Cricket 2015/16

[KristianJ]

I figured a new thread for the new season given that the domestic one dayers have kicked off.

And the Cricket Australia XI is paying dividends of embarrassment...an aggregate of 138 runs across 2 games.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/...-1227560056882

[Yossarian]

There is something quite pleasing about watching ostensibly good cricketers fail so miserably.

[Hatchman]

Great run chase by the Redbacks in the BBQ cup.
Well done Head & Ferg

[Yossarian]

I suppose SA cricket had to stop being shit at some point.

[Hatchman]

I suppose SA cricket had to stop being shit at some point.

They are still shit. I expect them them capitulate from here on. They've had their one good game for the year.

[hacker]

Great run chase by the Redbacks in the BBQ cup.
Well done Head & Ferg

I see that Travis Head has removed the dirtiest mo in the history of ever.

[Wardy101]

CAXI is an absolute joke....whoever came up with the idea should be fired. Dont think it is doing those youngsters any favours getting flogged each game.

[Hatchman]

Wato full toss

[Hatchman]

They are still shit. I expect them them capitulate from here on. They've had their one good game for the year.

Right on que.
Got flogged against NSW?

[BayBum]

Looking forward to the Black Caps taking on the Aussie's.

Day/Night test match sounds a bit...meh....but it suits my hours fine so I'll definitely be watching it.

[coalesce]

Suits me too. Might get some value out of the SACA membership this year!

[jimandr]

It is both an exciting time and an anxious time to be a cricket fan right now.

I have England v Pakistan on Fox3, Sri Lanka v West Indies on Fox+ and an India v South Africa one-dayer on Fox5. Three games of cricket at once!

However, there are absolutely no spectators in Abu Dhabi, and the flattest pitch in cricket history. Sri Lanka hasn't got many spectators either, so there is zero atmosphere at either game.

Without the crowd atmosphere and the sense of excitement that brings, viewers may stop viewing and the money may stop coming in.

I don't have any sort of answer, but test cricket is in trouble everywhere but England and Australia due to lack of crowd interest. Not good at all.

[coalesce]

I went to the Dubai game on the last tour. The problem is that none of the ex-pat Pakistani fans can afford or are able to take time off to go to the game. It's a problem specific to Pakistan having to play from home. I saw it suggested they should play their away games in Australia or England but I'm not sure they'd want to move away from the UAE where they have a pretty good record

It will be busier on Friday which is their day off, providing England haven't been bowled out twice by then

[TheNuclearOne]

A big scoring placid game of cricket has now been turned on it's head between the Poms and Pakistan. Pakistan 8-523, younis 245. Poms 9-598, Cook 263. Anderson comes alive to have them 2-3 and with one day and a bit to go they are 8-169. In recent years the Poms have played some extremely good cricket under such conditions.

As i slowly compiled this Rashid has taken 2 wickets in (two balls) and Pakistan is all out 173. Rashid 5-64 after having the worst ever figures for a debutant (pretty sure i read this) in the first innings of 0-163. Poms 99 to win, what a turnabout after chasing 523.

We should study their methods on the sub continent wickets, they are miles more solid than us.

[TheNuclearOne]

Malik a second innings duck

Shoaib Malik Pak	245	0	v England	13 Oct 2015
RT Ponting Aus	242	0	v India	12 Dec 2003
IVA Richards WI	208	0	v Australia	22 Dec 1984
SM Nurse WI	201	0	v Australia	5 May 1965
Imtiaz Ahmed Pak	209	0	v New Zealand	26 Oct 1955
AD Nourse SA	0	231	v Australia	24 Dec 1935

[jimandr]

Yes, TNO.

I had a spiel prepared when I logged on, after coming home from my regular Saturday Night at the RSL, but you beat me to it.

There may never have been a game of test cricket like this one.

Anyone watching the EPL and monitoring Ozgolf at the same time should switch over to 503. If it wasn't Pakistan, with their corrupt history, you would just shake your head, but even then, no batsman is skillful enough to edge a spinner to slip first ball.

Amazing.

[TheNuclearOne]

Bad light, boooooooo.

[Yossarian]

It is both an exciting time and an anxious time to be a cricket fan right now.

I have England v Pakistan on Fox3, Sri Lanka v West Indies on Fox+ and an India v South Africa one-dayer on Fox5. Three games of cricket at once!

However, there are absolutely no spectators in Abu Dhabi, and the flattest pitch in cricket history. Sri Lanka hasn't got many spectators either, so there is zero atmosphere at either game.

Without the crowd atmosphere and the sense of excitement that brings, viewers may stop viewing and the money may stop coming in.

I don't have any sort of answer, but test cricket is in trouble everywhere but England and Australia due to lack of crowd interest. Not good at all.

How many spectators do you expect in UAE?

And how many would reasonably be expected to rock up and watch the West Indies get shafted.

Test cricket isn't in trouble.

[jimandr]

Pakistan v England in Dubai isn't the most attractive matchup, so I understand why there haven't been any comments posted.

But in the bits I have seen so far, it is the peripherals that are the most interesting parts of this game.

It will almost certainly be in the highlights somewhere, so viewers should pay particular attention to the lbw dismissal of the Pakistan tailender Zulfiquar. It looks like he is attempting to duck a half-volley!

I didn't see it live, so I don't know whether he had been softened up by 3 bouncers in a row or not, but he is ducking as the ball is being delivered, and naturally the ball isn't going anywhere near where he anticipated. Just amazing.

Almost as amazing was the lbw review Pakistan called for not long ago. Bowler Wahab Riaz to batsman Alistair Cook. Inswinging yorker, Cooks jams down late, ball squeezes of inside edge for 4 to fine leg. Bowler proves he is blind by appealing, and then convinces those behind the wicket that it was out. Replay shows ball not even particularly close to the pad. Review wasted.

Some good sexist camera work in this game, too. There are a few English expats and tourists in the crowd, and the cameras have done a good job of finding the honeys.

[coalesce]

I would watch it, but I don't have Foxtel. I saw the wicket in question. Looks like he was expecting a short one and just lost sight of it. Was only an umpires call lbw in the end - looked like it was sliding down maybe

[coalesce]

In other news, Voges slammed the pink ball after the NZ warm up today saying it went green by the end. That'll be fun in the test match then!

[topspark]

I know its early days just after a footy season, but there seems to be a distinct lack of interest at the moment in the cricket.

[TheNuclearOne]

It should fire back up again quick in just under two weeks. We're coming off a whole lot of cricket in recent months. The match up against the Kiwi's is mouth watering and it should be a great series with any luck.

[jimandr]

I know its early days just after a footy season, but there seems to be a distinct lack of interest at the moment in the cricket.

It is the same every year nowadays. Domestic cricket just doesn't register with the media, so the season really only starts the day before the first test.

On that subject, I noted the other day that the bookies had Australia at $1.60 or so, which seems to me to be very short. New Zealand are a good side, and if the ball swings early Boult and Southee will be difficult to play. I have no confidence in Australia until I actually see the new batting lineup under match conditions.

[topspark]

I was the same last year, until the tests got under way, and then the 20/20 series started to get a little interesting