England Cricket 2021

[paulhackett]

India cancel training day before Test as another positive Covid test within their support team..

 

[GarveyLives]

The problem is Kohli has now overtly associated beating England with India’s struggle for independence from the British empire. This is going to be an effective motivator.

(Source: as stated in image)

(Source: as stated in image)​

It seems that the captain of the Indian cricket team is driving your army barmy.

 

[two sheds]

England women beat NZ women tonight with one ball to spare though

 

[GarveyLives]

Pitches and conditions can determine technique when batting. Most Australians are used to pitches with pace and bounce. Indians grow up playing on turning pitches. In England, depending often on the weather, there is seam and swing.

The very best batsmen work it all out everywhere.

England are actually the last away team to win a test series in India so it's not just England who struggle away from home.

But England won the first test here. Gave India a fright. Won in Sri Lanka and in South Africa last year. It's not all gloom on their travels.

I think at the end of the series looking back it will be a case of admitting that India are just too good at home and England don't really have the players to compete to be honest. There might have been mistakes in selection but you'd struggle to argue that they'd have made a massive difference. They're not alone in that, India's home record isn't as good as it is for no reason and I don't think anyone can compete with them there at the moment. Maybe Sri Lanka on the conditions but they're just not that good anywhere.

(Source: Twitter)

One assumes that there will be no calls for investigations into the pitches used at Lord's and The Oval in the current series.​

 

[QueenOfGoths]

Nooooo

Official Statement: Fifth Test between England and India cancelled

Follow, watch and read the latest from England Cricket, the domestic game and find support for recreational cricket.

www.ecb.co.uk

 

[SpookyFrank]

So India win the series. Not to suggest that they wouldn't have played the final test if they could, but it's a bit of a head scratcher with test championship points etc.

Mostly I'm gutted that there will be no more test cricket for ages now

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

So India win the series. Not to suggest that they wouldn't have played the final test if they could, but it's a bit of a head scratcher with test championship points etc.

Mostly I'm gutted that there will be no more test cricket for ages now

India have forfeited so the series is technically a draw. Not sure that seems a more satisfactory outcome tbh.

 

[SpookyFrank]

India have forfeited so the series is technically a draw. Not sure that seems a more satisfactory outcome tbh.

It's not for them as they earned a series win and would likely have completed one, particularly with weather likely to intervene in Manchester.

 

[a_chap]

I assumed that India would have forfeited the match but apparently there's some uncertainty about that.

Sets a dangerous precedent if a side claims not to be able to field a team and doesn't forfeit the match...

[/conspiracyTheory]

 

[Spymaster]

I assumed that India would have forfeited the match but apparently there's some uncertainty about that.

That’s just the ECB being bellends, surprise surprise.

As Frank says, everyone knows who won the series.

 

[planetgeli]

From cricinfo

Ironic, really, seeing as Old Trafford was one of the bio-secure venues that ensured the 2020 summer schedule went without a hitch.

It's not irony though is it? The 2020 tests went without a hitch because the bio-security worked as intended. The 2021 test has been cancelled because society has been opened up in a pandemic, producing a big wave of covid, which can't be a surprise to anyone so it's not producing a result 'the opposite of what was expected'. Cases where I am now are at their peak of December 2020.

How is what is happening (cancellation) contrary to what anyone might reasonably expect?

 

[Petcha]

I assumed that India would have forfeited the match but apparently there's some uncertainty about that.

Sets a dangerous precedent if a side claims not to be able to field a team and doesn't forfeit the match...

[/conspiracyTheory]

None of their players tested positive, they all had tests last night. The people who did test positive are quarantining. And cricket is an outdoor, socially distanced sport. The cynic in me suggests this might be linked to A) test championship points and B) the upcoming resumption of the IPL.

The cheek of claiming a series victory though is breathtaking.

 

[planetgeli]

None of their players tested positive, they all had tests last night. The people who did test positive are quarantining. And cricket is an outdoor, socially distanced sport. The cynic in me suggests this might be linked to A) test championship points and B) the upcoming resumption of the IPL.

The cheek of claiming a series victory though is breathtaking.

Nah, this is bollocks. Their physio tested positive. It's reasonable to expect their physio might have been in close contact. India aren't pulling anything, they're playing by the rules. It's ridiculous to suggest conspiracy.

Congratulations to India on a series victory and outplaying England.

 

[kabbes]

Without a doubt, this is the worst thing that COVID has caused to happen.

 

[Petcha]

Nah, this is bollocks. Their physio tested positive. It's reasonable to expect their physio might have been in close contact. India aren't pulling anything, they're playing by the rules. It's ridiculous to suggest conspiracy.

Congratulations to India on a series victory and outplaying England.

None of the players have tested positive. They're tested every day. They should be all good to go.

Lancs must be mighty mighty fucked off and should take legal action. I assume a massive wedge of their budget was based around this match.

 

[Petcha]

Mike Atherton is talking on Sky Sports News. He’s pointing out that the elephant in the room here is the IPL, which is due to resume on Sunday week – only four days after what should have been the last day of this Test. And he reckons that decision of Chris Broad’s that I mentioned just now will be subject to a lot of negotiation. He’s not in any doubt about which way that negotiation will go. “I don’t think forfeiture will be the end result, for sure.”

 

[Teaboy]

What a mess.

I've got quite a few friends who were halfway to the ground from London when the news broke. Personally I think they've dodged a bullet otherwise they might have had to witness England trying to bat and no one wants to see that.

 

[planetgeli]

10.28am The series is still live! The BCCI says that the two boards will look to reschedule the Test... remarkable scenes...

