Cricket is a doomed sport
Discussion
Suddenly came to this conclusion hearing about England playing against South Africa on the news and not caring a fig. Why does cricket get so much coverage when hardly anyone plays it and hardly anyone watches it in the UK in this day and age?
Quite frankly it is well past it's sell by date. Any modern day sport should not be stopping for lunch. Then tea. Tea! What is this, Carry on up the Khyber? And drinks as well. How 19th C public school is that?
Even the cricket authorities know that a 5 day test bores everyone to tears, not the least because the draw is the most common outcome. So they brought in one day cricket, and now it is 20-20 to try and inject a bit of excitement rather than constantly saying "forward defensive, no runs" for hours and hours until someone brings a new cake into the commentary box for Aggers. Thanks very much Mrs Doyle of Craggy Island.
Soon 20-20 will be too boring and it will be 1-1 .. no not overs, no, each teams gets one whack at the ball and whoever gets the most wins. And the ball is a grenade. And all the fielders are naked buxomly women. Actually sign me up, sounds quite exciting.
Anyhow, I am off for a bit of tiffin.
Lt Brig Andy, rtd.
Quite frankly it is well past it's sell by date. Any modern day sport should not be stopping for lunch. Then tea. Tea! What is this, Carry on up the Khyber? And drinks as well. How 19th C public school is that?
Even the cricket authorities know that a 5 day test bores everyone to tears, not the least because the draw is the most common outcome. So they brought in one day cricket, and now it is 20-20 to try and inject a bit of excitement rather than constantly saying "forward defensive, no runs" for hours and hours until someone brings a new cake into the commentary box for Aggers. Thanks very much Mrs Doyle of Craggy Island.
Soon 20-20 will be too boring and it will be 1-1 .. no not overs, no, each teams gets one whack at the ball and whoever gets the most wins. And the ball is a grenade. And all the fielders are naked buxomly women. Actually sign me up, sounds quite exciting.
Anyhow, I am off for a bit of tiffin.
Lt Brig Andy, rtd.
zakelwe said:
Suddenly came to this conclusion hearing about England playing against South Africa on the news and not caring a fig. Why does cricket get so much coverage when hardly anyone plays it and hardly anyone watches it in the UK in this day and age?
There are thousands of cricket clubs in England. The ECB has 453 listed in Surrey alone.Channel Five averaged 1.2 million viewers for their Ashes highlights programmes this summer, with Sky having 2 million viewers at the end of the final test. In 2005 when the Ashes were free to air on Channel 4 the viewing figures peaked at 8.4 million! Doesn't sound like 'hardly anyone' to me.
zakelwe said:
Quite frankly it is well past it's sell by date. Any modern day sport should not be stopping for lunch. Then tea. Tea! What is this, Carry on up the Khyber? And drinks as well. How 19th C public school is that?
Even football has a half time break, is it unreasonable for players to take 2 slightly longer breaks when they could be playing for up to 8 hours a day? And yes, drinks, how very public school, keeping yourself hydrated. Whatever next? Professional sportsmen laying off the booze and kebabs?zakelwe said:
Even the cricket authorities know that a 5 day test bores everyone to tears, not the least because the draw is the most common outcome. So they brought in one day cricket, and now it is 20-20 to try and inject a bit of excitement rather than constantly saying "forward defensive, no runs" for hours and hours until someone brings a new cake into the commentary box for Aggers. Thanks very much Mrs Doyle of Craggy Island.
The 5 day games isn't for everyone, I'll give you that, but the fact that the test matches are always sellouts in England should tell you something. Also, in 2008 (the only year I can find figures for for now) only 23% of test matches ended in a draw, so it is not even close to being the most common outcome. Not everyone likes 20-20 either but it has introduced a whole new generation to the game and has bought some much needed money into the sport. That format, along with the test format, was pioneered in England.
zakelwe said:
Soon 20-20 will be too boring and it will be 1-1 .. no not overs, no, each teams gets one whack at the ball and whoever gets the most wins. And the ball is a grenade. And all the fielders are naked buxomly women. Actually sign me up, sounds quite exciting.
