The Cricket Thread

[wykikitoon 20110]

Ive just seen some news on SSN about some cricket tonight. WHO the FUCK was the Patel dude for England? He needs to lay off the Sandwiches and tea at dinner the fat cunt, he had TITS!

[Guest alex]

I see Lancs have been thrashed whilst Somerset are getting a good hiding. Durham are in a strong position but Warwickshire's match with Yorkshire is in the balance. Looks like no one wants to win the Championship this year.

[Kid Dynamite 7025]

That one innings match against Hampshire has done us in. Batsmen chucked it

[Guest alex]

That one innings match against Hampshire has done us in. Batsmen chucked it

I think that's harsh given the circumstances tbh. I think it's the weather and all the draws that have been the main factor. Even in the game you're on about it was the weather there (and its effect on previous matches) that was crucial. Anyway, they need to win (looking good) then need Yorkshire to come out on top in their tight match at Edgbaston and it's game on again.

[Kid Dynamite 7025]

They hadn't won a game all season and have one of the worst batting line ups in the league. We had beaten our nearest rivals by an innings, easily smashing off 600 runs up until that point.

 

We then managed to get 99 all out in a run chase

 

Even if we win and all those around us lose today we are still up against it having played a game more than anyone else. Roll on Sunday though, I want a day out at Lords!

[Guest alex]

They hadn't won a game all season and have one of the worst batting line ups in the league. We had beaten our nearest rivals by an innings, easily smashing off 600 runs up until that point.

 

We then managed to get 99 all out in a run chase

 

Even if we win and all those around us lose today we are still up against it having played a game more than anyone else. Roll on Sunday though, I want a day out at Lords!

Against Hampshire? In the County Championship? I thought Durham got 200+ runs in that game. That was the one where we forfeited our 1st innings after they'd batted first in return for them forfeiting their 2nd innings wasn't it?

[Kid Dynamite 7025]

Your right, my mistake. The Durham website has the T20 scorecard under the 4 day result for some reason.

 

I was there so probably should have remembered

 

You watching on Sunday?

[Dr Gloom 21912]

Rugby (league and union) is the only sport I've never got into. Which is a shame as my father in law us a former international. I think my lack of interest in his sport always disappointed him.

[Guest alex]

Your right, my mistake. The Durham website has the T20 scorecard under the 4 day result for some reason.

 

I was there so probably should have remembered

 

You watching on Sunday?

Oh right, I had no idea what you were on about there. I thought I was going senile

Btw, that website is absolutely awful, isn't it?

I'll keep track of the game on Sunday but I probably won't get to watch it (don't have the Sky Sports Package). Wouldn't have minded going on Sunday if it was at home like. It would be nice if they could win a trophy and while the County Championship is really 'the one to win', a one day final at Lord's is a massive occasion and a whole different kettle of fish.

Edited September 2, 2011 by alex

[Kid Dynamite 7025]

Yeah, I think everyone would prefer the championship but at least I had the experience of the title in 2009, last game at home to clinch it in glorious sunshine.

 

There's a picture of me somewhere in the background in my Italia 90 England shirt

 

A day out at Lords would be special in a different way

 

edit

 

Edited September 2, 2011 by J69

[Guest alex]

Yeah, I think everyone would prefer the championship but at least I had the experience of the title in 2009, last game at home to clinch it in glorious sunshine.

 

There's a picture of me somewhere in the background in my Italia 90 England shirt

 

A day out at Lords would be special in a different way

Used to love the old one day finals years ago. Sometimes finishing when it was nearly dark. I also remember Eddie Hemmings of all people hitting a four off the last ball to win the B&H trophy for Notts. Up against JK Lever as well, as good a one day bowler (especially at the death) as you'd get in county cricket. It was right in the block hole as well. That was a canny while ago like.

[Dolly Potter MD 0]

It is these days ie. wank.

 

Nowadays the sport is producing bugger all in the way of players that have aura/charisma/swagger about them, to go with superstar ability. Take an aging Sachin out of the equation, and there's not alot out there which matches that criteria.

 

Back in the 80's, and early 90's, you had these sort of players by the bucketload - types whom the casual observer would pay to go and see. Richards, Chappell, Greenidge, Botham to name just a few, among the batsman.

 

And this aforementioned period was the era of the intimidatory paceman. There's wasn't a better way to open a test than having one of either Lillee/Thompson or Holding/Roberts, as a opening strike duo, going for the opposition jugular. Holding and Marshall were more naturally gifted pacemen, athletically definitely, but of those quickies mentioned Roberts was the bloke i enjoyed watching the most. Roberts was the leader of the Windies hunting pack, and in the mind-games stakes was probably the best of the lot - he was a cold, hard bastard back in the day... he had a haunting & cold stare to go with his faster paced bouncer. Qadir was also worth watching, he was more erratic than Warne but he was just as enthralling to watch as his modern day counterpart/leg spinning maestro.

