The Cricket Thread

[Ankit 3,176]

@Ankit, were you old enough to see this live?

It didn't work out too well for Aamir but it takes a lot of guts to taunt an Indian bowler in his home stadium. It was utter idiocy from Aamir's part though, he should have either kept his mouth shut or blocked that ball instead of trying to smash him. When you're 1/113 and scoring at 7 runs per over and only need 288 to win, you can't do things like that.

Oh yes i was old enough to be alive in 1996 and understand cricket, probably witnessed one of the most amazing cricketing duels in the history of the ODIs. Aamir sohail was in top form along with Saed Anwar and the two had put in close to 100 runs for a second wicket partnership. Sohail took off on Prasad and clobbered him for a four. And then pointedly suggested to him ” Dude, this is where i will hit the ball” . My blood was boiling. Really boiling. I so wanted Prasad to bowl him but never ever expected him to do just that. and then he gave him a send-off ("Go home, you f****** bastard"). Ah there was an eruption of joy everywhere around my neighborhood. To be honest, it was quite stupid of Aamir to do that. They were well on course to beating us and then he got just a bit over excited and you don't do that when you are playing your Arch rival in his home ground. The best part about it is even today if somebody's mentions that incident to Sohail, he just looses it. He doesn't like it one bit.

[Ankit 3,176]

I just wish Batsmen would really have a go in the powerplay. New ball, old ball, rain, sun, wind, swing, reverse swing, cross seam, up seam, shiny whatever. It's a ball, the field is up, hit it!! .

I would like to differ with you on that point. You are just disregarding bowlers as if they are here just to concede runs. They are not. The bowlers have become very intelligent now. Most of them now know how to bowl to their respective Field settings. They mix it up brilliantly which didn't happen about 3 years back. Its not that easy to hit them even if the field is up.

Also it all depends on the Batsman, if both of them are well settled they will definately score in the Powerplay but if they are new to crease , it is better to resist the temptations in Power play. A team would look really stupid if they were ,say 187-3 in 34 overs when Fielding captain takes the PP. Now If there is a new pair batting, and you ask them to slog, they will get out trying that and at the end of the PP the team score would be something like 200-6 at the end of 40 overs with tail enders battiing. And a team which was looking to get something like 280 before the PP would finish at 240 something.

[Ollie 4,400]

If the bowlers are bowling well then fair enough but we didn't even put the bad balls away, we were putting full tosses into the fielders hands and leaving far too many deliveries that could've been scored off. I'm not disregarding the bowlers but when the pitch is good and the bowler is bowling a bad ball or 2, you have to smack him. Even if a bowler is bowling well, there will always still be deliveries to score. I just dislike the lack of tempo. Batsmen are there to get as many runs as possible.

[Ankit 3,176]

Yes, if the Batsman are wasting loose deliveries, then you have every right to question them. I think you should take into consideration the pitch as well. Sometime's it's a flat track and even if the bowler bends his back to the fullest, the ball gets smacked all over the park. I don't think there are many flat tracks in England(I could be wrong).It's more of a seamer friendly tracks so batsmen have to be little cautious with their approach. I hope Sri Lankan board produces some flat tracks fot the T20 WC and not the drab slow pitches that we usually see in lanka.

[capriccioso 2,545]

Oh yes i was old enough to be alive in 1996 and understand cricket, probably witnessed one of the most amazing cricketing duels in the history of the ODIs. Aamir sohail was in top form along with Saed Anwar and the two had put in close to 100 runs for a second wicket partnership. Sohail took off on Prasad and clobbered him for a four. And then pointedly suggested to him ” Dude, this is where i will hit the ball” . My blood was boiling. Really boiling. I so wanted Prasad to bowl him but never ever expected him to do just that. and then he gave him a send-off ("Go home, you f****** bastard"). Ah there was an eruption of joy everywhere around my neighborhood. To be honest, it was quite stupid of Aamir to do that. They were well on course to beating us and then he got just a bit over excited and you don't do that when you are playing your Arch rival in his home ground. The best part about it is even today if somebody's mentions that incident to Sohail, he just looses it. He doesn't like it one bit.

He was apparently a very aggressive/brave batsman who didn't care who was bowling to him. He probably would have done the same even if he was facing Curtley Ambrose

This has to be one of the greatest World Cup moments, up there with the Donald-Klusner run out and Ponting's century in the 2003 final.

[Ankit 3,176]

He was apparently a very aggressive/brave batsman who didn't care who was bowling to him. He probably would have done the same even if he was facing Curtley Ambrose

This has to be one of the greatest World Cup moments, up there with the Donald-Klusner run out and Ponting's century in the 2003 final.

