The eating of one's words is not so displeasurable for the taste as much as the mere fact one has to. This is certainly the case for some cricket pundits who have witnessed Bangladesh in test cricket of late. The fact they have not conjured a test victory should not detract from disciplined spin bowling and, at times, very entertaining batting. The cricket writers who have declared Bangladesh unworthy of test status should be thoroughly embarrassed at India being bowled out in under a day and England being forced in the field for scores of overs. This achieved by a mix of exuberant youth, committed coach and a passion for the game not dissimilar to that seen in India.
Cricket needs more world-wide appeal to remain current and ensure a future - certainly where test cricket is concerned. It has not been the luxury of upper class exclusively for some time now but it appears the ICC may beg to differ somewhat. Their dealing with the issue of the umpire decision review system is a case in point. Installing the UDRS has been made the responsibility of individual cricket nations and their boards. Inequity can be evident in various circles of life; sport being one, and Bangladesh are seemingly hapless bystanders of their own disadvantage which cost them 3 wickets against England in the first innings of the second test. While there may not be on-field bias against Bangladesh they can ill-afford the ICC ignoring infrastructure needs which help to provide a level playing-field. The people of Bangladesh will undoubtedly be buouyed by their team's performances of late; and their passion for the game will remain. But, ICC, give them a bloody break and help them get the UDRS for their test matches. If you feel they are a test nation then starting treating them like one!
Showing posts with label ICC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ICC. Show all posts
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Friday, 13 November 2009
...but first, the news
interesting week in world cricket we've had.
Australia retain top ICC ODI pozzy, with the series win over India. If i was in doubt as to whether i was remiss in my writing about these games, the lack of comments from all tells me a contribution was not required.
That said, from the nothing i actually saw and the news reports/scores etc it appeared to have had a lot going on in a well fought contest.
Obviously the first point was the Australian attrition rate: while calls of 'too much cricket for the players' are bandied about, i take the other point- players WANT to opportunity to play, and earn.
It could be said that players will not self-enforce a rest for fear of losing their place, and while this argument has some substance, i can't see how an in-form player that needs to miss a game will not be re-included... then again, we are talking about CA selectors, so anything is possible!
Best of all was the new inclusions lifting and the team pulling together for the result, and credit where it is due, CA did the right thing by both giving new players a run, and bringing in some experienced but little used blokes. Big congrats to Doug the rug on his successful return, what a great way to get ahead of the pack for the upcoming summer.
As a post script on the series, does Daniel Brettig Baggygreen.com really believe that 50 over cricket has come "Roaring back"? I think not! http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=970572
Just because a player says it, doesn't mean people want to watch it! With many venues in India holding less than 50,000 people, a full house is not a massive achievement in a country with such a population and purports to be "cricket mad!"
Back. Back, and not going any where.
Good to see one of my favourite players -big Dan Vettori- back after a knock to the bonce by M. Aamer in a match against Pakistan brought on the release of several lawn tigers and a general feeling of poorliness! It must have been a bit of a wack as it hit the grill and concussed the match winning eastern islander!
Roy - i was just watching the rugby and somehow ended up drinking- Symonds is back to prop up the Bulls for the upcoming one day game against SA. Lefty, if he gets a bowl (he is in to replace paceman C.Swann) can i suggest getting down to the ground and attempting to handicap the wayward champ with the offer of a cold one or 20 from over the fence. That is poor of me given my previous supportive remarks of Symonds... sorry, but given he sees the rest of his career as a T20 player, if he gets a slog on or his gear going with the ball or in the field, the croweaters may need to do a Phar Lap and poison the strapping workhorse!
