littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
So the sport that was devised for cricketers to play on cricket grounds in the off-season now has a 10-month season so that cricketers cannot play it. Oops.
The Ashes 2010/11
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littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
There's still a massive appetite for it, though. The grounds have been packed so far. If the game is in decline in Australia, there still ought to be ways to turn that round.
I don't agree with you about 2020. Fast bowlers are already opting out of the longer game to concentrate on it. I don't see how that is anything other than a negative development. If it is to thrive, test cricket needs exciting bowlers above all else.
I don't agree with you about 2020. Fast bowlers are already opting out of the longer game to concentrate on it. I don't see how that is anything other than a negative development. If it is to thrive, test cricket needs exciting bowlers above all else.
2020 isn't cricket and nothing about it can possibly be good for cricket.
I don't know what the solution is, but I think the game needs more stories. Take me as a case study: I love test cricket, I love the game and yet I have hardly any interest in county cricket. Why? Because there's no narrative there for me to sink my teeth into.
I don't know what the solution is, but I think the game needs more stories. Take me as a case study: I love test cricket, I love the game and yet I have hardly any interest in county cricket. Why? Because there's no narrative there for me to sink my teeth into.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
I used to follow county cricket quite closely. I don't any more, and looking in on it, it seems much more fragmented than it was – time was that the overseas pro would stay with the same county for years and years. Now they fly in for the odd week or month. And the test players effectively never play for their counties any more. County cricket is diminished by those developments, I think.
That said, I don't doubt that there is a narrative there if you look for it. You just need to look.
That said, I don't doubt that there is a narrative there if you look for it. You just need to look.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
Depends who you support. Plenty of narrative for durham, for notts, for somerset, for yorkshire...
Possibly -- but I think if cricket wants to flourish then they need to find a way of getting it to look for me. And when I say "me", I really mean a target market like me -- people who like cricket in general and test cricket in particular but don't pay much attention to the county game.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
Ha Ha then 
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Yes. When I was a kid, I followed Gloucs, Glamorgan and sometimes Somerset (yes, I effectively supported three teams!). There's precious little narrative at Gloucs now. Certain teams stuck in the second divisions – I'd add Northants and Derby to that, even possibly Middlesex and Leicester – seem to be slowly withering.
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
He's already at the WACA with Troy Cooley, attempting to sort his dodgy action out. I can see the logic.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
All the 'quality' newspapers used to carry full scorecards and reports from county cricket. I don't think any of them do now.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
Hang on, you supported three teams that hate each other!
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
Yep. And I was entirely oblivious to that fact. 
I generally went on closeness to me plus who was their overseas player. I had a soft spot for Derby too because Michael Holding played for them.
Fickle, me.
I generally went on closeness to me plus who was their overseas player. I had a soft spot for Derby too because Michael Holding played for them.
Fickle, me.
strung out
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butchersapron
Bring back hanging
Yes, your brother gave me an earful for pointing this out last night
I understand the logic of him being picked, but shouldnt he have been in the nets with Troy Cooley a little earlier, perhaps when he wasnt picked for the last game?
mattie
missing in inaction
Taunton a bit too much of a trek, sadly they've really reined in the Bath cricket festival in recent years - this was always a good way of opening up the county game to a broader audience, so I'd suggest they've shot themselves in the foot a touch. They had rank luck with weather for a few years, which might have influenced their decision.
Gloucestershire's County Ground not that far. Good for a giggle, watching Solanki and Hick slap 'em about a bit in a few Twenty20s.
Gloucestershire's County Ground not that far. Good for a giggle, watching Solanki and Hick slap 'em about a bit in a few Twenty20s.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
Somerset one of the few to turn a profit last year...i'd like a 5 day bath festival myself, always enjoyed it up there.
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
I can't believe they've picked Beer after just five first-class matches
Yup and he's hardly been pulling up trees in those matches. Honestly is there a slow bowler in oz who hasnt been picked yet? Be wary anyone planning on going on holiday to Australia you may well end up with a baggy green.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
Warne was really pushing for beer. I know zilch about him beyond that.
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
tbf Warne was calling for Beer. He must have something.
Idaho
blah blah blah
He probably called for some chicken in a basket to go with it, but the journos didn't hear that bit.
This seems to be the reason he's been selected, because Warne said they should.
Forget his very average stats, forget the fact he was playing grade cricket up until a couple of months ago, forget the fact he has just been comprehensivly out-bowled by Hauritz, no get him in the squad because Warne likes the look of him.
There has got to be a more coherent selection policy then this? Its like the final test of the last ashes when loads of people were calling for Ramprakash but the English selectors calmly stuck with their plan and selected the the person who statistically most deserved the opportunity, Jonathan Trott, that seemed to work ok.
his 15 ball duck at Brisbane was instructive. He clearly hated being out there. Conclusion: if his head isn't right then his batting goes to shit as well
exactly. Just because Warne thinks he's any good doesn't mean he is. I mean, Botham's never made much sense either
What's this 'narrative' bollocks? There's one at every county side, ongoing every season. Just because you're not interested doesn't mean it isn't there
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
It's a depressing narrative, though. Let's take Northants as an example. Last season we were shit, so we're going to spend what little money we've got on Kolpak players because half a dozen Kolpakers are better value than one star overseas player and five local youngsters.
Then they have a shit year anyway.
Then they have a shit year anyway.
