Cricket

[Donny Dave]

Very slow over rate from England though.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Very slow over rate from England though.

Is there a type of fine that covers what you describe in Test Matches?

 

[Busaholic]

Is there a type of fine that covers what you describe in Test Matches?

All rather complicated, as you might expect, but it can result in a fine to the captain and, sometimes, the players of a percentage of their march fee.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Day 1.....Both England openers and the night watchman all dismissed at the end of play for very little reward.

Day 2....England lost two early wickets are were 54-5 at one stage, but recovered to 376 all out in 75.4 overs, just three balls longer than the West Indies 1st innings.

Smith 95 with 1 x 6 and 12 x 4
Root 87 with 7 x 4
Woakes 62 with 7 x 4
Stokes 54 with 1 x 6 and 5 x 4

 

[Donny Dave]

I don't know what Mark Wood had for lunch, but it clearly worked! 5 wickets for 9 runs in 6 overs to finish off the West Indies, leaving England 82 to win.

 

[SteveHFC]

Whatever Mark Wood had, Ben Stokes had too! Didn't waste any time knocking those runs off.

 

[Busaholic]

Whatever Mark Wood had, Ben Stokes had too! Didn't waste any time knocking those runs off.

Must have been a Durham speciality.

 

[HST43257]

Speaking of Durham, there’s a switch-up at the top of the order, with Scottish international Michael Jones returning to Lancashire, and very likely future Englander Emilio Gay joining the county to parter Alex Lees.

Probably bad news for Graham Clark’s chances in the Championship team, since Borthwick, Ackermann, Bedingham and Robinson quite nicely occupy the remaining batting spots.

Is it a backwards step in the limited overs formats? Perhaps ever so slightly, but Emilio Gay is very promising and I expect he’ll develop nicely in the roles left by Jones across all formats

 

[Busaholic]

Speaking of Durham, there’s a switch-up at the top of the order, with Scottish international Michael Jones returning to Lancashire, and very likely future Englander Emilio Gay joining the county to parter Alex Lees.

Probably bad news for Graham Clark’s chances in the Championship team, since Borthwick, Ackermann, Bedingham and Robinson quite nicely occupy the remaining batting spots.

Is it a backwards step in the limited overs formats? Perhaps ever so slightly, but Emilio Gay is very promising and I expect he’ll develop nicely in the roles left by Jones across all formats

Borthwick should be considering his future, surely? A bit like Kent with Billings and (Joe) Denly. Unless he has a cricketing brain like Mike Brearley's to apply to the captaincy, his performances seem underwhelming at best.
too
Gay seems an exciting prospect. Do you think Lees will ever get another Test chance? I feel he was discarded too readily.

 

[HST43257]

Borthwick should be considering his future, surely? A bit like Kent with Billings and (Joe) Denly. Unless he has a cricketing brain like Mike Brearley's to apply to the captaincy, his performances seem underwhelming at best.
too
Gay seems an exciting prospect. Do you think Lees will ever get another Test chance? I feel he was discarded too readily.

Duckett was right to replace Lees, so the best that the likes of Jennings and Lees can do is keep doing what they’re doing. It’s quite a shame to some that an opener isn’t given a chance in Crawley’s absence, but Lawrence is clearly their man as the batting reserve so no real complaints.

Scott Borthwick is the captain, and is probably good enough to warrant his place for now. I believe he opened rather than Jones around the start of the season, as Durham try to fit all their quality middle order batters in the same side.

 

[JD2168]

Sad news today of the death of former England cricketer Graham Thorpe at the age of 55. He is also remembered for his time at Surrey CCC.

 

[Harvester]

Sad news today of the death of former England cricketer Graham Thorpe at the age of 55. He is also remembered for his time at Surrey CCC.

Indeed. I saw him complete his first Test hundred on his Test debut at Trent Bridge against Australia in 1993. He achieved it just before lunch on the final day, and Gooch declared soon afterwards, but the match was drawn with Australia 6 wickets down at the close. He was a very good batsman!

 

[Falcon1200]

Speaking of Durham, there’s a switch-up at the top of the order, with Scottish international Michael Jones returning to Lancashire, and very likely future Englander Emilio Gay joining the county to parter Alex Lees.

Disappointing to see another good cricketer leaving Northants for a 'bigger' (!) county, as per Willey and Duckett in the past, but of course every player has to put themselves and their future prospects first.

 

[HST43257]

Disappointing to see another good cricketer leaving Northants for a 'bigger' (!) county, as per Willey and Duckett in the past, but of course every player has to put themselves and their future prospects first.

It’s simply the case that these sides are not at a good enough level to be consistently helpful to cricketers. Leicestershire is an example showing that it can be turned around, given their quality championship last year - bear in mind that I very much expected Rehan Ahmed to move away from Grace Road 1 year ago, for example.

 

[Busaholic]

It’s simply the case that these sides are not at a good enough level to be consistently helpful to cricketers. Leicestershire is an example showing that it can be turned around, given their quality championship last year - bear in mind that I very much expected Rehan Ahmed to move away from Grace Road 1 year ago, for example.

