The International Cricket Thread

[PaulWinch again]

We’ll see how it plays out but not sure Konstas winding up Bumrah is particularly smart.

[PaulWinch again]

I obviously haven’t seen a great deal of Konstas, but if you bowl it full he looks vulnerable.

[PaulWinch again]

Great Test cricket this.

[dcdavecollett]

Konstas comes across as a gobby tw*t, so hopefully his Test career will be a short one.

[PaulWinch again]

India have lost this in the first couple of overs - two shockers and Bumrah being unavailable mean this is gone.

[Villan For Life]

The proposed two tier world test championship has the potential to destroy test cricket. It will end up just like the Premier League with the wealthy test nations getting richer and the poorer test nations getting marginalised and turning their backs on test cricket because they simply cannot afford to play it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/cql5q4rg326o

[Meanwood Villa]

If it was done on sporting merit and there was promotion and relegation it could work.

[PaulWinch again]

Yeah except that can never happen - India, Australia and England wouldn’t tolerate being relegated because the whole thing is engineered to make them play more.

It’s bullshit and short sighted.

[paul_e]

I don't like it but something needs to change in test cricket because, right now, only the big 3 really draw enough money and fans to keep the format alive.

[edgysatsuma89]

If it was done on sporting merit and there was promotion and relegation it could work.

I agree, but as Paul said it won't happen. There simply has to be an incentive to get yourself out of the bottom tier, otherwise, what's the point? Would be shite for the West Indies in particular.

[PaulWinch again]

Something needs to change but it’s more about redistribution of funds to support those other than the big 3. If you do that as a starting point that will help incentivise focus on Test cricket, which in time will make teams more competitive which will increase demand. Especially at a time when you’ve had WI win a Test in Aus, Sri Lanka win a Test in England. NZ (slightly different but still) win 3-0 in India, and SA get to the Test Championship final. There is capability there, it just needs cultivating.

[tomd2103]

If it was done on sporting merit and there was promotion and relegation it could work.

I agree, but as Paul said it won't happen. There simply has to be an incentive to get yourself out of the bottom tier, otherwise, what's the point? Would be shite for the West Indies in particular.

Their current situation of getting regular bummings in deserted stadiums (apart from when England go there or they come here) is also far from ideal as well though.

I don't know how the Aussies feel about it, but I suppose we are in the fortunate position that having an Ashes series every two years means that test cricket will always have context as we're always got an eye on preparing for the next one. 

I don't know what the answer is regarding other countries to be honest.  The World Test Championship is a meaningless farce really and I think going to two divisions would be a step towards pretty much ending Test cricket for the teams in the second tier.  Maybe that's the idea.

[edgysatsuma89]

If it was done on sporting merit and there was promotion and relegation it could work.

I agree, but as Paul said it won't happen. There simply has to be an incentive to get yourself out of the bottom tier, otherwise, what's the point? Would be shite for the West Indies in particular.

Their current situation of getting regular bummings in deserted stadiums (apart from when England go there or they come here) is also far from ideal as well though.

I don't know how the Aussies feel about it, but I suppose we are in the fortunate position that having an Ashes series every two years means that test cricket will always have context as we're always got an eye on preparing for the next one. 

I don't know what the answer is regarding other countries to be honest.  The World Test Championship is a meaningless farce really and I think going to two divisions would be a step towards pretty much ending Test cricket for the teams in the second tier.  Maybe that's the idea.

I agree that getting hammered all the time isn't ideal, and I haven't got an issue with the two tiers, I just think they have to create 1 promotion and relegation slot. In a few years, say Ireland have the chance to improve by playing more regularly, that should be rewarded, even if for one 'season'. There has to be some aspiration.

[UK Redsox]

Ash Gardner's catch.....wow

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/videos/c0qwwn4pvqxo

[cdbearsfan]

Pretty pathetic from the England women.