Idle cricket musing

[Alan Medic]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Anybody else notice Flock & Herd had a mention in

> dispatches in the Guardian's OBO?

No, but I did notice that Lillie and Thomson had a mention in a number of dispatches about their antics in the Gabba, many moons ago ☺

[maxxi]

Brilliant - didn't think he'd get there when it started raining this morning but a fantastic achievement by JA. The stats (the thousands of balls bowled at that pace, the number of tests etc) are so impressive when you think of how many fast bowlers break down.

[malumbu]

Didn't realise that the BEEB was showing live cricket. Went looking for the highlights and found the whole match on i-player. Meant to flick through it but ended up watching the whole of the Pakistan innings. It was an amazing pleasure and hadn't realised how much I'd missed it on terrestrial. Will watch the England innings tomorrow - I do know the result sadly. Cricket is so much more watchable in empty grounds than footy

[maxxi]

What a finish. If you're a cricket fan at all try and catch the highlights later tonight. (Good to see the Aussies back).

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Bad play stops light?

[malumbu]

Any ideas if there will be tickets for day 5 on the day? This no longer will be a quick England victory and is likely to be a hard struggle for a draw. I doubt if we have the fire power to score 300 plus.

It used to be nice going down for the fifth day, paying a few quid and enjoying the much less corporate environment. The Oval started selling tickets for the fifth day in the 00s but I am sure other test grounds may still do this.

The ticket office showed all five days sold out, with tickets on those shiiity resale sites for about ?300 but I see quite a few small clumps of empty seats in the ground when watching the highlights.

In the 90s I'd go over on spec and get a freebie from someone leaving for the final session but doubt if this happens any more. I've also paid properly through the ticket office over the years, so not a total scrounger!

[TheCat]

malumbu Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------.

>

> In the 90s I'd go over on spec and get a freebie

> from someone leaving for the final session but

> doubt if this happens any more. I've also paid

> properly through the ticket office over the years,

> so not a total scrounger!

I didn't think England made it to the fifth day for most of the 90's.....

[Alan Medic]

TheCat Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> malumbu Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----.

> >

> > In the 90s I'd go over on spec and get a

> freebie

> > from someone leaving for the final session but

> > doubt if this happens any more. I've also paid

> > properly through the ticket office over the

> years,

> > so not a total scrounger!

>

> I didn't think England made it to the fifth day

> for most of the 90's.....

Maybe that's why it was easier to get in?

I was only ever at the Oval once. The Saturday of the 1985 Ashes series. I got in because my nephew was one of the rugby playing kids from his school, employed to tackle anyone from the crowd who went on to the pitch. It rained most of the day and I got pi**ed.

[malumbu]

Did get in today, a few tickets went of resale, had an excellent seat, dead excited but now totally deflated at the nature of the defeat. I'm normally more philosophical about cricket but had anticipated a great escape...

Good that they played that wonderful socialist anthem Jerusalem though.

[TheCat]

RIP Shane Warne

[JohnL]

Awful - he just dominated matches in my youth RIP

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Nice to see this on the Guardian OBO:

The players link arms for the anthems. They?re all in black armbands in memory of the two late greats, Rod Marsh and Shane Warne. It?s good to see, but an even better tribute to Warne would have been to pick a leg-spinner on this bare surface. He advised England to pick Matt Parkinson in Brisbane, and was rather proved right by what happened to Jack Leach there.

Not so nice to see England are 17 for 2 after five seconds.

I can't seem to find TMS commentary - can anyone advise? (I don't have BT Sport)

[diable rouge]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I can't seem to find TMS commentary - can anyone

> advise? (I don't have BT Sport)

Exclusive radio rights may have gone to another broadcaster, have you tried TalkSport2?...

[diable rouge]

Just checked, it is indeed exclusive on TS2... https://talksport.com/sport/cricket/

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Thanks, RD.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Shame they didn't quite reach 500.  Will England declare overnight?

[David Peckham]

Great finish to today, true Test cricket.

India had the chance to kill it off a couple of times, but Carse and Tongue looked far better than I was expecting in a Test situation over the last few days.

