Cricket Thread

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Partnership of 32 from 13. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

207 all out, South Africa win by 80 runs. South Africa top the rankings in all formats of the game now.

England. :rose:

[Cripps_orig]

Aussies beat Pakistan by 4 wickets

Some dude called Starc got 5 wickets

[Dennis Bendtner]

England news conference at midday. Looks likely Strauss will resign. That'd be three England captains killed by Graeme Smith.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Always likely. I imagine Cook would be his replacement as captain, not sure if it will change Strauss' place in the side though.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Well he's been a passenger for a while to be fair. I can only really remember Carberry being in squads as a backup. Don't know tbh.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

KP can make his (in)glorious return.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Strauss has retired from all forms of the game.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cook is the new incumbent. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Strauss admits he has been a bit shit with the bat for a while. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bob Willis suggested Trott. Fuck off Bob tbf.

[Cripps_orig]

Wtf?

Didnt expect that especially with 2 back to back Ashes coming up.

Arise Sir Kevin Of Pietersen.

Your time has come.

Youth players in SA also licking their lips in anticipation

[Cripps_orig]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/19411657

He did nothing wrong

[McNamara That Ghost...]

NZ closed on 328-6 in the second test against India. Century from Taylor.

England vs SA third ODI is on soon.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

South Africa won the toss and will bat.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

50-1, Anderson gets Smith for 18.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Amla, you've proven your point - just stop it now.

[Syn]

England doing well now. Funny that SA's no. 6 has a 40 average. :lol:

Are SA the Spain of cricket? Little bit but not really.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

172-6 now. England are in danger of winning this.

Also, SA need to win one of the Worldies tbf.

[Syn]

No.1 position in Tests is better than the WCs IMO but, yes, they need to stay there for a couple of years and demolish everyone in sight. With Amla, Kallis and a few getting on, they need to produce a few prodigies.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I dunno, I don't think it's the same as winning a tournament (well obviously but I mean of a similar prestige level). Get the test tournaments sorted.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

198-7. 44 overs gone.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Anderson just PWNZRD Steyn. South Africa's batting is a bit light really. Parnell came in with five down.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

It was indeed a great delivery from Anderson to get rid of Steyn.

Dernbach's slower ball to get rid of Elgar was little bit special too.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Dernbach will be a better bowler if the slower ball isn't his stock ball. Not watched much today, but if that delivery to Elgar was the surprise ball then he's doing the right thing. There are times where he thinks he's actually Shane Warne.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

211-9, Anderson bowls Morkel.

Six clean bowled in the innings. :haha:

[Dennis Bendtner]

:wave: Morkel.

9 down.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

211 all out. Anderson will be on a hat-trick in the fourth ODI. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Flintoff is on the Jacamo adverts? :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

16-1, Bell went for 12. :rolleyes:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

61-2, Peterson gets Cook for 20.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bopara goes for a duck. What a moron.

64-3.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

121-3 currently, Morgan on 37.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

127-3, Morgan whacks it for six. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Trott gets his 50.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Morgan gets his 50.

140-3.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

172-4, Morgan goes for 73.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

190-5, 23 needed off 48. Kieswetter was run out.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Parnell just bowled a ridiculous no-ball. Bigger than Amir's...

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And then Fatel dobbed away the free hit for a single. :doh: Also, he nearly caused a run out in the process from that free hit. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

207-6, Trott goes for 71. Hmmm.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

England win by four wickets! :bow:

No.1 again.

[Dennis Bendtner]

https://p.twimg.com/A1pmr0zCIAAY95K.jpg

:lol: how?

[Syn]

Arsene is 4 off 40 balls. :lol:

Give it up, wengulkar. The glory days are gone and you can't see shit now.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

India are 130-4 at the moment. Tendulkar was bowled on 17. :lol:

[Syn]

The ball didn't even move. Sad to see a great player go out like this but it's his own fault.

[Syn]

Pigeon stumped off a no ball. :lol:

Spinners should have no excuse.

[Syn]

Kohli :cloud9:

[Syn]

Interesting Test match so far. End of day 2.

NZ 365 all out.
India 283-5

Gangster's on 46*
Jesus is on 93*

[Cripps_orig]

Whos Gangster?

[Syn]

The Liverpool second-string goalkeeper. It's a poor name, really. 'Bollywood' would be a better fit but KP has taken that. Maverick could be appropriate.

