Cricket

[Whistler40145]

The only way is up for the Red Rose county, successfully led by Steven Croft. I wonder if Tom Smith will return for next season or is retirement coming his way?

 

[muddythefish]

The 1st four wickets to fall - Hales, Roy, Taylor and Stokes all gave their wickets away to poor strokes (I didn't see the rest of the wickets).

Otherwise the Australian total was well within reach. The top three were all going well and a century from one of them would have been enough to win the game I think.

Roy and Taylor in particular need the hairdryer treatment from the England management for giving their wickets away when they and the team were well set - both were totally unnecessary shots and almost certainly cost us victory. I'd drop Buttler at the moment from all forms of England cricket and tell him to sort out his batting technique.

Incidentally, I see Down South is still licking his wounds from the Ashes debacle. No doubt he will he crawl out from under his rock if Australia win the ODI series.

 

[Busaholic]

The only way is up for the Red Rose county, successfully led by Steven Croft. I wonder if Tom Smith will return for next season or is retirement coming his way?

At least there'll be Roses matches again next season. I attended one of these with my father-in-law, a Lancastrian, in the early 1970s.Yorkshire batted all day for about 138-2 and I can truly say it was about the most tedious day's play I've ever seen, not helped by the grey Old Trafford sky and freezing temperature with the alcoholic beverages confined to members in the pavilion. I don't think my father-in-law ever attended another game.

 

[Whistler40145]

Tedious game? Boycott must've been playing!

 

[Busaholic]

Tedious game? Boycott must've been playing!

I don't believe he was, actually! Got a feeling I saw Doug Padgett and Phil Sharpe, but a veil has thankfully been drawn over the proceedings. Finest, most hostile bowling I ever saw in a county match was by a Yorkshireman, Chris Old, at Dartford against my team, Kent, and on that day you could see exactly why he was first choice with Bob Willis to open the bowling for England for a few years.

 

[backontrack]

Disgusting decision by Steve Smith - two matches into his career and we already know what type of captain he is.

Mind you, we already knew about that at the start of the series, when he said it would be a 0-5 whitewash to Australia. Look how that turned out...

 

[Cletus]

Thought there was nothing wrong with appeal, they probably weren't sure if he handled deliberately.

The fault is with the 3rd umpire who had all the technology for making the wrong decision.

 

[Whistler40145]

If I'd been Ben Stokes, I probably would've done the same, all I'd be thinking of is ensuring I'm not injured in self defence. Mind you, I wouldn't expect anything different from the Australians.

I agree with Cletus that the 3rd Umpire made a mistake.

 

[backontrack]

Thought there was nothing wrong with appeal, they probably weren't sure if he handled deliberately.

The fault is with the 3rd umpire who had all the technology for making the wrong decision.

It went right at his face. It was horribly unsporting of Smith to make the appeal. What if they decide to exploit this as a way of getting dismissals?

They probably won't, but it doesn't make the Aussies any more sporting.

I don't think Michael Clarke would have done that, but Smith would. And he did.
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Mind you, I wouldn't expect anything different from the Australians.

And neither would I. Obviously Merv Hughes had a go at Stokes, but then he's Merv Hughes, so I rest my case.

 

[Cletus]

Starc did throw at the stumps, Stokes was out of his ground and Stokes did have his hand on the line of the stumps.

I'm not taking Smith's side, but the 3rd umpire should have made the right call.


I'd never heard of him, he's not very experienced internationally.

Tests umpired 1 (2015)
ODIs umpired 23 (2011–2015)
T20Is umpired 16 (2012–2014)

Smith still thinking he was right after the event I find more annoying.

 

[Whistler40145]

The next question is how does the ECB ensure that in the next match we don't get slaughtered again?

 

[ainsworth74]

Well the law in question is Law 37 as follows:

1. Out Obstructing the field

Either batsman is out Obstructing the field if he wilfully attempts to obstruct or distract the fielding side by word or action. In particular, but not solely, it shall be regarded as obstruction and either batsman will be out Obstructing the field if while the ball is in play and after the striker has completed the act of playing the ball, as defined in Law 33.1, he wilfully strikes the ball with:

(i) a hand not holding the bat, unless this is in order to avoid injury.

(ii) any other part of his person or with his bat.

2. Accidental obstruction

It is for either umpire to decide whether any obstruction or distraction is wilful or not. He shall consult the other umpire if he has any doubt.

Source

To me, looking at the real time replays rather than slow motion (which is all the 3rd Umpire did) clearly shows he was trying to avoid injury not obstruct the field. If someone the size of that bowler is hurling a ball in your direction your going stick you hand out to try and protect ourself.

To me the 3rd Umpire got this completely wrong by only looking at slow motion. I think it is telling that the on field umpire, Dharmasena (who could only have seen it in real time), indicated that he thought it was not out before sending it upstairs.

Personally I think Smith should have withdrawn the appeal but I don't blame him for leaving it to the umpires to decide. I have similar feelings about walking, I think you should if you think you're out but it's up to the Umpires at the end of the day so don't blame anyone who doesn't. I do think his behaviour by getting in Morgan's face when the decision was handed down was reprehensible however.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

The English going on about the "Spirit of the game" is a bit rich to be honest.
Exibit A:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drb7IH0GHMo

I would put the house on it Morgan and England would of done the exact same thing Australia did.
You don't protect your body by flapping the arm about. If I was protecting myself I wouldn't be putting anything in the way of that ball.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The English going on about the "Spirit of the game" is a bit rich to be honest.

