Things that matter

[Gob]

Can't we all get along?

Not while people post crap about baseball in the cricket threads....

[dales]

Very well.....NFL is right around the corner

eta:

Here's the rub.........(from WIKI)

In spite of cricket's popularity in the 18th and early 19th centuries, the game was supplanted by baseball in the 1850s and 1860s. As interest in baseball rose, the rules of that game were changed slightly to increase its popularity. For example, easily manufactured round bats were introduced to contrast the flat bats of cricket.[10]

Another reason cricket's decline in popularity may be that in the late 19th century American cricket remained an amateur sport reserved for the wealthy while England and Australia were developing a professional version of the game. As cricket standards improved with professionalism elsewhere in the world many North American cricket clubs stayed stubbornly elitist. Clubs such as Philadelphia and Merion abandoned cricket and converted their facilities to other sports. Some city cricket clubs unknowingly contributed to their own demise by sponsoring auxiliary baseball teams.[citation needed] By 1900 baseball had taken over the American scene and created its independent mythology.[citation needed] The formation of the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 also helped to keep the popularity of the game down. It certainly undercut any momentum to professionalize cricket in the USA, although whether the momentum would have developed even in the presence of a more open ICC remains a question.[5] Regardless of its cause, the game did not flourish in the United States the way it did in the British Empire. From the 1880s until the outbreak of World War I, the American game was dominated not by the national side, but by an amateur team from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

[Gob]

Yes, but the civilised world is grateful that the USA did not adopt cricket. We can do without the adverts every two minutes, ten minutes of play constituting a “match”, cheerleaders, and marching bands with sousaphones, thanks.

Dear god, we even gave you base ball, and netball, a couple of games simple and easy enough for even you to understand, and you managed to screw them up.

[Gob]

THE Australians are bemused by a series of mystery patches on the Old Trafford wicket that look like they've been "burnt" on.

It's no secret England have requested a spinning deck, but the question is will Manchester outdo Lord's and provide the biggest turner of the series?

Brad Haddin described the large grey spots as "different" and Chris Rogers commented that the pitch looked "interesting", as players assessed conditions ahead of Thursday's crucial third Ashes Test.

It's the first time a Test match will be played in Manchester since the new configuration changed the wicket to be facing north to south.

Correctly reading the surface will be vital, with both teams at least considering the merits of playing two spinners.

England are the more likely to do so, given their second option Monty Panesar has taken 25 wickets in three Tests at Old Trafford.

Rogers said there were already cracks on the pitch, an ominous sign for the Australian battling line-up who were skittled by Swann at Lord's.

"Looking at the wicket it looks a little bit interesting. There's a few cracks there already so it'll be interesting to see how it plays," Rogers said.

Lancashire local James Anderson says the new square plays exactly the same as the old one, except maybe a fraction slower for the seamers.

Australia's strength is their fast bowling and it would be risky to go in with one seamer down and rely on Nathan Lyon and Ashton Agar to deliver, especially if the wicket plays as it always has in the past and doesn't start turning until the final two days of the Test.

Haddin was a little shocked at the aesthetics of the pitch, but isn't expecting too many surprises.

"It's got some interesting patches on it ... it's just a bit different. It looks like it's been burnt, little bits of it," said Haddin.

"We know what wickets they're going to produce are, it's not a secret. We've seen them in the first two Tests. They're going to be reasonable batting decks and turn later in the game.

"We've just got to play better."

Agar is the man most under pressure heading into Old Trafford.

He went wicketless at Lord's, where as his opposite number was man-of-the-match.

Haddin said if Agar was to be dropped, he'd expect him to handle the disappointment well.

But at the same time he backed the teenager to deliver if he's given another chance.

"I hope he comes out and bowls us to victory in this game," he said.

"But he's a 19-year-old kid. Hes taking everything in his stride at the moment.

"He's experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows in the first two Tests. From that point of view he's handling things pretty well. It's a tough gig international cricket."



Read more: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/cricke ... z2aZhpIkiR

Oh man I'd love to see Monty P get a match. I hope they bring him out here too!!!