The guy's a clown. Comes in when India need to keep wickets and hits two sixes in a row for absolutely no reason. When it's time to defend he attacks. When it's time to attack, he defends. If he was a F1 racing driver, he'd be a woman.

[Cripps_orig]

He hits 2 sixes and you critisise him? :blink:

Rather that than blocking and building pressure

[Syn]

I'm not really criticising him but just saying he doesn't think the way people normally would. I have a go at people like Sehwag because he just doesn't think full-stop. Dhoni at least does think...but he just thinks weird. He places a massive importance on psychology - when the team is doing well, he tries to hang around and slow things down. When India are getting shafted, he tries to attack - more often than not, he gets out. He only has a 37 average. He's not a good batsman. But trying to be the hero is something I can relate to tbh so I don't mind Dhoni too much.

[Dennis Bendtner]

India's batting line-up is truly crap.

The stats on Shitwag, Gambhir, Tendulkar and Raina are damning.

[Syn]

Yup. Bowling's shite too.

Andy Murray is my only sporting hope atm. FML.

[Dennis Bendtner]

I'm watching this guy Yadav compared to the NZ seamers and thinking wtf? Man can't even bowl two balls in the same place. I'm guessing he's getting no helpful guidance. Or he's retarded. Either way, absolutely haemorrhages runs. Zaheer Khan's well on the wane as well.

[Syn]

Yadav looked promising but has actually regressed. Nothing clever or accurate about his bowling. He just sprays it around like a mong. Not convinced by Ojha - anyone can take wickets against NZ. Ashwin looks a legit all-rounder tbf to him; got some runs in Australia too IIRC.

Just don't understand how a nation of a billion can't find one guy who can hit top of off at 90mph. It can't be that hard. Twenty20 has fucked up the grassroots.

[Dennis Bendtner]

He's reminding me of Mohammad fucking Sami. That's not good. India will always produce decent spinners who are too good for the weaker teams at home. Acid test for them is obviously holding things together overseas.

I'm not so sure it's Twenty20 as such. There's a history of these bowlers starting decently but fading away. RP Singh, Sharma, Munaf Patel, Pathan, Sreesanth and so on. They were all capable at least, turned into clowns. There have to be coaching issues somewhere. But yeah, these guys just don't seem to get/aren't able to execute Test match bowling, which is exactly what the New Zealand seamers were doing today to work batsmen out.

That also being evident in the tours of England and Australia, but obviously their rewards were accentuated by a geriatric Indian batting line-up.

[Cripps_orig]

India's batting line-up is truly crap.

The stats on Shitwag, Gambhir, Tendulkar and Raina are damning.

Raina got a half century :blink:

Tendulkar is the best batsmen ever tbh

Sehwag is awesome

Gambhir is a Must Keep

Ojha got 5 wickets in the innings as well

India going well

[McNamara That Ghost...]

England win the toss and will bowl first.

[Syn]

Just remembered why I want Yadav in the team. Van Vijk walks down the wicket, Yadav bangs it in short and hits him on the helmet. Batsmans in shock, Yadav walks back smiling. Next ball, short again and hits him on the forearm. Not sure he can continue.

In other news, Sehwag and Raina are having a tiff. Sehwag, apparently, has had a joking dig at Raina's handling of the short ball. I reckon they should both fuck off.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

England have dropped another one. :doh:

Smith edges what should've been a dolly.

56-0.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

68-1, Dernbach gets Smith!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

100-2, Bopara bowls Amla! :haha:

Bopara's golden arm. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

106-3, Tredwell gets Duminy.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

115-4, Bopara bowls Du Plessis.

WTF? :haha:

[Syn]

NZ close on 232-9. They lead by 244.

Should be over tomorrow one way or another :popcorn:

[Cripps_orig]

Hope Sehwag continues on his good form

[Dennis Bendtner]

India will win but it'll be by three wickets or something, Kohli and Ashwin bailing out the useless shits.

[Cripps_orig]

India will win but it'll be by three wickets or something, Kohli and Ashwin bailing out the useless shits.

Can see Raina scoring another half centruy

MOTM imo if he does

[McNamara That Ghost...]

167-5, Tredwell gets De Villiers on 39. He hasn't had a great tour.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

SA made 220-8 off their 50 overs.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

England are 45-1 in reply, Steyn got Cook a while ago.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

102-1. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

143-2, Elgar gets Trott on review. 48 he is out on.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

186-4, Steyn gets Bell on 88.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

England win by six wickets! :bow:

2-1 they lead the series.

