Official Cricket Thread

[RandyfromPennywise]

Sharma and Harbo, well we can't really do anything against them.

We'll do well to make it to lunch tomorrow to be honest.

[aria999]

did i see somone say a page or 2 back that cricket is battling for numbers and always will be?
wow
oh wait its just grumma

[Grumma]

They are compared to a lot of other cricketing nations.

I'm sure if we had the population of India and as many cricket nutters as India we wouldn't get beaten for decades but at junior level there's football, basketball, soccer, swimming/athletics, tennis, most kids ride bikes, video games (probably the biggest lol) all competing against it.

I know I've always wanted to play but the cost of a whole kit and then the time factor has meant I never have, and I know it's a similar case with a lot of other kids and their families

[aria999]

by a lot of other cricketing nations do u mean india

i dont have ne stats on me but im pretty sure we are not battling for numbers

[Grumma]

Well Luke Hodge and a couple of other current AFL players were exceptionally good cricketers (Hodge made 300 not out or something rediculous in Tassie after not having played for a couple of years).
There's just more competition amongst sports here then there seems to be in India (not taking into account overall population).
I prefer the international comp to be competitive so there's no issue with that. It'll be interesting to see (or in my case read) how the Aussie's go about the next test

[aria999]

and there are exceptionally good cricketers in every other country who chose different paths

i didnt hear any talk about our battling numbers when we were dominating the world for 10 years

so btw by " a lot of other cricketing nations" u did mean india?

[Grumma]

and Sri Lanka/Pakistan. to some extent maybe Sth Africa.

New Zealand is just plain rooted, England have a lot of other codes competing with them and the West Indies have such a small population

[RandyfromPennywise]

Dude there's always been top athletes going to other codes. Jace Bode - recently de-listed by Melbourne - was called by Dennis Lillee "the best 15-year-old pace bowler I've ever seen". And he chose to play AFL. It happens. It's always happened. Ponting could've been a pro golfer I'm told. So cricket stole him away from golf. We'll be alright. It's the strongest summer sport by a mile. As long as the kids are still getting out there and being active and playing sport, a lot of them will be playing cricket in summer, it's just how it is. AFL and League have more competition in winter with the rise of the round-ball code, no doubt about that, but I don't think there is going to be a drought of players for any of the major codes. It's the fring sports like basketball that suffer.

[aria999]

yep i am struggling to understand what grumma is on about but what is new

[RandyfromPennywise]

Hey aria is the power out in Ward St? Got a black out here in George St which is fkd, I gotta print out this assignment which is due at 2!

[aria999]

hmm randy dont think the power was out here but i was uni most the day
how did u go with ur assignment

[RandyfromPennywise]

Yeah went to uni to print it out, all good. Had to stay up all night to do it, went to sleep at 5pm and woke up at 11pm, now my sleeping patterns are absolutely fked!!

Any predictions for the outcome of the series (Aus v Ind)? I reckon 2-1 to India. Reckon they'll win the next one and we might win the last one.

[Alf™]

1-1. We will fight back to win one, and the other will be a draw.

[aria999]

getin raped again

[Grumma]

I can see this game ending in a draw.
Aussies should get somewhere around 400, India will bat too long and leave Australia with a stupid run chase will about a day left.

Reckon we'll be smarter this time round and shut up shop earlier

[RandyfromPennywise]

We could make 500 here.

[Alf™]

We could make 600 here.

[Grumma]

By the reports from Baggy Green Kumble has gone ultra defensive to try and stop Clarke scoring.
Yawn.

[Alf™]

Cricinfo says that Clarke is just being patient, waiting for the bad balls. Obviously a draw now.

[Grumma]

7/530+.

Draw fo sure

[RandyfromPennywise]

Interesting day's play. Tried to watch as much as I could. Clarke got lucky. If Sharma caught him, there is no way we would've got 500. Looking forward to the first session tomorrow which could define the series, but more than likely India will see it out and it will be a draw.

[Alf™]

Sharma is an ugly ****er. Bad decision to send him out as night watchman. First day of play in this series that I have actually got to watch live, so was pleased with that.

Was also watching the Stanford Superstars vs. England 20/20 match on ESPN. England looking to be in trouble.

[Grumma]

Pretty average batting by the Indjans thus far

[aria999]

not as average as the aussies but yea

[Alf™]

7 on debut for Krejza. Hilarious stuff.

[Grumma]

I'm not sure whether that's more embarrassing for the Indian batsmen or Australian bowlers . . .

[Alf™]

Eight wickets. Come on Australia.

Edit: Harbhajan opening the bowling :lol:.

[RandyfromPennywise]

I'm not sure whether that's more embarrassing for the Indian batsmen or Australian bowlers . . .

Come on man we gotta give the bloke some credit.

[Grumma]

I'll give him credit for persistence but yeah . . .
Bit of an indictment on the rest of the Aussie attack, and the Indians for not paying any respect whatsoever.

Question for anyone actually watching the game:
When I hear people saying the Indians are bowling a foot outside off stump are they being serious or over exaggerating?

[RandyfromPennywise]

No, they have had an 8-1 field and have not been aiming for the stumps at all, so I would say those people aren't exaggeratig too much. It has easily been the most boring day of Test cricket I can remember having ever watched. The over rate for the first session was 12/hour, and the run rate was about 1.5rpo. Bad cricket all round.

Bloody Huss, can't believe he set off on a run when it hadn't even passed the fielder, deserved a ton, he'd fought very hard all innings. Solid 90 from him again though. Can't believe Cameron White is still in the side though, is this the biggest joke going or what? The bloke's in the team as a bowling all-rounder, and bowls 10 overs, and the other spinner bowls 45. He is taking up a place in the team.

[Grumma]

They obviously picked him over Siddle for some reason. Hopefully he can make a few runs.
Ironically though he was our most economical bowler in the first innings

[aria999]

yep raped again

how embarassing for them indians

[RandyfromPennywise]

First series loss since England if my memory is correct. Pretty bloody poor.

[Alf™]

Some horrible squad decisions. Well done to India for beating us.

[Grumma]

To quote Homer Simpson:

Yeah, Moe, that team sure did suck last night. They just plain sucked! I've seen teams suck before, but they were the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked!

[RandyfromPennywise]

Said while holding a pennant saying "Sports".

[aria999]

u goin down friday randy

ive got some shi to do friday might head down saturday and get blind on the hill

[RandyfromPennywise]

Mate I would be there every day like usual but I'm heading overseas on Friday morning and am going to miss the whole Test. Spewing! I miss the whole summer as well.

[Alf™]

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Glw4VFOhZmw&feature=related

Wonderful spell by a Pakistani Under 19 up and comer. The swing is amazing.

[aria999]

that sux randy i will make sure to have a xxxx gold for u

[aria999]

time to go m haydos

[aria999]

lmao johnson wtf

[Aes820]

7/42, so far.

Tearing the lower order a new one.

Not shabby.

[Alf™]

tearing the top order apart too

amazing spell from him

got us in front for this game

[badtaste]

Woo, South Africans were 1/160 or so when I left the telly, and now they're 3/184 with dangerman Smith gone. Good stuff.

[Alf™]

still would love another in this last half an hour of play

[aria999]

this test match hasbeen worth watching just to see de villeiers field this bloke is the best fielder ive ever seen some of his saves at backward pointhave been unbeleive able not to mention the catching

[RandyfromPennywise]

We lost a series at home, what is going on, horrible.

[Grumma]

It wouldn't be too bad if we lost blooding a couple of younger guys but there's nothing worse than hanger-ons who don't know when to quit!

[badtaste]

Woo, finally over.

Should have ended hours ago.