Cricket

[Old Yard Dog]

Interesting that India were bowling quite wide at Overton on the last ball of the over to try stop him grabbing a single so as to keep himself on strike the following over. The tactic also gave India a chance of a run out.

I wonder what the reaction would have been if the umpire had called a wide after Overton had scampered to the other end for a bye. Woakes would then have had to face the 7th ball.

 

[Harvester]

Didn't Brian Close do just that for England vs West Indies at Old Trafford in 1976? Almost 50 years ago now, and rules do change.

He also did that against the West Indies at Lords in 1963. Wes Hall and Charlie Griffith bowled dozens of short pitched deliveries, in time wasting overs, when England were chasing a gettable total on the final day. He took many hits and bruises on his chest during the innings and top scored with 70. Coincidentally Colin Cowdrey did a Woakes to save the match for England, coming in at number eleven in the last over with a broken arm (in plaster). Like Woakes he never had to face a ball and the match was drawn, with England still needing six runs to win.

 

[Purple Train]

In case proof was needed that the 50-over format is not moribund and that youngsters can still be enthused by cricket without all the bells and whistles - it was a fantastic day out at North Marine Road today to see Yorkshire face Warwickshire in the One-Day Cup, with loads of younger people in attendance and a fantastic atmosphere all round. A low-scoring game saw Yorkshire win by 5 wickets, but Warwickshire were 38-7 after 14 overs and somehow recovered to 137 thanks to a brilliant 82 (including five sixes) from number 7 Vansh Jani in only his second senior game, with Yorkshire bowler Ben Cliff taking his first career five-wicket haul. Yorkshire's chase was anchored by a very technically-proficient 55 from Imam-ul-Haq. There really is very little that can beat a gentle day's cricket - especially when a four or six is something exciting rather than just another hit!

 

[PauloDavesi]

if the aim was simply to survive the over and not score would a dead ball count towards the 6 balls in an over?

I am sorry this is so esoteric but i couldn't sleep last night and this popped into the old brain cells!

If the ball called dead was a legal delivery, yes it would count as one of the balls in the over, similar to when the ball hits a discarded helmet behind the keeper, or when the ball hits any player on the head.

 

[75A]

Never mind Baz ball, that seems tame to the game i've been watching between Zimbabwe & New Zealand in Buiawayo.
Today on the second day of the match the Black Caps have scored 427 for the loss of 2 wickets!
Yesterday their hosts won the toss, chose to bat and were all out for 125 with Brendan Taylor top scoring with 44 with Matt Henry taking 5-40 and Zak Foulkes 4-38.
At yesterdays close N.Z were 1-174.
Tonight they closed on 3-601, with the not out batsmen Rachin Ravindra on 165 & Henry Nicholls 150. Earlier, Opener Devon Conway had got 153.
What's the odds on an overnight declaration and the game over by the 5pm scheduled close of play tomorrow?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Aug 2025 ==

As expected N.Z. did declare overnight, and then proceeded to bowl Zimbabwe out for 117 giving them victory by an innings and 359 runs.
Credit to Nick Welch for being 47 not out, whilst Zak Foulkes took 5-37.
Statistically this was the 3rd best win by an innings and.. runs, only beaten by;
England beating Oz by and innings and 579 runs @ The Oval in August 1938 and
Oz beating South Afrika by an innings and 360 runs in Jo'Burg in February 2002.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Women's Twenty20 International

Netherlands Women .... 255-3 (20 overs)

Germany Women .......... 53 all out (17.2 overs)

Germany captain Amoita Kohli had a match to forget, especially with her bowling return of 2 - 0 - 47 - 0, being no-balled 5 times and 8 of her deliveries being despatched for 4's.

 

[75A]

Men's One Day International Mackay - Queensland

Australia.......................431-2 (50 overs)

South Afrika .................155 all out (24.5 overs)

Oz won the toss and batted, Travis Head top scored with 142 off 103 balls, Cameron Green hit 118 not out off 55 balls & Mitch Marsh got 100 off 106 balls.
Head & Marsh put on 250 for the first wicket.