[Cripps_orig]

Fair play to England

They lead in the series that matter

[Syn]

Tendukar clean bowled for the 3rd time in a row. This is all so reminiscent of Dravid's exit at Australia. Very sad to see.

[Syn]

Raina should be ashamed of himself. Might've cost his country the series.

[Cripps_orig]

Pakistan destroyed Aussies by 7 wickets a few days ago

India 234-5

27 needed

[McNamara That Ghost...]

India won.

I feel sorry for Jeremy Coney, he's asked to do analysis of New Zealand defeats all the time.

[Syn]

Kohli MOTM unsurprisingly. Rahul Dravid said in commentary he was by far the best Indian batsman around right now. Within a year he'll be by far the best around worldwide. He already is in ODIs. 2 Test centuries now in quick succession, England to come in November...he'll tuck in. Should be higher up than a no.5 though.

[Cripps_orig]

This Kohli dude looks pretty decent.

Have to see him in pressure cricket ie limited over matches rather than doing what he wants in Tests and taking however long he wants.

Anyway decent win by India. Was expected but still had to be done

Teams looking good. Number 1 spot should be back soon

[Syn]

There are only 4 players in the Indian team out of 11 worth keeping. The rest should be sold to Aston Villa.

India have an awful side right now.

[Dennis Bendtner]

India will win but it'll be by three wickets or something, Kohli and Ashwin bailing out the useless shits.

Close enough :coffee:

[Dennis Bendtner]

Champions Trophy is in England next year. Think it's the last one scheduled to take place. Games in Edgbaston, London and Cardiff. England-Australia, India-Pakistan both on weekends. Might be worth looking at tickets.

[Cripps_orig]

Aussies beat Pakistan by 3 wickets

Trott is out of the final ODI

[McNamara That Ghost...]

England have won the toss and will bat first.

Bairstow is in.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

24-2, Peterson got Bell for 11 and Steyn got Bopara for a duck. :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Bopara should just be in as a bowler now.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

79-3, Bairstow goes for 29.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

82-4, that's terrible from Morgan.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

97-4, Cook gets his 50. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

99-5, Cook goes on 51. :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

124-6, Patel goes. What a calamity.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

All out for 182.

:rose:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

South Africa are 14-2 in reply. Dernbach got Smith for 1, Anderson got Du Plessis for 3.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

14-3, Anderson gets Elgar. What a delivery!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

43-3 now.

:rose:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

110-3. South Africa need 73 off 26.4 overs. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

One run from 96 needed. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

South Africa win by seven wickets. What a hammering.

2-2 in the series.

Amla made 97, De Villiers made 75.

On to the T20 series.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

England :doh:

[Cripps_orig]

Bopara is terrible

[Cripps_orig]

KP not given a central contract :doh:

[Cripps_orig]

Pakistan beat Aussies in a super over

Great excitement :bow:

Tests :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

First T20 between England and South Africa today.

:popcorn:

[Syn]

Also the first Twenty20 between India and NZ....which will be completely overshadowed by the return of Yuvraj Singh after ghelled through his cancer battle.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Start delayed by rain in the India vs NZ match.

Anyway, South Africa won the toss and elected to bowl.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

27-1, Kallis runs out Hales.

What a calamity.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

40-2, Botha gets Kieswetter.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

50-3, Steyn gets Bopara for 6. :rolleyes:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

66-4, Morgan goes for 10.

:rose:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

England make 118-7. :rolleyes:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

9-1, Dernbach gets Levi!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

14-2, Finn gets Du Plessis playing in front of a straight one! Well not playing as it turns out.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

29-3, Dernbach gets De Villiers!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Finn wipes out the stumps again. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

South Africa win by seven wickets. :doh:

Kallis is a bit good.

[Cripps_orig]

England v SA T20 delayed cos of rain

England won the toss and bowl

Bopara dropped :lol:

Didnt realise Amla also played this form of the game :bow:

Best batsmen around atm

[Cripps_orig]

2019:

Believe it or not, but play is due to start at 2045. The game will be nine overs per side, so a Nine9, if you will.

Why start half hour later? :doh:

9/9 :bow:

[Cripps_orig]

SA 0-1

Levi gone

Finn with the wicket

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nine overs? :lol:

FFS.