"In lieu of the strong relationship between BCCI and ECB, the BCCI has offered to ECB a rescheduling of the cancelled Test match. Both the Boards will work towards finding a window to reschedule this Test match."




In 2022? I don't think so.

 

[Santino]

In 2022? I don't think so.

Could replace the white ball series scheduled for next year.

 

[Teaboy]

In one respect its down to both England and India to ensure that their squads are kept covid free and have the suitable policies in place to ensure any cases within the squad are quickly contained and these matches go ahead. In this regard India has dropped the ball like an English slip.

This being said I have a huge amount of sympathy for India. They've been in this country for what seems like forever, they have kids at home growing up without their father's. This country is Plague Island and in many ways its amazing they've managed to keep covid at bay this long.

A rescheduled match would seem a good compromise if it can be achieved.

 

[planetgeli]

A rescheduled match at the beginning of August 2022 won't feel like a continuum to anyone. A test series needs continuity to be a series.

Talk of doing this is more, much more, for compensation purposes to Old Trafford.

 

[Teaboy]

A rescheduled match at the beginning of August 2022 won't feel like a continuum to anyone. A test series needs continuity to be a series.

Talk of doing this is more, much more, for compensation purposes to Old Trafford.

Sure, a lot of it will be about money and a one off test to resolve a series would likely be anti-climatic but it would still be better if they could resolve it somehow. India have been by far the better team but who knows what would have happened up at Old Trafford in these conditions in September?

As its already happened once in this series its certainly possible that the English seamers just skittle them in twice English conditions.

A test to resolve the series also neatly sidesteps issues of blame and recriminations.

 

[Petcha]

In one respect its down to both England and India to ensure that their squads are kept covid free and have the suitable policies in place to ensure any cases within the squad are quickly contained and these matches go ahead. In this regard India has dropped the ball like an English slip.

This being said I have a huge amount of sympathy for India. They've been in this country for what seems like forever, they have kids at home growing up without their father's. This country is Plague Island and in many ways its amazing they've managed to keep covid at bay this long.

A rescheduled match would seem a good compromise if it can be achieved.

Most of them have their families with them I think, I remember Dinesh Karthik mentioning it. A rescheduled test is a bit absurd as by the time it happens a lot of the personnel will be completely different. A full strength England side with Stokes and Archer is a totally different proposition.

 

[Petcha]

Anyway, there is some international cricket going on at the mo - the final T20 between Ban and NZ. Stream 6.

Cricket Live Stream

Watch Cricket Match

watchcricketmatch.co

 

[skyscraper101]

They should just settle it captain v captain game of Brian Lara Cricket on the Sega Megadrive

 

[Petcha]

This does not bode well for the Ashes either. Aus is not coping too well with Covid themselves. Maybe play it in NZ?

 

[planetgeli]

More broadly, this scenario underlines once again the absurdity of cricket's global schedule. There is simply too much cricket. India have been in England since early June, and the build-up to the World Test Championship final. They are due to embark on the IPL in nine days' time, then the T20 World Cup, then a tour of New Zealand. And England, as we well know from their rest-and-rotation policy, are feeling the strain of constant touring as much as any side. Something has got to give, and the magnitude of this moment brings it all to a head.

Nail, head etc.

Let's not forget England lobbied to pull out of their tour of South Africa.

 

[SpookyFrank]

None of the players have tested positive. They're tested every day. They should be all good to go.

Lancs must be mighty mighty fucked off and should take legal action. I assume a massive wedge of their budget was based around this match.

Not sure who they could sue. I'm whatever deal they made with the ECB/whoever has covid-era get out clauses for situations like this.

 

[RileyOBlimey]

From Dinesh Karthik…

“I spoke to a few of the guys. The general feeling is that, after the fourth Test, the players [said], ‘This is tiring. Almost all of the games have gone to the wire, they’re tired, and they were down to one physio, so they’ve done a lot of work with that man - and now he tests positive. Now that is the problem. If it was somebody else, who worked on logistics or something, they wouldn’t be this afraid. But because it’s the physio, that’s why they got the jitters.

“You also have to understand that straight after this they have the IPL, soon after that the World T20, and soon after that the India series. How many bubbles can they do? They assembled in India on May 16th, which is almost four months ago.” “

Being tired and wanting to put you feet up is no reason to cancel a test. The ECB must force a forfeit of the match. Else what will stop teams pulling this tactic once they’re ahead in a series?

If England wins the first test in Australia and then says “soz babes, we’re totes bushed” and cancels the series expecting 1-0 result. I don’t think so.

 

[Petcha]

From Dinesh Karthik…

“I spoke to a few of the guys. The general feeling is that, after the fourth Test, the players [said], ‘This is tiring. Almost all of the games have gone to the wire, they’re tired, and they were down to one physio, so they’ve done a lot of work with that man - and now he tests positive. Now that is the problem. If it was somebody else, who worked on logistics or something, they wouldn’t be this afraid. But because it’s the physio, that’s why they got the jitters.

“You also have to understand that straight after this they have the IPL, soon after that the World T20, and soon after that the India series. How many bubbles can they do? They assembled in India on May 16th, which is almost four months ago.” “

Being tired and wanting to put you feet up is no reason to cancel a test. The ECB must force a forfeit of the match. Else what will stop teams pulling this tactic once they’re ahead in a series?

If England wins the first test in Australia and then says “soz babes, we’re totes bushed” and cancels the series expecting 1-0 result. I don’t think so.

The whole thing is very dodgy. I don't think anyone seriously believes this bullshit about Covid. None of the pundits on Sky anyway. Virat's probably with his stylist now prepping his beard for the IPL.

£30m quid this costing the ECB apparently