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Second Test: England v West Indies 14th-18th May







S

sten_super

Brain Surgeon
Jul 28, 2005
5,945
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
Unfortunately the entire system is driven by money; that is what is driving

a) the scheduling of the Test matches, to fulfill the requirements of their Sky contract
b) the expensive tickets; that article points out that Test matches are effectively 'bid' for by grounds. This is bound to result in higher costs being passed on to the paying public.

Then debacles such as the first test (where a ridiculously undercooked Windies side were dispatched before the Test even reached the money-spinning weekend) are bound to discourage people further. Either have a proper Test series (with minimum of 3 tests, and a proper preparation schedule for the tourists), or don't bother.
 


S

Seagull over NZ

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
1,607
Bristol
Watching a bit of the Glamorgan v Essex game on Sky yesterday made me realise what a character-less ground the SWALEC stadium is and what a disgrace it is that they have won an Ashes test ahead of somewhere like Trent Bridge or Old Trafford. Shane Warne is right that it shouldn't be played there. I see a disaster of a test match there come July.

With regards to this test match, Bell should replace Colly for my money. Colly has had no cricket in the last 6 weeks or so and Bell has form behind him. But with the Twenty20 world cup coming up and Colly being captain, that won't happen.
 


N

NF9

New member
Feb 24, 2009
3,440
Brighton
Have any of you heard what Chris gayle said

West Indies captain Chris Gayle claims he would not miss Test cricket if it died out and has hit back at criticism from England skipper Andrew Strauss.

Strauss told Gayle he crossed a line by arriving in England only two days prior to the start of the Test series.

"I wouldn't be so sad [if Test cricket ended]," Gayle told The Guardian.

"Maybe Andrew Strauss would be sad if Test cricket dies and Twenty20 comes in because there is no way he can make the change. So tough luck."

The 29-year-old arrived in England well after the rest of his team-mates following his involvement in the Indian Premier League.

Before the first of two Tests, which England won by 10 wickets with Gayle making 28 and a duck in his two innings, Strauss said: "There's a line there. Certainly we wouldn't want our players to arrive two days before.

"The important thing is that Test cricket gets the attention it deserves. And that means that people prepare themselves properly for any Test match you play.

"You don't want Test cricket to be devalued in any way, shape or form."

Speaking ahead of the second at the Riverside, which starts on Thursday, Gayle advised Strauss to mind his own business.

"It doesn't concern him," he said. "(Strauss should) focus on his team, don't worry about West Indies, don't worry about me.

"Tell him don't sleep with Chris on his mind, tell him get Chris off his mind."

Gayle also suggested he is on the verge of relinquishing the West Indies captaincy, which he has held since taking over from Ramnaresh Sarwan in 2008.

"To be honest with you there's a possibility I might give it up - I will be giving it up shortly," he said.

"It's definitely not something I'm looking to hang on to. I need some time for myself, to be honest with you, it's a lot of travelling.

"There's always something you have to go and do, you know, extra. Lunch or dinner, some other thing, there's always something for the captain.

"I'm not that type of person. I can't take on too many things. So soon I will be handing over this captaincy. I will soon finish with it."
Click to expand...

What an incredible thing to say the day before a test match...:nono:
 


C

CHAPPERS

DISCO SPENG
Jul 5, 2003
45,097
He just wants the Twenty20 money. Shame really, that bastardized form of the game is going to ruin test match cricket. Can't see anyone but England, Australia and NZ being bothered about it in the future.
 




N

NF9

New member
Feb 24, 2009
3,440
Brighton
I Agree though I Would add South africa to that list and its a real shame because for me test matches are far superior to One day/Twenty20, I love my days at the cricket with a pint of cold fosters in my deckchair in the sun..

Mmmm....:drink:
 


Dave the OAP

Dave the OAP

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
46,762
at home
its just an evolution of the game really.

20/20 is nothing new. The Brighton Evening league played a 20 overs game in the 70's ( although it was 15 x 8 ball overs) as did the Worthing league.

Its all about the throw away sport that attracts americans. Ice hockey, baseball( to some degree), Basketball are games that are high octnae, crash bang wallop type games perfect for TV.....20 20 is that also. A game that can be played for 5 days without a result is something from the past
 






keaton

keaton

Big heart, hot blood and balls. Big balls
Nov 18, 2004
9,972
Two days of heavy rain on Saturday and Sunday in Durham apparently.
 




















keaton

keaton

Big heart, hot blood and balls. Big balls
Nov 18, 2004
9,972
Coming upto tea, going well (albiet slightly slowly) at the moment 183-1, Bopora 59, Cook 81
 


Pavilionaire

Pavilionaire

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
31,269
Personally, I prefer Test cricket to one-day cricket.

I think Gayle and the Windies deserve to be cut a bit of a slack, as they weren't originally scheduled to be our opponents (it was Zimbabwe, then it was Sri Lanka) therefore the players would have made their own arrangements with the IPL a while ago.

Similarly, they've just beaten England in the Caribbean so Gayle will feel he's already proved a point.

If Test cricket DID die the county 4 day game would probably die as well.
 






C

CHAPPERS

DISCO SPENG
Jul 5, 2003
45,097
206/1

Anyone watching? Is the pitch as lifeless as the text commentary suggests?

Test cricket is MUCH better than one day cricket.
 


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