England cricket 2023 & 2024

[RichB]

So, two bad batting performances or a difficult wicket? Must say I didn't so it kicking up or turning excessively so poor batting?

[Smollet]

RichB said:

So, two bad batting performances or a difficult wicket? Must say I didn't so it kicking up or turning excessively so poor batting?

A bit of both I think. Broad’s dismissal was what’s wrong with our batting approach. It’s a test match not a T20 ffs.

[SaintsPaul]

Typical p!ss poor England performance. NZ managed to get 132 after being 45-7. We go from 50 without loss to 141 all out. This team really struggles to stitch together 5 days of a test match.

[anonymous-user]

On the bright side England are playing the best test side in the world and they aren’t 380 for 4.

[Tyre Smoke]

New Zealand are the best test side in the world? Really?

[Smollet]

Tyre Smoke said:

New Zealand are the best test side in the world? Really?

They won the test championship but that doesn’t necessarily make them the best. I think that’s where some people are getting a bit confused

[anonymous-user]

Tyre Smoke said:

New Zealand are the best test side in the world? Really?

World Test Champions iirc, they’re only not top of rankings on games played.

[TheAngryDog]

England have managed to out England themselves. A rare feat indeed.

[Tyre Smoke]

As a new convert to leather on willow, I know we are the best at rugby union. No, I'm not listening to anyone who says it's the Saffies. Got my fingers in my ears lalalalalala.

I really didn't know we'd pulled our second national sport to such lofty heights.

Come on you Black Caps!

[Smollet]

TheAngryDog said:

England have managed to out England themselves. A rare feat indeed.

One day the ECB will take the bull by the horns and get rid of central contracts and pick people on their county performance which is about as close to test cricket as possible. The short format has scuppered our test side and the introduction of the 100(a completely meaningless tournament imgo) has just compounded the situation.

[TheAngryDog]

Smollet said:

TheAngryDog said:

England have managed to out England themselves. A rare feat indeed.

One day the ECB will take the bull by the horns and get rid of central contracts and pick people on their county performance which is about as close to test cricket as possible. The short format has scuppered our test side and the introduction of the 100(a completely meaningless tournament imgo) has just compounded the situation.

I found the 100 entertaining, I didn't need to pay for sky sports to watch it, but I agree that we have too much emphasis on white ball cricket. Right now we are in T20 blast season, when we should still be playing 4 day matches. I remember when we had 4 day matches and played 40 overs on the Sunday between the 2 teams. The 100 and Blast, as much as I like them, are too much of a distraction.

Nothing will change.

[Tyre Smoke]

Why is there 100 and T20?

For a short, exciting game T20 has it. Having a DJ and razz for the 100 is just the same thing, just trying to make cricket sexy. Which it isn't. T20 is as racy as it gets.

Watching test cricket is my idea of Hell.

[speedy_thrills]

Newarch said:

Tyre Smoke said:

New Zealand are the best test side in the world? Really?

World Test Champions iirc, they’re only not top of rankings on games played.

Australia are the top ranked ICC test team at the moment: https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/mens/team-ran...

[anonymous-user]

speedy_thrills said:

Newarch said:

Tyre Smoke said:

New Zealand are the best test side in the world? Really?

World Test Champions iirc, they’re only not top of rankings on games played.

Australia are the top ranked ICC test team at the moment: https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/mens/team-ran...

I suspect the last Ashes series helped that coefficient a bit

[RichB]

Tyre Smoke said:

Why is there 100 and T20? <clip>

Politics. It meant that the ECB could offer the game to a different TV rights holder and make lots of money !!! After all it's not 20/Twenty is it and it has some odd rules they dreamt up to differentiate it

No other reason, T20 is equally entertaining and you get 40 more balls to enjoy per match.

[Smollet]

Tyre Smoke said:

Why is there 100 and T20?

For a short, exciting game T20 has it. Having a DJ and razz for the 100 is just the same thing, just trying to make cricket sexy. Which it isn't. T20 is as racy as it gets.

Watching test cricket is my idea of Hell.

How many games have you watched recently as to you admit to being a new convert to the game?

[Tyre Smoke]

I watched a couple of 100 games last year. Boring.

I've watched a bit of test cricket this afternoon. Test cricket is still my idea of Hell.

T20 I like. Perhaps that will lead to other variants, perhaps it won't.

Why do you ask?

I do notice that us Kiwis are doing OK in the test though.

[Smollet]

Tyre Smoke said:

I watched a couple of 100 games last year. Boring.

I've watched a bit of test cricket this afternoon. Test cricket is still my idea of Hell.

T20 I like. Perhaps that will lead to other variants, perhaps it won't.

Why do you ask?

I do notice that us Kiwis are doing OK in the test though.

It was your recent comment at being a new convert to the game yet you dismissed watching the pinnacle of the sport as pure hell. I’d suggest you watch a few more matches. Test cricket is brilliant but I agree it requires a certain mental attitude to appreciate it over the very simple versions that are now very popular.

[Tyre Smoke]

I understand what you say, but it's just far too slow for me. I get that it must be like watching a chess match, strategies and when to attack, spin or fade bowler, etc. But it's not for me. Well, not yet anyway. Perhaps ever.

I watched 30 minutes of the test this afternoon and it was sending me to sleep. Not holding my interest at all.

[anonymous-user]

Tyre Smoke said:

I understand what you say, but it's just far too slow for me. I get that it must be like watching a chess match, strategies and when to attack, spin or fade bowler, etc. But it's not for me. Well, not yet anyway. Perhaps ever.

I watched 30 minutes of the test this afternoon and it was sending me to sleep. Not holding my interest at all.

I completely get what you say, I tend to flit from format to format. I started out only following the Ashes, then the ODI World Cup, then T20 IPL, now I’m following the County Championship. Also I love listening to a test match at work where I could spend all day following the action whilst sitting in a hole in the ground, whereas I prefer a T20 as casual entertainment especially as say the T20 Blast is on in the evening.

As to playing, I slightly prefer T20 because it especially rewards efficient fielding and encouraging attacking batting.