Idle cricket musing

[Brendan]

On balance I think the South Africans are pretty happy Kevin Pietersen didn't end up a Protea.

[Loz]

I know it's not been a great series for you lot, but that must have hurt.

Second amazing Faulkner innings I've had the pleasure to have watched. The guy is perfect for last minute power hitting.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

All I could think about in the wee, small hours when I was drifting off to sleep, was how annoying the Australian commentators were. It's bad enough with the inflection at the end of every phrase/sentence but I guess that is the accent.

What was really peeve-inducing was the constant use of nicknames and acronyms. How hard is it to say Allan Border rather than AB? And when there is a standard acronym with some longevity behind it, namely LBW, they say "leg before"; not "leg before wicket", but "leg before". Churlish, I know, but I'm in a bad mood.

And yes, bloody well-played Faulkner.

[????]

Mmmm, Petersen.....the farce goes on. I presume cook said it's me or him.....either that or Brendan's done something

[Otta]

Very stange the way this has been done. Captain or not, no player should have a say in whether another player should play or not. I don't like the whole board of selecters thing either, they should just pay a coach to pick his team and get on with it.

I do think KP is a knob though.

[DaveR]

"Captain or not, no player should have a say in whether another player should play or not"

I would agree with this in football, but in Test cricket the captain has to make a lot of tactical decisions so I think he should have a say.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I don't really do maths, but this is incredible. Respect to batsmen!

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/feb/18/the-spin-south-africa-australia-mitchell-johnson-speed

[david_carnell]

Wow. That is fast. Almost makes me feel some sympathy for Piers Morgan in facing Brett Lee. Almost.

[????]

oh........Dear.....

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I'm giving up gin in protest.

Well, maybe not.

[Loz]

With the Aussies going out early, it's nice of England to cheer me up a little with that inept performance.

[maxxi]

BOLS!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Bet he's got a sore head this morning.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jun/10/somerset-sussex-county-championship-match-report

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I love cricket. Great to see Sri Lankan players shaking Joe Root's hand after his 200. Proper gents.

[david_carnell]

A cracking innings.

Not bad from Moeen Ali either. Prior goes some way to redeeming himself and holding of Buttler.

A hilarious swipe from Broad too. Watch the highlights tonight - he's out there swinging at everything. A handy 49.

[Loz]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

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> I love cricket. Great to see Sri Lankan players

> shaking Joe Root's hand after his 200. Proper gents.

Especially after all the hoo-har about the mankading incident. That was ridiculous - there should be more mankading in the game as far as I'm concerned.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I'm not entirely comfortable with mankading, but the lad was warned apparently.

Jonathan Agnew article on it was interesting, he reckons the umpire should apply a five run fine rather than the bowler being allowed to run batsman out. He also said:

"What I will say in balance is that Joe Root stood his ground when he knew full well he had been caught behind by Kumar Sangakkara off a huge glove.

He decided to stand there and hope he got away with it, eventually being given out following a successful Sri Lanka review. It's difficult to take the moral high-ground on a spirit of the game issue when your team has done that just a couple of hours earlier."

edited for split infinitive (grammar not good with a hangover)

[Loz]

Why just mankading? Why not apply a five run penalty for stumpings/run outs? After all, a mankad is just the stumping or run out of the non-striker.

I really don't get the difference.

[maxxi]

I remember that Bodyline tv series where they showed Jardine doing it earlier in his career - just to show what kind of a bounder he is. I think a dismissal is more than fair after Buttler was repeatedly warned; he is, after all, trying to gain an unfair advantage - like a pitcher throwing to base when a batter (sic) tries to take a lead from one base to another; the batter/batsman has to learn to 'watch it' that' all.

[Loz]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

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> edited for split infinitive

Ironically, another entirely unnecessary convention!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

So is drinking to excess - I like being conventional.

[david_carnell]

Ooh - this could be close actually. Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy is echoing around the ground as the Lancastrian is making the ball move around like it's on a string.

Jaya stands between us and victory I reckon. Get him and the rest will tumble.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Well that was a little bit exciting.

My heart says don't bowl bouncers at tail enders, it's not fair. My head says annihilate them.

[maxxi]

Blowers had me convinced he'd gone on the second to last ball - exciting but oh, for a class spinner.

[Loz]

Cook to Warne: You've won.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/current/story/753843.html

I know Warnie is a PITA, but he's right: Cook is a boring and negative captain.