.
 
Jan 8, 2012
377
0
0
Visit site
Waterloo Sunrise said:
Old Trafford is flat & slow this year. Painful scoring rate, and always good for some rain - you could back the draw now.

The Oval on the other hand, since it is the last test it should be even more turn than now and look how many wickets the spinners are taking right now between Surrey and Durham. Swann will have a party.
 
Oct 21, 2012
1,106
0
0
twitter.com
Really, England should look to produce wickets with as little grass as possible on them and then just outbat Australia. Any attempt at doctoring the pitches into raging greentops or bunsens is exactly the type of shenanigans that cost India when England visited, with that bunsen in Mumbai. Wickets that are extremely difficult to bat on do far more to help a weaker team level the playing field than help a stronger team record an even more convincing win.
 
Oct 21, 2012
1,106
0
0
twitter.com
I'm not sure if match-fixing issues should go into the Clinic, but there was a big scandal in the IPL today involving three players, one of whom quite recently used to turn out for the Indian team, Sreesanth. Here's what BCCI chief N. Srinivasan had to say:

The BCCI president N Srinivasan has said he was shocked at the charges of corruption against the three Rajasthan Royals players, but said it was unfair to call the IPL untenable because of a few "bad eggs".

Sounds an awful lot like a gambling version of Festina...
 
Alphabet said:
I'm not sure if match-fixing issues should go into the Clinic, but there was a big scandal in the IPL today involving three players, one of whom quite recently used to turn out for the Indian team, Sreesanth. Here's what BCCI chief N. Srinivasan had to say:



Sounds an awful lot like a gambling version of Festina...

Shaun Tait was initially implicated but they had no evidence he was involved and did not pursue him. He was talking about legal action for false allegations or some such.
 
Oct 21, 2012
1,106
0
0
twitter.com
James Brayshaw is absolutely hideous as well. The amount of times we heard 'Moises Hen-reeks' in a deadpan Australian accent making no attempt to even pronounce his name in a semi-accurate way (would 'On-reeks' have been so bad?) had me muting the TV and turning on ABC Radio for the commentary.

Nine used to do a pretty cool thing, inviting one commentator from the touring nation, giving exposure to good commentators like Bhogle and Holding, but then Mark Nicholas turned up in 2006 and they decided to make him permanent and scrap the tourist theme.
 
Alphabet said:
James Brayshaw is absolutely hideous as well. The amount of times we heard 'Moises Hen-reeks' in a deadpan Australian accent making no attempt to even pronounce his name in a semi-accurate way (would 'On-reeks' have been so bad?) had me muting the TV and turning on ABC Radio for the commentary.

Nine used to do a pretty cool thing, inviting one commentator from the touring nation, giving exposure to good commentators like Bhogle and Holding, but then Mark Nicholas turned up in 2006 and they decided to make him permanent and scrap the tourist theme.

Holding is fantastic. Probably the best at the moment. Warne is pretty good too when partnered with the right person. Of the English I like Atherton even though many others don't seem to.
 
Dec 30, 2011
3,547
0
0
Visit site
Atherton was something like Sports Journalist of the year, his commentating I enjoy a lot. I also like Hussain and Holding is great. To be honest all of them are pretty solid for Sky.
 
Aug 5, 2012
2,290
0
0
Visit site
Nick Knight aside I'm fine with the Sky regulars, Botham used to annoy me a few years ago but not so much now, also Michael Holding is a great great man.
 
Dec 30, 2011
3,547
0
0
Visit site
hoerpi said:
I love Bumble.

Yeh I was going to say Bumble but then didn't want to start naming all of them.. Nick Knight.. now I wonder what KP would think of that?

A brilliant demolition job today by Yadav and Sharma, but they were helped by the woeful batting of the Aussies. They need Clarke desperately with only Watson looking like he any semblance of form and quality to take them through the tournament. Warner seems all over the place and the others just seem here to fill the batting spots. Voges wasn't bad.

Their bowling is more promising with a solid trio of Johnson, McKay and Starc who I really like, still not good enough. The Windies look good, they beat the Sri Lankans today and with the most capable batting lineup in the tournament and one of the best limited over spinners and Bravo bowling with his IPL form..
 
hoerpi said:
Starc is a very good one day bowler, shouldn't play in the ashes though.

Yes better in ODIs but if Aussies get injuries he will be in the Tests for sure. Johnson will be lucky to play another test. He was fantastic in South Africa in his first test series there but never regained that form. He is mediocre these days and when he does bowl well he can only do it for a few overs before he is spraying the ball all over the place or bowling too short.
 
Dec 30, 2011
3,547
0
0
Visit site
With Harris injured and knowing him unlikely to come back I fancy Starc playing in the Ashes. Johnson surely doesn't have a test future, was wonderful in the IPL probably the best fast bowler in the tournament but that just doesn't translate to tests.
 
Dec 30, 2011
3,547
0
0
Visit site
Lovely innings, but hopefully it won't cover over the cracks in our top order. Buttler is great, but he can't build an innings, great if we needs him for 5 or so overs, but if we are in dire trouble with a whole bunch of overs to spare then still problems. Morgan is our star batsmen in reality and if he can perform then we can win, otherwise Cook, Bell and Trott's run rates and false starts are going to be our downfall..
 

TRENDING THREADS