ECB wrangle a four Test series out of India

... only five ODIs and two T20s this winter.

Blimey, it's like a proper series or something. Wonder what kind of faustian pact they struck with the BCCI to get that - there's bound to be some catch somewhere down the line...

Dello wrote:... only five ODIs and two T20s this winter.

Blimey, it's like a proper series or something. Wonder what kind of faustian pact they struck with the BCCI to get that - there's bound to be some catch somewhere down the line...

No England matches during the IPL. You heard it here first.

Urgh, sounds horrible. The less we play these chaps, the better.

taipan wrote:

Dello wrote:... only five ODIs and two T20s this winter.

Blimey, it's like a proper series or something. Wonder what kind of faustian pact they struck with the BCCI to get that - there's bound to be some catch somewhere down the line...

No England matches during the IPL. You heard it here first.

Sounds plausible. Depressing, but plausible.

Or, given that Pietersen's the only England play who gets a game in the IPL, perhaps an "understanding" that he should be "rested" from the early part of the English summer - and maybe recharge his batteries with a holiday in India.

Well we've seen the ECB are thoroughly decent chaps who will bend over and assume the position for anyone waving a wad of notes ( or in stanfords case, a big show off case full of a million of em).

Are we being too cynical though, and the BCCI have just reciprocated the last tour here by India?

Is it possible to be too cynical about the BCCI?

For regular four Test-series, they can have an IPL window wherever they want it. This English summer is crap - just six Tests. Only five to go. ONLY FIVE.

Be fair Gus, we have got some spiffing ODIs to play as well... 14 of them.

Four-f*cking-teen? Are you f*cking kidding me? That's like three Tests. We could have shed six of them, bunged in an extra Test against the Saffers (at Trent Bridge, of course), and had a nice, balanced looking schedule. Heck, we could have shed the lot, chucked in another Test, and given everyone a few days shore leave either side of each of the matches just to keep the appetite building.

7 Tests, no ODIs, no T20s - that's a perfect itinerary, that is.

Aye, agreed, it's a waste of time... I blame the Aussies - 5 ODIs shoehorned into the middle of two full series. A disgrace. One against Scotland that really doesn't count, either, as it'll rain. That's 6 shaved off the fixture list without even trying.

They said dropping a Test was due to the Olympics, then scheduled one to clash with them anyway with masses of JAMODIs earlier in the summer...