The International Cricket Thread

[Villan For Life]

The thing that strikes me with umpires now compared with say the days of Dickie Bird is that they stand so far back from the stumps.

Dickie used to almost slump over the stumps and was always in position for a run out and he invariably got it right. Nowadays umpires seem to be about 6 feet behind the stumps.

Now I’m sure that they refer run outs for the sake of theatre but how can they even call a no ball let alone give an accurate lbw decision?

For what it’s worth I think umpires should have all technology available to them regardless. The game would be better for it.

[Fred Crump]

I know I will get some pelters for this but sod it, I’m going to say it.
I really don’t like the incursion of football culture into cricket. Names and numbers on shirts in a serious test match is bad enough but all the football chants, tribalism, booing of the ‘opposition’ passed off as ‘ bantz’ sickens me. People who basically go to get on Telly because they are in fancy dress and go to get pissed up and abuse the ‘ opposition fans’ are fine in end of season football matches, but please don’t pollute the wonderful game of cricket with that shit. We were all once spectators, not fans. And the booing of Steve Smith , one of the world’s finest batsmen ( not batters) was disgusting.
Signed Fred Crump
Age 103 1/2
P.S. I’m serious about this, though , really.

[taylorsworkrate]

Im with you on the names and nos on the shirts Fred. Think its a bit daft. I've never desperately wanted to confirm who was fielding at fine leg.

The booing is all pantomime I think. There's no real animosity there. Having been to Edgbaston a couple of times for the ashes I think the Aussie fans enjoy the pisstaking and give plenty back too.

[Villan For Life]

I think the numbers are a great idea, particularly as we have a few players who I would not recognise if they were stood next to me at the bar. The name thing seems a bit pointless, most fans at the ground wouldn’t be able to read them anyway so clearly it’s for the benefit of television.

As for chants etc, it’s nice to be in such a wonderful atmosphere knowing that it will add to the occasion without slipping into football local derby territory. It can affect the players too, Mitchell Johnson went to pieces a few years ago and admits that the Barmy Army singing about him affected his form. “He swings to the left, he swings to the right, that Mitchell Johnson......his bowling is shite”.

He did learn to live with it  and bounced back but he was affected. It’s another example of what previous Aussies captains have referred to as mental disintegration. It’s fine for them to dish it out but they can’t take it when it’s given back.

Smith’s innings was wonderful but he’s a cheat and he always will be.

[UK Redsox]

I know I will get some pelters for this but sod it, I’m going to say it.
I really don’t like the incursion of football culture into cricket. Names and numbers on shirts in a serious test match is bad enough but all the football chants, tribalism, booing of the ‘opposition’ passed off as ‘ bantz’ sickens me. People who basically go to get on Telly because they are in fancy dress and go to get pissed up and abuse the ‘ opposition fans’ are fine in end of season football matches, but please don’t pollute the wonderful game of cricket with that shit. We were all once spectators, not fans. And the booing of Steve Smith , one of the world’s finest batsmen ( not batters) was disgusting.
Signed Fred Crump
Age 103 1/2
P.S. I’m serious about this, though , really.

I agree with all this apart from the names/numbers bit. The Barmy Army's singing/chanting and especially Billy and his fecking trumpet are terrible

[Ads]

The atmosphere created by England fans is fantastic.

As above, the treatment of Mitchell Johnson at the SCG in 2011 got England a Golden Duck, as he utterly bottled it.

There's a place in cricket for those who want to just turn up and watch, those who want to sing and add something to the atmosphere and those who want to moan about the people who spend thousands of pounds watching England all over the world and like to sing.

Edgbaston is the 16th most hostile cricket ground and by far the England teams favourite and it's not because of the latter sort of people.

[cdbearsfan]

I'm all for being polite and respectful to the opposition.

Unless it's the Convicts in which case, fuck em.

[PaulWinch again]

Yeah they’ve had a bad game. I imagine umpiring is like anything you need form and confidence. Dar in particular has traditionally been good, so might just be down on confidence.

[PaulWinch again]

I think Sangakarra is my favourite pundit now. He’s excellent.

[Fred Crump]

those who want to moan about the people who spend thousands of pounds watching England all over the world and like to sing.

Yeah cos naturally spending loads of money obviously entitles people to behave like boorish twats in public places.  Welcome to New Tory Britain, 2019.

[PaulWinch again]

Jimmy looks like he’s moving ok.

[PaulWinch again]

Isha Guha is good as well.

[hilts_coolerking]

Some of those who moan about the people who spend thousands of pounds watching England all over the world and like to sing also spend thousands of pounds watching England all over the world and don't want to sing, or sit behind someone dressed as Freddie Starr, or a bloke with a trumpet, or dodge a beer snake, or chant Barmy Army over and over again.  There's more than one way to support your team and all that dicking around doesn't suit everyone.

Yes the Barmy Army got to Johnson in 2010/11, amid Australia's wheels falling off all over the place, but it didn't work in 2013/14 did it.

[Ads]

those who want to moan about the people who spend thousands of pounds watching England all over the world and like to sing.

Yeah cos naturally spending loads of money obviously entitles people to behave like boorish twats in public places.  Welcome to New Tory Britain, 2019.

I think your tarten blanket is wrapped a little too tightly.

[hilts_coolerking]

Sanga, Atherton and Hussain are, in that order, generally the ones who tell me things I wouldn't have spotted in a million years.