Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted April 8, 2012 Author Paid Members Share Posted April 8, 2012 ^ Yeah, it was mentioned in the random comments thread in on-topic. I don't think they look at all alike! Â On the universities front, the only time the matches are ever competitive is when first class counties put out their second XIs. They are really a mockery of the whole first class system - look at the bowling figures for that Durham match. They subvert averages, and how often do first class teams turn their batting orders upside down for the second innings to give their tail-enders some batting practice? That's not first class cricket. Â As early season warm-ups for the county games, fine. But they should not be given first class status just because the universities occasionally see one of their players go on to international honours, something that is happening less and less these days anyway. I don't see that removing first class status would necessarily affect anything like funding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergio Bellend Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 On the universities front, the only time the matches are ever competitive is when first class counties put out their second XIs. They are really a mockery of the whole first class system - look at the bowling figures for that Durham match. They subvert averages, and how often do first class teams turn their batting orders upside down for the second innings to give their tail-enders some batting practice? That's not first class cricket. As early season warm-ups for the county games, fine. But they should not be given first class status just because the universities occasionally see one of their players go on to international honours, something that is happening less and less these days anyway. I don't see that removing first class status would necessarily affect anything like funding.  Yeah I'd agree, and I've been saying for a few years that they shouldn't really be 'first class' cricket, because well, they aren't. I'm all for keeping the matches, and most counties play a couple of unis in unofficial pre-season friendlies on top of their official commitments, but they are friendlies and mismatches most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Power Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Agreed. I played for Bradford/Leeds UCCE about 8 years ago, and it was basically a piss up for students and Pros. I've never seen so many cricketers in the casino at 3am before a 10:30 start. Its a good warm up for the counties (they generally just piss about), but it should be nothing more. Â They also shouldn't be in March. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean Ayass Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 (edited) Also, did anyone else watch the IPL games today and see them put a tweet up from Dean Ayass on screen saying how Brett Lee was Chris Jericho under a pseudonym? Â EHHHHH?????? THAT GOT ONTO ITV4??????????? How the fuck did they find that???? Don't suppose there's any way of finding footage is there? Edited April 8, 2012 by Dean Ayass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted April 9, 2012 Author Paid Members Share Posted April 9, 2012 They have highlights packages on YouTube, try watching those and see if it's been included. Not sure, otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Curious Orange Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 and go to 2 Hours 34 mins 35 secs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baz Windham Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Ramiz Raja talking about Chris Jericho is one of those great moments where two things you like unexpectedly collide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted April 9, 2012 Author Paid Members Share Posted April 9, 2012 Indeed, sounds like Simon Doull is a WWE fan, too. Â I wonder if there will be any references to Ring Ka King when Harbhajan Singh's playing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted April 12, 2012 Author Paid Members Share Posted April 12, 2012 http://www.espncricinfo.com/west-indies-v-...ory/560830.html  Incredible test match, did anyone watch it? Far closer than I expected it to be, it's one of the prime reasons why test match cricket is the best form of the best sport on the planet. Since the start of 2011, there have been some incredible tests and series going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Curious Orange Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Bit of a shame so many of the West Indies players are over in the IPL, as they could put together a pretty exciting team if they ever had everyone available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted April 12, 2012 Author Paid Members Share Posted April 12, 2012 Apparently they've come to a deal with Chris Gayle now, so we might see him in a West Indies shirt - for about one game per year in between the IPL, the BPL, the Big Bash, the English 20/20 and the South African 20/20. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam619 Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Classic match in the IPL today as Banglore looking set to hit over 200 but stumbled in the last couple of overs giving up 5 wickets in 7 balls and only managing to get over 200 with a 6 from the final ball. Â Chennai then with 2 overs to go looked doomed to not win the match until Albie Morkel came in and hit 28 off 6 balls before being caught out on the first ball of the final over and then they started to stumble only winning on the final ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Curious Orange Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 Whoever sorts out the tweets to be put on screen during the IPL matches must be a wrestling fan, as we had Dhoni vs Ganguly being compared to Cena vs Undertaker at Wrestlemania during the match today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnum Milano Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 Anyone have any views or opinions on Kevin Pieterson's comments from the other day? I find I am in agreement with his talk about '2nd rate Australians' especially. A look through the squads and you have players such as George Bailey, Chris Lynn, Mitchell Marsh, James Falconer, Nathan Rimmington, Luke Pomersbach, Aiden Blizzard, Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell and Daniel Harris all getting picked up. Dan 'fucking' Christian went for ludicrous money, and bowled probably the worse final over I've seen, costing his team the game. How on earth did Brad Hogg get bought, whilst Graeme Swann never? Gilly is still over there picking up a pay cheque, whilst even Michael Clarke now has a team. Â Steve Smith played well today, I really rate Ryan Harris and Brad Hodge, the Husseys are class, whilst the likes of Shaun Marsh and Brett Lee have their moments, but that's about it. I've never been hot on Shaun Tait whilst Andrew McDonald sums up the word 'average'. Â I just find it strange that Anderson, Swann, Bopara, Prior, Bresnan etc were overlooked (and I'm guessing Luke Wright only got a look in after his innings in the Big Bash), whilst these bench warming, mediocre Aussies get a pay day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Devon Malcolm Posted April 15, 2012 Author Paid Members Share Posted April 15, 2012 I think the reasons the English players that are involved in the England squad don't get picked is because the IPL franchises can't rely on them with our international season not that far away. That's why you get all kinds of substandard Aussies being picked up instead, because they will be available for the whole season. Â Pietersen's different in that he's been a fan of the IPL since the start. Owais Shah surely must be in line for an ODI and 20/20 call-up soon, though, he's been awesome in the IPL and the other 20/20 competitions he's played in. Â My issue with Pietersen's comments was his complete misunderstanding of why many people over here, me included, don't like the IPL and what it stands for. It's nothing to with jealousy. It's everything to do with natural concern over increasing players opting for it over playing international and test match cricket. I was so angry I sent him a strongly worded tweet! That'll show him! Â I like 20/20 but the IPL is so unedifying in so many ways. This DLF Maximum business for instance is just horrible. Even the Yanks don't go that far. You don't hear them calling things like a "Taco Bell home run" or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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