Northants are a First Division side. though. Playing for Second Division Worcestershire didn't stop Josh Tongue coming to the fore, nor Sussex's place the fast bowling Ollie Robinson. Poor Glamorgan can only help top batsmen like Labuschange into the Australian test side! The way things are going, you'll have to play for Surrey to get into the English test side, just like in the 1950s!

 

[HST43257]

Northants are a First Division side. though. Playing for Second Division Worcestershire didn't stop Josh Tongue coming to the fore, nor Sussex's place the fast bowling Ollie Robinson. Poor Glamorgan can only help top batsmen like Labuschange into the Australian test side! The way things are going, you'll have to play for Surrey to get into the English test side, just like in the 1950s!

But are Northants a first division side? All their players are bang average or worse, with the exception of Emilio Gay and Privithi Shaw. Winless and second bottom in the country

 

[Busaholic]

But are Northants a first division side? All their players are bang average or worse, with the exception of Emilio Gay and Privithi Shaw. Winless and second bottom in the country

English county cricket gets more and more like the Premier Division, with a very few sides, all playing at test grounds, attracting all the best players.

 

[HST43257]

English county cricket gets more and more like the Premier Division, with a very few sides, all playing at test grounds, attracting all the best players.

Hence why it’s very tempting in my mind to bite the bullet and dedicate half the season to a higher quality setup where 8 teams are formed of the best players in each format as a better indication of England potential, not necessarily county affiliated

 

[Busaholic]

Hence why it’s very tempting in my mind to bite the bullet and dedicate half the season to a higher quality setup where 8 teams are formed of the best players in each format as a better indication of England potential, not necessarily county affiliated

A bit like a red ball Hundred then?

 

[HST43257]

A bit like a red ball Hundred then?

Well in theory perhaps yes, but not with stupid DJs or fire machines. The point is a higher quality competition that gives a better look at England selection

 

[Busaholic]

Well in theory perhaps yes, but not with stupid DJs or fire machines. The point is a higher quality competition that gives a better look at England selection

It does sound like a good idea, I agree, but the trouble is fitting it into the English season, which has already been extended at both ends to potential breaking point. As you say, it could do without any razzmataz.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Perhaps it is my age but I remember the days when holding membership and attending matches of your County Cricket team was the highlight of sporting achievement.

 

[HST43257]

Bad news for Yorkshire, with Matthew Fisher leaving and set to join Surrey, sort of replacing Atkinson who is going to see very little county action with potential IPL gigs then internationals in the summer. I'm expecting Conor McKerr to move the other way but Yorkshire needs a couple more X factor seamers. But who would come to Yorkshire? Potential promotion may change things. An overseas high pace bowler for the season would be good. Hoping Masood re-signs as well, as we're hardly expecting Brook to miss the IPL in seasons to come

 

[scarby]

Hence why it’s very tempting in my mind to bite the bullet and dedicate half the season to a higher quality setup where 8 teams are formed of the best players in each format as a better indication of England potential, not necessarily county affiliated

As I have mentioned before, in effect we already have this with Divisions 1 and 2, so I am not sure what this would achieve.

The other question is, who would actually want to go and watch this?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Aug 2024 ==

English county cricket gets more and more like the Premier Division, with a very few sides, all playing at test grounds, attracting all the best players.

While there were far less player movements before, it's the big guns who have almost always dominated the Championship.

You then have historically smaller clubs making the odd foray to or near the top - most recently Essex and Somerset.

And what's more, you only have to look at the clubs who have never won or rarely won it - 9 counties have won it 3 times or less, in a competition over 120 years old (although they haven't all been in it that long).

Perhaps the difference before was that the smaller counties didn't produce the best players in the first place. Northants, the subject of discussion here, didn't win a single first-class match between 1935 and 1939. These clubs really were run on shoestring budgets, often with a staff of barely more than 11 players, with others called to fill in when needed.

So you could actually say the situation is better today, with these clubs producing top talent.

 

[Busaholic]

we're hardly expecting Brook to miss the IPL in seasons to come

He'll be seen in Yorkshire colours about as often as Adil Rashid has been the last few seasons, or Jos Buttler with Lancs.

Speaking of Lancs, son-of-Fred Rocky Flintoff is currently batting for them in a One Day match against Middlesex and is facing the bowling of Jos de Caires, son of Mike Atherton. What's more, he's reached 50.

 

[HST43257]

He'll be seen in Yorkshire colours about as often as Adil Rashid has been the last few seasons, or Jos Buttler with Lancs.

It annoys me that Adil Rashid has been quite so unwilling to play for Yorkshire. Nearly all of the Blast last year, plus the second half this year.

 

[DelW]

Sad news today of the death of former England cricketer Graham Thorpe at the age of 55. He is also remembered for his time at Surrey CCC.

Indeed. I saw him complete his first Test hundred on his Test debut at Trent Bridge against Australia in 1993. He achieved it just before lunch on the final day, and Gooch declared soon afterwards, but the match was drawn with Australia 6 wickets down at the close. He was a very good batsman!