Punter has assured us (again!) that he is not entertaining the thought of retirement yet. This comes in the wake of Hilditch burying his tongue up the Taswegians blurter with the remark that Ponting going would leave a gulf as wide as that left by the retiring S.K.Warne! Without a doubt the apple islander is an incredible batsman and strangely enough not a terrible ODI captain, but in the wash up how did he change the game of cricket? He didn't! If anything, he has hindered his chance of being a greater batsman by digging in his talons to a captaincy
that as the 'best batsman' he received by default. When CA realize that being a great batsman is not the best credential for holding the position of captain, then we may see better cricketing brains running the show out in the field.
With this in mind i will give Ricky one compliment, at least holding the position hasn't had an major adverse effect on his batting, like many better captains before him; still, how much better could he have been without the chore he is not equipped for?
...as well as.
It looks like the Poms will get Ashes cricket back on free-to-air tv now that it is considered a "crown jewel". Up yours Murdoch!
...and some thoughts.
Watson has expressed an desire to stay at the top of the order, clearly he is effective there, but with Marsh a hard-nut specialist back and batting way down the list, and Ponting having moved himself out of #3 to open (who'd have thought he would budge from that spot?) do Australia need to re-evaluate the order a little? I propose keep Watson opening, Marsh at 3 and Ponting at 4.
Is Lee's latest break down the last at an international level? Hilditch appears set to pursue a bowling squad without the quick. http://www.cricinfo.com/ausvwi09/content/story/434176.html
Fidel Edwards from WI looks to have strained more than his injury prone body by playing truant on his remedial program designed to get him right for the Australian tour and playing Champion League cricket only to pick up a further injury. The action has forced WICB to withhold a contract for Edwards and now has me posing the question, will T20 competitions be filled with recalcitrant, retired and raw players only?
The 'Master Blaster' King Viv has given Gayle a verbal touch up about his attitude. As someone that is a HUUUGGGEE fan of Viv and struggling to cop Gayles anti test opinions i couldn't love this more! Not just content to tell Gayle to get his head right, Viv has even offered up an alternative for the captaincy during the Australian tour in the captain for Trinidad and Tobago. Smokin' Joe must still be a bit mad-for-it as his mans name is Ganga!
...and one i forgot, and a fresh one this morning.
What about the ICC proposal for a play-off test series every other year for the top of the ranking teams. i presume this is by way of an alternative to having a test world cup. The logic being that people from other countries (regions) will be more interested in the results of tests and series that their country is not involved in as everyone jockies for the top positions.
And as if Sachin wasn't already the greatest, he confirmed it overnight by taking a press conferance to talk about his 20th anniverary in the game at international level, and graciously let the 2 hour event go for 6 hours so he could answer all questions in many languages even if they were repeats from another language. This in itself is not great (generous, patient and articulate), what is great was the Master letting it be known his desire for more tests to be played, even pointing the finger at the goliath of the BCCI!
Go Sachin!
Australia retain top ICC ODI pozzy, with the series win over India. If i was in doubt as to whether i was remiss in my writing about these games, the lack of comments from all tells me a contribution was not required.
That said, from the nothing i actually saw and the news reports/scores etc it appeared to have had a lot going on in a well fought contest.
Obviously the first point was the Australian attrition rate: while calls of 'too much cricket for the players' are bandied about, i take the other point- players WANT to opportunity to play, and earn.
It could be said that players will not self-enforce a rest for fear of losing their place, and while this argument has some substance, i can't see how an in-form player that needs to miss a game will not be re-included... then again, we are talking about CA selectors, so anything is possible!
Best of all was the new inclusions lifting and the team pulling together for the result, and credit where it is due, CA did the right thing by both giving new players a run, and bringing in some experienced but little used blokes. Big congrats to Doug the rug on his successful return, what a great way to get ahead of the pack for the upcoming summer.
As a post script on the series, does Daniel Brettig Baggygreen.com really believe that 50 over cricket has come "Roaring back"? I think not! http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=970572
Just because a player says it, doesn't mean people want to watch it! With many venues in India holding less than 50,000 people, a full house is not a massive achievement in a country with such a population and purports to be "cricket mad!"
Back. Back, and not going any where.