 

Very few characters now.

Edited September 6, 2011 by Year Zero

[snakehips 0]

It is these days ie. wank.

 

Nowadays the sport is producing bugger all in the way of players that have aura/charisma/swagger about them, to go with superstar ability. Take an aging Sachin out of the equation, and there's not alot out there which matches that criteria.

 

Back in the 80's, and early 90's, you had these sort of players by the bucketload - types whom the casual observer would pay to go and see. Richards, Chappell, Greenidge, Botham to name just a few, among the batsman.

 

And this aforementioned period was the era of the intimidatory paceman. There's wasn't a better way to open a test than having one of either Lillee/Thompson or Holding/Roberts, as a opening strike duo, going for the opposition jugular. Holding and Marshall were more naturally gifted pacemen, athletically definitely, but of those quickies mentioned Roberts was the bloke i enjoyed watching the most. Roberts was the leader of the Windies hunting pack, and in the mind-games stakes was probably the best of the lot - he was a cold, hard bastard back in the day... he had a haunting & cold stare to go with his faster paced bouncer. Qadir was also worth watching, he was more erratic than Warne but he was just as enthralling to watch as his modern day counterpart/leg spinning maestro.

Very few characters now.

 

Now that Freddie Flintoff has called it a day, I guess you're right. And, I have to say, to a certain extent, the recently retired Inzimam Ul Haq (not the greatest of batsmen, but there was just a certain aura about which made him compulsive viewing. For me, anyway).

[Guest alex]

I loved Abdul Qadir. That was a class Pakistan team (the one that won in England in 1987 iirc). You never saw many leg spinners in those days. Miandad captained that side and they also had Imran Khan and (iirc) a young Wasim Akram. I wouldn't say cricket is wank now but I know what Year Zero is getting at. They played too much international cricket nowadays which seems to have finished the era of the genuine quickie (oo-er, Snakey). There's also the pitches (how many proper fast pitches do you get for Test matches nowadays?) and the regulations etc.

[Dolly Potter MD 0]

I loved Abdul Qadir. That was a class Pakistan team (the one that won in England in 1987 iirc). You never saw many leg spinners in those days. Miandad captained that side and they also had Imran Khan and (iirc) a young Wasim Akram. I wouldn't say cricket is wank now but I know what Year Zero is getting at. They played too much international cricket nowadays which seems to have finished the era of the genuine quickie (oo-er, Snakey). There's also the pitches (how many proper fast pitches do you get for Test matches nowadays?) and the regulations etc.

 

An oversight on my part, not mentioning Iran/Wasim in the same breath as other strike duos listed.

 

The reliance on statistical rankings, to determine the top-ranked test playing nation is killing the long version of the game. The fixture structure, and saturation of the fixture list, where it's all about the 'rolling over & defending of points' has an ATP tennis feel about it. This implementation of a ranking system has nearly been as destructive as other factors mentioned ie. one bouncer per over rule, batsmen friendly pitches etc. Back in that aforementioned era points weren't needed to decide who stood atop of the pile. Players and learned judges knew what the true testing grounds were, and a team was appropriately labelled the world's best if they proved their worth. There was none of this 'every major test playing nation must play each other twice over a four year window' stuff, where roll-over points are in danger of being won & lost ATP style. Match-ups which should otherwise be defining series have now lost their sense of occasion.

[Guest alex]

There's been some talk recently of India, Australia and England playing each other more regularly as it happens. As they're the big ones as far as generating income is concerned.

[Tooj 17]

Finn's getting some decent pace today like, every ball is easily above 90mph.

 

I'd like to see him be a bit more aggressive with his bowling though.

[CleeToonFan 1]

Nice to see Lancs finally winning the County Championship again! Great performances this year.

[Ken 119]

There's been some talk recently of India, Australia and England playing each other more regularly as it happens. As they're the big ones as far as generating income is concerned.

 

My fear is that 20/20 cricket will kill off proper Test Match cricket - the thinking man's game. The signs are there already in Australia. Money talks, bullshit walks.

[Kid Dynamite 7025]

Awesome finish in the Champions League QFs yesterday. Bangalore needed 6 off the last ball and . . . .

 

 

 

Somerset in the Semi's on Eurosport on Saturday

[Guest alex]

Very sad news about Graham Dilley. A very good bowler and a decent lower order batsman too. RIP.

[luckyluke 2]

And one third of the greatest scorecard entry of all time (Lillee caught Willey bowled Dilley). RIP

[Tooj 17]

Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif have been found guilty of their part in a "spot-fixing" scam after a trial at Southwark Crown Court.

 

Former captain Butt, 27, and fast bowler Asif, 28, were both found guilty of conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments.

 

They plotted to deliberately bowl no-balls during a Lord's Test match against England last summer.

 

Another bowler, Mohammad Amir, admitted the charges prior to the trial.