[Cripps_orig]

Could be the new craze

[Cripps_orig]

Levi went first ball of the innings :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

The minimum amount of overs they could've played is five. :lol:

20-2, Finn got De Villiers. :bow:

[Cripps_orig]

37-3

Wright gets Morkel

[McNamara That Ghost...]

47-4, Swann gets Duminy.

[Cripps_orig]

47-4

Duminy gone

Swann with the wicket

[McNamara That Ghost...]

49-5. :bow:

[Cripps_orig]

49-5

Ontong gone

Dernbach gets him

Morgan dropped Amla. Apparently a dolly

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Amla is on 43. :blink:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

South Africa make 77-5.

[Cripps_orig]

A shame Amla didnt get 50

He finishes on 47*

[Cripps_orig]

Its raining

[Syn]

Wouldn't happen in a test match.

Twenty20 :haha:

[Cripps_orig]

England score 2 off the first over :doh:

Why are they playing Testicle style?

[Cripps_orig]

3-1

Steyn gets Kieswetter

[McNamara That Ghost...]

England. :bow:

Just ease themselves in to the innings.

[Cripps_orig]

29-2

Morkel gets Wright

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Surely that will be it for the match.

Bloody rain.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And it is. England have failed to win a series against South Africa this tour.

:rose:

[Cripps_orig]

England :lol:

Surely they can have bowled 5 balls more to get to the end of the 5th over and therefore D/L comes in to play

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Hopefully we can salvage some pride with the final T20.

Also, Worcestershire vs Somerset, Rehman took 9-65 for Somerset. :blink:

[Cripps_orig]

England v SA in the final T20

Well its a 11 over game actually

England 29-1

Lumb gone

[Cripps_orig]

43-2

Wright gone

[Cripps_orig]

66-3

Morgan gone

[Dennis Bendtner]

Parnell just got slaughtered

[Cripps_orig]

32 runs in that over

What an over :bow:

Tests :haha:

112-4

Kieswetter gone for 50

[Cripps_orig]

116-5

Bairstow gone

[Cripps_orig]

England get 118-5 off their 11 overs

Some dude called Buttler was the one who went mad in the Parnell over


Eng 106-3
I really don't know how to describe what I've just seen. From only his second ball, Buttler greets the returning Wayne Parnell by stepping deep into his crease and scooping over mid off for a huge six. It's an outrageous shot, followed up by another huge straight hit for six more. When Parnell gets the yorker right, Buttler does well to bunt through the covers for a couple, then Parnell gets it all wrong with a no ball. Free hit. If the first shot of the over was remarkable, the dink Buttler plays to the next ball, over fine leg for four more is amazing. It's also another no ball, and another free hit, which Buttler steps across to again flick to fine leg for four. The wheels, axel, steering wheel, doors and windows are coming off for South Africa here in the face of this Buttler assault, which continues with a huge pull for six more, before finishing with a couple into the leg side. 32 from the over. You read that right - 32. Game-changing from Buttler, who has 31 from nine balls.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Apart from Kieswetter and Buttler, the others contributed...21 between them. Extras contributed 15. :doh:

[Cripps_orig]

SA 9-1

Levi gone

[Cripps_orig]

34-2

Du Plessis gone

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Amla is nailing it again. :(

[Cripps_orig]

51-3

De Villiers gone

[Cripps_orig]

53-4

Amla gone

[McNamara That Ghost...]

:dance:

[Cripps_orig]

69-5

Ontong gone

50 needed off 8 balls :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

South Africa. :lol:

[Cripps_orig]

SA 90-5 off 11 overs

England win by 28 runs

Next stop is the main event

T20 World Cup :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

England. :bow:

[Cripps_orig]

ODI team of the year


Gautam Gambhir (Ind), Alastair Cook (Eng), Kumar Sangakkara (SL), Virat Kohli (Ind), MS Dhoni (Ind, wkt/captain) Michael Clarke (Aus), Shahid Afridi (Pak), Morne Morkel (SA), Steven Finn (Eng), Lasith Malinga (SL), Saeed Ajmal (Pak)
12th Man - Shane Watson (Aus)


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-2203371/Alastair-Cook-Steven-Finn-named-ODI-team-year.html#ixzz26T8tHdo9

No Amla :lol: and De Villiers has an average of 100+ in ODIs this year and hes not in

[Cripps_orig]