Good to see one of my favourite players -big Dan Vettori- back after a knock to the bonce by M. Aamer in a match against Pakistan brought on the release of several lawn tigers and a general feeling of poorliness! It must have been a bit of a wack as it hit the grill and concussed the match winning eastern islander!
Roy - i was just watching the rugby and somehow ended up drinking- Symonds is back to prop up the Bulls for the upcoming one day game against SA. Lefty, if he gets a bowl (he is in to replace paceman C.Swann) can i suggest getting down to the ground and attempting to handicap the wayward champ with the offer of a cold one or 20 from over the fence. That is poor of me given my previous supportive remarks of Symonds... sorry, but given he sees the rest of his career as a T20 player, if he gets a slog on or his gear going with the ball or in the field, the croweaters may need to do a Phar Lap and poison the strapping workhorse!
Punter has assured us (again!) that he is not entertaining the thought of retirement yet. This comes in the wake of Hilditch burying his tongue up the Taswegians blurter with the remark that Ponting going would leave a gulf as wide as that left by the retiring S.K.Warne! Without a doubt the apple islander is an incredible batsman and strangely enough not a terrible ODI captain, but in the wash up how did he change the game of cricket? He didn't! If anything, he has hindered his chance of being a greater batsman by digging in his talons to a captaincy
that as the 'best batsman' he received by default. When CA realize that being a great batsman is not the best credential for holding the position of captain, then we may see better cricketing brains running the show out in the field.
With this in mind i will give Ricky one compliment, at least holding the position hasn't had an major adverse effect on his batting, like many better captains before him; still, how much better could he have been without the chore he is not equipped for?
...as well as.
It looks like the Poms will get Ashes cricket back on free-to-air tv now that it is considered a "crown jewel". Up yours Murdoch!
...and some thoughts.
Watson has expressed an desire to stay at the top of the order, clearly he is effective there, but with Marsh a hard-nut specialist back and batting way down the list, and Ponting having moved himself out of #3 to open (who'd have thought he would budge from that spot?) do Australia need to re-evaluate the order a little? I propose keep Watson opening, Marsh at 3 and Ponting at 4.
Is Lee's latest break down the last at an international level? Hilditch appears set to pursue a bowling squad without the quick. http://www.cricinfo.com/ausvwi09/content/story/434176.html
Fidel Edwards from WI looks to have strained more than his injury prone body by playing truant on his remedial program designed to get him right for the Australian tour and playing Champion League cricket only to pick up a further injury. The action has forced WICB to withhold a contract for Edwards and now has me posing the question, will T20 competitions be filled with recalcitrant, retired and raw players only?
The 'Master Blaster' King Viv has given Gayle a verbal touch up about his attitude. As someone that is a HUUUGGGEE fan of Viv and struggling to cop Gayles anti test opinions i couldn't love this more! Not just content to tell Gayle to get his head right, Viv has even offered up an alternative for the captaincy during the Australian tour in the captain for Trinidad and Tobago. Smokin' Joe must still be a bit mad-for-it as his mans name is Ganga!
...and one i forgot, and a fresh one this morning.
What about the ICC proposal for a play-off test series every other year for the top of the ranking teams. i presume this is by way of an alternative to having a test world cup. The logic being that people from other countries (regions) will be more interested in the results of tests and series that their country is not involved in as everyone jockies for the top positions.
And as if Sachin wasn't already the greatest, he confirmed it overnight by taking a press conferance to talk about his 20th anniverary in the game at international level, and graciously let the 2 hour event go for 6 hours so he could answer all questions in many languages even if they were repeats from another language. This in itself is not great (generous, patient and articulate), what is great was the Master letting it be known his desire for more tests to be played, even pointing the finger at the goliath of the BCCI!
Go Sachin!
Thursday, 30 April 2009
more fun than you can poke a willow stick at!
I can't believe i haven't posted much lately... probably got to do with being ridiculously busy.
The reason why i can't believe it is because there is so much going on in the cricket world.
