England Cricket 2021

[RileyOBlimey]

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

As Frank says, everyone knows who won the series.

I appreciate I’m an optimist but which team won the most sessions?

 

[Petcha]

So thousands of people on zero hour contracts have also lost 5 days of work too. Cheers BCCI.

Lancashire braced for 'multimillion pound' losses over Old Trafford Test cancellation

Chief executive says club will need help from ECB after "unprecedented" loss of revenue

www.espncricinfo.com

 

[RileyOBlimey]

So thousands of people on zero hour contracts have also lost 5 days of work too. Cheers BCCI.

Lancashire braced for 'multimillion pound' losses over Old Trafford Test cancellation

Chief executive says club will need help from ECB after "unprecedented" loss of revenue

www.espncricinfo.com

Apparently it was the players who decided not to play…

“Telegraph Sport can reveal the India players sealed the fate of the Test match when they sent a letter to their board just before midnight on Thursday saying they would not play the game over concerns about Covid-19 spreading through the touring party.”

i.e. they fancied resting before the IPL as if they were genuinely concerned about covid they wouldn’t be flying together tomorrow, they’d isolate for the duration of this test.

 

[planetgeli]

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

It's a bit more than that Spy, £30 million more. If India are deemed (by the ICC) to have forfeited the game the ECB can claim on insurance. If not, and it's just deemed as 'abandoned' due to Covid, the ECB is not covered by insurance and will receive nowt. So there are high stakes here.

if they were genuinely concerned about covid they wouldn’t be flying together tomorrow, they’d isolate for the duration of this test.

Well firstly you are being a bit disingenuous. You make it sound like all players will fly together in a tight huddle in cattle class to the UAE on EasyJet. You know this isn't the case. Players from both sides will now be flown on a choice of flights, most likely paid for and arranged by their franchise. In First Class. When they reach the UAE they will be isolating, quarantined, for 6 days. So no need for your fantasy scenario.

Meanwhile, while some here are condemning the nasty brown cheats for effectively fixing a test series rather than realising there has been an actual outbreak of Covid, a disease with quite remarkable transmission rates even under vaccination, I note all of you are conveniently ignoring the fact that Yorkshire CCC has decided this is a fantastic day to bury bad news.

Yorkshire accept Azeem Rafiq was victim of racial harassment and bullying

Yorkshire have accepted Azeem Rafiq was the victim of racial harassment and bullying during his spell at the county

www.theguardian.com

While stopping short of accepting there is institutional racism in Yorkshire CCC because of 'lack of evidence' (I mean, all those Bradford etc Asians in their Asian leagues should have tried harder to integrate themselves into Yorkshire CCC over the last 50 years right?), they have accepted that a cricketer was a victim of racial harassment and bullying. Not that they are going to publish the full report yet. But they did think this was an acceptable day to publish the summary at exactly the same time the cricket news world was dominated by the abandonment of the test series with India.

So do carry on with the sneers and insinuations and direct accusations against an Asian cricket team while that's happening.

As you were.

 

[Petcha]

Meanwhile, while some here are condemning the nasty brown cheats for effectively fixing a test series rather than realising there has been an actual outbreak of Covid, a disease with quite remarkable transmission rates even under vaccination, I note all of you are conveniently ignoring the fact that Yorkshire CCC has decided this is a fantastic day to bury bad news.

What on earth does the colour of the Indians' skin have to do with anything?

 

[Petcha]

The only two high profile Indian cricketers (Karthik and Gavaskar) to have spoken to the media have both inferred they've dropped out because they're exhausted, not Covid. Otherwise all the usually very verbose tweeters amongst the team have all gone mysteriously quiet.

 

[paulhackett]

What on earth does the colour of the Indians' skin have to do with anything?

There's some good pieces on this. Historically and today. But it's also glossed over. Am reminded of Mike Marquesee's book Anyone but England: Cricket, Race and Class, on the England Pakistan Test in 1992, "The Mirror did not report that a small group of English fans had thrown a mutilated pig's head into an enclave of Pakistani supporters". Relevance today is one of the players who was abused at Yorkshire as mentioned in Rafiq's case would also have been playing today (Pujara).

