posted Jul 6, 2009

@AntonfromLancs

" ... Men's cricket .."

Was that about the time that women were not allowed to compete in Olympic events longer than 800 yds 'cos their bodies could not cope ?

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posted Jul 6, 2009

GirlfanLondon: You say that sport has been 'controlled' by men for 150 years, as if it existed beforehand and then men (not women) seized control of it. But in fact it grew up totally unsubsidised among men who loved it. I welcome your own love of cricket and I have no great opinion of sports administrators (19th century to date), but can you demonstrate that you are not in a small minority today?

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posted Jul 6, 2009

it's gonna feel really weird to watch the aussies without the greats playing for them anymore

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posted Jul 6, 2009

mufc0808: It's gonna be bloody marvellous! And I support the same football team as you.

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posted Jul 6, 2009

Agreed MUFC0808. No shame in losing to that 2007 team, although 5-0 was a bit harsh. If the Aussies walk this series, we are in trouble - a way below average team. It should go to the Oval if England turn up.

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posted Jul 7, 2009

Lee's injury just makes sure that Stuart Clark will play - so the most successful Aussie bowler in the most recent Ashes series gets to play in more favourable (for him) bowling conditions - not such a bad result for Aussies I reckon

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posted Jul 7, 2009

That series ended up 5-0 due to Flintoff's captaincy/clashing with Fletcher (Vaughan would have made a huge difference), along with the morale crushing 2nd test defeat (declare on 550 and still lose?)

From that point all the australians wanted was a 5-0 and they could smell it, England were all at sea

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posted Jul 7, 2009

I'm fascinated that a thread on Brett Lee's injury should have yielded a full-blooded "sub-debate" on our women's team: fascinated and delighted. Plenty of room for debate there and I for one intend to submit something on this triumph for English cricket (sic) after today's final game in the ODI series...

... Which brings me to note, in support of much that has been written above, that right now, at 14.24 hrs BST on Tuesday, we have Australia at 55-3 and there is not one dot of info on BBC women's cricket page about the match.

Granted that rain has stopped play at Lord's, but BBC doesn't even have the scoreboard up! - Anyway, insofar as it is possible to be on fire in the rain, Laura Marsh has managed it (again!): she has 2/5 in 3 overs, having got rid of Nitschke for 21 & Sthalekar for a duck.

OK - bye bye - off to cricinfo, which is offering radio commentary today. I hope it's available in Europe, not just UK. - Will report back.

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posted Jul 7, 2009

Fleet JackHobbs: Great nom de plume, there has never been a better batsman on a non-dead wicket (and I include the great Don Bradman). I'll talk about anything cricketing that comes up on a cricket thread, (although not national characteristics, which always leads to nasty rows among people who should be united in their love of the game). Hopefully those who disagree with me respect my freedom to hold my views, as I do theirs.

Now let's stuff the Aussies at Cardiff!

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posted Jul 7, 2009

AntonfromLancs

Not much doing at Lord's because of rain, so I ought to use the break in play to thank you for what looks like a minor compliment. However, nom-de-plume is hardly apt - more of a nom-de-keyboard these days!

As to Jack Hobbs himself, a cricinfo article, recently re-published Plum Warner's description of him as "a professional who batted like an amateur." And what might that mean? It means that in Hobbs's day, amateurs played with more freedom because they derived no income from cricket, whereas professionals, dependent on the wages they received, batted with more caution.

I never saw him bat, although I have walked out through his gates at the Oval many times (never "in" I hasten to add). However, as every autograph hunter knew (late 40s / early 50s), you could often see him and ask for a signature, if you hung around long enough outside his cricket shop in Fleet Street.

Ooops! Play has restarted at Lord's. Australia on 89/6. Bring on the whitewash - and yes, let's stuff them at Cardiff too.

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