The International Cricket Thread

[PaulWinch again]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/feb/10/cricket-ben-duckett-accept-series-defeat-england-beat-india-champions-trophy-final

Duckett is always good for some daft comments. Obviously it’s probably technically true this time, but he’s missing the key point that losing this series 3-0 almost certainly makes it less likely we’ll be in a place to get to the final and/or beat India. Just be more humble and acknowledge that as a team you need to be better.

[paul_e]

England doing ok with the ball but we need much better from the seamers. Wood got a wicket in the 2nd over and then they offered almost nothing until the 46th. A few late wickets to pad the stats isn't enough, especially when India were already well over 300 at that point.

[PaulWinch again]

Another top display.

[Meanwood Villa]

Not even close, again.

[aj2k77]

The one day side is a shit bro's club. They need to knuckle down and start putting in the hard yards, both planning and practice.

[dcdavecollett]

Perhaps playing the format at county level might help the players prepare for international competitions.

[cdbearsfan]

Crazy talk. I'd much rather watch the Birmingham Astrohounds play the Southampton Seaunicorns in a thrilling thirty balls a side blast.

[Gareth]

Perhaps playing the format at county level might help the players prepare for international competitions.

Revolutionary talk Dave! Sense will never catch on.

Not gonna happen…the soul of the domestic game has been sold to the devil this last couple of weeks…we can but hope that nonsense competition dies on its arse but it doubt it will be allowed to.  I’ve never watched a ball of it and the fact our ‘local’ team the Little Tallywackers or whatever they are called are half owned by Captain Pontins Bluecoat mob will hopefully incentivise the Villa fans to boycott them :-)

[cdbearsfan]

Australia trying to be as shit as England.

[dcdavecollett]

They'll need to be better/worse than that!

[taylorsworkrate]

A solid start but it feels a bit inevitable now that a collapse is coming.

[cdbearsfan]

Just noticed format of tournament. Being held in Pakistan... but India get to play all their matches in Dubai. If they make the final, it will be held there too. Why do the ICC just bow down to the bigoted twats? Genuinely, if they play Australia in the final, I will support Australia.

[tomd2103]

Just noticed format of tournament. Being held in Pakistan... but India get to play all their matches in Dubai. If they make the final, it will be held there too. Why do the ICC just bow down to the bigoted twats? Genuinely, if they play Australia in the final, I will support Australia.

I'm not sure 'bigoted' is right is it?  They obviously have serious security concerns that make playing there not possible.  I was talking to someone the other day who has a family member who works in the ECB.  They said the levels of security detail on the recent tours to Pakistan has been massive and that's just for us.  Would probably be way, way more for an Indian team travelling there.

[Villan For Life]

Just noticed format of tournament. Being held in Pakistan... but India get to play all their matches in Dubai. If they make the final, it will be held there too. Why do the ICC just bow down to the bigoted twats? Genuinely, if they play Australia in the final, I will support Australia.

I'm not sure 'bigoted' is right is it?  They obviously have serious security concerns that make playing there not possible.  I was talking to someone the other day who has a family member who works in the ECB.  They said the levels of security detail on the recent tours to Pakistan has been massive and that's just for us.  Would probably be way, way more for an Indian team travelling there.

If England had said that they wouldn’t visit Pakistan they’d hold the tournament without us.

The Indian board is too powerful and as a result world cricket suffers.

[tomd2103]

Just noticed format of tournament. Being held in Pakistan... but India get to play all their matches in Dubai. If they make the final, it will be held there too. Why do the ICC just bow down to the bigoted twats? Genuinely, if they play Australia in the final, I will support Australia.

I'm not sure 'bigoted' is right is it?  They obviously have serious security concerns that make playing there not possible.  I was talking to someone the other day who has a family member who works in the ECB.  They said the levels of security detail on the recent tours to Pakistan has been massive and that's just for us.  Would probably be way, way more for an Indian team travelling there.

If England had said that they wouldn’t visit Pakistan they’d hold the tournament without us.

The Indian board is too powerful and as a result world cricket suffers.

Maybe to the first paragraph.  Definitely to the second one.