[Lord Jim]

Oh man I'd love to see Monty P get a match

[Gob]

Hhey Jim, Mr Panesar has a DVD out, I'm buying a copy. I'll burn you it if you like?

[Lord Jim]

Uhh, you can save yourself the trouble on that one...

I had forgotten about that Python sketch...

The boys really capture the nature of the sport well, don't you think?

[Gob]

At work, no yootoob, can't remember it properly. I'll wait until I get home for a memory refresher.

[Guinevere]

God that's perfect!

There is no one like John Cleese. I do adore him.

In other news, after beating up on the division all season, the Red Sox have slipped a bit and it looks like we're going to have a pennant race in August. One can only hope the Yanks are good and truly out of it, too!

Oh, and hey Sue, how's that Papelbon deal working out for you?!?!

[MajGenl.Meade]

Dear god, we even gave you base ball ROUNDERS and netball, a couple of GIRLIE games simple and easy enough for even you to understand, and you managed to screw them up.

-fixed-

[Daisy]

After a month of very hot weather followed by a few days of lightning storms it wouldn't be a surprise to see some "unusual" features on the Old Trafford wicket.

Looking forward to this one!

[Guinevere]

Dear god, we even gave you base ball ROUNDERS and netball, a couple of GIRLIE games simple and easy enough for even you to understand, and you managed to screw them up.

-fixed-

Well MGM, not everyone can be a Cleveland Indians or Cavs fan . . .

[Gob]

After a month of very hot weather followed by a few days of lightning storms it wouldn't be a surprise to see some "unusual" features on the Old Trafford wicket.

The ground staff are going to have their work cut out making the pitch a winning one for England playable.

[dales]

Gob......what are the odds of this match?

[Gob]

England 7-10
Aus 13-5
Draw 4

[dales]

Thx, Gob.

[Gob]

No worries, but don't bet on Aus winning!

[MajGenl.Meade]

Dear god, we even gave you base ball ROUNDERS and netball, a couple of GIRLIE games simple and easy enough for even you to understand, and you managed to screw them up.

-fixed-

Well MGM, no t every one can is bad enough deserve the punishment of being be a Cleveland Indians or Cavs fan . . .

-fixed-

[Gob]

Third Test, Old Trafford (day one):

Australia 303-3 v England

Match scorecard

Captain Michael Clarke scored a vital century as Australia breathed life into their Ashes campaign by dominating the opening day of the third Test against England.

Trailing 2-0 and needing a win to have any chance of regaining the Ashes, Australia won the toss and reached 303-3 by the close at Old Trafford, with Clarke unbeaten on 125 and Steve Smith 70.

The pair put on an unbroken 174 for the fourth wicket after opener Chris Rogers set the tone for Australia's first successful batting display of the series with a positive 84.

Drawing on all his expertise against spin bowling, Clarke got the better of off-spinner Graeme Swann in a fascinating duel on a wicket that turned from the start as he posted the first century by any Australian in six Tests.

But once again, in a series blighted by controversies, the day featured several contentious umpiring decisions, with both teams given reason to bemoan the decision review system.

When Usman Khawaja was given out caught behind off Swann on the stroke of lunch - a decision upheld on review despite Hot Spot revealing no mark on his bat - even Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd weighed in on Twitter to criticise the call.

After the interval it was England's turn to feel aggrieved. Bowler James Anderson, wicketkeeper Matt Prior and the slips went up in unison to claim a catch off the edge of Smith's bat but umpire Marais Erasmus remained unmoved. Once again Hot Spot showed nothing and the umpire's decision stood.

Ashes 2013: Australian prime minister criticises umpires

Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd joined Shane Warne in criticising the decision to give Usman Khawaja out in the third Ashes Test at Old Trafford.

Khawaja was ruled to have been caught behind despite video replays suggesting he did not hit the ball.

Rudd tweeted: "That was one of the worst cricket umpiring decisions I have ever seen."

Legendary Australia leg-spinner Warne added: "That's a shocker, that's an absolute shocking decision."

[Guinevere]

"[L]egendary Australia leg-spinner" says all I ever need to know about cricket. Not to mention that my eyes are still burning in pain after the bowl/bowler/balls exchange.