Cricket Banter

^ Another quality one day international served up today, in what has been a quality series overall! Real cat and mouse with the outcome uncertain right down to the wire. So 50 Over cricket a relic of the past?? ...............really??

I have long said that it is pitches that have been the issue in this format, with way too many run laden flat tracks. These pitches are close to the blueprint, and all tracks should be prepared by groundsmen throughout the world of cricket to replicate this one (allowing for more pace, bounce and movement in other countries) from here on!

At its best, 50 overs provides all the twists turns and nuances, that a cricket contest should provide - determined only by the players relative skills. Protect it in this way as authorities, or step aside!

^^ There seems to be a belief that high scoring ODI's is what everyone wants. But games that just boil down to who plays best at the end of a match are just formulaic. I think this format headed in the wrong direction when they decided that 2 balls would be used, which meant that they stayed new throughout, & the chance of the bowlers with the skill to bowl reverse swing was lost.
At its best an ODI should have all the best bits of a Test Match in a days cricket.

On Sunday India completed a 3-0 ODI series victory over Sri Lanka with a record 317 run margin. India 390-5 Kohli 166 no Gill 116 Sri Lanka 73 Siraj 4-32

India v New Zealand 1st ODI Hyderabad
India elected to bat
IND 349-8 (50 overs) Gill 208 Rohit 34 Suryakumar 31 Hardik 28 Mitchell 2-30 Shipley 2-74
NZ 337 Bracewell 140 Santner 57 Allen 40 Siraj 4-46 Kuldeep 2-43 Thakur 2-54
India won by 12 runs

(14-01-2023 19:12 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  ^^ There seems to be a belief that high scoring ODI's is what everyone wants. But games that just boil down to who plays best at the end of a match are just formulaic. I think this format headed in the wrong direction when they decided that 2 balls would be used, which meant that they stayed new throughout, & the chance of the bowlers with the skill to bowl reverse swing was lost.
At its best an ODI should have all the best bits of a Test Match in a days cricket.

100% Sadly the boards (with the ICC acquiescing) are so money driven now that true competition is a second thought

Looking at the Future Test program which I believe is locked in for 5 years, South Africa have a very limited schedule. They looked 2nd rate when they were thrashed by the Aussies, how can you expect improvement with so little cricket. The SA board are more focuses on their new revamped T20 comp.
Already New Zealand are committed to 2 match home series, the then Test captain Williamson was said to be unhappy & preferred 3 matches, but when he was told that for that to happen some T20 commitments would have to be given up, he accepted the decision.

(18-01-2023 16:25 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  Looking at the Future Test program which I believe is locked in for 5 years, South Africa have a very limited schedule. They looked 2nd rate when they were thrashed by the Aussies, how can you expect improvement with so little cricket. The SA board are more focuses on their new revamped T20 comp.
Already New Zealand are committed to 2 match home series, the then Test captain Williamson was said to be unhappy & preferred 3 matches, but when he was told that for that to happen some T20 commitments would have to be given up, he accepted the decision.

Sadly the world we live in. If SA have limited matches ie Tests, where does that put them in the world test championship running - on form little chance anyway - as few matches mean few points. It is a complete mess, and it has happened because we do not - as Football and Rugby in particular have -a governing body! We have a bystander to greed and yes, I include England in that same description.

India v New Zealand 2nd ODI Raipur
India elected to field
NZ 108 (34.3 overs) Phillips 36 Santner 27 Bracewell 22 Shami 3-18 Sundar 2-7 Hardik 2-16
IND 111-2 (20.1 overs) Rohit 51 Gill 40 no
India won by 8 wickets

India v Australia 1st Test Nagpur Day 1 Close
Australia elected to bat
AUS 177 (63.5 overs) Labuschagne 49 Smith 37 Handscomb 36 Carey 31 Jadeja 5-47 Ashwin 3-42
IND 77-1 (24 overs) Rohit 56 no Rahul 20

(09-02-2023 14:04 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  India v Australia 1st Test Nagpur Day 2 Close
Australia elected to bat
AUS 177 (63.5 overs) Labuschagne 49 Smith 37 Handscomb 36 Carey 31 Jadeja 5-47 Ashwin 3-42
IND 321-7 (114 overs) Rohit 120 Jadeja 66 no Axar 52 no Ashin 23 Rahul 20 Murphy 5-82