Kumar Sangakkara has won the International Cricket Council's Cricketer of the Year award.
The Sri Lanka batsman was also named Test Cricketer of the Year and took the LG People's Choice award at the ceremony in Colombo.
The 34-year-old former captain averaged 60 in Test matches in the past year, hitting five centuries, and was also prolific in 50-over internationals.
England's Sarah Taylor won the Women's Twenty20 Cricketer of the Year award.
In addition to three hundreds in ODIs, Sangakkara made 42 dismissals as wicketkeeper for Sri Lanka in the 50-over format.
England's Alistair Cook and Stuart Broad were also nominated for the Cricketer of the Year award, along with South Africa's Hashim Amla and Vernon Philander, and Australian captain Michael Clarke.
India's Virat Kohli was named the ODI Cricketer of the Year, while Richard Levi's 117 off just 51 deliveries for South Africa against New Zealand in Hamilton last February was named Twenty20 Performance of the Year.

Kohli :bow:

[Dennis Bendtner]

I can't say I've paid much attention to Sangakkara, but he'd have to have been good to have fought off Amla. Three awards?? What's that? Ceremony in Colombo? Oh right.

[Cripps_orig]

Yoss was a big fan before he died

:rose:

[Dennis Bendtner]

Kivin Pittabread left out of the England squad to tour India. As is Ravinder Singh Bopara.


England Test squad for India: Alastair Cook (Essex, capt), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Nick Compton (Somerset), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Graham Onions (Durham), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Monty Panesar (Sussex), Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire), Matt Prior (Sussex, wk), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire).

Cook
Root/Straight outta compton
Trott
Bell
Bairstow
Morgan
Prior
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Finn

That would be a guess, but not sure if they plan to play two spinners.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Kevin P left out :doh:

[Cripps_orig]

Bell won MVP for England in 2012

Bell :bow:

[Syn]

Pietersen would've been a heavy scorer.

But yeah, we'll take that lot. Will be quite close because India only have about 4 good players and the rest are garbage.

[Cripps_orig]

Pietersen would've been a heavy scorer.

But yeah, we'll take that lot. Will be quite close because India only have about 4 good players and the rest are garbage.

Sehwag, Tendulkar, Dhoni....

Whos the 4th?

Gambhir?

[Syn]

Zaheer Khan innit.

[Cripps_orig]

Of course of course

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I don't have to watch Bopara get trapped on his heels for 1 again.

:dance:

[Dennis Bendtner]

I don't know how Samit Patel's got himself a ticket. There's no way he should be there. What a fat mess.

[Cripps_orig]

I don't know how Samit Patel's got himself a ticket. There's no way he should be there. What a fat mess.Tbf you dont need to be the fittest to play Tests

[Dennis Bendtner]

Tbf you dont need to be the fittest to play Tests

You need to have as well you know little bit talent.

Good point though, he could melt in the heat.

[Cripps_orig]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/19624160

Excellent piece on the impact T20 has had on Cricket

Some of the best bits


"When T20 started, everyone took it quite lightly as a bit of fun, whereas over the years it's become a very big event and there's a lot of prize money at stake now," said Yorkshire director of cricket Martyn Moxon.
Play media

"T20 has been the saviour of cricket in some ways.


I believe there's a possibility future cricketers will not play Test cricket for their country and will instead go on to play only the shorter format.


Rahul Dravid, one of the greatest batsmen the world has seen, said it is becoming harder to attract large crowds to Test cricket in his native India.
"In terms of attracting people to the grounds, it is getting quite difficult," the former India captain told the BBC Asian Network.

"I think there is still a following for Test cricket in India, but the challenge is now is attracting people to the grounds."


Some international players prefer to play in the IPL rather than Test cricket

Village cricket indeed :haha:

Tests :rose:

[Syn]

Lost a lot of respect for Ramprakash for becoming the Ian Wright of the cricket media world.

He was the biggest disappointment/failure at the Test level despite his talent. Of course he's going to support the shitter version.

Stick to Strictly Come Dine In The Jungle or whatever cruddy channel 5 show accepts appearances from washed up, has-beens-that-never-were. ****.

[Syn]

Nah, don't mind Rampers. Nice lad. Pub-trivia: His dad lives very near where I was.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Patel. :lol:

Everybody needs a food guide though I suppose.

[Syn]

100% NO. RT"@Tom67308530: @piersmorgan did he really advise south African players on how to bowl to the England captain?

We'll get stuffed in the T20 WC, hammered in India, and then everyone will beg KP to come back for 2 Ashes series. It's all so pathetic.

