We were discussing, on the way home, whether to bother with a preliminary for the T20 international being played tomorrow between England and Pakistan. This is it. If you want to comment, now the Super Series is over I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t, then please do so here.
In the meantime a couple of house notes. First of all the List, which has seen more unique visitors hit this site than has been achieved in a long, long time, now takes it permanent place above in the Pages section, next to The Glossary (which I must really update). We’ve had some very interesting reaction and comments, and the post will remain on the blog itself as well (so you can read the comments), but it’s time to unpin it and get on with our lives.
This means we move from the ridiculous to the sublime, and I will be putting up Simon’s conclusion to the 1976 test piece that, in my opinion, was absolutely fantastic and would love to see more of. This blog is more than just criticism, debate and reaction. It’s nostalgia, it’s a world view, it’s the memories that make cricket the game it is. It’s also getting YOU to tell us your memories and personal thoughts. They may not get the attention that a List like Saturday did, but they are what I most like about doing this. So my thanks to SimonH once again for all the effort he put in. It will be up within the hour (all being well).
Lots more to come – and if you want to comment on the T20, do so here. I may be at The Oval tomorrow as well, so be prepared for pics etc.
All the best, and thanks for the support.
Being Outside Cricket 
Glenn Maxwell scored 145 to ensure Australia’s white ball dominance continued in Sri Lanka as the Aussies scored a record 263 for international t20. I would love to see Jason Roy or one of the other big hitters cut loose in that manner. Can’t see it though……….
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Although I quite enjoy the ODI’s, I do believe there should be a rethink and play three ODI’s and three T20’s. There is just not enough International T20’s for our team to meaningfully develop at the moment.
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Me too. Most of the series was a one-sided walkover with the entertainment mainly with the 444. I was discussing elsewhere the likely final total with a guy who was moaning that England would not reach 400 after Hales got out. I said that it was still possible if Buttler got going!
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Surprise, surprise!! ECB looking for “consensus” now, rather than a vote…
Articles two and three from the Mail link
https://www.facebook.com/saveourcounties/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED&fref=nf
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Looks like #39 has been taking some tap? Jolly good!!
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That;’s the end of that, then:
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/story/1055073.html
Cricket “democracy” means that what 60% of FMs and 72% of players want doesn’t happen. It also means that non-FMs had no vote at all and the issue wasn’t properly discussed at a full ICC meeting.
The only idea that looks even vaguely still on the table is a play-off between the top two ranked sides.
Curious that WI, who one would think would be the biggest losers in the idea, are reported to be in favour of it. It’s risky for NZ too but they’re in favour. I find the position of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe impossible to understand – they hardly have any fixtures and yet oppose two divisions to maintain a status that has become almost entirely theoretical. I’d have thought Bangladesh in particular should have been confident they’d win promotion quickly and earn regular matches against all the ‘big boys’.
I’m gutted for the players for Ireland and Afghanistan who seemed close to playing their first Test matches only to have it snatched away.
The poisonous legacy of 2014 must have been a factor here. D2 teams must be confident they will be supported. They probably fear the richer boards are only interested in as many quick bucks for themselves as they can make. Where could they have got that idea….
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Oh look who’s still around giving the current chair of the BCCI “advice”:
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/sport/cricket/Double-offensive/articleshow/54010954.cms
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“Threaten to boycott stuff and they’ll get scared and give you everything you want. It worked for me”…..
http://www.firstpost.com/sports/bcci-vs-icc-battle-gets-murkier-india-may-pull-out-of-champions-trophy-2017-2993924.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed
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I have to smile at the way India behaves to the rest of world cricket. For decades the Indians rightly complained about us as colonialists running their affairs. Now they have a bit of power and they are the bullies. Essentially, on the issue of criicket if they don’t get what they want they will boycott, and take their bat and ball home with them. How very democratic. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
Of course when you have people like Giles Clark ( crickets answer to Chamberlin) prepared to appease at every junction what do you expect? It’s not as if the cricket they threaten to withhold is any good. The last two tours of this country by India were very poor. It’s all about the money. I’d rather Pakistan came at the momemt. They are a better test match side. I would love to see everybody else boycott India but it will never happen. Shame. And before people get angry I m not anti India, I just think they have too much finacial power. Certainly way above their on the field ability outside of India.
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Not sure if I am gutted for the players (other than the Afghanis and the Irish).
Maybe for the Zimbabwean players. The highly corrupt board dealings of ZC have already ensured that they basically get no fixtures. Because they don’t want them, as they collect more money, without having to make costs, by not playing. They even get additional subsidies from the ICC for basically refusing to play, and refusing to address their pathetic governance structures. A new model for fixtures would not change a thing for the Zimbabweans.
If anyone actually believes that the ICC would support division 2 cricket, have a look at the World Cricket League. Or all kinds of other things the ICC have done to “increase efficiency”, simply by making it impossible for member countries to play the game.
I suppose by increasing the number of non-participating and non-playing members they’re actually increasing the global profile of the game in more countries. The most expensive way to twiddle thumbs, I suppose. I guess that is an achievement of sorts. At least, that is undoubtedly what Dave Richardson would argue.
If anyone seriously thinks that division 2 players will keep making themselves available for Test sides, when they have the ability to shine in franchise cricket, they’re probably delusional. Okay, the Pujaras and Kraigg Brathwaittes of the world probably would still keep playing Test cricket, but that is because their game is unsuitable to T20 cricket.
Once a team like New Zealand, Sri Lanka or West Indies is relegated, expect a mass exodus to franchise cricket – and it is already happening in the West Indies. Formalizing the “we don’t care about the #8 through #12” stance of the ICC will only speed that up.
Basically it can happen to any country with a weak currency. So that includes Pakistan and South Africa as well. And courtesy of the idiotic rules of the various boards, they’d be fully allowed to play anywhere in the world, unlike say the Afghanis, because they’re not from a Full Member country.
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“I find the position of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe impossible to understand – …’
I’m not an expert on ICC politics but I thought Bangladesh, Zim and SL basically always voted how India wanted. I thought there had been cases before where that voting bloc was impregnable, because BCCI held the purse strings. That may have changed although this would suggest it hasn’t.
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Credit to Newman for this:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-3776866/After-rugby-golf-embraced-Olympics-cricket-afford-left-behind.html
There’s even a tiny bit of criticism of Giles Clarke in there.
One point Newman doesn’t mention is how many teams would take part? I’ve read somewhere they’re envisaging just eight teams (presumably so India can lots of lovely guaranteed fixtures).
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