Bradley Pryce and Gavin Rees need to get there act together

I'm gonna try and get tickets for the test in Wales....never been to glamorgan's ground...better not be shite

 

If it gets finished

 

It's not Yousuf's fault if the ICC don't have the balls to let players play in the ICL, it's a joke. Pakistan get to play that little cricket these days you can understand. He is one of the nicest blokes you could ever meet as well, I was training at Lancs with my cousin and he came and chatted to us for about half an hour about how it was all going.

and I can't believe there are so many ***gy spin bowlers here, can't beat steaming in and pinging it off the batsmens helmet

 

I think they may have been better sanctioning all the 20/20 tournaments or banning them all - either way, sanctioning them and creaming off the revenue.....

Problem is......

Test cricket (the most important form IMO) only really means anything to England and Australia - everywhere else Test attendances are awful yet ODI's and the awful T20I's are packed.

To me, Test cricket defines you as a player. Does anybody really give a **** that Brendon McCullum got 158 for Chennai Cheetahs (or whoever)?

 

No, but perhaps International and County Cricket 20/20 is the way forward. I think there is a nice balance in international cricket, with the occasion 20/20 or two to kick off a one day series, and then a 20/20 world cup.

There is a little too much in county cricket, there is a danger that could dilute interest and ruin the novelty, as well as be damaging in the long run. But currently, the positives outweigh the negatives with the finance it brings in, and the enthusiasm it brings to the game.

If there was any more in international cricket I'd be worried. The way things are scheduled at the moment gives a firm message test cricket is the priority. Lets hope it stays that way.

 

Correct, less and less people are watching test cricket now. Even kids are more interested in 20/20's and Test cricket isn't getting any new fans.

I don't mind the odd 20/20 but pissed of with all these 20/20 competitions starting up everywhere. You've got the IPL, ICL, Stanford, World 20/20 (which is taking place again this year, only two years after the previous one) and all the domestic tournaments.

IMO, the ICC should limit international series to just one 20/20 and should make Test series a minumum of 3 Tests (preferably 4 or 5). All these series# with just two Tests are rubbish. The IPL and ICL and Stanford should both be got rid of with nations only allowed one domestic 20/20 tournament with a restricted number of overseas players. The World 20/20 should take place every 4 years and ICC Champions Trophy should be cancelled.

 

Yeh the twenty20 is crap, banning players from cricket because the BCCI tell you to is ridiculous though. The ICC runs cricket not them, but the ICC have never made a decision, spent years indecisive over Zimbabwe.

test cricket is stronger than made out in my opinion. South Africa will be packed for the coming tests , New Zealand is always fairly busy despite the fact they're crap, West Indies massively overcharge which can be sorted fairly simply and Sri Lanka are never that busy, the country has other problems! Just India and Pakistan it's not enjoyable to go and watch cricket, you have to cue up for an hour to get a cup of water and they just want an all action day. Test cricket is the one that will last though because it's the only one the hardcore fans would not accept losing.

 

I would prefer less overseas tours, of a longer duration.

As you say, minimum 3 Tests, max 2 T20, max 5 ODI's to constitute a tour within the future tours programme - not the 2 Test 7 ODI stuff that England would have had against India.

I would be in favour of a ICC World T20 every 4 years, and a similar Champions League tournament every two years for county/state/provincial sides, sanctioned by the ICC rathert than BCCI.

A lot of the players (espec Ricky Ponting) are saying there is too much T20 - but what worries me is that a player will say no to a baggy green and yes to an IPL contract....... which is seriously ****ed!

 

Agree with what you say. The Champions League should be held but run by the ICC. The BCCI were acting like little kids in not allowing teams with ICL players to compete. 7 ODI's, like you say, are seriously naff as well.

I would not be surprised if KP ends up in the IPL this season. Samit Patel of all people has been offered an IPL contract!

 

Perhaps if the ECB said no to the IPL - they did it last year and I could count on one hand how many players went.......

There is no need for a 7 match ODI series - every ODI is the same..... attack for 20 overs, accumulate for next 20, then slog for last 10.

Why don't we have a best of 3 FA Cup final as well, while we are at it?

Best of 75 sets darts?
Best of 75 frames snooker?
A Six Nations where you play each time twice?

 

Unless if you're England. First ten overs you have Ian Bell pretending he's playing village cricket and scoring at a leisurely pace before giving his wicket away.

 

Don't get Ian Bell on this thread.

TFFP is lurking - he may even have replaced Hatton as the image on his dartboard

Getting to 20 off 45 balls and getting yourself out is an achievement though, especially when the opposition are desperate to keep you in.

 

Does he hate Bell that much? I have no idea how he ended up in the ODI squad, never mind how he became first choice opener!

 

Yes, he does.

They tend to go for the 'best players are Test players' line so pick them for the ODI side as a result...... forgetting the fact that he cannot score quickly for ****.

 

I'm sure he'll love the new avatar then :yep.

England's ODI selection has always been poor. When they try to pick non-Test players they pick perceived ODI 'specialists' such as James Dalrymple and Michael Yardy atsch.