 

[planetgeli]

What on earth does the colour of the Indians' skin have to do with anything?

Your attitude?

In this post,

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

You even quote a post that quotes Karthik. The first thing Karthik says in that quote is,

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

And yet you completely ignore that with,

The whole thing is dodgy. I don't think anyone seriously believes this bullshit about Covid...Virat's probably at his stylists now

"Whole thing" "Dodgy" "Bullshit"

Even when you've quoted something that directly contradicts what you are saying. Dodgy. Bullshit. Followed by a direct slur on the Indian captain's character.

Yeah. No dodgy bullshit about what you're saying is there?

Others have deemed it's the IPL in Indians minds. Even when ECB boss Harrison has directly said,

"Let me be super clear," Harrison said. "I don't think the IPL has anything to do with this. This is not a situation which has been created by the rescheduled IPL. I fundamentally do not believe that for a second."

And then you continue to use Karthik to back up your own bullshit, saying he's inferred (I think you mean implied, but whatever) they've dropped out through exhaustion, not Covid. Even when you've quoted something by Karthik that directly says otherwise.

Because it was the physio, that's why they've got the jitters

Have a look at your own language, your own twisted logic. Where has that come from?

And you're not even the worst.

 

[Petcha]

I'm half Indian. You fucking idiot.

 

[Petcha]

Even many Indian fans are saying this is dodgy as fuck. It's not racist to point out the fairly large fucking elephant in the room, which is that IPL is starting four days after this test was due to end. Shastri attending that party and infecting his physio simply threw up a very nice opportunity thank you very much for a couple of days rest before bish bash bosh in the UAE. There was no risk to the players. All those in the backroom staff who had tested positive were/are quarantining. All of the 25 playing staff tested negative, but India 'couldn't field a team'. Wake up sunshine.

 

[RileyOBlimey]

It's a bit more than that Spy, £30 million more. If India are deemed (by the ICC) to have forfeited the game the ECB can claim on insurance. If not, and it's just deemed as 'abandoned' due to Covid, the ECB is not covered by insurance and will receive nowt. So there are high stakes here.


Well firstly you are being a bit disingenuous. You make it sound like all players will fly together in a tight huddle in cattle class to the UAE on EasyJet. You know this isn't the case. Players from both sides will now be flown on a choice of flights, most likely paid for and arranged by their franchise. In First Class. When they reach the UAE they will be isolating, quarantined, for 6 days. So no need for your fantasy scenario.

Meanwhile, while some here are condemning the nasty brown cheats for effectively fixing a test series rather than realising there has been an actual outbreak of Covid, a disease with quite remarkable transmission rates even under vaccination, I note all of you are conveniently ignoring the fact that Yorkshire CCC has decided this is a fantastic day to bury bad news.

Yorkshire accept Azeem Rafiq was victim of racial harassment and bullying

Yorkshire have accepted Azeem Rafiq was the victim of racial harassment and bullying during his spell at the county

www.theguardian.com

While stopping short of accepting there is institutional racism in Yorkshire CCC because of 'lack of evidence' (I mean, all those Bradford etc Asians in their Asian leagues should have tried harder to integrate themselves into Yorkshire CCC over the last 50 years right?), they have accepted that a cricketer was a victim of racial harassment and bullying. Not that they are going to publish the full report yet. But they did think this was an acceptable day to publish the summary at exactly the same time the cricket news world was dominated by the abandonment of the test series with India.

So do carry on with the sneers and insinuations and direct accusations against an Asian cricket team while that's happening.

As you were.

Accusing someone of racism without evidence is a cunt’s trick. Back it up or take it back.

 

[paulhackett]

Bairstow, Malan & Woakes reportedly withdrawn from IPL

 

[paulhackett]

Accusing someone of racism without evidence is a cunt’s trick. Back it up or take it back.

Not sure anyone is accusing anyone of anything - more there's an urging of caution in the way I/you/they/we tackle the subject.

 

[Cerberus]

I’ve been waiting for this to unfold before posting or jumping to any clear conclusions.

However, seeing as we are amongst friends (!) I can say that my brother and I suspected something might be up when the initial news of a Covid outbreak within the Indian camp first emerged. We discussed the prospect of India going 2-1 up then citing Covid to get the 5th test annulled/cancelled/ postponed. I think we were just entertaining a conspiracy theory (harmlessly between the two of us) because we both thought India had been the better side and would probably go in to win 3-1 or 2-1 (with the Manchester weather).

The dots we didn’t really connect this time last week were those related to the IPL. It had passed us both by that the BCCI had sought to shorten the series in order to accommodate the IPL. As has been alluded to above there are plenty of pundits and journalists (across the international spectrum) repeating the claims that India are (with some justification) knackered and wanting some R&R prior to the IPL then WT20. They could’ve fielded a team - and their strongest one at that (though probably still no R Ashwin ). They also have the awkward question of Kohli’s very public book launch this week to explain…

While the ECB (& ACB)are examples of bumbling incompetence combined with corporate greed, it would appear that the BCCI is the greatest threat to the game in its entirety and test cricket specifically. And people should feel able to voice these concerns without being labelled.

 

[planetgeli]

Accusing someone of racism without evidence is a cunt’s trick. Back it up or take it back.

I've accused nobody of anything. This

Not sure anyone is accusing anyone of anything - more there's an urging of caution in the way I/you/they/we tackle the subject.

is what I was aiming at.

Meanwhile, on the Hundred thread, you were happily throwing the word bigot around at everyone who didn't agree with you.

And you're calling me a cunt?

Have a word with yourself.

 

[planetgeli]

Some went for the Indian Premier League, which starts up in nine days’ time. According to reports, in Indian team meetings the night before the match several of the players said that they were worried that if the outbreak spread it would affect their participation in the tournament.

Well, yes. Like it or not, the IPL has more viewers than there are people in this country, and makes more money in seven weeks than the entirety of English cricket does in a year. To be blunt, the question isn’t whether the tournament is beginning to eclipse Test cricket, but why it hasn’t already done so.

Since we’re asking, a large part of the answer is because the Indian team haven’t allowed it to. If you doubt their commitment to Test cricket, then you can’t have been watching too closely these last few weeks. They’ve already played more Tests in the last 12 months than any other team, and will have played away series in Australia, England, and South Africa by the time the year is over. It wasn’t long ago that Virat Kohli was asking for more, calling for the World Test Championship final to be a best-of-three series. Right now, India are one of the teams who are propping up the format, not trying to polish it off.

Others went after the Indian coach, Ravi Shastri, who was singled out because he’d thrown a party a fortnight ago that may, or may not, have been the source of the outbreak. If it can be proven, Shastri will have to answer to the BCCI for it. But there was a lot of grumbling generally about the Indian players’ lax interpretation of their guidelines, presumably from people who have, just like everyone else in this country, been following them with monkish devotion for the last few months. Take a look around.

So the blame game begins, but are India really the right target for your anger? | Andy Bull

Virat Kohli’s side have been propping up Test cricket and it is unfair to hold them responsible for nonevents at Old Trafford

www.theguardian.com

 

[RileyOBlimey]

Bairstow, Malan & Woakes reportedly withdrawn from IPL

“Meanwhile, while some here are condemning the nasty brown cheats for effectively fixing a test series”

 

[RileyOBlimey]

Not sure anyone is accusing anyone of anything - more there's an urging of caution in the way I/you/they/we tackle the subject.

“Meanwhile, while some here are condemning the nasty brown cheats for effectively fixing a test series”

That’s the unfounded accusation of racism.

 

[paulhackett]

“Meanwhile, while some here are condemning the nasty brown cheats for effectively fixing a test series”

That’s the unfounded accusation of racism.

I'm not sure why you're quoting someone else's post to me twice rather than their post agreeing they're not looking to accuse anyone of anything?

Reminds me of playing league cricket.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Accusing someone of racism without evidence is a cunt’s trick. Back it up or take it back.

Unlike calling someone a bigot for not liking the Hundred then.

 

[RileyOBlimey]

Unlike calling someone a bigot for not liking the Hundred then.

Don’t be disingenuous. My solid point was a number of people dismissing the Hundred as no different as T20 is rooted in underlying bigotry as it totally ignores the audience it’s actively inclusive of.

 

[Petcha]

I’ve been waiting for this to unfold before posting or jumping to any clear conclusions.

However, seeing as we are amongst friends (!) I can say that my brother and I suspected something might be up when the initial news of a Covid outbreak within the Indian camp first emerged. We discussed the prospect of India going 2-1 up then citing Covid to get the 5th test annulled/cancelled/ postponed. I think we were just entertaining a conspiracy theory (harmlessly between the two of us) because we both thought India had been the better side and would probably go in to win 3-1 or 2-1 (with the Manchester weather).

The dots we didn’t really connect this time last week were those related to the IPL. It had passed us both by that the BCCI had sought to shorten the series in order to accommodate the IPL. As has been alluded to above there are plenty of pundits and journalists (across the international spectrum) repeating the claims that India are (with some justification) knackered and wanting some R&R prior to the IPL then WT20. They could’ve fielded a team - and their strongest one at that (though probably still no R Ashwin ). They also have the awkward question of Kohli’s very public book launch this week to explain…

While the ECB (& ACB)are examples of bumbling incompetence combined with corporate greed, it would appear that the BCCI is the greatest threat to the game in its entirety and test cricket specifically. And people should feel able to voice these concerns without being labelled.

Yes, I would agree. And it's very sad to see. Test cricket is really only massively profitable in this country though so you can see where they're coming from, from a purely business perspective. This latest move though is unbelievably cynical. Their players all arrived last night in Dubai for a bit of sunshine before raking in their millions when they should have been shivering in Manchester while Root battles to save the series for his team.

Refusing to forfeit the match really pushes it out though. Still - they run the sport these days, let's face it.

 

[RileyOBlimey]

“It has emerged in recent days that all players heading to the IPL (which resumes on September 19) would be required to undergo six days of quarantine. This may well have been a contributory factor in the abandonment of the Manchester Test.”

Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes, Dawid Malan join Jos Buttler in pulling out of IPL

Markram replaces Malan, Rutherford replaces Bairstow as bubble fatigue, demanding winter prompt English withdrawals

www.espncricinfo.com

 

[RileyOBlimey]

It’s alleged some of the England team may opt to play just 3 Ashes tests. Also, a 30 man squad will be take to Oz to prevent the usual shenanigans of giving poor opposition to prepare for the series.

 

[RileyOBlimey]

Tim Paine who is going under the knife and is aged 36 will be captaining during the Ashes even though he’s a shite batter.

Whereas, another 36 year old made this score in the last few days…

 

[paulhackett]

(I suspect I'm the saddest person here but..) picked up a copy of Andy Zaltzman's commentators crib sheet this week. I'm not sure there's enough information on it?!

 

[RileyOBlimey]

(I suspect I'm the saddest person here but..) picked up a copy of Andy Zaltzman's commentators crib sheet this week. I'm not sure there's enough information on it?!

The win loss ratio for Curran is curious.

 

[Badgers]

 

[a_chap]

Six or out?

Have you ever seen a stranger six?

Kent Spirtfires' Jordan Cox catches Will Smeed on the boundary but collides with team-mate Daniel Bell-Drummond, leading to the umpire awarding a six for Somerset's Smeed.

www.bbc.co.uk

What do you think of the decision they reached?

Me, I think it's out.

 

[brogdale]

Six or out?

Have you ever seen a stranger six?

Kent Spirtfires' Jordan Cox catches Will Smeed on the boundary but collides with team-mate Daniel Bell-Drummond, leading to the umpire awarding a six for Somerset's Smeed.

www.bbc.co.uk

What do you think of the decision they reached?

Me, I think it's out.

Clearly out; the catch was completed before the contact with DBD.

As it happened, it didn't matter as Kent were far too good for Somerset.