Cricket things that annoy you

[Gethelred]

I was watching the Shield game on at the moment, and they were making a big deal out of Peter Handscomb's tactics to Steve Smith. Prematch, he'd opted for using the same leg trap India used over the course of the summer to choke him of runs; he had a 4-5 leg side field. While he wound up getting him caught outside off, by starving him of confidence and testing his patience, you can get a wicket to a delivery you mightn't on another day.

The commentary didn't like the 'leg theory', as stated. He didn't have a reason why, other than it supposedly encouraging defensive cricket. This annoys the s**t out of me, because you want your captains testing opposition players, and for Smith to find a way to counter the tactic he needs to face more of it. If something works, it works.

It got me thinking, what annoys you when it comes to playing or watching cricket?

 

[PhatBoy]

I was watching the Shield game on at the moment, and they were making a big deal out of Peter Handscomb's tactics to Steve Smith. Prematch, he'd opted for using the same leg trap India used over the course of the summer to choke him of runs; he had a 4-5 leg side field. While he wound up getting him caught outside off, by starving him of confidence and testing his patience, you can get a wicket to a delivery you mightn't on another day.

The commentary didn't like the 'leg theory', as stated. He didn't have a reason why, other than it supposedly encouraging defensive cricket. This annoys the sh*t out of me, because you want your captains testing opposition players, and for Smith to find a way to counter the tactic he needs to face more of it. If something works, it works.

It got me thinking, what annoys you when it comes to playing or watching cricket?

Playing in particular - players marking their guard.

There’s a line a foot f***en deep already there - it hasn’t moved since last time someone scratched it, and you’re not good enough for 5mm to Make a f***ing difference mate.


Reverse sweeping. In some instances players will do it to take a fielder out of play. If you are good enough, and that’s your reasoning, that’s fair.
I reckon at least half the time players do it, they do it because they’ve made up their mind that they are going to, and in reality they could play a normal shot to the same ball and plant it anywhere. My desire to have children with him influences my liking for his approach, but to you see Chris Gayle trying to reverse sweep anyone? No ya f***en don’t because he’s worked out that it’s easier to just blast it into orbit with a normal shot.

Commentators saying that players should have ‘let that go’ when a player reaches for a short half tracker or half volley and get out. F*** off mate. Criticise the execution of the shot, not the intent behind it. You can’t rag on players for scoring slow, or laud players for ‘just putting the bad ones away’ and then slag others off for trying to do the same.



Players getting out fending, or to a full ball, during an obvious bouncer plan. You’ve got helmets, you’ve got gloves, you’ve got pads, arm guards, chest guards, thigh pads. If someone is trying to bounce you out, either make it cost them by attacking it in some capacity, or take the ‘I may have to get hit or limbo a few balls here but I will protect my stumps come hell or high water.’ This shits me both locally and at high level.

 

[Gethelred]

Players getting out fending, or to a full ball, during an obvious bouncer plan. You’ve got helmets, you’ve got gloves, you’ve got pads, arm guards, chest guards, thigh pads. If someone is trying to bounce you out, either make it cost them by attacking it in some capacity, or take the ‘I may have to get hit or limbo a few balls here but I will protect my stumps come hell or high water.’ This shits me both locally and at high level.

This one annoys the s**t out of me. If you get to senior cricket without at least having some way of playing the short ball, your club and you personally have been completely remiss, in a dangerous way. The one that annoys me the most is when they take their eyes off the ball.

Either you've avoided learning, or someone along the line has let you get away with playing the short ball poorly. If you've got a helmet on, you've no excuses for taking your eye off the ball. You're more likely to get hurt, and less likely to get hit where the helmet is at its strongest if you look away.

Get some backbone, and stare the *er down.

 

[BrownYouGun]

Watching:

1. A million drinks breaks outside the sanctioned drinks breaks.
2. Ditto glove changes, bat changes, helmet changes, electrolytes, massages and anything else that slows the game even further.
3. Bowlers/captains without plans or the ability to execute a plan when playing at test level
4. Commentators focusing about how good they themselves were rather than adding analysis about what the fielding team is trying to execute vs each batsmen and how the batsmen are trying to counter it

 

[PhatBoy]

This one annoys the sh*t out of me. If you get to senior cricket without at least having some way of playing the short ball, your club and you personally have been completely remiss, in a dangerous way. The one that annoys me the most is when they take their eyes off the ball.

Either you've avoided learning, or someone along the line has let you get away with playing the short ball poorly. If you've got a helmet on, you've no excuses for taking your eye off the ball. You're more likely to get hurt, and less likely to get hit where the helmet is at its strongest if you look away.

Get some backbone, and stare the f***er down.

F***ING ALL OF THIS.

Our last game was on the one pitch in town that is really uneven and it seams a lot too. I actually really like it as it has some character.

One of the quicks on the other team wasn’t great but he had a knack for bowling 1-2 good balls an over and he had a good bouncer.

