The Cricket Thread 2016

[Chris Jameson]

And a big thank you to Paddy Power for paying out early on Ashes betting.

I don't know what those words mean.

[tomd2103]

The sight of Clarke trudging off would normally bring great joy (considering some of his past discretions), but I do feel some sympathy for him.  I just wonder how much strain the events of the past year have put on him personally, especially as he was the one who faced the cameras.  He has looked a beaten man from the start of the series.     

[Chris Jameson]

I find it hard to dislike Clarke, in fact I like him. I just make sure Warner gets double.

[PGW]

Why oh why don't umpires keep a watchful eye on overstepping by the bowlers, if they no ball call it don't just check
when we get a wkt the bowlers can't do nowt about it....twice now happened today.

[aj2k77]

England determined to take 25 wickets in the match.

[taylorsworkrate]

Moeen's bowling has really gone downhill this summer. Whether that's due to a lack of overs, or lack of talent I'm not sure. At the moment though, he is nowhere near a test quality spinner

[taylorsworkrate]

Good stuff from Stokes. Has bowled really well today

[cdbearsfan]

Congratulations to Australia for reaching 300 for the loss of only 17 (seventeen) wickets.

[Meanwood Villa]

As someone else has mentioned it's really good to see different bowlers stepping up to the plate in successive innings. Wood and Moeen to get five fors at the Oval?

[LeeB]

I find it hard to dislike Clarke, in fact I like him. I just make sure Warner gets double.

Oh no, I can't stand him, seems a complete "hard when he's with his mates in his back yard" bellend.

[PaulWinch again]

Moeen is suffering from lack of bowling, but his form with the bat has been critical to our success. Excellent from Stokes today.

[aev]

It is funny...I don't like Clarke but did like Ponting.

[aj2k77]

After all their antics, cockiness and general loudmouth behaviour, constantly taking the piss and acting like hard men down under, the Aussies and especially Clarke can fuck off.

[Villan For Life]

This whole no ball thing is frustrating. At one time umpires used to warn bowlers when they were getting close to overstepping. It was not part of the rules but fell under one of those "spirit of cricket" things, like a bowler warning a batsman who is backing up too far. If the bowler continued to overstep then no ball was called.

Now umpires don't even look for a front foot no ball and only check when a wicket falls. This is wrong. A bowler who has been warned or have been called for overstepping will change their run up so they no longer overstep. It spoils the natural ebb and flow of the game. It's not that long ago when Gladstone Small was bowling 18 ball overs due to overstepping. I can also remember Bob Willis having problems with overstepping in the 1981 Ashes. That would not happen now and it is wrong that a basic rule of the game is ignored.

Clearly the umpires stand too far back so it is difficult for them to check. There are enough cameras in the ground for the third umpire to check every ball and feed that information to the on-field umpire. Come on ICC sort it out!

[Villan For Life]

It is funny...I don't like Clarke but did like Ponting.

I always liked Punter too. As a cricket fan I've always liked quality players regardless of their nationality. Ponting, Warne, McGrath may play for the enemy but they were wonderful players even when they were hammering us.

I've no thoughts either way about Clarke but do like it that his own people don't like him. The captain of the Aussie cricket team is a huge role in Oz, probably second only to the Prime Minister. They haven't taken to him at all and he's not that popular in his own dressing room.