The International Cricket Thread

[PaulWinch again]

Yes think he’s probably played himself into the World Cup 15 today.

[Villan For Life]

They got much closer to out target than I though they would so a good game in the end.

I think they need to rethink the different ball at each end rule, it’s giving the batsmen too much of an advantage.

[paul_e]

We bowled really poorly in the first 25-30 overs, as a unit. A few decent overs from Ali and Rashid but all of the quicks were poor.


I wonder if part of that was knowing there was a big total on the board so just trying to play safe.

[taylorsworkrate]

They got much closer to out target than I though they would so a good game in the end.

I think they need to rethink the different ball at each end rule, it’s giving the batsmen too much of an advantage.

Agree in principal, but one of the issues with the ball in one dayers, was that teams would deliberately do all they could to soften it. By the 30th over or so it was generally closer to a tennis ball and harder to hit.

[Villan For Life]

They got much closer to out target than I though they would so a good game in the end.

I think they need to rethink the different ball at each end rule, it’s giving the batsmen too much of an advantage.

Agree in principal, but one of the issues with the ball in one dayers, was that teams would deliberately do all they could to soften it. By the 30th over or so it was generally closer to a tennis ball and harder to hit.

That’s a form of ball tampering then isn’t it? Keep one ball and let the umpire inspect it after every over. Cricket has the advantage that most, if not all, umpires have played the game at the highest level so they know all of the tricks that fielding sides use.

The white ball game is dominated by big hitters. It’s marvellous to see, especially when it’s one of your players flaying the ball to all parts, but something has to be done to redress the balance between bat and ball.

[paul_e]

I like the 2 balls rule. The one I'd change is leg side wides.

[taylorsworkrate]

They got much closer to out target than I though they would so a good game in the end.

I think they need to rethink the different ball at each end rule, it’s giving the batsmen too much of an advantage.

Agree in principal, but one of the issues with the ball in one dayers, was that teams would deliberately do all they could to soften it. By the 30th over or so it was generally closer to a tennis ball and harder to hit.

That’s a form of ball tampering then isn’t it? Keep one ball and let the umpire inspect it after every over. Cricket has the advantage that most, if not all, umpires have played the game at the highest level so they know all of the tricks that fielding sides use.

The white ball game is dominated by big hitters. It’s marvellous to see, especially when it’s one of your players flaying the ball to all parts, but something has to be done to redress the balance between bat and ball.

I think there's better options to do something about it.

Limit bat size/weight. The sweetspots are just massive on today's bats. Many misshits go for 6.

Increase boundary size and go back to allowing 5 fielders outside the circle from the 15th over.

Have a slightly more pronounced seam on the ball(s). That way having 2 new balls could be an advantage to a bowling attack under certain conditions.

The game did get to a stage where not a lot happened during the middle overs and it was pretty boring for the spectator.

[paul_e]

I agree with most of that as well but I'm not sure limits on bats are a good idea.

[taylorsworkrate]

I agree with most of that as well but I'm not sure limits on bats are a good idea.

The sweetspots being so big would be the issue I have with the bats. Most international batsmen still clear the ropes when they miss the middle of the bat these days.

[taylorsworkrate]

I like the 2 balls rule. The one I'd change is leg side wides.

I'd agree with that.

The principle of a wide is a "delivery the batsman cannot play a proper cricket shot too".

Unless its down the leg side by a margin, that isn't true of a leg side delivery.

[paul_e]

I like the 2 balls rule. The one I'd change is leg side wides.

I'd agree with that.

The principle of a wide is a "delivery the batsman cannot play a proper cricket shot too".

Unless its down the leg side by a margin, that isn't true of a leg side delivery.

I think the main problem is that it frees the batsman to move around in his crease but means the bowler can't do the same. Something that's 12-18inches behind the batsman is fine, happy with those as wides, just like in the test game, but the ones that miss the batsman by an inch drive me mad.

Back on the bats, my worry is that it'd be putting the genie back in the bottle at this point, I'd rather see changes in other areas which reduce the impact of the bats.

[PaulWinch again]

I think the two ball rule is a problem myself. I think reverse swing would add an extra dimension to the game.

[paul_e]

The issue there is that white balls go soft much quicker than red balls and in a lot of conditions they'd be falling to bits but you'd only get reverse swing sometimes.

I'm just not sure the benefit outweighs the cost.

[PaulWinch again]

Sounds like Archer won’t play tomorrow. I reckon that suggests they’ve already made the decision he’s in the squad and the others are fighting it out.

[taylorsworkrate]

Sounds like Archer won’t play tomorrow. I reckon that suggests they’ve already made the decision he’s in the squad and the others are fighting it out.

Be absolutely staggered if he's not in the squad. I'd have had him in the provisional 1

Hopefully he will get the last couple of ODI's at least to help acclimatise.