Firstly the IPL: after a average start to the comp, it looks like Warnies mob are winding up again; funny thing how well he captains... maybe he missed his true calling! He has bowled a couple of good spells too, and one average one. It is clearly enough to get people asking would he go to England? Obviously he will, only to neck pints and pies in the stand!
Hughes is having fun in Blighty at the moment too; back to back tons. Clearly a good way to ensure he has a spot in the test side once the Ashes begin. Maybe Brad Hodge should push for a spot in the Ashes side as a bowler after his 3-24 off 4 overs! It might be the only way in for him!
And to merge the two paragraphs above- T20 and England, we hear now that the ECB want to develop a rival 20-20 comp for the English summer called P20. What a joke! The plan is to have it based on the county sides and yet wants to draw in big name internationals; like the Raj now has the money to compete against India! When is the ICC going to look at an international club competition? Like the champions league, but with enough dollars to keep the splitters happy and consolidate this need to play a competition like this. IPL, ICL, Stanford, P20 etc and whatever. I understand peoples reservations against T20, i myself- while preferring test- am just happy to have any cricket, but let's get some consistency and uniformity to T20 at a level outside of international competition.
What else is news? India are prepared to give ICL players permission to play again if they end their connection with ICL; how generous of them!
Brett Lee looks likely to be called back up again... according to himself. It might be a bit of a shite-fight with Johnson and Siddle totally worthy of their positions, Clark fit again (but lacking form yet), Hilfenhaus needed to provide swing in England and a spinner likely to figure in the equation.
Another offie being pinged for chucking whilst playing against Australia, then Ajmal got fined for having a sook in the media accusing Watson of dobbing on him! Boo Hoo!
See, it is all happening, and i haven't even mentioned the Australian/Paki results in UAE... any takers?
stoph verismo
down the wicket
The reason why i can't believe it is because there is so much going on in the cricket world.
Firstly the IPL: after a average start to the comp, it looks like Warnies mob are winding up again; funny thing how well he captains... maybe he missed his true calling! He has bowled a couple of good spells too, and one average one. It is clearly enough to get people asking would he go to England? Obviously he will, only to neck pints and pies in the stand!
Hughes is having fun in Blighty at the moment too; back to back tons. Clearly a good way to ensure he has a spot in the test side once the Ashes begin. Maybe Brad Hodge should push for a spot in the Ashes side as a bowler after his 3-24 off 4 overs! It might be the only way in for him!
And to merge the two paragraphs above- T20 and England, we hear now that the ECB want to develop a rival 20-20 comp for the English summer called P20. What a joke! The plan is to have it based on the county sides and yet wants to draw in big name internationals; like the Raj now has the money to compete against India! When is the ICC going to look at an international club competition? Like the champions league, but with enough dollars to keep the splitters happy and consolidate this need to play a competition like this. IPL, ICL, Stanford, P20 etc and whatever. I understand peoples reservations against T20, i myself- while preferring test- am just happy to have any cricket, but let's get some consistency and uniformity to T20 at a level outside of international competition.
What else is news? India are prepared to give ICL players permission to play again if they end their connection with ICL; how generous of them!
Brett Lee looks likely to be called back up again... according to himself. It might be a bit of a shite-fight with Johnson and Siddle totally worthy of their positions, Clark fit again (but lacking form yet), Hilfenhaus needed to provide swing in England and a spinner likely to figure in the equation.
Another offie being pinged for chucking whilst playing against Australia, then Ajmal got fined for having a sook in the media accusing Watson of dobbing on him! Boo Hoo!
See, it is all happening, and i haven't even mentioned the Australian/Paki results in UAE... any takers?
stoph verismo
down the wicket
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
Sir Vivian Richards unfit to play
The ICC have finally reacted to the absolutely pathetic conditions of the Sir Vivian Richards Antigua ground!