As for the gutless, toadying cricket press who joined in the KP persecution - don't you WANT us to win?? #ECBClowns

The ongoing victimisation of @kevinpp24 is a total disgrace. ECB hasn't produced a shred of evidence against him. He should now sue them.

So England now drop their best player of spin bowling & most popular star in India..for the India tour. Yep, makes sense. #ECBClowns #KP

Piers is KP's new PR man.

[Syn]

"Best player of spin bowling?" :haha:

India's best bowler is left-arm spin...

[Syn]

Actually, no it's not, he's right-handed.

In that case, should've taken KP

[Cripps_orig]

KP apologised to Strauss

Get him in the England team

[Syn]

Lost a bit of respect for KP. I really thought the mastermind team of Piers and KP were going to get out of this without begging.

[Cripps_orig]

Porterfield added that the impending loss of bowler Boyd Rankin would leave a "big hole" in the Irish attack.

Rankin has decided to quit Ireland duty in the hope of earning an England call-up.:lol:

England&Ireland&SA :bow:

[Dennis Bendtner]

Simon Taufel will retire after this tournament :faint: certainly the best umpire out there

[Ollie the Optimist]

Simon Taufel will retire after this tournament :faint: certainly the best umpire out there

hes been around years though hasnt he? shame though as he was the best

[Dennis Bendtner]

I don't know exactly when he started, he is quite young though. I think him and one of the Pakistani umpires (Dar?) were the best from this lot.

[Cripps_orig]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/19783259

Too little too late.

Needed him for the T20 WC

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Abdur Rehman has been suspended for 12 weeks after a positive drugs test. :doh:

[Cripps_orig]

KP signs a 4 month contract with England

[Syn]

Fuck. India are screwed. Unless we've got a left-arm spinner about.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Some quite funny stuff going around about that. Apparently Pietersen is undergoing a 'reintegration' process. What does that mean? The ECB compared it to a criminal being reintegrated back into society. Except 'society' here means FIFA 13 and banter on tour.

[Syn]

I bet Pietersen would be a nightmare to have a pint with. Those poncy, hair-dyed twats with extravagant style tend to be boring as fuck to talk to. People who don't feel the need to go out of their way to look interesting tend to be interesting.

Maybe the rules are different for nerotic z-listers.

[Cripps_orig]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/19876782

More match fixing claims

[Syn]

@SkySportsNews: ICC suspend six umpires from Pakistan, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh being probed for match-fixing allegations.

Kirkut, what happened to you?

The sub-continent is shit. Should've let the English keep ruling, gandhi's a dick.

[Cripps_orig]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-19959327

Sachin :bow:

[Syn]

Piers Morgan:


That KP 'reintegration' process in full: 'Hi Kev, we just realised we'll get hammered in India without you. Can you come back?' #ECBclowns


And he's absolutely right. Saw this coming a mile off.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Looks like KP got first class honours as a Bachelor of Banter. Did they really think they could fool people into thinking this 'reintegration' might turn out any different.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Didn't take long for the reintegration. I suppose they all think the same thing about Strauss anyway. :ninja:

[Syn]

Tony Greig has lung cancer. Stage/severity isn't known yet. http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/current/story/587398.html

Don't particularly like the guy but since just last week I've been carrying a 'concern' (nothing conclusive) myself and it's not pleasant. So best wishes to that anti-Indian WUM for a recovery.

[Syn]

Anyone been watching the Village Champions competition? It has been quite good. Star-studded teams playing against eachother.

It's on Eurosport 2

Perth Scorchers vs Dehli Daredevils.

Dehli's line-up:

M Jayawardene (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/49289.html)*, V Sehwag (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/35263.html), KP Pietersen (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/19296.html), U Chand (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/446499.html), R Taylor (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/38699.html), I Pathan (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/32685.html), NV Ojha (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/32102.html)†, P Negi (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/530773.html), AB Agarkar (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/26184.html),M Morkel (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/46538.html), UT Yadav (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/376116.html)




Which is an awesome line-up on paper.

H Gibbs, S Marsh, S Katich, MR Marsh (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/272450.html), MJ North (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/6943.html)*, L Ronchi (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/7502.html)†, NJ Rimmington (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/7443.html), JM Mennie (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/439288.html), GB Hogg (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/5681.html), MA Beer (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/307495.html), NM Coulter-Nile (http://www.espncricinfo.com/champions-league-twenty20-2012/content/player/261354.html)

For Perth.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Michael Beer. :haha:

The ultimate pub teamer.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Tony Greig has lung cancer. Stage/severity isn't known yet. http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/current/story/587398.html

Don't particularly like the guy but since just last week I've been carrying a 'concern' (nothing conclusive) myself and it's not pleasant. So best wishes to that anti-Indian WUM for a recovery.

