dAVe80 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 (edited) Quick question for all of you cricket fans in here, what got you into cricket? For me it was the 05 Ashes, KP and Freddie smashing the Aussies out of the park, the incredible win at Edgbaston, the nervy draw at Old Trafford, just about scraping home at Trent Bridge and then KP smashing the Aussies to all parts at the Oval when it looked as though Australia were going to turn it around. I mean both of my Grandad's and my dad are big cricket fans so I would have been introduced to it eventually by one of them but they didn't have to. Both my Mum and Step Dad both dislike sport but even they watched most of that series and really enjoyed it. I'm asking because I read an article the other day and it talked about a lack of a national interest in the English cricket team and it was right. How are England going to capture the country's imagination when they are so god damn awful and boring? I think it's sad for the English game will never see sights like this again- I played at Junior school, and we went to watch Warwickshire a few times. Test Match Special on the BBC in the Summer was always on, and I’d sit and watch for 5 days solid (much to my parents dismay, who probably wanted me out the house). I started playing properly at Senior school, and by that point I was fully in love with the sport. As for the second part, I think the fact cricket is not as popular, is the fact that it’s not on terrestrial TV, coupled with the accessibility and cost for youngsters to play (you need to buy a bat, pads, kit etc which isn’t cheap). Add to that the lack of areas to actually play. I remember we used to get chased by the parky, if we dared step on the wicket in our local park! That said, I still feel there’s a real enthusiasm for the game. I don’t think you can say for sure there will never be scenes like that again. 2005 was a one off, a perfect storm if you will. It really captured the nation’s imagination, due to it being such a great contest, played in such a great spirit, and available for everyone to see. I’d not say the current set up is boring, far from it. There were some amazing games of cricket in the past 12 months. Anderson attempting to block out Sri Lank, Moeen Ali cleaning up the Indians etc. We’re just at new beginning for the England side at the moment, after seeing the best England side of my life time. They may not hit the height of the team that proceeded them, but there talent there, and plenty of people will want to watch them home and away. Edited January 29, 2015 by dAVe80 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkyvilla Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 I just grew up with it really, having two older brothers who loved sport and access to it on the Beeb, then Channel 4 which was brilliantly put together. I fear kids just won't get into the game like that any more, which is why a Big Bash franchise thing would be so welcome on proper TV to get their attention again, as I can't see Sky losing Test cricket. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapal_fan Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Anyone watch the last 3 balls of the big bash today? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted January 29, 2015 Moderator Share Posted January 29, 2015 I got into it as a kid as well - not junior school - I'd never heard of it then, but at 11, when I moved to big school - we'd play it with a bin and an old bat and tennis ball, and the Ashes was on the telly and the two sort of merged into a love of the game. Used to go to Edgbaston and watch the JPL games and Nat West games and sometimes just County Championship games The I played it properly(ish) for various teams. I had to stop once I started falling apart at the ankles, but I had a freindly day night game in Aus about a year ago and still loved it just as much. Totally agree re it should be on terrestrial - for test matches like it used to be. Sky might be gits, but their cricket coverage is the best sport coverage they do and the ability to watch overseas games - England abraod and the BBL and so on is fantastic. The BBC and all don't have the channels to put it on, mostly, though freeview and IPL on ITV 4 has helped. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dAVe80 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Got to agree, as much as I despise Murdoch, and would like to see cricket back on a terrestrial channel, Sky's coverage is brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veloman Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 ^^^^ apart for David Lloyd who is from Lancashire .... and Atherton who is a cheat (and from Lancashire) !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 ^^^^ apart for David Lloyd who is from Lancashire .... and Atherton who is a cheat (and from Lancashire) !!Bumble's great! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P3te Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Loving watching Eoin Morgan as England ODI captain. Played against him many's a time in my younger days and he was always a prodigy. He was playing at the very top of the Irish game when he was knee high to a grasshopper, and he was usually the best player on the pitch 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dAVe80 Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 (edited) OK, so after looking and having a think about this today, I decided to pick an all time ODI XI. Then I though, why not give the good cricket loving people of VT a chance to pick theirs. So, let's have them gents? Feel free to go off the suggested BBC lists, if you want to. Anyway, here's mine. I've tried to pick mostly players I've seen, and have played in my life time (aside from couple of obvious legends): Tendulkar Amla Sangakkara Richards de Villiers Gilchrist Kallis Warne Marshall Akram McGrath Edited February 3, 2015 by dAVe80 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I'll play:TendulkarKallisRichardsSangakkara (wk)De VilliersBevanGilchristBothamMuraliMalingaGarnerMany close calls (especially Marshall v Garner) and not necessarily the best 11 ODI players but a fairly well-balanced side, I'd hope. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Ill just go off the list and who I have seen so Gayle Amla Sangakkara Ponting Lara Gilchrist Kallis McGrath Malinga Lee Warne surprising omission of Hayden, id have him ahead of gayle 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted February 3, 2015 Moderator Share Posted February 3, 2015 That's a good list, Dave. I think Chris Gayle would be in mine, though. Chris Gayle Sachin Tendulkar IVA Richards Kumar Sangkkara AB de Villiers Jaques Kallis Michael Bevan Dale Steyn Joel Garner Malinga Muralitharan 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dAVe80 Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 It strikes me that with the lack of Englishmen in the XIs so far, we've never been brilliant at the shorter form of the game! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I've just seen that I put Gilchrist in as well as Sangakkara in the side I posted. I think that's the product of swapping people in and out a few times.I'm going to swap him out for an extra bowling option and I'm going to have Klusener (the one of that two/three year period when he was awesome with the bat and not too shabby with the ball) coming in at seven. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted February 3, 2015 Moderator Share Posted February 3, 2015 It strikes me that with the lack of Englishmen in the XIs so far, we've never been brilliant at the shorter form of the game! Yeah. You could probably, credibly name 3 or 4 different 11's with no Englishman in and get no argument. You couldn't do one test 11, though...or could you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkyvilla Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I'd pick Flintoff, he was a hugely underrated death bowler. A batting average above 30 and a bowling average below 25 is pretty decent Gilchrist Jayasuriya Ponting De Villiers Pietersen Bevan Flintoff Akram Lee Murali McGrath 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dAVe80 Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 It strikes me that with the lack of Englishmen in the XIs so far, we've never been brilliant at the shorter form of the game! Yeah. You could probably, credibly name 3 or 4 different 11's with no Englishman in and get no argument. You couldn't do one test 11, though...or could you? You could easily pick a test XI, with no Englishmen, but I'd have to find place for one or two! I remember during the last Ashes over here, TMS picked an Ashes XI, and a rest of the world XI to play them. Two cracking teams, obviously! I might do some digging, and find who they picked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dAVe80 Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Found the Ashes XI, but struggling to find the RotW XI. Hobbs Hutton Bradman Hammond Border Botham Gilchrist Warne Larwood Lillee McGrath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkyvilla Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Who could get Bradman out for less than 100? I wonder how he'd have played Murali or Wasim and Waqar reversing it. With Warne that team probably has the best batsman and bowler ever in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dAVe80 Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Yeah, if memory serves, Bradman and Warne were a given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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