blue-shifted
Banned
Yes. Test cricket is a good enough "product"
But it needs looking after
Decent pitches
Competitive nations
Sensible scheduling
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[Cricket] India v England Test Series
- Thread starter Change at Barnham
- Start date
Yes. Test cricket is a good enough "product"
But it needs looking after
Decent pitches
Competitive nations
Sensible scheduling
Braggfan
In the beginning there was nothing, which exploded
- May 12, 2014
- 1,983
Agreed, Test cricket does need looking after. And when its done right it is the pinnacle of the sport.
blue-shifted
Banned
Interest and attendances in other nations is the biggest problem.
Followed by the loss of players to 20/20 leagues and other nations on Kolpak type moves
The decline of South Africa and Sri Lanka has been shocking. At least NZ doing well and WI tentatively on the up
At least 10 competitive nations needed. A huge redistribution of wealth to stop the talent draining away from test sides of less well off nations.
National qualification by residence needs to go up as well
Braggfan
In the beginning there was nothing, which exploded
- May 12, 2014
- 1,983
South Africa are just in transition, I'm sure they'll bounce back. In 2009/2010 they had an incredible side, but they lost some really big players that are hard to replace. Australia struggled for a while when they lost the last of their truly great side. I have a feeling that we will also have some lean years ahead of us once Anderson and Broad step down. It's just the natural cycle of the game or any sport really.
blue-shifted
Banned
Sri Lanka too. They lost some world class players in just a couple of years. They have a young side who'll get better
What cricket needs is more test matches between the 'lesser' nations - it's the only way they're going to improve. When I first started watching cricket, New Zealand were a joke team - easily the worst of the (then) seven test nations - now look at them: in the inaugural Test Championship final as one of the best two teams in the world. They got thrashed a few times on the way but they steadily improved.
Ireland and Afghanistan need games against top teams to work out test cricket - I'm not sure it's going to happen.
Braggfan
In the beginning there was nothing, which exploded
- May 12, 2014
- 1,983
Agreed it definitely needs a strong SA and more test matches for the weaker nations. It would be fantastic to Sri Lanka rebuild strongly, and to see a resurgent West Indies. Some of the issues don't just lie at the doorstep of the cricket authorities unfortunately.
But I do think generating interest in the sport would help across the board. In our case here in England that could be massively helped by showing more cricket on terrestrial tv. The world cup final was amazing, and it's great to see tests back on tv too. I'd love it if County games started to get shown as well, although I realise thats just wishful thinking on my part.
blue-shifted
Banned
The ICC needs to be stronger here.
Fixture scheduling needs to be more about growing the game and less about making a quick buck
I an ideal world, which we're far from. The test championship would feature the best 10 teams and they would all play an identical number of games in a distinct time period
Change at Barnham
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #269
Since they have stopped us following England overseas due to Covid-19 they've won 6 test matches on the bounce.
If we can keep that pattern going for the next 3 test matches in India and 5 test matches in Australia I'll be quite happy not to be there.
If we can keep that pattern going for the next 3 test matches in India and 5 test matches in Australia I'll be quite happy not to be there.
Ideally they should set the likes of Ireland and Afghanistan up with full (at least 3 matches) series against the likes of an England A - would still be plenty strong enough to provide a decent game and also good grounding for those picked for the A side......
The trouble is that the ICC has been restructured to ensure that India, England and Australia get a lot of wonga and the others, well, not so much,
It also doesn't help that West Indies and Pakistan cricket boards are run by administrators who make the FA and FIFA look like paragons of virtue. There are plenty of talented cricketers in these two nations (let's call the WI a nation for now) but they've been badly let down.
I think that Pakistan may be on the way back: they've made a smooth move in making Misbah head coach: he did a wonderful job as captain and if they give him a chance, I'm sure he can build Pakistan up again. The Windies have more a problem but that win in Bangladesh last week will have given them a big boost. It will be great to have these teams back playing good cricket again
Good idea. I suspect England A will still be too strong for them but it would give them a good grounding (and, of course, they could play India A and Australia A too). Afghanistan in particular need some help as there's no big structure there.
Tony Towner's Fridge
Well-known member
What was Anderson's 'Special Over' like? Absolute class. Good on him at 38...looks as fit as a butcher's dog.
Great win, despite Archer looking distinctly off his best.
TNBA
TTF
Great win, despite Archer looking distinctly off his best.
TNBA
TTF
sydney
tinky ****in winky
i watched the whole match , that wicket was deadly , making them follow on would have easily been equal to putting them in on a cold wicket this morning ......massive respect to the England attack though , no mean feat beating the indians at home...
Making them follow on would have been the most likely way we could have lost I reckon. If they’d have got to much more than 120 ahead we’d have been in real trouble. By batting on we took them winning out of the equation - important in the first match of the series. That over from Anderson was magical- worth getting up for on it’s own. Fair play to Root too for holding him off until the ball was just ripe for a bit of reverse swing.
KeegansHairPiece
New member
- Jan 28, 2016
- 1,829
I had quite a few texts from mates moaning why we didn't declare earlier. Nick Knight was moaning too, but England had a plan and stuck to it admirably. The thinking of having a hard ball still available on the final day morning was more important than runs and time and so it proved. Good thinking by the England camp, pretty much a perfect sub-continent performance.
Braggfan
In the beginning there was nothing, which exploded
- May 12, 2014
- 1,983
I've been thinking for a while that Pakistan are starting to shape up as good side. I know they lost to New Zealand recently, but New Zealand are decent side. I think Pakistan are definitely on their way back up. Which is sort of what I was saying in my other post about the cycles teams go through. I also think the way they've played over the last year, puts our series against them in perspective. They're not push overs.
- Apr 5, 2014
- 25,922
Pleased for Root. It's best not to challenge such decisions until you see the fruit they produce.
England played well. I have concerns about Lawrence at three and I'm still 'jury's out' on the openers (although Sibley played well first innings) but that's a longevity thing. Root and Silverwood did the best thing for our spinners who are not as impressive as their options.
The key factor here, trying to rationalise rather than put a dampener on things, was winning the toss and batting for over two days.
It is being hailed as one of the 'greatest wins'. It was a good win against a decent opposition. But if they can win when batting second in India I really will doff me hat. I'd say both the wins in the 2012/13 series were bigger than this.
England played well. I have concerns about Lawrence at three and I'm still 'jury's out' on the openers (although Sibley played well first innings) but that's a longevity thing. Root and Silverwood did the best thing for our spinners who are not as impressive as their options.
The key factor here, trying to rationalise rather than put a dampener on things, was winning the toss and batting for over two days.
It is being hailed as one of the 'greatest wins'. It was a good win against a decent opposition. But if they can win when batting second in India I really will doff me hat. I'd say both the wins in the 2012/13 series were bigger than this.
Pavilionaire
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 31,265
What a win from England. Their line-up has a balanced look about it, the captain is in the form of his life and there is a real selection dilemma as to whether Broad comes in for Anderson.
Jimmy only bowled 26 overs in the match, so should still be fairly fresh after one Test. There is a good case for playing him in the next test because it's at the same venue so he knows the pitch. If we go 2-0 up then we'll win the series with one draw in the final two tests, so Broad's batting may come in useful there.
Jimmy only bowled 26 overs in the match, so should still be fairly fresh after one Test. There is a good case for playing him in the next test because it's at the same venue so he knows the pitch. If we go 2-0 up then we'll win the series with one draw in the final two tests, so Broad's batting may come in useful there.
blue-shifted
Banned
I'd be dropping Archer. Open with Anderson and Broad.