Alester Florent Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 in a break with our normal international focus here, I've become enthralled by the closing stages of the County Championship. Somerset (my team) looked certain for relegation only a couple of weeks ago but bounced back to draw with Warwickshire (last season's champions) and thrash championship contenders Middlesex to give themselves a real chance of staying up. They're currently engaged in a fight to the death with fellow relegation prospects Derbyshire, with the losers of this match likely to go down at the end of the season. Somerset were routed in the first innings on a home pitch that was called into question (but absolved) by the match referee but a big third innings led by Nick Compton, and some decent bowling, has left Derbyshire at 127/4 chasing 244. With the whole of tomorrow to play a result looks certain unless it rains heavily.In addition to a couple of golden oldies - principally Shiv Chanderpaul and Trescothick, alongside current minor internationals like Alfonso Thomas, Piyush Chawla, James Hildreth, Compton and Kieswetter, there are some exciting young prospects in the match too. Lewis Gregory has bowled five overs in Derbs's second innings and is yet to concede a run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xray the Enforcer Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Hang on, is there seriously a sport called helmetball??Unfortunately, no. I just use that to distinguish American football (aka hand-egg) from association football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 So another casualty in the Australian bowling ranks - this time it's Starc looking unlikely to feature in the return Ashes series. Not a fatal blow by any means (with the likes of Faulkner and Johnson waiting in the wings and able to provide left-arm variety), but he certainly would have been a handful on the Aussie wickets. Looks likely that Harris, Siddle and Pattinson will be the fast bowling battery at the 'Gabba.Meanwhile, we're all snoring through this limited overs stuff... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Might not be the case if England picked a decent side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Starc will be missed. A bowling attack of Harris, Siddle and Pattinson is good, but a bit samey with all the right-handers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alester Florent Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 They've got MJ to come in if he looks like he's back in a bit of form, which might add some variety (and not just in the sense that he'll bowl it in an unpredictable variety of areas). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Sreesanth has been given a life ban for spot fixing in the IPL. It's not great but I suppose at least people are being caught and punished which might act as a deterrent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Clint McKay gets a hat-trick!England making heavy work of what should have been a straightforward chase (227 being below par).Still, I have to say I'm watching the football and only occasionally switching over to the cricket, rather than the other way around...these ODIs are a bit meh. I don't think it's necessarily a problem of the format, but I think it's mainly a problem with the selection. Boards are using ODIs as a place to blood new players, so there aren't many established stars regularly playing in these ODI teams. No offence intended to the current players, but the name recognition of at least half of each team is nonexistent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 England managed to scrape a win in the end. Like pretty much everyone else it seems I can't bring myself to care a great deal though. It's not my favourite format, like Jeor says selection isn't particularly exciting and stuck between two Ashes series it doesn't feel overly significant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xray the Enforcer Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 England really stretched that win to the bitter end. I also didn't watch much of the ODI -- footy this AM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 England managed to scrape a win in the end. Like pretty much everyone else it seems I can't bring myself to care a great deal though. It's not my favourite format, like Jeor says selection isn't particularly exciting and stuck between two Ashes series it doesn't feel overly significant.I think in general the ODIs might be more interesting if they were before the Tests rather than after, since then at least they'd serve a purpose in allowing a first glance at the relative strengths of the two sides. The T20 and ODIs before the 2005 Ashes gave some hints as to how competitive a series it was going to be. Admittedly, that wouldn't have worked too well this year in terms of the schedule with the Champion's Trophy just before the Ashes, but in other cases I think it works better than having them tacked on at the end.I agree it wasn't the most convincing win, their batting seems to be relying heavily on Morgan and Buttler with the top order misfiring (even if Carberry did make a 50 today, but he was a bit lucky at times). The bowling is also tending to be below-par, although Boyd Rankin has looked good and might be moving towards a place as one of the reserve seamers for the Ashes tour.In other news, Zimbabwe have beaten Pakistan to win their first Test against someone who isn't Bangladesh since 2001. I think it's good for the health of the format to have a variety of winners, even if it may be a while before they repeat the achievement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubby Posted September 18, 2013 Author Share Posted September 18, 2013 I miss Test matches on telly when I get home from work. Have to wait for SAf to play someone this summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted September 25, 2013 Share Posted September 25, 2013 Graeme Hick as Australian "high performance coach". Really????"Graeme knows what it takes to compete at the top level and has had many years' experience playing in different conditions, which will be vital to the development of our young batters," said Cricket Australia head Pat Howard. "Test match average of 31," said veteran village green leg-spinner Hereward. Also, I was amazed to discover this week that Australian Test players earn almost double their English counterparts. How does that work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arya_underfoot Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Also, I was amazed to discover this week that Australian Test players earn almost double their English counterparts. How does that work?Clearly the Englishmen don't know how to bargain.Also, I normally don't watch t20 cricket, but seeing as I'm in India I thought I'd catch some clt20 action. Wow, it is incredibly boring. I couldn't get thru more than about 8 overs across 2 matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brAnthelAstgreenseer Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Clearly the Englishmen don't know how to bargain.Also, I normally don't watch t20 cricket, but seeing as I'm in India I thought I'd catch some clt20 action. Wow, it is incredibly boring. I couldn't get thru more than about 8 overs across 2 matches.I do not know anybody who is following that. CLt20 should be scrapped . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xray the Enforcer Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Fire In Babylon is playing on ESPN Classic right now. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xray the Enforcer Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Those of you who know my secret identity (harrrrr) on Facebook will have already seen this: Looking for recommendations of books/documentaries on cricket. Or just anything at all that will help me survive the long dark tea-time of our souls until the next Test series begins. Paxter suggested checking out ABC's Bodyline -- It's Just Not Cricket documentary (at least, I think that's what he recommended...sorry if I'm misquoting you Pax), but I'd love more recs. (I just finished reading Homicide: A Year On The Killing Streets and Friday Night Lights, so I'm on something of a non-fiction kick right now.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Just don't order the miniseries Bodyline, starring Elrond as the dastardly Douglas Jardine, by mistake. That was a crime against television. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brAnthelAstgreenseer Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Those of you who know my secret identity (harrrrr) on Facebook will have already seen this: Looking for recommendations of books/documentaries on cricket. Or just anything at all that will help me survive the long dark tea-time of our souls until the next Test series begins. Paxter suggested checking out ABC's Bodyline -- It's Just Not Cricket documentary (at least, I think that's what he recommended...sorry if I'm misquoting you Pax), but I'd love more recs. (I just finished reading Homicide: A Year On The Killing Streets and Friday Night Lights, so I'm on something of a non-fiction kick right now.) Not documentaries but i would recommend two films: 1) Wondrous Oblivion. 2) Lagaan . Both of them are simply fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xray the Enforcer Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Thanks for the recs! Following up, some gripping news pertaining to the upcoming Ashes -- the broadcaster has dropped Hotspot.http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/24465269 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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