The Cricket Thread 2013

[Dave Cooper please]

NB - as I've said before, I'd also ban "appealing". A player's either out or they're not, how convincing the appeal is should not make a difference.

No no no!
The appeal is written into the very laws of the game, you have to ask the umpire if the batsman is out, it's a fundamental part of cricket.
If an umpire is swayed by how vehement the appeal is then he is not a very good umpire.

[OCD]

If we beat Australia having had Trott and Root wrongfully dismissed and when the Aussie No.11 should have been out on 5, it's going to send a strong message for the series.

[Brend'Watkins]

Never mind all this walk don't walk business.

Did anybody hear Blowers rapping at lunch on TMS with the Duckworth Lewis Method... it's was priceless....

However, not as funny as later in the day when Blowers was commentating with Tuffers he described his appearance as an MC thusly 'The Duckworth Lewis Method featuring Blow Job!'... I thought Tuffers was going to lay an egg! Brilliant Radio!

England to go onto to a 350 lead and skittle the Aussies for about 180-200. Beautiful.

Yes Wombat, I mentioned a few minutes after it happened.  It was hilarious more so as Blofeld was totally oblivious to what he said. Tigers did well to keep as composed as he did.

[KevinGage]

Thought this one has slipped away yesterday after that last wicket stand. 

A better side than Australia are at present would have cashed in on good fortune like that. 

As for the Broad walk/ don't walk bobbins: Gilchrist apart, Australians have never walked. So fuck 'em. 

If there is one nation who have turned sportsmanship and bending the rules into an art it's them. So they really don't have a leg to stand on when the opposition do it. In fact it makes it even sweeter when it goes against them.

It's like Argentinians moaning about a harsh penalty decision.

[john e]

Just to say I agree with everything plumbutt has said on this

He should have walked

[KevinGage]

If all international players in world cricket agree a code whereby they walk if they know they've edged  it, then maybe (and good luck in getting Australia to agree to that).

Until that day, Broad was 110% in the right to do what he did today.   

[cdbearsfan]

Changing the subject, I just watched the first episode of the BBC's Kerry Packer drama and thought it was fantastic. Would recommend any cricket fan to catch it on IPlayer if you haven't seen it yet.

[KevinGage]

It was a real shocker from (the usually excellent) Aleem Dar. 

But the blame lies there, rather than with Broad, to my mind.

It doesn't pay to skate too far ahead in this series, as we've seen.  But if this plays out as it should and England go on to win, Australia must take heart.  They've had the supposedly far superior hosts on the rack on a number of occasions. A loss in this game shouldn't derail their confidence.

I'm not sure how this will transpire over the next few months, but I'm pretty certain there will be no 10-0 whitewash, as per Botham's prediction.  I'd say that's more a sign that he's been on the ol' jazz cigarettes a bit too much again.

[villan from luton]

Maybe Botham is being a touch in cheeck, much like ex Aussies legends like McGrath and Ponting saying Aussies will win this series. As for Broad walking, why should he, it is the decision of the umpire? He has set the tone for the series though and all players will now do the same, the aussies are brought up like it anyway. Fecking hope Bell gets his ton and moves on to get a real big score to put the convicts out of the game

[olaftab]

Changing the subject, I just watched the first episode of the BBC's Kerry Packer drama and thought it was fantastic. Would recommend any cricket fan to catch it on IPlayer if you haven't seen it yet.

Thanks for the tip mate. Just seen the firs half hour and will watch the rest tomorrow. Great  start and memories came flooding back. Remember listening to the Centenary test match commentary and Randall's effort. 

[olaftab]

NB - as I've said before, I'd also ban "appealing". A player's either out or they're not, how convincing the appeal is should not make a difference.

No no no!
The appeal is written into the very laws of the game, you have to ask the umpire if the batsman is out, it's a fundamental part of cricket.
If an umpire is swayed by how vehement the appeal is then he is not a very good umpire.

"HOWZAT" shouted at the top of your voice is tradition and a requisite call to ask the Umpire. When I captained a team I used to give the wicky, first slip and bowler a target to get in two appeals in every over. It's just not cricket without it.

[john e]

So the best argument for not walking is that every one else does it, not what's right or what's best for the game, no, let's take the lowest denominator and work from that

Armstrong didn't really think he was cheating, because everyone else was doing doping, he couldn't win without doping so he joined the rest

The Aussies would never walk, so what, doesn't make it right,
In 10/20 years time they will still be rolling out that video of Broad,like they did with the one of Clark yesterday, blatant cheating is never forgotten,

Willis said last night the older cricketers Botham, Holding, Gower all said he should have walked the younger generation Nasser, Strauss etc say he should have stayed,
that's what sport is becoming nowadays, I bet those on here who say he had every right to stay are mainly under the age of 40,
They have grown up with cheating as part of the game

Remember Southampton at home last season, well it's all part of the game
As far as I'm concerned its a rubbish argument to take the biggest cheats and take the lead from them, Broad would have done himself and the game a lot of good yesterday had he not cheated

If we win the test now, the Aussies will say its tarnished, and it is,
even if they are just as bad, we don't need to join them

[peter w]

It isn't tarnished. yes you'd rather you'd win without any controversy but Trott wasn't out and Broad was so it evens itself up. I too thought Broad should have walked and hope he recognises it publicly. But, the more money and the more professional any sport becomes the less you see days gone by amateur sensibilities being commonplace. Maybe after a while he thought he should have walked to but in the heat fo the moment he didn't. Then walking wiould have made himself look ridiculous. Should he have walked? Yes. Will I celebrate if we win the test? Yes.

[Rotterdam]

My opinion is he should have walked.

[Drummond]

I'm old fashioned and believe that walking is the thing to do.

However, this is the Aussies we're talking about and Broad not walking is the ultimate in showing them the error of their ways.

Dar had a shocker, Clarke made a spurious appeal earlier and lost his side the chance.

The appeal system should have covered this decision and would have if he'd used it properly.