Off Topic Cricket

weve got a fantastic summer of cricket coming up. Maybe worth a sticky for a few months?
I've finally succumbed to watching the Indian Premier league because my favourite cricketer has made an unlikely alliance with my most hated. Johnny Bairstow is the son of David, who back in the day was my hero. Little talent, but a proper Tough Yorkie with loads of fight, so played many times for England.
Tragically David committed suicide not long after he retired. I have always been desperate to see his son, Johnny do well.
Seems in the present Indian Premier League he is reaching his peak and is proving to be amongst the worlds best in the shorter format.

Alongside ****ing David Warner. Horrible obnoxious cheAting Aussie ( is that racist) ****.

Beauty and the Beast!

 

Yup.

Equality act 2010; section 9(1)b.



Mods?

Ban. Delete. Arrest. Torture. Hang.







Not for the racism. But a sticky cricket thread? Too far, Askew, too far.

 

Sticky wicket?

 

If you have got into watching the IPL, I suggest you start reading some of the blogs on ESPN cricinfo. Some absolutely brilliant articles on their, especially around "Smart Runs" and "Smart Economy" which takes into who the runs where scored off, when they where scored, outcome of the game etc.... Really interesting the analysis the teams go into behind the scenes. It also highlights how good Jofra Archer is!!

There is also a great article by Micky Arthur around the auctions and how to spot under valued talent etc.. The reason I bring this up was the fact they said Bairstow was going to be hugely undervalued in comparison to someone like Butler. Well worth a read! I've tried to bring some of the analysis into my Saturday team's preperations, hasn't gone down so well. I absolutely love Jonny, great player who I have been lucky enough to play against when younger, I just hope we keep him at 6/7 in the test team and stop messing around with his position.

I can't wait for the World Cup and Ashes this year. Yorkshire's very own Ballance is making another case for his selection in the team, however, I imagine this won't happen due to his failures before. His average at first class level is incredible though.

 

Saw David many times at the Circle and Scarbro with Boycott, Lumb, Leadbeater, Hampshire, Old, Cope, Tony Nick etc.

 

I post on a cricket site http://countycricketlive.boards.net/ which gets enough traffic to make it interesting, county, RLODC, T20 and international stuff

 

Cheers I'll have a look at these. I agree, he has been really messed around in the test team hasn't he.

 

Another one for me to look at cheers.

 

"He wasn't a great wicketkeeper and he wasn't a great batsman, but he was a great cricketer." That was a quote from one of contemporaries, Phil Carrick.

I remember an early one day international against the Aussies. Bairstow was batting and was joined by another Tyke, Graeme Stevenson (on debut) needing about 40 to win in 6 overs. The Aussies were so confident that Dennis Lillee had already been announced as Man of the Match. So the story goes, Bairstow greeted Stevenson with the words "Evening lad, we can piss this". And they duly did. One of my favourite cricketers, and like you I have loved watching YJB succeed.

 

I'm on that board as well. Different user name to the one here.

 

I vaguely remember that game. Carrick sums him up well there. What a character and a fighter. Him committing suicide did not seem plausible, but I guess it brings Home a lot of issues around male mental health.

 

I've been to many a cricket match and still enjoy watching test match cricket as a preference. Not against the shorter versions, but still enjoy a good test match.

One of the most enjoyable games I saw was at Headingley in 1992, Neil Mallender who I played golf with from time to time at Hessle, was picked for his first test, as his bowling was suited to the Headingly conditions, and he proved them right as he took 8-122 in the match.

 

Agree about test cricket but these days it really is an arm and a leg to watch a 5-day test (even though many don't last that long) and it's very hard to get tickets anyway. I like to find a comfortable pub and watch it on tv!

 

I'm fortunate enough living in Leeds to be able to get to Headingley quite a bit. It is a great day out for the test match when the sun is out on the Western terrace there's no better place! Pricing has been reasonable as well, just £20 last year to watch England v Pakistan which also guarenteed tickets for the Ashes this year. Bit pricey for the Ashes at £85, but to abuse Warner, Smith and the rest could be priceless!!
We're even taking our 3 year old daughter to tomorrow's game against the Lankies for the family fun day. Kids for a quid, saying that mind, concessions dont work do they!

 

That will teach him a lesson for a misfield.

 

It's great to have some Cricket back to watch, and also nice to highlights on the BBC. West Indies look a much-improved test side, even though England were poor with both bat and ball in the first innings, they still look a formidable side now. Jason Holder has done a great job welding this side together, and credit to him for that.

Good to have a competitive West Indies Test side again.

 

This ^ definitely.

Watching live on tv though is strangely unsatisfactory. With football there is nearly always something happening on the pitch so you can almost kid yourself that things are normal. But with the cricket you realise how big the non-playing gaps are, changing ends, drinks breaks, batsmen changing gloves,bats,etc. In 'normal' times the cameramen would fill those gaps with entertaining shots of the crowd and that was all part of the watching experience.

Still good to be seeing it though.

 

All's well lads, back to normal. England having a batting collapse in the second innings. 249/3 to 265/6.

284/8 now, lost 5 for 30. Good old England! Could be a good day tomorrow though, weather's looking sound too.

 

Yeah, big opportunity for Bess tomorrow.

 

I guess it sets up an interesting last day, pity e had a bit of a collapse after Stoke's went. Crawley looks a good prospect, but Denly at 34 I think has played his last test. Let's hope we can get another 30+ runs in the morning and then bowl them out.