The Cricket Thread

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What a joke he gets fined. Such a boring world.
 
The ball tampering issue is now so sensitive yet some still get away with it. Hansie Cronje & rolling the ball under his foot, Wasim & Waqar & the mysterious bottle top, the Duke balls & the polo mints in 2005 are just the few who get caught.
 
Looking forward to this test match. Been to a few matches at Newlands and it's easily my favourite place to watch cricket.
 

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Useless fact of the day:

The team batting second has won 7 of the last 8 tests decided at Port Elizabeth. The side batting second has won the last 5 Port Elizabeth tests between Aus & SA.

Sounds like 3/4 time in the PF.
 
grizzlym said:
Sure was.

Hasn't Davey looked great? His scoring rate is amazing.
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Yeah, pitch has really suited him today and was very patient with his shot selection.
 
moginie said:
The ball tampering issue is now so sensitive yet some still get away with it. Hansie Cronje & rolling the ball under his foot, Wasim & Waqar & the mysterious bottle top, the Duke balls & the polo mints in 2005 are just the few who get caught.
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The ball tampering issue has always perplexed me. When I was a lad learning to bowl quick, I was always taught that keeping the ball in good condition was my responsibility. The theory was always to allow one side of the ball to deteriorate through natural attrition, whilst working feverishly on the other side, buffing, shining, etc. I did this by wiping sweat from my forehead and allowing it to sink into the ball, then just as I got to top of the mark I would buff it vigorously.

The aim was to allow the ball to weigh a little more on one side than the other, and also to enhance swing. That was the accepted practice in those days, but people are telling me now that is ball tampering. Well, I'll be stuffed. Having said that, there were quickies around who would take the field covered in suntan cream and by over number 10, there was none to be seen on their face :) I always thought that was wrong., and certainly we never scuffed the ball with bottle caps, etc.

I remember the Indians back in the 60s and 70s who had lousy pace men but brilliant spinners. The pacers would open with the sole purpose of scuffing up the ball so the spinners could bowl ASAP, sometimes even as early as over number 3 or 4. We never saw this as ball tampering either, but today everyone would be casting an accusing eye in their direction. Ball tampering back then was ostensibly lifting the seam, that was a no-no .... we used to call it "picking grass seeds out of the seam" :)

The other thing that perplexes me is having spoken with other left arm pace men at the time, I discovered I was holding the shine the opposite side to everyone else when I was trying to bowl and inswinger or an outswinger. To put it this way, it appears I was bowling reverse swing long before we ever heard of the word, and I was bowling it from ball one. As much as I continue to learn about cricket, some things still remain a mystery :)
 
Adelaide Hawk said:
The other thing that perplexes me is having spoken with other left arm pace men at the time, I discovered I was holding the shine the opposite side to everyone else when I was trying to bowl and inswinger or an outswinger. To put it this way, it appears I was bowling reverse swing long before we ever heard of the word, and I was bowling it from ball one. As much as I continue to learn about cricket, some things still remain a mystery :)
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There's lots of different elements at play that 'create' swing. In the main there are three effects that can be controlled, and all are present from the first ball.

Air-flow over the seam (typically new ball only) - when both sides of the ball offer the same resistance, the angle of the seam creates a slight air-pressure variance, "pushing" the ball in the direction the seam "faces".

"Smooth/Rough" Ball swing - the air travels quicker over the smooth side, with greater air resistance on the rough side "pulling" the ball away from the smooth (shiny) side..

"Heavy/Light" Ball swing - Reverse - the heavy side of the ball now carries more force and doesn't slow down - pulling the ball towards the heavy (shiny) side.

The first two tend to provide only small variations in direction, whilst the last is an accelerating amount of movement, which is why "reverse" can be so difficult to play.
 

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Great ton by Clarke! Will go down as one of his best. He was in real strife yesterday against Morkel for a time. Strange they didn't open up with him this morning.
 
Langford4FBOTC said:
Great ton by Clarke! Will go down as one of his best. He was in real strife yesterday against Morkel for a time. Strange they didn't open up with him this morning.
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Odd, hey?

That straight drive from Smith was something else.
 
And the shot over extra cover... Wow.
You'd think that starting fresh in his 90's after spending the night iced up from the battering, he'd have been wanting to face Morkel the least of the all the bowlers.
 
Langford4FBOTC said:
And the shot over extra cover... Wow.
You'd think that starting fresh in his 90's after spending the night iced up from the battering, he'd have been wanting to face Morkel the least of the all the bowlers.
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Smith does some odd things as captain though.

As for Steve Smith - he's really maturing into a very fine batsman. Starting to assert himself now. Muscle stuff.
 
grizzlym said:
Smith does some odd things as captain though.

As for Steve Smith - he's really maturing into a very fine batsman. Starting to assert himself now. Muscle stuff.
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Smith's leaving of the ball is first class. You don't see him following the ball very often these days.
 
Langford4FBOTC said:
Smith's leaving of the ball is first class. You don't see him following the ball very often these days.
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Yep. agree. Leaving balls on length too, not just line.

Now, if Watson comes in, he'll have just the sort of platform to create havoc.
 
grizzlym said:
Yep. agree. Leaving balls on length too, not just line.

Now, if Watson comes in, he'll have just the sort of platform to create havoc.
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About to see what Watson can do. You'd think he'll try and monster them. I'm more looking forward to Hadden with no pressure.

Stayed down on Smith. Good signs for days 4 & 5
 
Langford4FBOTC said:
About to see what Watson can do. You'd think he'll try and monster them. I'm more looking forward to Hadden with no pressure.

Stayed down on Smith. Good signs for days 4 & 5
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It did. It was a shocking ball too.
 
Terrific start! Smith just can't make a run against us this series
 
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