Cricket 2010 Thread

[PaulWinch again]

Fucking hell this bringing the players off for bad light then sending them out 5 minutes later is getting old. It's not dangerous, just get on with it. Finn bowling well.

[Dave Cooper please]

Fucking hell this bringing the players off for bad light then sending them out 5 minutes later is getting old. It's not dangerous, just get on with it.

Not convinced I would want a cricket ball hurtling at me at 80+mph unless I could see it perfectly to be honest.

[Chris Smith]

Fucking hell this bringing the players off for bad light then sending them out 5 minutes later is getting old. It's not dangerous, just get on with it.

Not convinced I would want a cricket ball hurtling at me at 80+mph unless I could see it perfectly to be honest.

Do you honestly believe that the light changed enough to make a difference 3 times in 20 minutes when they were going off and on last night? As the commentators said they'd play 20/20 in those conditions, why not test cricket? It's an expensive business and the public should be able to expect to see as much cricket as is possible.

[PaulWinch again]

Bresnan is maybe a first change bowler at best, he really shouldn't be on with the new ball. If we are going to have a four man attack, Bresnan has to be replaced by Broad.

[Dave Cooper please]

Do you honestly believe that the light changed enough to make a difference 3 times in 20 minutes when they were going off and on last night? As the commentators said they'd play 20/20 in those conditions, why not test cricket? It's an expensive business and the public should be able to expect to see as much cricket as is possible.

Ah, right, I didn't realise they were buggering about like that, I was at work and just keeping an eye on the score.

They need to tweak the rule that the umpires will offer the light to the batsmen at a pre-selected reading on the light meter.

[hilts_coolerking]

They need to tweak the rule that the umpires will offer the light to the batsmen at a pre-selected reading on the light meter.

They've taken the decision away from the batsman now though haven't they?  It's solely at the umpire's discretion.

Which has to be right.  I can't think of a single instance in all the years I've been watching cricket when the batting side came off for bad light because they thought they were in danger, as opposed to it being in their interests given the match situation.  It was all too cynical.

As England proved in Pakistan that time, teams will bat on in appalling light if they think they can win a Test match.  

Umpires should only bring the teams off if it is simply too dark for the teams to see what they're doing.  And I mean proper dark.

[PaulWinch again]

We do struggle in conditions that aren't suited to swing. We need to address that.

[hilts_coolerking]

Good batting conditions but Tamim Iqbal's century is one of the most entertaining innings I've seen for a long time.

[Dave Cooper please]

They've taken the decision away from the batsman now though haven't they?  It's solely at the umpire's discretion.

Not sure this is a great idea, it now puts a lot of pressure on the umpires in failing light, they won't want to be responsible when a batsman gets put in hospital by a ball he couldn't see so are probably more likely to err on the side of caution. Previously they could just say, "Well, it was the batsman's decision to carry on."

Umpires should only bring the teams off if it is simply too dark for the teams to see what they're doing.  And I mean proper dark.

Too dangerous, and not particularly good for spectating either.

[hilts_coolerking]

They've taken the decision away from the batsman now though haven't they?  It's solely at the umpire's discretion.

Not sure this is a great idea, it now puts a lot of pressure on the umpires in failing light, they won't want to be responsible when a batsman gets put in hospital by a ball he couldn't see so are probably more likely to err on the side of caution. Previously they could just say, "Well, it was the batsman's decision to carry on."

Umpires should only bring the teams off if it is simply too dark for the teams to see what they're doing.  And I mean proper dark.

Too dangerous, and not particularly good for spectating either.

Atherton was saying on Sky yesterday that the 'danger' to batsmen, such as it is, is overstated.  In this era there is only a handful of really quick bowlers, a preponderance of flat pitches, and plenty of protective equipment for batters.

The rule about bad light being dangerous to batsmen was more applicable in an era of uncovered wickets where the ball came off very quickly, a plethora of genuinely quick bowlers and little in the way of helmets etc.

So the light should only be an issue if it just too dark to play (and, as you say, to watch) properly.

[Dave Cooper please]

I agree that batsmen are better protected, but the contest should be as equal as possible between batsman and bowler, if the batsman can't see the ball properly I don't see how it's an equal contest.

For the same reason you are not allowed to bowl the ball massively wide or throw down a succession of waist high beamers, the batsman has to actually be able to hit the ball! And if he can't see it how is he supposed to hit it!

It's okay for Atherton to say it's not dangerous now he's retired, but he was quick enough to walk off when he was batting!

[hilts_coolerking]

I agree that batsmen are better protected, but the contest should be as equal as possible between batsman and bowler, if the batsman can't see the ball properly I don't see how it's an equal contest.

For the same reason you are not allowed to bowl the ball massively wide or throw down a succession of waist high beamers, the batsman has to actually be able to hit the ball! And if he can't see it how is he supposed to hit it!

It's okay for Atherton to say it's not dangerous now he's retired, but he was quick enough to walk off when he was batting!

Well that's exactly my point - you come off if you can't see to play properly.

At the moment they come off in light that, while not perfect, is perfectly playable.  Like I said, the danger thing is way over-stated.

[Mazrim]

They could just switch to a luminous bad light ball. It would take the batsman a while to adjust but its better than nothing.

They could have a selection of balls ready that have seen the requisite number of overs like they used to in ODIs.

[hilts_coolerking]

Anyone going to Lords tomorrow?  It's only a tenner in.  I'm going for it.

[hilts_coolerking]

Hmm.  Couple of late wickets and I'm now wondering how much play there will be tomorrow.