The visitors wickets fell rapidly with only Dewald Brevis (49) looking even remotely comfortable.
Pick of the Bowlers was the Spinner Cooper Connolly with 5 for 22 off his 6 overs.

Oz won by 276 runs but South Afrika win the series 2-1.

 

[High Dyke]

Not sure whether this should be in this section or the 'in other news ' thread.

The toss in King City in Ontario, Canada, was delayed because of rain and although one particular damp patch was deliberately set on fire, the match was called off after multiple pitch inspections.

Namibia v Scotland abandoned despite fire on pitch - https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/articles/c5ylnk9wee2o

 

[75A]

Mens one day International Lords

South Afrika .......................330 for 8 (50 overs)

England..............................325 for 9 (50 overs)

England won the toss and fielded, The Proteas made batting look easy and reached 330 at the end of their innings, Matthew Breetzke top scored with 85, Tristan Stubbs got 58 (his 5th consecutive 50) and Dewald Brevis hit 42 off just 20 balls.
Jofra Archer got 4-62 off his 10 overs & Adil Rashid 2-33. The other four bowlers didn't do very well at all with Bethel getting 1-61 and Jacks 0-51 both off 5 overs.

Jamie Smith was out on his first ball for a duck, but then England's batting picked up with Root, Bethel and Butler all getting 50's meaning that come the last ball Archer needed a 6 to bring in the 'Golden Over' but he only got a single meaning that the visitors are 2-0 up with one to play (Southampton on Sunday).

A very enjoyable game to watch as a neutral, and worth noting that South Afrika have won away in Australia & England in 2025.

 

[BAFRA77]

Not sure whether this should be in this section or the 'in other news ' thread.

Namibia v Scotland abandoned despite fire on pitch - https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/articles/c5ylnk9wee2o

I seem to remember seeing some footage from days past where the ground staff were using a flamethrower type device to do similar stuff to the field

 

[Haywain]

I seem to remember seeing some footage from days past where the ground staff were using a flamethrower type device to do similar stuff to the field

I can remember a match in the late 80s or early 90s when a helicopter was brought in to try and dry the pitch.

 

[High Dyke]

I can remember a match in the late 80s or early 90s when a helicopter was brought in to try and dry the pitch.

That was a similar story mentioned on TMS yesterday. I think the discussion centred around that happening in Pakistan.

 

[Haywain]

That was a similar story mentioned on TMS yesterday. I think the discussion centred around that happening in Pakistan.

The one I remember happened in England.

 

[1D54]

Well, after 22 years of being the laughing stock of the 4 day game Leicestershire CCC have just been promoted to Division 1!!

 

[SuspectUsual]

Well, after 22 years of being the laughing stock of the 4 day game Leicestershire CCC have just been promoted to Division 1!!

I’m so happy about this. Spent a lot of my childhood summers at Grace Road and it’s lovely to see them finally doing well again

 

[philjo]

2nd T20 Eng vs SA :
England 304-2 from 20 overs.
Phil Salt 141 not out from 60 balls!

 

[Purple Train]

2nd T20 Eng vs SA :
England 304-2 from 20 overs.
Phil Salt 141 not out from 60 balls!

Wow. I had to check the BBC Sport website as I assumed there would be some massive typo in there

 

[3rd rail land]

2nd T20 Eng vs SA :
England 304-2 from 20 overs.
Phil Salt 141 not out from 60 balls!

That is presumably an England record but is that the highest ever T20I score?
Edit: Nope, there have been 2 scores higher against associate nations. Gambia and Mongolia.

 

[SuspectUsual]

That is presumably an England record but is that the highest ever T20I score?

Third highest but highest against a top tier nation

 

[DelW]

2nd T20 Eng vs SA :
England 304-2 from 20 overs.
Phil Salt 141 not out from 60 balls!

I wonder if Phil Salt could claim the greatest ever disparity between two successive innings?