Yes, came out of the blue. Good luck to him. He is a hideously bitter WUM to be honest, but not nice. Hope all's well with you Syn.

[Syn]

Cheers DSL.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Oz-SA starts the week before the India-England series. The last one was really good, and there are three Tests this time. SA could certianly lay the marker down by winning there again.

re. the match above ^^^, Agarkar got MOTM. :bow:

[Syn]

Highlights of the '76 series between England and West Indies on ESPN Classics at 9pm.

[Dennis Bendtner]

India have picked a squad for the A-team warm up game against England, without a spinner. Oh the banter and wummery (that said, the seamers essentially bowl spin)

[Cripps_orig]

With no real cricket til the next T20 World Cup, whats next in term of Test series coming up?

[Syn]

These are the new set of selectors. Apparently it's a big deal and they're going to go against the trend - so could see youth being given a chance and less opportunities to proven failures like Gambhir and Sehwag.

That said, Yuvraj is in the A-team and is expected to be India's no.6 after he scored a double century in the domestic village leagues. Plus he bowls left-arm spin. KP :rose:

[Syn]

With no real cricket til the next T20 World Cup, whats next in term of Test series coming up?

India V England (4 Tests) - from 15th Nov.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Looks like the Sky and TMS teams won't be on a jolly.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/oct/25/bbc-sky-cricket-rights-india

[McNamara That Ghost...]

More work for Ian Ward. :bow:

[Joker]

David 'Bumble' Lloyd ‏@BumbleCricket

@GappistanRadio you guys seem obsessed with England . Maybe that's why lots of you live here

Pretty poor comment by David Lloyd on Twitter, lost some respect for him after that.

[Syn]

Having gone through his latest tweets, I think he has just had a meltdown because of the mass Indian whining coming at him. But that, in itself, is not a xenophobic comment. He was quite aggressive but everything he says is pretty much true. Most Indians in India have no clue about top level cricket, and many Indians are cowards against the short ball relative to other countries.

[Dennis Bendtner]

He, Vaughan and others have been engaged in war with Indian keyboard warriors since the Test series last year. I think basically all his time on Twitter is replying to them. Fairly standard. I don't really know why he'd waste his time. Literally millions of clowns. And the fact he's doing commentary this time from Isleworth rather than Mumbai thanks probably to the BCCI gives him something else to goad them with. :lol:

[Syn]

Yes, just seen what all the fuss is about. Vaughan says it's 'poor form' by India (India A) not to include any spinners to play England in the practice games. Kohli said England did the same when India came here in the summer - playing 120 kph bowlers in the practice games and then 150kph on greener wickets. Lloyd says that wasn't England's problem that Indians were scared of the short ball. Indians reply it's not India's problem England are scared of spin. And then shit got real.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Lloyd is right about Kohli. Actually Kohli wasn't in the squad for the Tests in England so not sure he'd know about the practice games. But one thing the pitches weren't in England or Australia were green tops. India just turned up with a bad batting lineup. I guess you can excuse him slightly because he actually scored runs in Australia, and is generally a bit of a gangster. But there you go. It fits with this clamour in India to produce square turners and destroy England in some sort of Lagaan revenge shit.

[Syn]

:lol:

True enough.

[Syn]

India A 369-9 against England. Tiwary scores 93....and, he is very, very shit.

Finn injured, too.

[Cripps_orig]

Yuvraj got 59 off 80 balls

7 fours and 4 sixes so he got 52 of the 59 runs in 11 balls meaning he got 7 runs off the other 69

Not sure if thats a shocking or a good innings

[Syn]

England going ok in reply at 239 odd for 4. Fatty ad Cook steady.

KP out on his return for 20 odd. Caught and bowled to left arm spin.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cook got a century. :bow:

[Dennis Bendtner]

So did Fatel. Match drawn. Yuvraj fifer. That should be the Indian team for the first Test confirmed. Think Fatty in at #6 for England too. Finn is an injury doubt.

