The Cricket Thread

[MariborKev]

Anyone watching the end of the 3rd Test?

Squeaky bum time for England, 290/9 two overs left to bat out with Swann and Onions at the crease.

Bell and Collingwood did brilliantly today.

[WindmillWarrior]

Watched the text updates on BBC. Unreal stuff!!

[MariborKev]

Aye, fair play to Onions I thought it was all over when he was at the crease.

[OwlsFan]

Watched the text updates on BBC. Unreal stuff!!

Did the same myself. Waited for each update with heart in the mouth. Great stuff. I believe cricket is the only support where I support England :eek: England are famous for their collapses and sure enough, it happened.

Sport at its best.

[MariborKev]

And people say a draw after five days is boring.

Great work by Bell whereas once again KP fails to deliver.

[endabob1]

I went to the first day and have followed the series, England have basically been outplayed in 2 of 3 tests and somehow have clung on for draws, where as the 1 game they were on top they were completely clinical.
It's been a great series so far, Test Cricket Rules!

[WindmillWarrior]

England have basically been outplayed in 2 of 3 tests and somehow have clung on for draws, where as the 1 game they were on top they were completely clinical.


Sounds a bit like the ashes that doesnt it!

[BobtheDrog]

Under 19's have beaten the first and third string University of New South Wales teams in warm up games for the world cup

[OwlsFan]

And people say a draw after five days is boring.

Great work by Bell whereas once again KP fails to deliver.

I was surprised that Bell had been selected and was disappointed that Morgan didn't get a run. Bell had been like Lazarus - rising from the dead on numerous occasions. Looks like he'll be alive for a while yet. Not sure where this leaves Morgan.

[BobtheDrog]

I reckon Eoin might go to Bangladesh, England have been hinting that they're going to rest a few players on that tour, on a club note OwlsFan it's a shame to see you guys dropping down to three teams for next season

[OwlsFan]

On a club note OwlsFan it's a shame to see you guys dropping down to three teams for next season

The 4th team hadn't been around that long and with a lot of the "foreigners" going home due to the economic climate, a 4th team was never on this year.

[MariborKev]

Day 1: England skittled for 180.

Once again KP is a shining light ......

[TheBoss]

The Ireland Under-19s put up a score 216/6 in their innings against South Africa Under-19s in the Under-19 World Cup.

[MariborKev]

Lost by 5 wickets.

Good performance from Stirling though.

[TheBoss]

Ireland need to chase 275 to win v Australia, a real tough ask for them to cause a major shock.

[BobtheDrog]

very disappointing for them they were all out for 65

[OwlsFan]

Day 1: England skittled for 180.

Once again KP is a shining light ......

Lucky to tie the series really as SA were the better side in 3 of the 4 games. England hopeless this am, Collingwood apart.

[TheBoss]

U-19s have bowled the USA for 217 after 47 overs, you would expect them to get that total.

[gspain]

U-19s have bowled the USA for 217 after 47 overs, you would expect them to get that total.

They did in 43.5 overs with 5 wickets in hand. Well done the Irish U19s.

[endabob1]

Lucky to tie the series really as SA were the better side in 3 of the 4 games. England hopeless this am, Collingwood apart.

Or an alternate view is that England were more clinical in the one game they did dominate and more dogged than SA by holding out for 2 unlikely draws in test matches that SA should really have won.

The form of KP will be the big concern for England

[osarusan]

The form of KP will be the big concern for England
Not just Pietersen.

Over four test matches, they batted seven times, and only scored two centuries and eleven half centuries.

Strauss got only one half century, and was out for single figure scores three times in the series. Trott also scored over 50 only once.

Proir scored over 50 twice but was out for less than ten on three or four occasions, if I remember correctly. Bell was out for single scores three innings out of seven, despite some verygood scores in other tests.

Their batting is weak in general.

[MariborKev]

Looks like we will struggle to get 20 points against the Afghans. Both sides made over 400 on what appears a very placid pitch.

Ireland 39/0 at stumps on day three.

[OwlsFan]

I see Afridi yesterday got hungry and decided to eat the ball!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAuElcY3gfg

[TheBoss]

ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers begin on Tuesday morning, Ireland playing Afghanistan @ 08.00

[osarusan]

Afghanistan beat Ireland by 13 runs.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/shared/fds/hi/statistics/cricket/scorecards/2010/2/85752/html/scorecard.stm


Afghanistan Innings
139 for 8 (20.0 overs)

Ireland Innings
126 all out (19.2 overs)

[TheBoss]

Not a bad way to get over that defeat;

Ireland 202/4 (20/20 ov);
United States of America 124/6 (20/20 ov)

Virtually through to Super 4s, unless USA beat the Afghans.

[passinginterest]

Ireland through to the Super 4's with game almost wrapped up against Scotland. Even if the Scots manage an unbelievable win Ireland will go through as a result of better run rate.

[TheBoss]

Can Ireland beat UAE and Netherlands to go through the World Cup ?, they have to win both games to get there

[TheBoss]

Ireland 152/7 (20/20 ov)
United Arab Emirates 130 (19.1/20 ov)


Winner takes all game now between Ireland and Netherlands.

