England 2012 Cricket Thread

[PaulWinch again]

Looks like the KP situation has been dealt with, he's now been added to the touring squad for India. That's good news and I hope all parties can move on now.

[Villan For Life]

Martin Crowe has been diagnosed with Lymphoma. Good luck Martin and hope you fully recover as soon as possible.

Always one of my favourite players, I even had a pair of Martin Crowe cricket boots.

More news of a similar vein, Tony Greig has lung cancer:

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/current/story/587398.html

Get well wishes sent to both of them.

[PaulWinch again]

Good luck to both of them.

[bertlambshank]

Cheeky feckers.
Sky and BCCI in pre-series dispute

Sky TV may not send its team of commentators to cover England's tour of India, which begins in November, unless a dispute with the BCCI over access for their commentary team to the Test venues is resolved. Sky hold the UK rights for the series, but the Sunday Times in London reported the broadcaster had received an unexpected demand from the Indian board for additional fees totalling more than £500,000 ($800,000) for their commentary team to have facilities at the grounds.

ESPNcricinfo understands the figure being quoted to Sky is the BCCI's estimate of 'realistic costs' related to Sky's wish to have independent and unilateral coverage of the India-England series. The cost includes, among other things, studio space and a commentary box for Sky's own panel of commentators, a TV control room, audio and video feed, a scoring monitor, as well as space for satellite uplinking from the venues for 30 days of cricket. Sky's interpretation is that securing of TV rights should automatically assume such provisions as part of the deal.

Sky warned their bank of commentators, including former England captains Michael Atherton, Nasser Hussain and Ian Botham, that they regard the BCCI's demands as brinkmanship, and that they may not travel unless a solution can be found. If the dispute is not settled, Sky would be forced to accept commentary from the host broadcaster, or to set up a studio outside the grounds.

Problems for UK broadcasters have been a common feature of England games in India. During a one-day series last year, television audiences in India and England were deprived of the first three overs of a match in Hyderabad because of a dispute between the host broadcaster of the time, Neo Sports, and Prasar Bharati, the government agency responsible for uplinking live telecasts out of India.

There was also an issue about Sky TV's own commentators awaiting what one Sky commentator told ESPNcricinfo were "government clearances", before being able to broadcast live out of India. As a result, the Sky TV producers made use of the Neo Cricket commentary team, which included Matthew Hoggard and Dermot Reeve.

There were also problems for Sky before England's 2006 tour of India, when they agreed terms with Nimbus, who had just bought the rights to India's home matches, only a few days before the series began.

The Indian board has since terminated its deal with Nimbus because of alleged payment defaults, and announced a more lucrative deal with Star TV.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Star TV's commentators are poor and their coverage not much better - every opportunity taken to focus in on some gurning loon in the crowd. It would make watching us lose badly even worse not having Botham snipe at all and sundry.

[bertlambshank]

The BCCI now want 50 grand off the BBC for test match special.

[PaulWinch again]

I have concerns with Broad being named vice captain, as I'm not sure on current form he warrants a place in the side.

[PaulWinch again]

Finn is injured, not good.

[spangley1812]

A mixed day...........good innings by Cook, Trott and Patel (who seems nailed on for the test team) dissapointing from Compton, Bell and KP out to Yuraj who seems to like bowling to him

[PaulWinch again]

Compton may well have blown his chance there, not sure how many warm up games there are but I imagine Root will get a shot at it in the next game. Not too concerned with KP as sounded like he was in decent knick.

[PaulWinch again]

Patel's probably secured the number 6 spot with that hundred, well played.

[peter w]

Not a big fan of Patel but it does seem that he has secured his spot. i hope not.

Cook
Trott
Pietersen
Bell
Compton/Root
Prior
Bresnan
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Finn or whichever other bowler we have

[Dave Cooper please]

Trott won't open.
Compton and Root are going head-to-head for that spot in the next warm-up match.

Depending on the pitch, and it's likely to be spin friendly, we are in India after all, I'd go five batsmen, five bowlers and Prior:

Cook
Compton / Root
Trott
Pietersen
Bell
Prior
Bresnan
Swann
Broad
Anderson
Panesar

We still bat to 9 in that line up.

[PaulWinch again]

Interesting against Mumbai A. Compton gets nothing again, so I think he hasn't got a chance now. Number 6 is interesting though Morgan, Bairstow and Patel all have got runs.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

This is fun. India 120 - 0 at lunch. Anderson and Bresnan going at 6 an over.