I made 28 - we were chasing only 63 but it turned out the pitch made it f***ing difficult and my score was by far the highest of the day (we made 94 in reply). I watched 6 guys get out at the other end, each of them I said the same thing: ‘you might have to wear a few, but try and favour the front foot and protect your stumps because that’s how he will get you out.’ I maybe got hit 4-5? Times myself but each time I got my gloves and bat high out of the way and watched the ball get me in the chest or side or under the armpit. It f***ing hurt lol

3 of these blokes got spooked by a bouncer that they couldn’t handle, then got bowled next ball.

I can’t talk too much - at 9-down I made up my mind to try and target him, he bowled a bouncer a foot outside off that I went to uppercut, it followed me, so I ended up giving an absolutely perfect slips practice catch to the guy at 3rd

 

[Cainozz]

Loved him as a cricketer but absolutely hate Warne as a commentator. Dribbles so much crap and the amount of times he's said 'declare now, 200 is easily enough to defend'. The amount of times that has backfired when the opposition has then cruised past 200 chasing a target is laughable. This isn't the 90s when every pitch broke up on Day 5 and batsman had thin bats. Bats are big, boundaries are small and pitches are flatter these days.

 

[PhatBoy]

Loved him as a cricketer but absolutely hate Warne as a commentator. Dribbles so much crap and the amount of times he's said 'declare now, 200 is easily enough to defend'. The amount of times that has backfired when the opposition has then cruised past 200 chasing a target is laughable. This isn't the 90s when every pitch broke up on Day 5 and batsman had thin bats. Bats are big, boundaries are small and pitches are flatter these days.

I think it’s actually more than anything down to one day cricket.

The 434 game or whatever it was SA chased down changed test cricket as much as it changed one day cricket. It meant that chase management became an entire focus of the team rather than leaving it up to Michael Bevan or Chris Harris or wherever else was good at managing the last 20 overs of an innings.

 

[Gethelred]

I think it’s actually more than anything down to one day cricket.

The 434 game or whatever it was SA chased down changed test cricket as much as it changed one day cricket. It meant that chase management became an entire focus of the team rather than leaving it up to Michael Bevan or Chris Harris or wherever else was good at managing the last 20 overs of an innings.

You don't think that T20 has played a role in ensuring that all players know a bit more about chase management?

 

[Gethelred]

Something that shits me about all cricket, whether watching or playing: the fact that a defensive player can be completely useless for 2/3 of a season, up until you get to a day or a deck in which they are top scorer amidst a collapse, and they get you to something respectable.

The fact that park cricket doesn't have the draw as an option for a team that isn't bowled out - as a test does - provides incentive for opposition to just bowl defensively and to stack the side with quick bats, rather than develop a decent cricket team.

But then, this is a very self-interested gripe.

 

[PhatBoy]

You don't think that T20 has played a role in ensuring that all players know a bit more about chase management?

I think it has enhanced it undoubtedly but I think the batting second aspect of t20 is just a microcosm of 50 over cricket.

 

[PhatBoy]

Something that shits me about all cricket, whether watching or playing: the fact that a defensive player can be completely useless for 2/3 of a season, up until you get to a day or a deck in which they are top scorer amidst a collapse, and they get you to something respectable.

The fact that park cricket doesn't have the draw as an option for a team that isn't bowled out - as a test does - provides incentive for opposition to just bowl defensively and to stack the side with quick bats, rather than develop a decent cricket team.

But then, this is a very self-interested gripe.

They actually changed that rule here.

A few years ago a team who finished first on the ladder won the comp after making the grand final, conceding 300 or something huge and finishing 5-190 or thereabouts in their chase

 

[Gethelred]

They actually changed that rule here.

A few years ago a team who finished first on the ladder won the comp after making the grand final, conceding 300 or something huge and finishing 5-190 or thereabouts in their chase

They changed it to the draw in the event of failing to be all out?

******* grouse! Too many years I've seen some pretty ******* average bowling lineups cruise by on the strength of one or two players with the bat.

 

[PhatBoy]

They changed it to the draw in the event of failing to be all out?

******* grouse! Too many years I've seen some pretty ******* average bowling lineups cruise by on the strength of one or two players with the bat.

I haven’t been in that situation yet myself but I like the idea of a game where a team is just trying to survive. It’s a real different experience from the usual ‘post a score, get a team 4-down and the last 6 wickets fall from blokes just having a swing’ outcome that dominates a lot of club cricket

 

[sherb]

Attacking player comes to the crease in a Test match in a situation requiring him to put his head down.

Said player gets out playing unnecessary attacking shot.

"That's the way he plays", say commentators and supporters as some sort of excuse.

No. It's Test Cricket, the top level. Players need to, and should be able to, play according to the situation, even if it goes against their natural instincts.

 

[to1994]

Loved him as a cricketer but absolutely hate Warne as a commentator. Dribbles so much crap and the amount of times he's said 'declare now, 200 is easily enough to defend'. The amount of times that has backfired when the opposition has then cruised past 200 chasing a target is laughable. This isn't the 90s when every pitch broke up on Day 5 and batsman had thin bats. Bats are big, boundaries are small and pitches are flatter these days.