Even more sadly, reported today that he took his own life, and that his hospitalisation two years ago was the result of an earlier attempt.

Not the first cricketer to have suffered similarly of course, and particularly hard on his family.

He was a great servant of Surrey and England cricket.

England cricketer Graham Thorpe took his own life, his wife reveals

The left-handed Surrey batsman, a talisman for England and hero for many who grew up watching cricket in the 1990s, died aged just 55.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Graham Thorpe took his own life after several years battling anxiety and depression - believing his wife and children were 'better off without him', his bereft family revealed today.

The left-handed Surrey batsman, a talisman for England and hero for many who grew up watching cricket in the 1990s, died aged just 55.

Mr Thorpe, a father-of-four, was seriously ill in hospital in May 2022 after trying to kill himself. He made a recovery but took his own life on Sunday.

 

[Busaholic]

Even more sadly, reported today that he took his own life, and that his hospitalisation two years ago was the result of an earlier attempt.

Not the first cricketer to have suffered similarly of course, and particularly hard on his family.

He was a great servant of Surrey and England cricket.

England cricketer Graham Thorpe took his own life, his wife reveals

The left-handed Surrey batsman, a talisman for England and hero for many who grew up watching cricket in the 1990s, died aged just 55.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Haven't bought my copy yet, but I understand there's an interview with his widow in today's Times.

 

[Jimini]

Haven't bought my copy yet, but I understand there's an interview with his widow in today's Times.

Page 50 aye.

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== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Aug 2024 ==

Committed suicide on the railway, according to the inquest

Cricket legend Graham Thorpe died after being struck by train, inquest hears​

13 August 2024, 10:33 | Updated: 13 August 2024, 10:39

An inquest's heard former England cricketer Graham Thorpe died after being struck by a train . Picture: Getty

By Flaminia Luck
@flaminialuck
Former England cricketer Graham Thorpe, 55, died after being struck by a train at a railway station in Surrey, the opening of an inquest into his death has heard.

Listen to this article​

The 55-year-old took his own life, his wife Amanda Thorpe revealed previously.

At Surrey Coroner's Court in Woking, Area Coroner Simon Wickens offered his "sincere condolences" not just to Mr Thorpe's family, but to "all those touched by his life and career".

The cricket legend played 100 Test matches for England and turned out for Surrey for 17 years.

Graham Thorpe in his playing days. Picture: Alamy
His "devastated" wife Amanda said on Monday that he had been seriously ill in hospital in 2022, having tried to kill himself.

Thorpe did kill himself two years later, with his wife saying: "Despite having a wife and two daughters whom he loved and who loved him, he did not get better.

"He was so unwell in recent times and he really did believe that we would be better off without him".

Read more: England cricket legend Graham Thorpe dies aged 55

Read more: One of Britain's oldest cricket clubs bans players from hitting sixes after neighbours complain of damaged property

She told the Times: "We are devastated that he acted on that and took his own life."

Ms Thorpe said that her husband had been beset by severe depression and anxiety "for a couple of years".

She said he had to be treated in an intensive care unit in May 2022 after trying to take his life.

She added: "Despite glimpses of hope and of the old Graham, he continued to suffer from depression and anxiety, which at times got very severe.

"We supported him as a family and he tried many, many treatments but unfortunately none of them really seemed to work.

"Graham was renowned as someone who was very mentally strong on the field and he was in good physical health.

"But mental illness is a real disease and can affect anyone."

Match officials, players and staff of the men's and women's teams line-up on the field to observe a minute's silence in tribute to Graham Thorpe at a cricket match this week. Picture: Getty
After his playing career, which ended in 2005, Thorpe transitioned to coaching, working with the likes of Steve Smith and David Warner in Australia before returning to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) as a batting coach.

A statement from the ECB said: "It is with great sadness that we share the news that Graham Thorpe, MBE, has passed away.

"There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham’s death.

"More than one of England’s finest-ever batters, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans all over the world.

Graham Thorpe in 2004. Picture: Getty
"His skill was unquestioned, and his abilities and achievements across a 13-year international career brought so much happiness to his teammates and England and Surrey CCC supporters alike.

"Later, as a coach, he guided the best England Men’s talent to some incredible victories across all formats of the game.

"The cricket world is in mourning today. Our hearts go out to his wife Amanda, his children, father Geoff, and all of his family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time.

"We will always remember Graham for his extraordinary contributions to the sport."

Oli Slipper, chairman at Surrey Cricket club, said: "Graham is one of the great sons of Surrey and there is an overwhelming sadness that he will not walk through the gates of the Oval again.

"He is a legend of Surrey and brought great pride to the Club wearing both the Three Feathers and the Three Lions.

"He made outstanding contributions to the Club as a cricketer, and as a man, and he will be so sorely missed."

Anyone going through a difficult time can call Samaritans on 116 123 - or email jo-at-samaritans-dot-org.

 

[Falcon1200]

A dreadful tragedy of course, but disappointing that the Coroner did not seemingly express any sympathy or concern for the train Driver and other staff, railway and non-railway, involved in this terrible incident.