Now the season is over

Doesn't that just change the dynamics of the game? The bowlers and batsmen still need to outdo each other, just in a different way now. The bowler will know the batsman is looking to go over the top so pitch up, pitch up and then a ball back of a length so the batsman skies it? It's still intriguing, for me.

I understand where you're coming from with your post about back when the par scores were around 250 but that was played by test cricketers with a different attitude. Now there's specialist ODI cricketers who wouldn't get a sniff at test cricket, but looking back ODI was nowhere as popular then and the game has moved on. It is more exciting with more talented players than there's ever been.

On a side note, it's refreshing to see that everybody still favours test cricket

 

We'll have to agree to disagree lads.

Except on Test Cricket.

But I'll try and get into this WC or my rep for being a miserable sod will only get worse

 

The late 90s through for about a decade had the best standard of test cricket in my lifetime I reckon. Australia were insane but so was the India batting line up. Many teams have declined since then but...

The one day sides were just the test sides playing one day internationals poorly. Highlighted by Sri Lanka winning the World Cup by playing in a manner we are more accustomed to now. They shouldn't have been the best team in the tournament but they basically taught all the other nations what to do. Jayasuria, utter legend. The mentality is so different now.

 

I hate it when the football season ends. I try my hardest to get into other sports and follow them, Cricket, Tennis, Golf. But they bore me to ****ing tears after about 5 mins of watching. Thankfully the weather is good this time of year so I can get out and do more surfing and cycling without freezing my tits off or getting rained on.

The idea of sitting indoors all summer watching Cricket horrifies me

 

I don't have a problem with ODI's being a horses for courses event tbh. Btw England were doing it in the early 90's and Sri Lanka won it in 1996, well before the fielding restrictions came in. I don't see why ODI teams couldn't have evolved, the restrictions is a separate issue for me. They were well on the way anyway.

For me, without the restrictions back then it promoted the all-round form of the game and teams with all-rounders flourished at the expense of those who were stronger just in batting. Now you can bat an opposition into submission and the bowlers don't even need to be in the same class as they were back then, to mop up.

 

Champions League final still left, so the season is far from over

But once the season is over it's the Cricket World Cup for me

Semis at the very least for England...my favourites to win it.

As usual Pakistan are my dark horses. Windies look rejuvenated as a nation too.

Should be a cracker

 

Bloody cricket ?

 

England have just tonked them 4 nil. A lot of teams will bat right down to 9 or 10 in this tournament, Pakistan's tail looks very weak. I don't see their slow bowlers getting much out of the pitches over here. Completely different to the slow turning wickets out there.

 

True but Pakistan are always like this.

Tournament cricket usually gets more out of them. They are too tempremental and ill disciplined to be consistently dominant but these tournaments...ya never know.

Looking forward to it though

 

Just gunna shoehorn another trophy onto the forum. I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to mention why I won this one. I'm modest and don't like to brag.

 

I don't even understand cricket tbh I feel like I'm watching the game of countdown for 4 days

 

Not always as sexy as Rachel Riley but the mathematical conundrums are similar.

 

Why dont they just have one bat and get rid of fielders

 

Duckworth - Lewis. What's that about!

 

Comm? Is that you? Where you been?

 

I've been in France murdering immigrants

 

Glad you're back, there'll be loads of them in the cricket grounds when the WC starts.

Serial killer's heaven!

 

Cricket is a poofy toffs sport.

Should be played in flop flips and shorts.

It ranks alongside curling as a sport.

 

Do they place cricket on ice? Isn't that hockey ?