Except in England. He's a joy when commenting over there because he's the only one who stands up to the other smug commentators.

The highlight was in 2013 when England were on top but Warne was going off calling out Alastair Cook for being a poor captain (an example being when Cook quickly put in a deep point after a boundary despite them being miles ahead). He got the last laugh when pretty much all he said came true during our summer.

Here in Australia though he comes across as a complete banana so his credits have probably dried up.

 

[The hands of stone]

Something that shits me about all cricket, whether watching or playing: the fact that a defensive player can be completely useless for 2/3 of a season, up until you get to a day or a deck in which they are top scorer amidst a collapse, and they get you to something respectable.

The fact that park cricket doesn't have the draw as an option for a team that isn't bowled out - as a test does - provides incentive for opposition to just bowl defensively and to stack the side with quick bats, rather than develop a decent cricket team.

But then, this is a very self-interested gripe.

A lot of leagues in England have a draw result in that situation . So you will just get your runs total points and wicket points.
Hard to adjust too.

Makes for some bizarre games , some teams declaring after 30 overs and a lot of second innings become farcsical with part timers bowling to 6 on the boundary trying to 'encourage' shots .

Totally agree with you

 

[Trojan90]

- Weather/Bad light.
- Front foot no balls. No excuses for it, should be a droppable offence.
- Commentators complaining about 'slow batting' in test cricket. Eg. criticizing Pujara for valuing his wicket.
- The general public and media(non cricket fans) hating on the AUS cricket team. Complaining about there attitudes and sledging etc when they dont even know the game.
- Is NSW bias a thing? I have my doubts...

Plenty more, but this will do for now.

 

[t_94]

People who expect batsmen to succeed every innings they play. Bigfooty is horrendous for this.

 

[peternorth]

the steve smith saga (aka exaggeration). media are pumping it up. Was smith like this when he debuted? Or has it been something he's developed which as more attention made of it, continued to up the ante?

chicken-egg.

 

[corbies]

At international level, my biggest pet hate is batsman not running/crossing when they sky a ball. Particularly those who start walking towards the dressing room before the catch is taken. It's important for two reasons:

1. You cross and get the established batsman on strike if you are dismissed.

2. You either cost yourself runs if it is dropped or get run out anyway because you're 30 metres from the crease as you're already heading off the ground. See this s**t from Shane Watson at the 6 minute mark:



I also absolutely despise the need for every ball to be thrown back to the keeper. Especially balls that go to mid off/mid on/cover etc. I see no upside from it and I only see a bad throw going for overthrows. Just hold onto it, or throw it to whoever is shining it.

At club level I absolutely hate when people don't back up throws properly. Firstly blokes on the boundary who don't come in 20m if a throw is coming in opposite to them but mainly the one where the person backing up stands about 4m from the stumps which gives them absolutely no chance to stop a ball that goes past the keeper/bowler. Stand 20-30m back, no one is taking an overthrow if the ball ends up between the stumps and you.

 

[footyfan1978]

I hate that day/night Test matches are five day games. They should be four days.
If you are trying to get more of a match for people to watch outside of work hours surely you make more use of the night sessions and have them be 3.5 hours long to end the day at around 10 pm.
Have the day sessions cover the first 4 hours of play and night session be as long as a night session in ODI night sessions, which is three and a half hours. Thereby you can play a day/night Test in just four days of 7.5 hours each day to still be as long a playing time as we have over five days. It shits me this common sense approach has still not been adopted. I grew up watching the Supertests played like this in late 70's and they still not copied that well set idea from decades ago. This way you can play day/night Test starting Thursday arvo be able to follow a Test every night at home after tea until Sunday night and never need these Tests to end on a new weekday when many people back to work and will miss the end of a Test match.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

The Shane Watson LBW jokes. A lot of his would have been retained with the umpires call rules these days.

 

[PhatBoy]

The Shane Watson LBW jokes. A lot of his would have been retained with the umpires call rules these days.

The meme with the enormous pad was pretty funny admittedly.

I think he would have been less of a target if it wasn’t for the residual stigma that he carried with him from his first 10-15 Tests where people constantly wondered why he was being picked.

It was like once he started to at least show a bit of ability they needed something else to take the piss out of

 

[Scorpus]

Selectors who insist on picking crap or out of form players in spite of evidence at Test/FC level that they aren't very good or are struggling badly

 

[Trojan90]

The meme with the enormous pad was pretty funny admittedly.

I think he would have been less of a target if it wasn’t for the residual stigma that he carried with him from his first 10-15 Tests where people constantly wondered why he was being picked.

It was like once he started to at least show a bit of ability they needed something else to take the piss out of

Agree, Watson carried that stigma throughout his career. He was always a meme. For a while he was one of our most valuable players and for a year or so our best player, around the time the drs came in.