[TheBoss]

Ireland 151/6 (20/20 ov)

Netherlands currently 66-7 12.3 ov

Looks nailed on for qualification.

[TheBoss]

Ireland 151/6 (20/20 ov)
Netherlands 86 (15.3/20 ov)

Ireland v Afghanistan in Final to determine what group each team goes into.

[rebelarmyexile]

Excellent win yesterday, Windies here we come.

[OwlsFan]

Morgan the only person to score one day tons for two separate countries. Saw his innings on Sky. Great knock.

[TheBoss]

T20 Warmup games start today v New Zealand @ 17:30.

[razor]

New Cricket Ireland merchandise here. (http://www.cricketireland.kukrisports.com)

[MariborKev]

Here we go then!

Form has been more than scratchy in the warm up, be happy to be competitive against the big sides. On Sky Sports now

[holidaysong]

Real chance of winning this..

[holidaysong]

I think I spoke too soon. We're kind of taking our foot off the gas a bit too much..

[MariborKev]

Aye,

We're in with a shout here. Two costly overs from Big Bad Boyd and the T-Bird at the end there might have pushed it beyond us. C'mon Ireland!

[Mr A]

That's not the best start..

[MariborKev]

Hopes dashed!

[Mr A]

Sweet Jebus, this is going horribly wrong.

[Mr A]

Salvation?


A quick perusal of the rules indicates that each side must have faced (or had the opportunity to face) five overs in order for it to constitute a match. Tony Cozier on TMS says the rain has subsided slightly but it's still drizzling.

[MariborKev]

Naw,

Covers off! Back into the lion's den. Play starts at twenty past.

[Mr A]

Sure they're saving themselves for the England game really.

[TheBoss]

I think the start is too poor a platform to win this game.

[outspoken]

Blew it VS the Windies , bowling and fielding was good , battingf was attrioucios

[ForzaForth]

Ireland out of twenty twenty after match against England was rained off. Did very well to restrict England to 120-8 on helpful pitch with Eoin Morgan top-scoring for England with 45. Ireland on 14-1 after 3.3 overs and did not constitute a match. So England went through on better scoring rate against Windies.

Mike Atherton reckoned we would be gutted to see Morgan doing so well against us. Can't blame Morgan for switching in my view.

[TheBoss]

Mike Atherton reckoned we would be gutted to see Morgan doing so well against us. Can't blame Morgan for switching in my view.


You can, he switched over in order to gain more money for himself rather than play for the nation that trained him, coached him, made him become an international for his country. Where would he be if there was no Ireland cricket team, he is spitting in the face of Irish cricket, how is this a good example to young players in Ireland when your best players change allegiance. If he never played for Ireland, I could accept more, but the fact is, he played for Ireland. When he was growing up, did he want to play for England, I think not. On his basis, he should be supporting England in other sports now, since he proved that he is no Irish man.

To the game itself, just a complete shambles from the ICC to hold a World Cup in a venue that is currently in the monsoon season, it makes no sense, I think the high authorities just wanted a free holiday in the West Indies, the logistics of playing there has no basis whatsoever. But the game earlier in the day had rain problems, the forecast was rain and yet they still start a match with the 20 overs ? Why didn't reduce the the match to 10 overs a side, cause we all knew the rain was coming.

[Rant over :D]

[endabob1]

You can, he switched over in order to gain more money for himself rather than play for the nation that trained him, coached him, made him become an international for his country. Where would he be if there was no Ireland cricket team, he is spitting in the face of Irish cricket, how is this a good example to young players in Ireland when your best players change allegiance. If he never played for Ireland, I could accept more, but the fact is, he played for Ireland. When he was growing up, did he want to play for England, I think not. On his basis, he should be supporting England in other sports now, since he proved that he is no Irish man.

I think that's harsh, if he wants to pay test cricket and therefore play the game at the highest level, he can only currently do so for England. It's something the ICC needs to look at closely and quickly because we've now lost Joyce & Morgan and the ICC aren't doing enough in my opinion to develop the game outside the traditional test countries. Ireland have been the most consistent performers of the associate nations over the last few years and our reward is to have our best players poached.
One of 2 things should happen, a second tier test status needs to be evolved, where countries like us, Bangladesh, Zim and I guess the other better associate nations can play competitive test matches with a view to promotion to full test status. I know Bangladesh have current full test stats & Zim have had in the past but they are way below the proper test sides.
The other alternative is to allow players like Morgan & Joyce to continue playing 1 day & T20 cricket for Ireland while playing test matches for England. I'm not sure how well this would work in practice though because the tours tend to bring the same or similar squads for the 1day/T20 & Test Series.


To the game itself, just a complete shambles from the ICC to hold a World Cup in a venue that is currently in the monsoon season, it makes no sense, I think the high authorities just wanted a free holiday in the West Indies, the logistics of playing there has no basis whatsoever. But the game earlier in the day had rain problems, the forecast was rain and yet they still start a match with the 20 overs ? Why didn't reduce the the match to 10 overs a side, cause we all knew the rain was coming.

[Rant over :D]

Agreed 100% a complete shambles, rain was coming play 10 overs each, make a fair game of it, it's a simple call, especially in a situation where it's basically a knock out game. To f-k up once like they did for the England WIndies game was bad enough but to compound it the very next day is just farcical.