Ashes 2017-2018 countdown

If no-one comes out of the pack in the 1st 3 Shield games, I suspect Weed will be retained. If Nifty makes plenty and Weed fails, then there will be plenty of pressure from MEW to flick Weed and bring Nifty back.

That should get your blood pumping, old bean.

Actually nice to see a cricket thread getting everyone fired up. Your post count is looking good for the next couple of months skulls and that's even before the action.

Let's hope a real wicket keeper shows some form on some non ft tracks during the opening stanza of SS.

2nded Q.

Bradman wrote:Actually nice to see a cricket thread getting everyone fired up.  Your post count is looking good for the next couple of months skulls and that's even before the action.

Let's hope a real wicket keeper shows some form on some non ft tracks during the opening stanza of SS.

Agree and Agree.

Skully ( the same source that told me ages ago that the MM was on borrowed time and would be replaced by Truffles told me the following) 

Boof and Seasick Steve demanded the change to Weed or more to the point away from Nifty because he folded like a deckchair under pressure. I was initially a supporter of Nifty but his limp performances and demeanour did not help his case.

Are you sure you don't mean

"Rawprawn passed the gloves on to Chunder, who hit the roof and passed the buck on to Thunderquoit, but Fartnose got wind of it and instead slipped a few bucks to Dingbat, thinking he'd crack the whip and let Crosspills root Dysentery for crying out loud"?

Didn't nail all the colloquialisms Pete.

Bradman wrote:Didn't nail all the colloquialisms Pete.

doncha love it when Pomgolians get angsty about our better use of the lingo.

Ooh, I've met Peter, and I assure you he is not the angsty type. He's a fine chap. He's merely having a wee dig and a laugh.

At the almost impenetrable code ...

As long as we don't agonise about not luring in newcomers ...

Bradman wrote:Didn't nail all the colloquialisms Pete.

Was meant more to be more outlandish* than mimicry

Besides, a close-run satire would have taken too long for the purpose.



*interesting word, that "outlandish" - literally "foreign", "alien", I suppose - "from outside this (familiar and reassuring) land". Like the Germanic word it must come from. Weird uitlander stuff.

PeterCS wrote:

Bradman wrote:Didn't nail all the colloquialisms Pete.

Was meant more to be more outlandish* than mimicry

Besides, a close-run satire would have taken too long for the purpose.



*interesting word, that "outlandish" - literally "foreign", "alien", I suppose - "from outside this (familiar and reassuring) land". Like the Germanic word it must come from. Weird uitlander stuff.

Almost like 'beyond the pale'

All good. I laughed when I read your original post. My 'doncha' was a weak riposte.

PeterCS wrote:

Bradman wrote:Didn't nail all the colloquialisms Pete.

Was meant more to be more outlandish* than mimicry

Besides, a close-run satire would have taken too long for the purpose.



*interesting word, that "outlandish" - literally "foreign", "alien", I suppose - "from outside this (familiar and reassuring) land". Like the Germanic word it must come from. Weird uitlander stuff.

Uitlander would be more Dutch and has another history in SA.

Paine went ok for the World X1 v Pakistan. Yeah, i know, its only 20/20 yada yada but still.

The T20 national position is the bone he has been thrown. If he does well he remains in contention.

Looks as though Haseeb Hameed will definitely be spending winter at home. Having suffered a severe hand injury last winter and losing form on his return for Lancashire, he's just had another finger broken, this time on his right hand.

His season is over, of course - so I see absolutely no point at all in him touring. It's a shame, because he does seem a really good prospect long term.

Not least because of his attitude ... in India last winter he batted for almost three hours with a clean fracture of a finger - and again today having retired hurt four wickets down, came out as last man with Lancashire looking to save (or even win) the game, before Matt Parkinson (a genuine tail-ender) edged to slip giving Middlesex a 36 run victory. This injury is to his right hand, the x-ray having confirmed another broken finger.

Haseem reminds me of two former England captains, although in different ways. First, former opener Mike Atherton who took some fearful workings over from the most hostile bowlers of his generation without flinching. Secondly, Athers' successor Nasser "poppadom fingers" Hussain, for his seeming susceptibility to hand injuries.

That said, if he has an international career even half as good as those two - he'll be Cook's best opening partner since Andrew Strauss retired by some distance.

Toblerone all but ruled out. Unfortunate for him as no guarantee he will get another shot at the Ashes. Seam bowling places really up for grabs though, will they go county form or "horses for courses"? Probably a couple of slots available alongside Anderson, Broad, Stokes and Woakes.

Yeah you need the right blokes to complement Stokes and Wokes

Is Wood injured? The Poms should bring at least one express bowler.

Chance for Plunkett to have a late-career Test redemption? IMO the Poms could do a lot worse.

Fred Nerk wrote:Yeah you need the right blokes to complement Stokes and Wokes

Foakes is a candidate for backup keeper...

What a load of shyte. Just a recipe for drawn games & the end of test cricket.

http://www.cricket.com.au/news/england-ecb-pushing-for-four-day-test-matches-icc-board-meeting-ashes-2019-mark-taylor/2017-09-24

Big Dog wrote:What a load of shyte. Just a recipe for drawn games & the end of test cricket.

http://www.cricket.com.au/news/england-ecb-pushing-for-four-day-test-matches-icc-board-meeting-ashes-2019-mark-taylor/2017-09-24

Results would be more & more manufactured until the term Test would be irrelevant.

Draws must be at an all-time low currently though, we rarely even get to the fifth day in England unless there's substantial rain (and even that can be largely made up for unless a whole day is washed out). There's surely more four day results now than five day results 30 years ago.

Not saying reducing to four days is the right thing, but if they can speed up over rates and get more cricket in a day, and perhaps have a reserve day for major weather interruptions, it might not make such a difference.

Good points there beams , old bean. Speed up the over rates and the fifth day may become irrelevant without official action

4 day Tests will necessitate the elimination of roady roads.