Given that a test against England had the pin pulled on it because the surface was deemed unsafe for players in February, it seems quite hopeless that it has taken this long (over a month- the test was on the 13th) to actually implement any action. The alarm bells must have been ringing well before the test but somehow it was allowed to start... and then be forcibly finished after only 10 balls!
It is all good and well to be developing an academy and training facilities in Dubai, but when an important cricketing region like the West Indies has this happen, is it any wonder athletic kids there chase the dollars in the USA through sports like basketball, when they see "premium venues" in conditions unfit for international contest?
Let's hope the ICC follows up on this debacle with some grass roots support of the area and a commitment of assistance to providing a world class playing venue and surface; not just for cricket, the people of Antigua, or the kids that should one day be the next Windies stars, but to honour again the great man whose name hangs on the gate!
stoph verismo
down the wicket
http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=785527 brief explination
http://icc-cricket.yahoo.com/media-release/2009/March/media-release20090317-49.html detailed from the ICC
Given that a test against England had the pin pulled on it because the surface was deemed unsafe for players in February, it seems quite hopeless that it has taken this long (over a month- the test was on the 13th) to actually implement any action. The alarm bells must have been ringing well before the test but somehow it was allowed to start... and then be forcibly finished after only 10 balls!
It is all good and well to be developing an academy and training facilities in Dubai, but when an important cricketing region like the West Indies has this happen, is it any wonder athletic kids there chase the dollars in the USA through sports like basketball, when they see "premium venues" in conditions unfit for international contest?
Let's hope the ICC follows up on this debacle with some grass roots support of the area and a commitment of assistance to providing a world class playing venue and surface; not just for cricket, the people of Antigua, or the kids that should one day be the next Windies stars, but to honour again the great man whose name hangs on the gate!
stoph verismo
down the wicket
http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=785527 brief explination
http://icc-cricket.yahoo.com/media-release/2009/March/media-release20090317-49.html detailed from the ICC
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
many levels to a playing field
I heard on my drive in to work this morning that Afghanistan have been very competitive in the ICC World cricket league and aiming to get up into the qualifiers of the next world cup!
What a turn out that would be! A country in a state of turmoil, conflict and constant combat, making in roads into such a large world sporting event.
I've had a good read of the involvement and structure of these ICC competitions and i must admit it looks like they (ICC) are doing their best to really develop this second and third tier of the game.
One thought i had was, why doesn't the bottom (2) teams of the top competition spend more time playing the next level down? It is blatantly clear that Zimbabwe and Bangladesh are having their spirits crushed playing at this level, so why is there clear delineation between them and the next level down?
Surely teams such as the Netherlands (top of Div 2 table), Canada, Scotland and Ireland would get a lot out of playing Zimbabwe and Bangladesh more regularly, as well as these two teams getting a much needed moral boasts from a few wins! I'm sure we would see less of a gulf between the top of Div 2 and the bottom of Div 1 than we currently see between the more competitive test nations and Bangladesh and Zimbabwe!
It is good to see that they are playing each other at the moment (instead of boasting Sri Lankas stocks again...and again!) and i hope more of this continues. At least one team will accumulate some points from the encounter.
www.pepsiiccworldcricketleague.com/
stoph verismo
downthewicket
What a turn out that would be! A country in a state of turmoil, conflict and constant combat, making in roads into such a large world sporting event.
I've had a good read of the involvement and structure of these ICC competitions and i must admit it looks like they (ICC) are doing their best to really develop this second and third tier of the game.
One thought i had was, why doesn't the bottom (2) teams of the top competition spend more time playing the next level down? It is blatantly clear that Zimbabwe and Bangladesh are having their spirits crushed playing at this level, so why is there clear delineation between them and the next level down?
Surely teams such as the Netherlands (top of Div 2 table), Canada, Scotland and Ireland would get a lot out of playing Zimbabwe and Bangladesh more regularly, as well as these two teams getting a much needed moral boasts from a few wins! I'm sure we would see less of a gulf between the top of Div 2 and the bottom of Div 1 than we currently see between the more competitive test nations and Bangladesh and Zimbabwe!
It is good to see that they are playing each other at the moment (instead of boasting Sri Lankas stocks again...and again!) and i hope more of this continues. At least one team will accumulate some points from the encounter.
www.pepsiiccworldcricketleague.com/
stoph verismo
downthewicket
Tuesday, 9 December 2008
"are you being sarcastic?"
What is sledging and what is verbal abuse?
There is no doubt that you can sledge someone without abusing them, but isn't just out and out verbal abuse just abuse: and should be dealt with under that title.
The ICC is on a mission to get sledging out of the game once and for all it seems: this is going to open a whole can of worms to be sure when semantics come into play. It will make the sub-continentals happy though, as it is mainly their disdain for the practice (honourable, as long as they live up to it) that has brought it to a head with the ICC- which of course crumbles quicker than an Indian dust-bowl pitch! This is all a bit hypocritical when India threatened to take their bats and balls home in the 07-08 tour of Australia when Harby got pinged for sledging.
How are the ICC going to govern such an undertaking?
There are already regulations regarding racial vilification- (page 217 of the ICC Playing handbook)
3.3 Using language or gestures that offends,insults,humiliates,intimidates,
threatens,disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person’s
race,religion,gender,colour,descent or national or ethnic origin
ICC CODE OF CONDUCT
FOR PLAYERS AND TEAM OFFICIALS
So what exactly are the ICC going after? To me, the above extract reads like it would cover any of the complaints i've heard/read from players that have genuine grounds to take issue over what has been said to them out in the middle.
If the ICC are out to remove every type of on field talk- short of, "Good shot, old chap!" (could that be said sarcastically and not be sledging?) they are removing an important element of sport- GAMESMANSHIP.
Graeme Thorpe recently stated, 'In my third Test match, we were eight down. I'm on 60 not out, batting with the tail. Ian Healy says, "Boys, watch this guy play to get a not out." The pride inside me said, "Stuff this, I'll show you." I charged out to smack [Shane] Warne for a six and got stumped. That was gamesmanship.'
While abusive sledging can be outright vile stuff, another definition of sledging is "verbally distracting to break a players concentration" , and in my opinion this is done best with humour.
Are the ICC out to take away all non play related conversation between sides? Or are they going to expand the rule book to define EXACTLY what players can get away with?
I can see long nights in mediation or tribunal for mere utterances... ridiculous!
stoph verismo
downthewicket
There is no doubt that you can sledge someone without abusing them, but isn't just out and out verbal abuse just abuse: and should be dealt with under that title.
The ICC is on a mission to get sledging out of the game once and for all it seems: this is going to open a whole can of worms to be sure when semantics come into play. It will make the sub-continentals happy though, as it is mainly their disdain for the practice (honourable, as long as they live up to it) that has brought it to a head with the ICC- which of course crumbles quicker than an Indian dust-bowl pitch! This is all a bit hypocritical when India threatened to take their bats and balls home in the 07-08 tour of Australia when Harby got pinged for sledging.
How are the ICC going to govern such an undertaking?
There are already regulations regarding racial vilification- (page 217 of the ICC Playing handbook)
3.3 Using language or gestures that offends,insults,humiliates,intimidates,
threatens,disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person’s
race,religion,gender,colour,descent or national or ethnic origin
ICC CODE OF CONDUCT
FOR PLAYERS AND TEAM OFFICIALS
So what exactly are the ICC going after? To me, the above extract reads like it would cover any of the complaints i've heard/read from players that have genuine grounds to take issue over what has been said to them out in the middle.
If the ICC are out to remove every type of on field talk- short of, "Good shot, old chap!" (could that be said sarcastically and not be sledging?) they are removing an important element of sport- GAMESMANSHIP.