[Syn]

India need to play Yuvraj for his pie-chucking ability. How he takes 5, I do not know. Ohja, Ashwin and Yuvraj for spin. Zaheer (I'd pick I Sharma) and Yadav. That has to be the worst bowling line-up out of the top 8 countries.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Yadav will be a non-factor other than probably one pie an over. Zaheer is old and fat. Yeah, they're basically relying on England crumbling to the spinners.

[Syn]

Bairstow hit a century for England XI vs Mumbai XI. Patel chipped in with another half-century.

Only noteworthy innings from Mumbai is Pujara who scored 87 and should definitely have cemented his position as the no.3 for the first Test.

[Dennis Bendtner]

India's Test squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Murali Vijay.

Bold prolly the team. Harbhajan :haha: jesus christ.

[Syn]

That'll definitely be the team. But you know what? I'd happily swap Zaheer or Yadav with Harbhajan. Because as shit as he is, he's still a spinner. And India's pace-bowlers are all going to go for 100+ for 0 or 1, every innings. Harbhajan would go for 100+ for 2 or 3. And it's criminal Rahane won't play considering he seems better than Sehwag and Gambhir.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Harbhajan is not a spinner. He hasn't been for about five years. It is an illusion. If anything you could drop Yadav for Rahane to help out India's lame batting and give Yuvraj more overs. Dhoni can bowl seam-up. Mavericks ftw.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Seriously though, if anything I would probably pick I.Sharma instead of Yadav. I don't think either are proven wicket-takers (in India) but Sharma is far more capable of bowling tighter spells. Yadav is scattergun at this stage. Gambhir should not be in the squad, but that fraud mafia at the top of the order is untouchable.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Aussies vs South Africa starts tonight, 11:55 on SS1. :cloud9:

Aussies could go to No.1 if they do well enough in this series, ridiculously.

[Syn]

Good call. All-nighter with work so will have it on in the background.

If it's anything like the last Test series between these two sides, it should be awesome.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

They tend not to do anything other than very good series, three test matches is still a bit short but better than last time I suppose.

[Syn]

Underrated batsman that Petersen. Tidy player.

And, more worryingly for the Aussies, Amla looks in for a biggun.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

South Africa closed on 255-2, Kallis on 84, Amla on 90. Petersen went for 64.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Duminy out for up to 6 months, ruptured Achilles tendon. Ouch. So 255-3, essentially.

[Cripps_orig]

How does a player get an injury like that in Cricket?

In more important news, Mohammed Azharuddin has had his lifetime ban overturned.

He is 49

Whats the point now?

Although he is on 99 Tests. Stick him in for one Test against a shite nation, England, Zimbabwe whoever and get himm to that 100 mark

[Cripps_orig]

SA 316-3

On to day 3 and still the first innings of the match

Draw no doubt

:rolleyes:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

All grounds need a massive tarpaulin.

[Cripps_orig]

SA 450-9

Only 9 wickets fell but apparently they were all out.

Aussies 180-3

Ponting out for 0

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ponting. :haha:

Aussies closed on 487-4, Cowan with 136, Clarke 218*

[Gervinho's Forehead]

Clarke :bow:

[Cripps_orig]

Who was Gervinhos forehead before?

[Olivier's xmas twist]

New England captain Alastair Cook insists the pressure is on India ahead of the start of the four-Test series.

The 27-year-old opener will lead his country on a permanent basis for the first time in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

England have not won a Test series in India since 1984-85 and Cook says the home side will start as favourites. "They have an excellent home record. So history says they can deal with pressure. Our job is to put them under some pressure," he said.

"There's a lot of pressure, especially here in India, on the home team.

"But one thing they seem to have done over the years is cope with that."

Cook, who captained England against Bangladesh in 2010, says he is excited to be England captain after taking over from Andrew Strauss following his retirement.

"I feel a mixture of everything. Obviously, I'm a bit excited about what's going to happen, and a little bit nervous, but the overwhelming emotion is that I am very proud to be leading England," he said.

Cook will not be able to call on paceman Steve Finn, who has not recovered from a thigh strain, for the first Test.

Vice-captain Stuart Broad should play after overcoming a bruised heel while Tim Bresnan, Stuart Meaker and Graham Onions are battling for the final place in the pace attack alongside James Anderson.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/20328512

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Australia v South Africa was unsurprisingly a draw.

India are 250-3 at tea, Sehwag out for 117, Gambhir and Tendulkar also went - Swann with all three wickets.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

283-4, Swann bowls Kohli!