If the brain dead nature of your comments is any indication of the current level of intelligence in this country then you may well be right. God help us all!zakelwe said:
Suddenly came to this conclusion hearing about England playing against South Africa on the news and not caring a fig. Why does cricket get so much coverage when hardly anyone plays it and hardly anyone watches it in the UK in this day and age?
Quite frankly it is well past it's sell by date. Any modern day sport should not be stopping for lunch. Then tea. Tea! What is this, Carry on up the Khyber? And drinks as well. How 19th C public school is that?
Even the cricket authorities know that a 5 day test bores everyone to tears, not the least because the draw is the most common outcome. So they brought in one day cricket, and now it is 20-20 to try and inject a bit of excitement rather than constantly saying "forward defensive, no runs" for hours and hours until someone brings a new cake into the commentary box for Aggers. Thanks very much Mrs Doyle of Craggy Island.
Soon 20-20 will be too boring and it will be 1-1 .. no not overs, no, each teams gets one whack at the ball and whoever gets the most wins. And the ball is a grenade. And all the fielders are naked buxomly women. Actually sign me up, sounds quite exciting.
Anyhow, I am off for a bit of tiffin.
Lt Brig Andy, rtd.
Obviously never played village cricket then, a pub based activity interrupted by the consumption of home made delicacies such as upside down pineapple cake and flapjack. I say pub based because my club has no facilities whatsoever so any toilet requirements requires a visit to the pub, I find I need a piss quite frequently.Quite frankly it is well past it's sell by date. Any modern day sport should not be stopping for lunch. Then tea. Tea! What is this, Carry on up the Khyber? And drinks as well. How 19th C public school is that?
Even the cricket authorities know that a 5 day test bores everyone to tears, not the least because the draw is the most common outcome. So they brought in one day cricket, and now it is 20-20 to try and inject a bit of excitement rather than constantly saying "forward defensive, no runs" for hours and hours until someone brings a new cake into the commentary box for Aggers. Thanks very much Mrs Doyle of Craggy Island.
Soon 20-20 will be too boring and it will be 1-1 .. no not overs, no, each teams gets one whack at the ball and whoever gets the most wins. And the ball is a grenade. And all the fielders are naked buxomly women. Actually sign me up, sounds quite exciting.
Anyhow, I am off for a bit of tiffin.
Lt Brig Andy, rtd.
Forward defensive? nope you`ve lost me there I`m afraid. We tried using a grenade instead of a ball but as no-one ever actually hits it nobody noticed. I do like your idea for fielders though, I`ll put on the agenda at our AGM.
mouseymousey said:
zakelwe said:
Suddenly came to this conclusion hearing about England playing against South Africa on the news and not caring a fig. Why does cricket get so much coverage when hardly anyone plays it and hardly anyone watches it in the UK in this day and age?
There are thousands of cricket clubs in England. The ECB has 453 listed in Surrey alone.Channel Five averaged 1.2 million viewers for their Ashes highlights programmes this summer, with Sky having 2 million viewers at the end of the final test. In 2005 when the Ashes were free to air on Channel 4 the viewing figures peaked at 8.4 million! Doesn't sound like 'hardly anyone' to me.
zakelwe said:
Quite frankly it is well past it's sell by date. Any modern day sport should not be stopping for lunch. Then tea. Tea! What is this, Carry on up the Khyber? And drinks as well. How 19th C public school is that?
Even football has a half time break, is it unreasonable for players to take 2 slightly longer breaks when they could be playing for up to 8 hours a day? And yes, drinks, how very public school, keeping yourself hydrated. Whatever next? Professional sportsmen laying off the booze and kebabs?zakelwe said:
Even the cricket authorities know that a 5 day test bores everyone to tears, not the least because the draw is the most common outcome. So they brought in one day cricket, and now it is 20-20 to try and inject a bit of excitement rather than constantly saying "forward defensive, no runs" for hours and hours until someone brings a new cake into the commentary box for Aggers. Thanks very much Mrs Doyle of Craggy Island.
