The Cricket thread

[Owen Brannigan]

In terms of being a test nation making cricket more attractive to the public, it is now accepted that T20 is the direction to go to bring in the public to watch cricket.  Rarely, test cricket is an attractive sport for spectators and tends to draw the purists or most people don't bother to turn up on Day 5 or the game is over after three days.

I've wondered could Croker fit in a cricket pitch. If not we need a purposie built Lords or Trent Bridge style ground, not easy. Malahide & Stormont need the temporary stands.

I was very surprised at how small the Lords ground is, camera work makes it seem much larger.  The minimum size for a test ground is a diameter of 137m but the straight boundaries can be shortened to 64m from the centre of the pitch. So effectively 137 x 128m with 3m beyond the boundary rope.

[Denn Forever]

And Henry Blofeld is retiring from tms.   No more musings about seagulls flying past the cranes around Lords.

[Boycey]

England's vice captain Ben Stokes on a night out the week the Ashes squad is named... Oh dear

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4563420/england-cricket-ace-ben-stokes-nightclub-brawl-video/?editorialView=yes

[michaelg]

England's vice captain Ben Stokes on a night out the week the Ashes squad is named... Oh dear

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4563420/england-cricket-ace-ben-stokes-nightclub-brawl-video/?editorialView=yes

That does not look good. Can't see him make an Ashes tour after that.

[Boycey]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/ireland-to-make-test-debut-at-home-to-pakistan-in-may-36220722.html

The test era is to begin with a home fixture against Pakistan next May.... Great news

[JPGJOHNNYG]

f**k me Ireland are shit. Ed Joyce just threw his wicket away for fun. Got test cricket in the bag and have decided to go back about 20 years in development.

[OgraAnDun]

f**k me Ireland are shit. Ed Joyce just threw his wicket away for fun. Got test cricket in the bag and have decided to go back about 20 years in development.

I had forgotten this was on today, thank f*ck I didn't bother spending the morning following it.

[Boycey]

Today's shock win for UAE over Zimbabwe means victory in tomorrow's final game against Afghanistan will see Ireland through to the World Cup... Itd be a fine achievement.

[Rich Ricci]

England had a nightmare start to their test match against NZ, 27/9 and on track for their lowest test total only to 'salvage' 58.

[magpie seanie]

Today's shock win for UAE over Zimbabwe means victory in tomorrow's final game against Afghanistan will see Ireland through to the World Cup... Itd be a fine achievement.

If it's rained off or a tie we'll go through also. We got things badly wrong against WI and ZIM but now have a lifeline after an amazing contest today.

[Boycey]

Aye I was looking at table and figured a no contest would suit us also, forecast not great by all accounts..

[Boycey]

Ireland have posted a poor 209/7 in their 50 overs..

Might need that rain...

[AQMP]

Ireland have posted a poor 209/7 in their 50 overs..

Might need that rain...

Not great, but am I right in saying that we've struggled against Afghanistan in the past??

[AQMP]

Afghanistan 61-0 after 12 overs

[OgraAnDun]

Ireland need a few wickets very quickly.


EDIT: And four minutes later, the danger man Shahzad is gone.