Still hoping for Jofra and Woody to be back for a couple games each. 

PGC, do you reckon this 'Anderson -Tendulkar' series could make Tests a bit more interesting to the wider word?

There's still Birmingham, north London, Manchester and south London to go.

It's never going to be 'The Ashes', but as a five game series, I genuinely think this might get people a bit more involved.

 

Edited June 24 by David Peckham

[malumbu]

I can do the research but are more people watching cricket on TV now it went to the higher bidder or in 05 when it was on Channel 4?  I think that less kids are into cricket since it went off terrestrial.  I suppose I should have had TMS on.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

"PGC, do you reckon this 'Anderson -Tendulkar' series could make Tests a bit more interesting to the wider word?"

Alas no. Until it comes back to terrestial telly, I think it will always suffer from elitism(?).  Excepting The Guardian, cricket is barely mentioned in other press.

I am fortunate in that my daughter has just added me to her subscription on NOW TV. It has been great to watch this test; it really could have gone either way, eariler in the day, which always makes it more exciting.

The only bugbear is that I am a TMS afficianado, and they are about eight deliveries ahead of the tv!

I thought Tongue was excellent in mopping up the tailenders, and Duckett was a delight to watch.

Bumrah and Jadeja were brilliant to see. I'm sure the Edgbaston crowd will have tremendous supporters for both sides.

PS: I don't think Jofra will be back on the strength of one county wicket.

[David Peckham]

I think you're right that less young people are getting involved since cricket came off terrestrial TV. It's played at a lot less state schools now as well.

(Edited, as my previous reply was about something completely different. I may have been celebrating the win a little too much when I posted it.)

Sorry, cross-post.

I was replying to Malumbu.

Give me a minute, if you will.

On 24/06/2025 at 23:52, Peckhamgatecrasher said:

"PGC, do you reckon this 'Anderson -Tendulkar' series could make Tests a bit more interesting to the wider word?"

Alas no. Until it comes back to terrestial telly, I think it will always suffer from elitism(?).  Excepting The Guardian, cricket is barely mentioned in other press.

I am fortunate in that my daughter has just added me to her subscription on NOW TV. It has been great to watch this test; it really could have gone either way, eariler in the day, which always makes it more exciting.

The only bugbear is that I am a TMS afficianado, and they are about eight deliveries ahead of the tv!

I thought Tongue was excellent in mopping up the tailenders, and Duckett was a delight to watch.

Bumrah and Jadeja were brilliant to see. I'm sure the Edgbaston crowd will have tremendous supporters for both sides.

PS: I don't think Jofra will be back on the strength of one county wicket.

I listened to the first two sessions (today) on TMS and popped down to the pub for the evening one.

 

I do miss the days of Peter West, Richie Benaud and Tom Graveney on BBC2.

 

But, the BBC are at least putting on 'Today At The Test' on at around 7pm instead of after midnight.

 

And it was on the 10pm news.

 

 

 

Edited June 26 by David Peckham
Guinness

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Well, what do I know?

Jofra Archer is in the squad!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Bloody hell, this is exciting.

I take back everything I said about Archer!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I have tickets for tomorrow.  I'm off to do a rain dance.

[David Peckham]

You clearly have a 'Thing' - a 'Shining', if one will.

What was your secret move?

Arapahoe, Mohawk or Huron?

Is there a dance you can do that means that you get to see a result, but can still be recompensed for seeing under 20 overs?

Then spend the cash and the rest of the day outside The Prince of Wales in Cleaver Square playing boules, followed by a chicken Madras at the Kennington Tandoori or Gandhi's and the 185 or 36 home?

The Algonquin may have something close.

 

Edited August 3 by David Peckham
Guinness

[malumbu]

Well that was a surprise, a few spots of rain around here but heavy downpour over Kensington.

I'll be in the Queen Ann in Vauxhall Pleasure gardens for an early lunch I expect.  Looks like an exciting end to a great series 

Back to politics, sad to see the Tour de France off terrestrial telly.  Whilst we can't protect a French competition so sad we lost free to air test cricket.  But even then commentary on TMS is superior yo Sky.