The 5 day games isn't for everyone, I'll give you that, but the fact that the test matches are always sellouts in England should tell you something. Also, in 2008 (the only year I can find figures for for now) only 23% of test matches ended in a draw, so it is not even close to being the most common outcome. Not everyone likes 20-20 either but it has introduced a whole new generation to the game and has bought some much needed money into the sport. That format, along with the test format, was pioneered in England.
zakelwe said:
Soon 20-20 will be too boring and it will be 1-1 .. no not overs, no, each teams gets one whack at the ball and whoever gets the most wins. And the ball is a grenade. And all the fielders are naked buxomly women. Actually sign me up, sounds quite exciting.
If the brain dead nature of your comments is any indication of the current level of intelligence in this country then you may well be right. God help us all!A day at the test match is one of civilisations greatest achievements.
It is true that the BBC don't care abut cricket, I am sure they would take TMS of the air if they thought they could get away with it.
Still one of the most subtle and amazing sports ever invented, especially in Test match form.
It is true that the BBC don't care abut cricket, I am sure they would take TMS of the air if they thought they could get away with it.
Still one of the most subtle and amazing sports ever invented, especially in Test match form.
Having spent over 3 months in Mumbai this year , I'd say there's no way cricket is a dying game. The Indians have at least 3 TV channels dedicated to it and when there's not a live match they show repeats.
It's nearly a religion in India and pakistan so I can't see it being doomed !
Are you sure you're not Chris Gayle in disguise ?
It's nearly a religion in India and pakistan so I can't see it being doomed !
Are you sure you're not Chris Gayle in disguise ?
As someone fairly new to the sport I certainly feel it’s on the way up as this year I have probably watched more on the telly than I have ever done in my previous 35 years of existence. I long to go down to the new stadium in Cardiff one evening to watch a Twenty20 which would be my first time to a live game.
I remember the excitement of the 2005 Ashes but still never took much notice of Cricket or understood the game properly until earlier this year when I actually sat down and watched a full Twenty20 on Sky. Then I noticed the other forms of the sport, ODI, Pro40 and now the Test matches are showing that there can be some excitement in the long game. True that Test matches can be tedious and boring for many an hour but suddenly a game or even a day can come along that turns on its head (like England’s latest in SA) that really fires up some excitement and keeps you glued as to what will happen next, one second you are watching lots of dots and singles and next you are looking at consecutive wickets or sixes!
I for one have become a new fan and intend to follow it a lot more and make the effort to go see a top flight match one day.
I remember the excitement of the 2005 Ashes but still never took much notice of Cricket or understood the game properly until earlier this year when I actually sat down and watched a full Twenty20 on Sky. Then I noticed the other forms of the sport, ODI, Pro40 and now the Test matches are showing that there can be some excitement in the long game. True that Test matches can be tedious and boring for many an hour but suddenly a game or even a day can come along that turns on its head (like England’s latest in SA) that really fires up some excitement and keeps you glued as to what will happen next, one second you are watching lots of dots and singles and next you are looking at consecutive wickets or sixes!
I for one have become a new fan and intend to follow it a lot more and make the effort to go see a top flight match one day.
zakelwe said:
Even the cricket authorities know that a 5 day test bores everyone to tears, not the least because the draw is the most common outcome. So they brought in one day cricket, and now it is 20-20 to try and inject a bit of excitement rather than constantly saying "forward defensive, no runs" for hours and hours until someone brings a new cake into the commentary box for Aggers. Thanks very much Mrs Doyle of Craggy Island.
What a load of cock. PH should really introduce some sort of IQ test before letting these morons join, let alone post. Test cricket is boring and dying? Tell that to the people who filled the grounds for every day of every test last summer. f
king idiot.Is it out of awareness of the general public?
I do think that, by restricting its coverage to satellite TV channels, the general public are not as aware of the exploits of cricketeers compared to when it was available on mainstream terrestrial TV.
The officianados will always appreciate and follow the sport no matter how it's covered on TV. The less committed viewer will not go out of their way to watch it and watch something more easilly available instead - like Strictly Come Dancing or X Factor.
I do think that, by restricting its coverage to satellite TV channels, the general public are not as aware of the exploits of cricketeers compared to when it was available on mainstream terrestrial TV.
The officianados will always appreciate and follow the sport no matter how it's covered on TV. The less committed viewer will not go out of their way to watch it and watch something more easilly available instead - like Strictly Come Dancing or X Factor.
Gassing Station | Sports | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff