butchersapron
Bring back hanging
The other one. Actually. I've fucked that right up. Thought you were saying warne (another aussie i hate/love) was planned.
The Ashes 2010/11
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The other one. Actually. I've fucked that right up. Thought you were saying warne (another aussie i hate/love) was planned.
true that. Monty's lack of progress after a good start opened the door for Swann and he was far better placed to take advantage than he was ten years ago. The way in which the selectors have kept faith with many players has made a massive contribution. Even when they've been dropped - Bell for example - it was explicitly to go away, get some form and come back in for another shot. Abandoning the attempts to fiddle with Anderson's action and let him bowl how he wants has paid dividends, identifying the exact players they want and working with them through the Lions, Performance Squad etc. Such a change from chucking someone in for a couple of Tests and then abandoning them again.
Strauss and Flower clearly get on famously, the assistant coaches are all top notch - one of the features of the series so far has been the way in which we've outfielded the Australians. Look at how Anderson has turned himself into probably the best seam bowling fielder in the world. Man management is clearly brilliant now - there are a few egos in that dressing room (KP, Swann, Broad to name three) but the team spirit is clearly awesome and they are all supporting each other. I'm not certain that Ponting has the team he wants and he clearly betrays a lack of faith in his players at times - he obviously doesn't want Hauritz and his body language in the field is awful.
Thought you were saying warne (another aussie i hate/love) was planned.
I know for a fact he wasn't, but Mrs Warne skipped a pill.
pennimania
still dre and drooling
only my second post on this thread - but after 28 years of being addicted to the Ashes I agree with you.
It isn't over till they're on their knees, crying and we have the delectable little urn in our hot sweaty hands.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
I found this while searching for "ponting pratt".
That's a keeper
Paulie Tandoori
shut it you egg!
Nah, fuck him.
wrt the Australian system, it used to be a point of honour that once it became clear a Baggy Green wasn't in the offing for a Shield cricketer, they'd get a proper job and get out of the way. I read something today implying that that is no longer the case and as a result, with only six first class sides, opportunities for young uns are fewer now. O'Keeffe is rated the best spinner in Australia by some but he can't get a game for New South Wales
After the 2006-07 series there was a lot of talk about how the six-team system (and fewer overseas players) meant that their first class cricket was much more competitive than in England. But now it looks like six squads isn't enough of a reserve of players with first class experience.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
That's a good point. Full-time non-international cricketers are a very recent phenomenon in Aus. It's possible to live on a state contract now. It used to just cover your loss of earnings when you were missing work. But if it's your main living, you're bound to be loathe to give it up.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
OT: How many first class side are there in NZ?
pennimania
still dre and drooling
But how easy is it for good young players here to get even practice?
as a secondary school teacher I remember often asking the PE guys about cricket, and was always told that it wasn't a goer. They have to wait too long to 'get a go' . kit issues, other schools in the area not interested etc etc etc.
Is it any easier here at all - the only guy I know who's made it through is someone who's dad was a semi profesional (and coach) for Warwickshire.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Six or eight, I think. They're mostly not full time pros there, I don't think.
Both systems clearly have merit - otherwise all those West Indians and Australians in our county system down the years wouldn't have benefited so much. We've eliminated the lackadaisical 'turn up and hope for the best' attitude from the national side and as a result we're reaping the benfits of having a huge pool of talent in our first class system
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Then again, they used to boast that grade cricket was as good as the English counties. I suspect that is no longer the case.
Once you're signed to a county I think you get a decent enough salary, although I think a lot also do other work out of season.
eta: Article from 2007 reckons a capped county player makes at least £30k: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cr...cricket-wage-scale-less-than-first-class.html
Six - Central Districts, Northern Districts, Otago, Wellington, Auckland, Canterbury
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Most counties employ players all year round now. A capped county pro will be on about 50 grand a year, plus sponsors' cars and other benefits.
It's very different from a generation ago when a lot of county pros signed on in the winter.
I believe Stephen Harmison is the highest-paid county player now. He's on 150k a year.
pennimania
still dre and drooling
of course I understand that
but at a London comprehensive (say) the kids all think the way to the stars is football (soccer) and it's pretty hard to get them to think beyond that. I suspect that it's probably easier for an athletic kid to achieve (and earn money) in cricket ; but you try telling them that!
There's been a lot more of an effort to get it out there - the ECB's Chance to Shine programme is excellent and they've effectively given up on the schools given that school sports are nowhere in many areas. Local clubs have much better youth set ups now and that's where kids are directed once they've had the ECB coaches in their schools etc. Given that there are more registered cricketers in Yorkshire than in the whole of Australia, clearly the club system is the way to go.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
A county professional cricketer will earn about the same as a league 2 footballer.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
It very much depends - summer contracts are still where it's at for young players, then they either find another winter job (sometimes with their county in the office or wherever), play club (or sometimes FC) cricket in Australia, NZ or SA or if they're very promising they'll be off with the Performance Squad somewhere. It's a bit mix and match and many counties are still desperately short of cash and struggle to employ a decent squad all year round
pennimania
still dre and drooling
Hope you're right
but most of the kids I teach - ok I know I'm in Scotland now - but before - soccer was the beginning and the end.
No cricket star has the bezazz that say Beckham ( just to go for the obvious) has.
I find this very sad - but understand this to be the case.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
There was no way I was ever going to be a top-class sportsman of any kind, but I dreamed of being a cricketer when I was a kid. I loved football too, but my heroes were cricketers.
Hope you're right
but most of the kids I teach - ok I know I'm in Scotland now - but before - soccer was the beginning and the end.
No cricket star has the bezazz that say Beckham ( just to go for the obvious) has.
I find this very sad - but understand this to be the case.
Well, that's what every other sport in the country is up against unfortunately. As a nation we still do pretty well at a wide range of them though
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
Twenty20 for this kids is the starting point. Don't split the sexes.
