NZ need to get a move on very, very soon. There's not much release within this Australian attack. Maybe this Marsh over though.
Ordinarily I would say that this feels like NZ are 10 runs short. But with the pressure of a run chase in a WC final, that comfortably outweighs those 10 missing runs.
Back to back final defeats for New Zealand. We destroyed that Aussie side, we really should have won it
NX won mainly due to winning the toss TBH. Yes they played well but England didn't play as well as they could and chasing gives you a big advantage.
I have just finished Duncan Hamilton's "One long and beautiful summer" which is about the demise of red ball cricket refelcyed over the summer of 2019. I have read Hamilton's books about Duncan Edwards and Brian Clough but it is clear from this book that cricket is his first love This book really resonated me for although I have never actually watched a county championship game as the only cricket I have seen are eother one day matches, T20 and the odd Test Match. The County championship is something that I have always thought about as it is played out whilst I am at work. It therefore has a mysterious quality about it and is something I would think about doing when I retire.Duncan Hamilton's books effectively makes the premise even more interesting.
So Michael Vaughan is denying he made a racist comment despite 3 people saying he did - the latest being Adil Rashid. I think Vaughan's career as a pundit is over.
What is sad, is the effect this is having on all concerned. The action Rashid took is undoubtedly the correct oñe. I am sure players like Vaughan and Balance were joking without thinking about the impact, whilst there were others at the club who were genuinely rascist.
If that is the worst thing he ever said...possibly in a joking tone and possibly not even those exact words...they should call off the witch hunt. I defy anyone (including those in the BAME community) to say they have never said something that could be construed as racist if overheard.
Where I live, I sometimes meet and have a chat with a fellow Brit of Nigerian ancestry and he said this kind of language was viewed.as banter between those of West Indian and West African origins, as well.as other ethnic groups where he grew up.in London.
Just been listening to some of Azeem Rafiq’s testimony to the Commons Select Committee on Digital, Media, Culture and Sport. Harrowing stuff, and it’s now safe to say this isn’t just a Yorkshire problem, it goes across the whole of cricket in this country. As an example, 30% of club and recreational cricketers have an Asian background, whereas only 4% of professional cricketers do. More here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/cricket/59307229
Some time algo, I made a comment on here regarding Middlesex's squad about a lack of BAME players despite being located in oñe of the most diverse cities in the world.
Whilst it is hardly the biggest aspect of all of this, it is interesting to hear Rafiq say that Ballance missed cricket due to drug issues - but Yorkshire covered for him. I do recall rumours at the time that Yorkshire were doing that. Similar rumours existed about Surrey too, and possibly other counties.
