Trouble is, the effect of the white ball focus has a direct impact on the 4 and 5 day County standard, which has fallen off the scale There are no longer the depth of current top international players playing domestic red ball cricket, whilst the 'top' English players are almost all engaged in the 'smack it and hope' games. I was on Surrey's books as a lad and was lucky to be around some great, great players. I learnt so much - including the fact that I was never going to make it!
My once brief brush with cricket, I was roped into an inter company game , we faced a team from Kent who had a lad on the Kent Colts books ,he was a fast bowler, I went in to bat at 16 for 6 and he had 5 of the wickets, 1st ball whistled over my head without any reaction from me 2nd ball took the edge off my bat for 4 once again without my help 3rd ball smashed my bottom hand and the wicket. The 1st and last time I faced a proper fast bowler
I should be right behind Crawley, he is a Kent lad and I have always supported the county and been delighted to see our players do well. His big double hundred against Pakistan (?), suggests that he has the ability, but take that score out and he averages just 18 in 28 tests and until we start playing more 4 day cricket again in the county game then we will not produce batsman who can build an innings at the top level. I was very anti the 100 and whilst i actually enjoyed the matches, this tournament took pride of place at a time when our counties should have been playing red ball cricket. I was also against the 100 on the basis that my team (Kent) where not playing. However moving forwards we do need to move away from 18 counties to 6 regional teams as we need the best players to play more competitive cricket in the longer formats.
Championship played in April/May and September predominantly now when conditions dictate one of either flat wickets where ordinary batsmen get 200 or prodigious movement allowing medium pace trundlers to get 6-50. Neither prepares players to face 85-90 mph bowlers on bouncy wickets where the reaction time is reduced significantly. Or to bowl out top batsmen used to those conditions.
John Madden has died at the age of 85. Despite being a successful player, coach and commentator, he was best known for a game. John Madden Football first released on the PC in 1988 and is still going 30+ versions later. The man's responsible for a lot of non-USians understanding the rules of Yankee rugby.
No he isn't Every non-Yank plays Madden the same way: always pick passing plays over running plays until you get in range for the Hail Mary play, which has always been OP yet EA Sports have never nerfed it
Another sporting hero bites the dust. What a complete ****! ** Yes, this picture dates from 5 years ago, but this twat is still employed as a pundit on Sky etc.
I don't get the whole trophy/sporting aspect. It's hardly an achievement, is it? Kill a tiger with a penknife and I'll give you some credit. Shoot an elephant with a high-powered rifle? Not so much.
If he killed the elephant head-on with a particularly vicious "bouncer" from 22 yds, then I might have some respect for him.
He was more likely to get him playing at one just outside his off stump he should have left. Metronomic line and length bowler.