Wednesday: golden duck, out first ball of the innings

Friday: 141 not out from 60 balls faced, a strike rate of 235, batted throughout the innings

 

[75A]

Just finished watching an intriguing second days play in the County Championship top of the table game between Surrey & Nottinghamshire, with 17 wickets falling in the day.

Yesterday Notts were bowled out for 231 with Matt Fisher taking 5-61, Ben Slater topped with 50.

Surrey then crumbled from 1-101 to 173 all out with Opener & Captain Rory Burns top scoring with 47, their 2nd highest scorer were the extras with 33 - 10 wides, 13 byes & 10 Leg byes!

With a 1st innings lead of 58, Notts were then reduced to 6-89 before Patterson- White 58 & James 47 composed them, @ the close they were 8-219, a lead of 277.

Matt Fisher has taken 5-57, giving him 10-118 so far in the game which apparently is the first time a Surrey seamer has taken 10 for in a game since Robin Jackman did it in 1971.

Hopefully I'll try and catch some more of it tomorrow, who says the County Championship is boring?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Sep 2025 ==

After a start delayed by rain, Surrey finally bowled Notts out for 256 with Fisher taking another wicket leaving him with 6 -73.
Surrey require 315 with 4 and a bit sessions to go, if they want to be Champions this season they're going to have to work for it.

 

[Purple Train]

The former umpire Dickie Bird has died at the age of 92. (BBC article here)

Dickie Bird, the iconic former cricket umpire, has died at the age of 92.

Bird, whose first-class playing career was cut short by injury, became one of the most famous faces in the game.

He officiated in 66 Tests and 76 one-day internationals, including three World Cup finals, between 1973 and 1996.

Bird's home county side Yorkshire, for whom he played and served as president, described him as a "national treasure, known not only for his umpiring excellence but also for his eccentricities and warmth".

He was certainly closer to a national treasure than any other cricket umpire is likely to get, ever. I saw him at Scarborough last month watching Yorkshire in the One-Day Cup, and he seemed in excellent health and spirits and certainly brought that warmth to those he spoke to. A true fan of and contributor to the game, and he will be very sorely missed. May he rest in peace, and rise in glory.

 

[75A]

Very sad news, one of the games real characters.

 

[43096]

The former umpire Dickie Bird has died at the age of 92. (BBC article here)

He was certainly closer to a national treasure than any other cricket umpire is likely to get, ever.

He was one of those rare match officials who transcends their sport. Others that I would put in the same bracket would be the likes of Pierluigi Collina (football) and Nigel Owens (rugby union).

 

[Jimini]

He was one of those rare match officials who transcends their sport. Others that I would put in the same bracket would be the likes of Pierluigi Collina (football) and Nigel Owens (rugby union).

Both great shouts aye.

 

[75A]

He was one of those rare match officials who transcends their sport. Others that I would put in the same bracket would be the likes of Pierluigi Collina (football) and Nigel Owens (rugby union).

Wife and I saw Nigel Owens live in Belfast's Old Opera House on Monday evening, absolutely brilliant, haven't laughed so much in years, if you get the chance go, well worth it.

 

[High Dyke]

I'll just leave this here.


Image: Poster announcing Nottinghamshire as County Cricket Div.1 champions.

 

[75A]

I'll just leave this here.
View attachment 189049

Image: Poster announcing Nottinghamshire as County Cricket Div.1 champions.

Well done, good to see England (sorry Surrey) not winning it.

 

[High Dyke]

Well done, good to see England (sorry Surrey) not winning it.

The required runs (300) were scored by a massive 6 off the bat of Kyle Veryenne.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

England are having a warm-up match against the England Lions. The Lions batted first and in their first innings, there was a notable knock by no 9 batsman Matthew Potts of Durham who scored 53 from 41 balls with 5 x 6 and 3 x 4 and was last man out, by which time England Lions had scored a reputable total of 382.

Stokes had a good bowling return of 16 - 3 - 52 - 6. Wood only bowled a small number of overs and was treated for a problem with a hamstring.