 

The guilty pleas by the bowler, who was 18 when the scam took place, could not be reported before.

 

The jury was not told of these pleas.

 

BBC sport news correspondent James Pearce says all three are facing the prospect of jail terms.

 

Conspiracy to accept corrupt payments carries a maximum prison term of seven years.

 

Our correspondent also says the case "raises serious questions about the integrity of Test cricket".

 

A statement was read out by Amir's lawyer at the start of the trial, before any evidence had been heard.

 

He said: "Mohammad Amir accepts full responsibility for deliberately bowling two no-balls and, in due course, you will hear how this vulnerable 18-year-old boy was subjected to extreme pressure from those on whom he should have been able to rely.

 

"He recognises the damage his actions have caused Pakistan cricket."

 

Spot-betting involves gamblers staking money on the minutiae of sporting encounters such as the exact timing of the first throw-in during a football match or, as in this case, when a no-ball will be bowled.

 

After deliberating for nearly 17 hours, the jury unanimously convicted Butt and Asif of conspiracy to cheat.

 

Our correspondent said Butt's wife, Gul Hassan, had given birth to a baby boy one hour before he was found guilty.

 

The BBC's Aleem Maqbool, in Lahore, said the story was leading the national news in Pakistan and the four-week trial had been closely followed in the country.

 

The judge, Mr Justice Cooke, extended bail for Butt and Asif until sentencing later this week.

 

'Rampant corruption'

They were charged after a tabloid newspaper alleged they took bribes to bowl deliberate no-balls.

 

The court heard the players, along with fast bowler Amir, conspired with UK-based sports agent Mazhar Majeed, 36, to fix parts of the Lord's Test last August.

 

Three intentional no-balls were delivered during the match between Pakistan and England from 26 to 29 August last year.

 

Prosecutors said Butt and Asif had been motivated by greed to "contaminate" a match watched by millions of people and "betray" their team, the Pakistan Cricket Board and the sport itself.

 

Aftab Jafferjee QC, for the prosecution, said the case "revealed a depressing tale of rampant corruption at the heart of international cricket".

 

Following the verdicts, Haroon Lorgat - chief executive of the International Cricket Council, the sport's governing body - issued a statement.

 

In it, he said: "We hope that this verdict is seen as a further warning to any individual who might, for whatever reason, be tempted to engage in corrupt activity within our sport."

 

He added that the ICC had a zero-tolerance attitude towards corruption and would use everything within its power to ensure that any suggestion of corrupt activity within cricket was "comprehensively investigated and, where appropriate, robustly prosecuted".

 

Sally Walsh, of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said the players had "brought shame on the cricket world" through their actions and "jeopardised the faith and admiration of cricket fans the world over".

 

She said their actions "went against everything expected of someone in their position and they failed to take into account their fans of all ages and nationalities when deciding to abandon the values of sportsmanship so unconditionally".

 

The senior lawyer added: "The jury has decided, after hearing all of the evidence, that what happened at the crease that day was criminal in the true sense of the word."

 

DCS Matt Horne, of the Metropolitan Police, said what had happened was "cheating, pure and simple".

 

"I think we all look forward to sport being played in its truest spirit as we go forward with these types of issues," he added.

 

DCS Horne also acknowledged the investigative journalism that led to the trial.

 

Mazher Mahmood, the former News of the World journalist who uncovered the betting scam, said: "It is a sad day for cricket but a good day for investigative journalism."

 

He said he hoped cricketing authorities would take the opportunity to tackle illegal gambling in the sport and do everything in their power to regain the cricket fans.

 

Meanwhile, former Pakistan cricket captain Asif Iqbal told BBC 5Live it was a "sad day for cricket" and said the case would send out a "huge message".

 

Angus Fraser, a former England fast bowler, said it could be a "watershed" for the game.

 

"It shows young cricketers that there is a consequence to their behaviour. In the past players have been banned and then they have come back," he told BBC 5Live.

 

"The International Cricket Council has got to support the players, see these signs and help them out of predicaments, but also see (that) if players do commit these offences they are punished severely."

[topcat 0]

Asif is a dirty bassa (previous drugs incidents) and hopefully he'll get his porridge for this. Was surprised at Butt being involved while the youngster Amir who pled guilty had been dragged into the plot by two senior players that should have known better.

 

Hopefully the judge will throw the book at Asif but I get the feeling that Butt will get a double barrel as he was in a position of trust.

 

Perhaps they will take into account the background in that as these players advance through the grades they are entirely exposed to match and spot fixing in their countries where family members are targeted by the gangs who run it to ensure they cooperate.

 

Butt and Asif 5-7 years ... Amir 2 years.

 

Don't know what good a jail term will do mind - ban them for life from all forms of the game and deport them.

[Guest CabayeAye]

I think Butt and Asif need one year custodial, lifetime ban and huge fines. Amir gets a one year playing ban and a large fine and that's it.