So yes. Test cricket is a boring load of **** is it? What a magnificent 5 days of nail biting roller-coaster sport we've just witnessed. Hats off to both sides for providing an unforgettable spectacle. You're a lucky man to have been a live witness to that Rufflad! A lot of non-cricket people said it was a disgrace that Broad didn't walk. You tell me one Aussie that wouldn't have done exactly the same. Aleem Dar must have seen it. He just didn't like his 'not out' decision on Trott being overturned in my opinion. Thursday at the Oval next. Bring it on!
To be fair RHC, I think Broad should have walked because it was so blatant. Had it been a slight nick, then he may not have realised it. Having said that, there were a lot of poor decisions i.e. Agar was stumped when he was on 6 so I guess it all evened itself out.
Lords next. Yeah, was a very good day indeed. There was a bit of a lull post lunch break (those cricket types really do need to look at calling it the dinner break) but othe rthan that it was a riveting day. On the walking bit, I don't know why Broad is singled out really as neither Clarke nor Haddin walked did they? Both knew they'd hit it but chose to not just go off so it's the same both ways. It would be nice if the players just walked off but no one really does or have done for years so that won't change, it's down to the umpires/referral to give them out and if eveyone accepts that, that should be the end of it. Wish I'd got tickets for more than just the one now.
I agree that test cricket isn't boring but I can see why people do find it boring. It's complex, but so is brain surgery and I wouldn't watch that as a sport. You have to really understand cricket (I don't by the way) to get the full experience, I sat there and the commentators reference points meant absolutely nothing to me, so it was basically 5 days of watching people just block the ball with the occasional whack, and a few wickets (mostly LBW's). Again, I did enjoy it but not as much as some one who actually gets all the details rather than me, who understands only the basics.
There were six LBW's all match, they were mainly caught behind's. There are a few things to look out for on an LBW admitedly but beyond that rules are fairly straightforward, do you watch Rugby Union? Now that's a sport that has bamboozled itself with continual rule changes. Baffling at times.
I enjoy Test cricket but to make it more appealing, I feel there should be a way of ensuring a winner after 5 days. There are a few matches which are inevitably going to end as a draw - some of which are exciting but there a lot which are a result of teams just batting out the days which is incredibly boring. Is there a way of determining a winner after 5 days? ...
Is that all? Seemed like there were much more than that, my mistake. I do get the rules of cricket it's more the commentators reference points that baffle me, the terminology.
Was this on sky? When I watch I always think they explain things well, they have little technical moments which explaining certain rules etc. I much prefer that approach than the commentary for football, which essentially assumes that all the viewers are idiots or women and so makes it as basic and aimed at the lowest common denominator as possible. Radio commentary for cricket I think assumes you wouldn't be listening if you don't know what you're listening to so really is for those that understand.
I like the commentary team on Sky - especially Bumble who talks so much sense but combined with great humour. Botham is like Souness - been there, done that and not afraid to speak his mind and criticise certain players.
The cricket commentary team on sky are just brilliant...love the banter esp about nasar and even new boy Strauss was better than I thought he would be . But bumble rules!
With the amount of cheating and match fixing that goes on in cricket I would not be surprised if that first ashes match was fixed too. The umpire was from Pakistan who are known for match fixing in cricket and he was making some crazy decisions.
I second your seconding I'll be as bald as Gerrez if we have another 4 Tests like that. 5 days of pure rollercoaster action and tension. One dayers and 20/20 just can't get close to that sort of sporting feast Long live test cricket....oh and thank **** we won serious squeeky bum time that was.
So them doing it makes it right that we do it? Not saying he should or shouldn't have walked, just that using the excuse of 'they do it' is pretty poor IMO PS...who was it the other day that said we needed a 300 lead?
