Is this whats going on with the forum?

[JKLever]

Thoughts?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/soutikbiswas/2009/11/the_thrill_is_gone.html

[LeFromage]

Just the life cycle of a forum, I'd imagine. C4 was dead when we left, and it wasn't all due to the modding/Nazi-ing.

People just found something else less boring to do.

[JKLever]

Shouldn't really have said the forum. I should've said cricket in general - from 1985 up until about a year ago I would have described myself as a cricket addicted saddo.

I'd have discussed the ins and out of leg theory with a complete stranger FFS.

I just find the game not as interesting as it used to be.

Great, i've officially become 'grumpy old bastard'

[LeFromage]

There has been a lot of meaningless garbage played by England in the last couple of years. NZ and the Windies home and away, back-to-back. Tour of Bangladesh on the horizon (which England are considering sending a shadow side for). More ODIs/T20s than you can shake a stick at - none of which I can remember anything about. The Standford debacle.

Series against South Africa and Australia were a brief taste of the real thing, but generally the itinerary for the last few years has been nothing more than cynical money-grabbing and half-hearted obligations to the FTP.

Even England's tour of India, which should've been one of the sporting highlights of the year, was rendered worthless by the money-driven decision to play only two Tests - one of which was at a venue where the proximity and time of year made it impossible for play to go on past 16:00; the certain loss of about five sessions meaning that there was never really any chance of a positive result. So what was the point?

There's something very meh about the game at present. And it's not the game itself - the Ashes and the previous recent Test battles involving Australia against India and South Africa were as watchably engrossing as ever.

It's all the turgid crap in-between, dressed up as something like important cricket, but with none of the value.

[DJ_Smerk]

Keep it simple lads: 2/3 Test tours a year.



All meaningful, none of this 2 test rubbish I've been hearing about. A tour of Bangladesh? Are the ECB trying to keep up appearances with a follow up of the dire WI series last May?

[JKLever]

There's something very meh about the game at present. And it's not the game itself - the Ashes and the previous recent Test battles involving Australia against India and South Africa were as watchably engrossing as ever.

It's all the turgid crap in-between, dressed up as something like important cricket, but with none of the value.

This really.

Also, i've become a bit weary of the money in the game. If cricketers start questioning whether test cricket is the ultimate and in preference start chasing the bucks.... why should I devote my time and support into the game.

[G.Wood]

My friend, Sambit Bal, who edits Cricinfo, makes no bones about it. "Cricket needs reason and context," he says. "The Ashes is big because it has context. But much of the cricket today is meaningless. One series leads into another. The anticipation has gone out of it."

Exceedingly sage

[Bradman]

Sad thing is this is happening when test cricket has rarely been more exciting on the whole.

Doesn't the MCC own the rules of the game. Couldn't they say to the IPL, "Sure you can finance your own tournament. As long as it doesn't involve any form of sport with terms like 'bowled, lbw, stumped or runout' in it.

[G.Wood]

They already operate under those rules, but only when SRT is batting

[Bradman]

Hehehehe! Still it's farking frustrating.

[Josh Carney]

The real issue is not the conflict between Tests, ODIs / T 20s or the overdose of cricket. It is more the dilution of the loyalties of the supporter. Cricket traditionally has been built upon international rivalry, now all of that is changing with IPL, Champions league etc. where the Club games are confusing the hell out of the traditional supporterr.

The balance between the shorter and the longer version will restore itself. Is cricket ready for a soccer like scene where club games become more important than the international contests ? that is the question. The answer to me is no and probably never given the small foot print of Cricket and the traditional rivalries that have kept the game interesting. IPL has thus far been riding on a wave of novelty and glamour, but it appears that the fan is slowly going back to his original formula if the ground crowds for the Aus-Ind ODIs are any indication.

[G.Wood]

That's totak BS. No traditional supporter outside of India gives a rat's pancreas about the IPL or the Champions League and there is absolutley no dillution of loyalties.

[taipan]

That's totak BS. No traditional supporter outside of India gives a rat's pancreas about the IPL or the Champions League and there is absolutley no dillution of loyalties.

Agree totally with Woody. Had to happen some time.

[Bradman]

I got more enjoyment out of a schoolgirl carnival then I would out of the IPL. Though to be fair I've never watched a whole match.

IPL/ T20 whatever, isn't cricket. It's cheap porn or plonk for those who can't grasp the beauty of a St Henri claret or MC giving DT to JH.

[horace]

cripes...well i make it a most unlikely trifecta...

I still get enthused about solid test cricket...I do not give a rats about the other 'forms' of cricket

[taipan]

I got more enjoyment out of a schoolgirl carnival

Careful Bradders

[Bradman]

Christ! The second I posted I went 'Oh Fark'. But then assumed people would be mature enough to understand the context. Guess I have a warped view of human nature ehh Taips. Though I expected RD to arc in first.

[taipan]

I am but linked with this It's cheap porn a certain gup might have got uppity

[Bradman]

Fair call. Though I won't have anyone running down my collection of quality seventie's porn, sadly now donated to the porn hall of fame (ain't marriage a bitch).

[taipan]

Ah the original DDD.

[skully]

Meh, T20 is sh!t, and Tests rule. Shock, horror.

Oh, and Ban India.

[Hass]

I've gone through periods in the past where I think "I really don't care about cricket all that much right now".

You wonder if you'll ever recapture that certain 'je ne sais quoi' and then out of the blue the thrill comes rushing back and no aspect of cricket is too minute or obscure to deserve intense thought and discussion.

The current overload of meaningless cricket isn't helping matters, but the wheel will turn. It always does.

[lardbucket]

I've gone through periods in the past where I think "I really don't care about cricket all that much right now".

You wonder if you'll ever recapture that certain 'je ne sais quoi'

... gotta love the smell of linseed in the morning

[taipan]

You wonder if you'll ever recapture that certain 'je ne sais quoi'

Only if you watch French cricket

[lardbucket]

this superficial but indigestible shorter form of the game is certainly reminiscent of the 'escargot cult'.

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