Graeme Thorpe recently stated, 'In my third Test match, we were eight down. I'm on 60 not out, batting with the tail. Ian Healy says, "Boys, watch this guy play to get a not out." The pride inside me said, "Stuff this, I'll show you." I charged out to smack [Shane] Warne for a six and got stumped. That was gamesmanship.'
While abusive sledging can be outright vile stuff, another definition of sledging is "verbally distracting to break a players concentration" , and in my opinion this is done best with humour.
Are the ICC out to take away all non play related conversation between sides? Or are they going to expand the rule book to define EXACTLY what players can get away with?
I can see long nights in mediation or tribunal for mere utterances... ridiculous!
stoph verismo
downthewicket
Thursday, 4 December 2008
Does the ICC like Bangas (or mash)
"How do you solve a problem like Bangladesh?"
sung to the tune of "How do you solve a problem like Maria" from The sound of music.
What can the ICC do to get some genuine competition from Bangladesh. A test nation since 2000, the scorecard for this country of over 150 million people is rather bleak!
It is rather easy for people to cry out and say that Bangladesh should have their test status denied through lack of results- probably many were the same that said Sri Lanka shouldn't have got their status in 1981... look how competitive they have become! So with that thought in mind, why are people so quick to right off a Bangladeshi test side becoming successful?
Given the desperately impoverished state of the majority of the population, surly the onus for serious cricket development goes back to the ICC? The Global Cricket Academy is a good start as long as it offers world class training without world class costs incurred to people attending.
http://icc-cricket.yahoo.com/development/global-cricket-academy.html
Then there is the ICC development plan and High Performance Program ( http://icc-cricket.yahoo.com/development/development.html ) both honourable objectives with long term outcomes. But the problem for Bangladesh is the lack of results NOW!
In the tradition of Sri Lanka, they have got an ex-first class cricketer from Australia as coach [Jamie Siddons] but for a team with only one win in forty seven tests, something more needs to be done.
It is great that the ICC has a swag of countries interested in more serious membership (104 Member countries including 10 Full, 34 Associate and 60 Affiliate Members), but let's not forget those that are holding up the bottom end of the test ladder, instead of just mashing more sides into the fray. If real dedication to advancement was applied by the ICC for Bangladesh, 150 million people would serve as a bloody deep pool of player talent!
sung to the tune of "How do you solve a problem like Maria" from The sound of music.
What can the ICC do to get some genuine competition from Bangladesh. A test nation since 2000, the scorecard for this country of over 150 million people is rather bleak!
It is rather easy for people to cry out and say that Bangladesh should have their test status denied through lack of results- probably many were the same that said Sri Lanka shouldn't have got their status in 1981... look how competitive they have become! So with that thought in mind, why are people so quick to right off a Bangladeshi test side becoming successful?
Given the desperately impoverished state of the majority of the population, surly the onus for serious cricket development goes back to the ICC? The Global Cricket Academy is a good start as long as it offers world class training without world class costs incurred to people attending.
http://icc-cricket.yahoo.com/development/global-cricket-academy.html
Then there is the ICC development plan and High Performance Program ( http://icc-cricket.yahoo.com/development/development.html ) both honourable objectives with long term outcomes. But the problem for Bangladesh is the lack of results NOW!
In the tradition of Sri Lanka, they have got an ex-first class cricketer from Australia as coach [Jamie Siddons] but for a team with only one win in forty seven tests, something more needs to be done.
It is great that the ICC has a swag of countries interested in more serious membership (104 Member countries including 10 Full, 34 Associate and 60 Affiliate Members), but let's not forget those that are holding up the bottom end of the test ladder, instead of just mashing more sides into the fray. If real dedication to advancement was applied by the ICC for Bangladesh, 150 million people would serve as a bloody deep pool of player talent!
Monday, 24 November 2008
a FINE performance
Another fine for Ricky Ponting, another problem with over rates.