Douglas Jardine, who captained the England team in the Ashes series of 1932/3 seems to be the forefather of "hard-nosed" tactics that were shocking at that point in time, but would seem "professional" these days.

Harold Larwood and the "Bodyline" style of bowling attack certainly at that time was not seen as playing to the "spirit of the game"

 

[backontrack]

I would put the house on it Morgan and England would of done the exact same thing Australia did.

No doubt Clarke wouldn't have done it, neither would have Cook or Strauss. But Australia have a reputation for a reason. People like Lillee, Merv Hughes, Greg Chapple weren't 'sporting', however well they played. What about that ball?

 

[martinsh]

The next question is how does the ECB ensure that in the next match we don't get slaughtered again?

Well the previous match would have been much closer if Glenn Maxwell had made 0 - like he should have done. Having survived two LBW appeals in his first 3 balls, ithe first ball he faced in the next over (from Plunkett) he edged straight to first slip - only there wasn't one ! I would always have a slip for a new batsman, except in the last few overs.

 

[muddythefish]

No doubt Clarke wouldn't have done it, neither would have Cook or Strauss. But Australia have a reputation for a reason. People like Lillee, Merv Hughes, Greg Chapple weren't 'sporting', however well they played. What about that ball?

After the refreshing NZ series and a relatively quiet Ashes series it was only a matter of time before the convicts reverted to type.

 

[Whistler40145]

England won't forget the actions of Steve Smith. I expect our bowlers to dole out some fierce deliveries in the next match.

 

[backontrack]

This photo says it all for me:

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

England won't forget the actions of Steve Smith. I expect our bowlers to dole out some fierce deliveries in the next match.

Unfortunately we're not as good as the Australians in doing that! (but it would be good to see!)

 

[Whistler40145]

To me it's not good for the game of Cricket for Steve Smith to start his stint as captain in this manner, he's going to end up with more enemies than friends.

 

[backontrack]

I would put the house on it Morgan and England would of done the exact same thing Australia did.

Morgan's said that he would not have gone forward with the appeal.
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To me it's not good for the game of Cricket for Steve Smith to start his stint as captain in this manner, he's going to end up with more enemies than friends.

They already hero-worship him in Australia.

 

[Whistler40145]

More fool them!

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Unfortunately we're not as good as the Australians in doing that! (but it would be good to see!)

Yea we still Boo broad for that non walk a few years back.
He shouldn't dispair though. KP managed to turn his reputation around. All that needed to be done was pot the ECB on TV for a good 30 minutes.

They already hero-worship him in Australia.

That's because he's a bloody good batsman to watch. Last home summer series scored a century in each test.

 

[Busaholic]

Mike Atherton can be relied on to bring a calm and thoughtful presence to an argument. His opinion was, though the third umpire's decision might have been considered a tad harsh, it was down to the umpires to make the decision, which they did, in full knowledge of the letter of the law. Smith 'did what any reasonable captain would have done in that situation: he let the umpires decide'. Atherton also doubts Morgan's words that he wouldn't have appealed if it had been him captaining the fielding side, and thinks that sentiment may come back to haunt him.

Team matters - Watson has announced his retirement from test cricket, but not one-dayers (think that decision may have already been made for you, Watto!) but misses the rest of this series along with his old mucker Warner, both injured. Watson hit one of the most powerful sixes ever seen at Lords during the last match - we all know Albert Trott was the only man to scale the pavilion, but apparently the roof was flatter (i.e. lower) in 1899 and, by that criteria, his feat has probably been emulated three or four times since.
But, as they say, look in the record books and he's the only one that counts.

Buttler has been given the rest of the series off, a wise move. Bairstow should be a more than adequate replacement. What do we do to England wicketkeepers ? Three formats and we expect one guy to be the best in all three. Alan Knott was the last keeper to whom that might have applied (T20 would have been right up his street) and even he got replaced in the one-dayers occasionally by an inferior keeper, but supposedly better batsman. Buttler can be wonderful in T20 but then got overhyped (I posted to that effect before the Ashes so am not guilty of being wise after the event.)

 

[ainsworth74]

Is it just me that thinks I've watched the same match three times now? I swear the only difference between the last two and this one was who won!

 

[Cletus]

Wade ruined it at the end as everyone else was caught!

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Mike Atherton can be relied on to bring a calm and thoughtful presence to an argument. His opinion was, though the third umpire's decision might have been considered a tad harsh, it was down to the umpires to make the decision, which they did, in full knowledge of the letter of the law. Smith 'did what any reasonable captain would have done in that situation: he let the umpires decide'. Atherton also doubts Morgan's words that he wouldn't have appealed if it had been him captaining the fielding side, and thinks that sentiment may come back to haunt him.

Dizzy Gillespie reckons Morgan is more in the wrong for questioning an umpires decicion:
http://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket...pirit-of-cricket/story-fn2mcu3x-1227517968014

Team matters - Watson has announced his retirement from test cricket, but not one-dayers (think that decision may have already been made for you, Watto!)

Our reviews are safe finally!

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

Is it just me that thinks I've watched the same match three times now? I swear the only difference between the last two and this one was who won!

I see your point, but I think that one difference in the last game is that it was 'the spinners wot won it' (good to see!)

 

[backontrack]

I see your point, but I think that one difference in the last game is that it was 'the spinners wot won it' (good to see!)

Yeo, very good to see, but it would have been even better if Stokes had had a blistering spell.
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WE'VE DONE IT!

Yorkshire are the County Championship Champions 2015!

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Nottinghamshire were skittled out by Durham and Yorkshire skittled out Middlesex. Both games are ongoing, but it is now the close of play.