There is a ver fine line between aggresion and stupidity. Aamir Sohail was always on the wrong side of that line. Although had a brilliant opening pair with Saed Anwar but never became an integral part of it because of his nature.

[capriccioso 2,545]

Australia have slumped below the likes of Ireland and Bangladesh to 2nd last place in the T20 rankings.

They really need to start taking it seriously, and play a proper team instead of idiots like Doherty and White who are so badly out of form that they shouldn't be anywhere near even first class or list a cricket.

[capriccioso 2,545]

94 run win against Pakistan or not, Australia are still woeful at T20s.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

94 run win against Pakistan or not, Australia are still woeful at T20s.

T20's are the Cricket equivalent of Carling Cup/Mickey Mouse games. Good fun but no one gives a fuck who wins what. As long as Australia is climbing up the test rankings it's all good.

[capriccioso 2,545]

HAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/current/story/581872.html

'Steve Smith defines himself as a batsman'.

If 'Smithy' isn't the worst player on the international circuit amongst test playing nations at the moment, I don't know who is.

[Ollie 4,400]

Nothing wrong with T20, it's a shorter form but a completely different game to see how explosive you can be. It's good to see we're doing well in ALL FORMS. Was good to see us beat SA last night thanks to that over from Buttler. Also quite nice to see India losing an ODI at home to NZ by 1 run.

[Ankit 3,176]

Nothing wrong with T20, it's a shorter form but a completely different game to see how explosive you can be. It's good to see we're doing well in ALL FORMS. Was good to see us beat SA last night thanks to that over from Buttler. Also quite nice to see India losing an ODI at home to NZ by 1 run.

Err.. mate it was a T20. The first one was washed out, this was the 2nd and last one. No ODIs on this tour. We should have wrapped up the match. 49 needed off 42 balls. Dhoni left it a little too late. But never mind, it was more or less a warm up for the WC. Although the WC starts on 18th, it starts on 17th for India with the practice match with Pakistan. Doesn't matter the occasion, can't see loosing to Pakistan at all.

Also Stuart Broad-Take note, Yuvraj Singh is Back.

[Ollie 4,400]

Oh yeah it was T20 but i remember it was going so well, so easy then whoops! I think Broad still has nightmares about that, but Yuvraj knows how it feels, Mascarenhas did him for 5 in a row

[Ankit 3,176]

Oh yeah it was T20 but i remember it was going so well, so easy then whoops! I think Broad still has nightmares about that, but Yuvraj knows how it feels, Mascarenhas did him for 5 in a row

Oh yeah! and Yuvraj has vowed never to take the last over of the innings again.Yuvi was never our frontline bowler, Braod on the other hand was. But full marks to Broad to come out of it and become such a good bowler that he is today. Most of the guys would have lost it.

I wonder if Flintoff said sorry after that over to broad. He started it with a bit of sledging. Didn't he? Poor Broad had to take the brunt of it.

[Ollie 4,400]

I'm not Broads biggest fan in truth, he bowls too short and too wide he's asking to get smashed to all places. He doesn't ever seem to learn, he'll get hammered for 6 and then bowl the same ball again to justify it. I'm sure Flintoff said sorry but what if he didn't? Freddy's a boxer now lol. I still reckon he gets ribbed for that over.

[Ankit 3,176]

I haven't really seen Broad at lengths to comment on him. You must know better but i remember India's tour and he was making the ball do some serious talking. I was quite impressed but that was a year back i guess. He has a very fluid run up and action. He was recently 3rd in the ICC test ranking. Wasn't he? So he must have done something good. Now that England cricket team has to travel abroad for the next few months, lets see how he and the whole team does there!!

So freddy is now a professional boxer? I thought it was just a one off event or something!!

[capriccioso 2,545]

Broad is only in the team because his batting makes up for his bowling. A 2012 version of Ashley Giles.

If history repeats itself, he'll be dropped the next time an Anglo-Punjabi pace bowler turns up with some decent bowling form, but awful fielding, and wears a turban. Of course, I'm referring to how Sir Montgomery Panesar's rise saw Giles' career ended.

[Ankit 3,176]

Broad is only in the team because his batting makes up for his bowling. A 2012 version of Ashley Giles.

If history repeats itself, he'll be dropped the next time an Anglo-Punjabi pace bowler turns up with some decent bowling form, but awful fielding, and wears a turban. Of course, I'm referring to how Sir Montgomery Panesar's rise saw Giles' career ended.

I don't think you are just referring to how Sir Montgomery Panesar . You clearly have an agenda against him. I wonder why?