"We tried really hard in this test..." boo hoo Punter, at least you had a win, that's fulfilling one of your obligations... another (yet to be fulfilled of late) is this over rates issue. It is an obligation because the spectators have paid their hard earned to see 90 overs, and that is what they deserve. "So what, it was only 3 overs" you say, deny people the last 3 minutes of a film and see how they react!
By and large, the ICC are a bunch of spineless twats that would find it hard to impress upon play- dough, let alone press an issue on field. So for once they got it right by riding Ponting hard on this.
It was obvious watching the first test that the Australians were trying to step things up a bit; shorter run ups, quicker turn arounds, cap shuttling, etc, which made the deficit much less than in previous tests, but clearly it was not enough.
Ponting now has the task of shaving more time off field placements and ensuring that batsmen aren't wasting time unduly.
Just maybe, a forceful, positive result in this 1st test might get everyone on their toes and running to position with a sense of purpose and save extra time.
"We tried really hard in this test..." boo hoo Punter, at least you had a win, that's fulfilling one of your obligations... another (yet to be fulfilled of late) is this over rates issue. It is an obligation because the spectators have paid their hard earned to see 90 overs, and that is what they deserve. "So what, it was only 3 overs" you say, deny people the last 3 minutes of a film and see how they react!
By and large, the ICC are a bunch of spineless twats that would find it hard to impress upon play- dough, let alone press an issue on field. So for once they got it right by riding Ponting hard on this.
It was obvious watching the first test that the Australians were trying to step things up a bit; shorter run ups, quicker turn arounds, cap shuttling, etc, which made the deficit much less than in previous tests, but clearly it was not enough.
Ponting now has the task of shaving more time off field placements and ensuring that batsmen aren't wasting time unduly.
Just maybe, a forceful, positive result in this 1st test might get everyone on their toes and running to position with a sense of purpose and save extra time.
Thursday, 6 November 2008
let's hear Gambhir
Although now with the 4th test imminent it is too late to go through the correct procedure for further appeal, for once i (partly) agree with the BCCI.
Whether it was going to change the outcome (unlikely), Gautam Gambhir should have been given the right to personally speak for himself in the appeals process before the one match penalty was imposed.
With that type of formal protocol adhered to, the BCCI would not have a leg to stand on regarding further action, and their normally belligerent actions could then(hopefully) be shunned by the rest of the cricketing world. As it stands, if they were to include Gambhir in their 12 an ICC non sanctioned match once again looks likely; not a good outcome for the two sides, or the supporters. Let's hope they decide to go with the decision, and follow up on it after the test.
Even though Gambhir: pleaded guilty, has committed another offence in the last 12 months, and the incident was well documented on video, it seems to me that the ICC missed an easy opportunity to make a statement to the world about undue physical contact in the game.
As undesirable as this type of contact is in cricket, the ridiculous notion of allowing this type of behaviour would- I'm sure- see many other countries coming off second best if the Australians (with their winter codes of rugby and Australian rules football so enjoyed by most) squared up for a big 'hip and shoulder'!
Whether it was going to change the outcome (unlikely), Gautam Gambhir should have been given the right to personally speak for himself in the appeals process before the one match penalty was imposed.
With that type of formal protocol adhered to, the BCCI would not have a leg to stand on regarding further action, and their normally belligerent actions could then(hopefully) be shunned by the rest of the cricketing world. As it stands, if they were to include Gambhir in their 12 an ICC non sanctioned match once again looks likely; not a good outcome for the two sides, or the supporters. Let's hope they decide to go with the decision, and follow up on it after the test.
Even though Gambhir: pleaded guilty, has committed another offence in the last 12 months, and the incident was well documented on video, it seems to me that the ICC missed an easy opportunity to make a statement to the world about undue physical contact in the game.
As undesirable as this type of contact is in cricket, the ridiculous notion of allowing this type of behaviour would- I'm sure- see many other countries coming off second best if the Australians (with their winter codes of rugby and Australian rules football so enjoyed by most) squared up for a big 'hip and shoulder'!
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