The team is probably too old for T20 cricket, need to get some aggressive youngsters in but probably OK for one day and test cricket. There are comments that we were complacent, our schedule was too busy and that we changed the team around too much, but overall it was the Kiwis fault, catching us by surprise in our first game and then only putting on an 8/10th performance against the Poms. We have a three match one day series against you lot starting 17th Nov and then 5 more matches and it's the Ashes on June 16th at your place, so we better get it right soon.
Interesting and probably true in some way......we’ve got loads of good youngsters waiting in the wings so English cricket seems to have a good future ahead of it......are their many youngsters waiting for their chance for Australia ?
This will sound like an excuse, it's not. The system is geared for Sheffield Shield games and therefore test cricket, T20 or the Big Bash League as it's know here isn't too popular by comparison, but it does bring in TV revenue, channel 7 that airs the games are however suing for lack of quality in the games shown. So I would say no, there aren't many young BBL players waiting in the wings. If we want to have a go at this form of the game, and lets be honest it may be quite entertaining but it is a bit of a lottery, we will have to start identifying some of the younger players and moulding them into aggressive T20 sorts. No more soft types like Starc, Warner or Stoinis.
Good post. I’m really surprised and thought T20 cricket was the future across the world and the longer game was just for the old ‘uns and, dare I say it, proper fans of cricket. Totally agree…at times T20 can be a bit of a lottery but me personally I really enjoy it. Taken me a while to get into The Hundred but again, starting to enjoy it
What kind of crowds do you get at Sheffield Shield games? County cricket is a real mess here, we are really struggling to have decent feeder systems for all formats at international level. I would ways prioritise Test cricket, but that’s not where the money is. In addition to T20 we have added the Hundred, which is just yet another form of quick cricket.
The crowds aren't large, a few thousands at the weekends, less on weekdays but it's televised in a deal with Fox sport. Make it in these games and get into the Australian Team then you are a national hero. The Australian Cricket Captain is probably more important than the PM, but that isn't saying much usually.
Not really. The games can be entertaining, and bizarrely when I played cricket my style was very much T20 ie a slogger. I just enjoy the nuance and ebb and flow of the longer formats more. Next summer I will be using retirement to catch a couple of county games and if I can get tickets a Test or two. I’d love to do an England tour as well - was in Australia in 86/87 and caught one Test in 2011 when work took me to Sydney. Magical. I’d love to do India.
My best mate hates me for not likening the longer format of the game...says it’s heresy. If ever you are planning a visit to Lords or The Oval let me know and I’ll try to join you.
I'll be renewing my membership at the Oval, so will be able to get some Test match tickets. A very close friend is also a member and he's resolved to renew despite having been diagnosed with terminal cancer. I'll put something up on here when the time comes to see who might be interested. I think tickets went on sale in February last year.
A few thousand is a dream for most county games I think. A couple of hundred is decent. And the only time you see it on telly is on the local news briefly, but that’s usually because the ground has flooded. I think they stream the games though. I saw some grade cricket about a thousand years ago. A mate was a ‘visiting professional’ at Fremantle for a season, and I paid him a visit when I was on my travels. It was a big step up from English club cricket, but this was a very long time ago. He loved his time there, it coincided with the Americas Cup, Freo was buzzing.
We always lose a game to some minnows, it then seems to focus our minds. Once it becomes a win every game or go home tournament, Stokes seems to switch on his super powers ! Be afraid, be very afraid !
