Opinion Cricket thread

[gokangas]

Maxwell is so over rated

No he isn't - just ask him.

 

[Marstermind]

This is the type of innings that is killing this form of the game. There wouldn't be 30k here and no wonder. Lose early wickets and then 2.5 hours of tapping it around for singles trying to get something 'defendable'. God it's boring.

 

[Hojuman]

Think aussies may have lost more one dayers at the 'Gee more than any other aussie ground.

 

[Firestarter]

Way to lose a good streak fellas.

 

[Marstermind]

That was the first ODI I've been to (aside from the World Cup Final) I've been to in 4 years and it convinced me the format has no future. Certainly not in its current state. I suppose had the Aussies got a few late wickets and had the Pakis scrambling to the target with 7 or 8 down the kinda exciting finish might have made up for 6 hours of fairly tedious cricket. But that didn't happen. The lack of atmosphere in the crowd, the lack to importance in the game, the lack of tension in the contest made for a sporting spectacle that my son and I found somewhat boring. The predictability in the 10-40 over stage is mind numbing as good players "consolidate" - that is, push the ball into the vast gaps and jog/walk through for non-pressure singles that the opposition have no problem giving up. Then the chase runs at the same script for more than time. Under 250 gets picked off so easily. Over 300 usually starts off well but gets derailed as soon as a wicket or two falls. The "atmosphere" is so contrived - does anyone want to see non-stop scoreboard shots of people in the usual array of dumb dress-ups? (I suspect that most of those in the dress up area are rent-a-crowds. All 20-something, white, sort of funky looking, happy to dance inanely to whatever between-over pop standard is playing types). It's all futile anyway as the 31,000 in a 100,000 stadium watching a slow moving, predictable, irrelevant contest doesn't exactly create a chills-down-spine experience.

What can be done to make it more relevant? Maybe make all ODIs some sort of World Cup qualification may help. I have my own thoughts on how this would look but won't go into it now. The slow 30-overs in the middle of the innings? Well, just get rid of them and cut the game down to 20-overs aside would make a better spectacle . I'd go to that!

 

[Gasometer]

That was the first ODI I've been to (aside from the World Cup Final) I've been to in 4 years and it convinced me the format has no future. Certainly not in its current state. I suppose had the Aussies got a few late wickets and had the Pakis scrambling to the target with 7 or 8 down the kinda exciting finish might have made up for 6 hours of fairly tedious cricket. But that didn't happen. The lack of atmosphere in the crowd, the lack to importance in the game, the lack of tension in the contest made for a sporting spectacle that my son and I found somewhat boring. The predictability in the 10-40 over stage is mind numbing as good players "consolidate" - that is, push the ball into the vast gaps and jog/walk through for non-pressure singles that the opposition have no problem giving up. Then the chase runs at the same script for more than time. Under 250 gets picked off so easily. Over 300 usually starts off well but gets derailed as soon as a wicket or two falls. The "atmosphere" is so contrived - does anyone want to see non-stop scoreboard shots of people in the usual array of dumb dress-ups? (I suspect that most of those in the dress up area are rent-a-crowds. All 20-something, white, sort of funky looking, happy to dance inanely to whatever between-over pop standard is playing types). It's all futile anyway as the 31,000 in a 100,000 stadium watching a slow moving, predictable, irrelevant contest doesn't exactly create a chills-down-spine experience.

What can be done to make it more relevant? Maybe make all ODIs some sort of World Cup qualification may help. I have my own thoughts on how this would look but won't go into it now. The slow 30-overs in the middle of the innings? Well, just get rid of them and cut the game down to 20-overs aside would make a better spectacle . I'd go to that!

Bring back McDonald's cricket posters every summer.

 

[KiwiRoo]

Great post Mastermind. I like the idea of world cup qualification . You could shorten the actual tournament too

 

[Mav]

That was the first ODI I've been to (aside from the World Cup Final) I've been to in 4 years and it convinced me the format has no future. Certainly not in its current state. I suppose had the Aussies got a few late wickets and had the Pakis scrambling to the target with 7 or 8 down the kinda exciting finish might have made up for 6 hours of fairly tedious cricket. But that didn't happen. The lack of atmosphere in the crowd, the lack to importance in the game, the lack of tension in the contest made for a sporting spectacle that my son and I found somewhat boring. The predictability in the 10-40 over stage is mind numbing as good players "consolidate" - that is, push the ball into the vast gaps and jog/walk through for non-pressure singles that the opposition have no problem giving up. Then the chase runs at the same script for more than time. Under 250 gets picked off so easily. Over 300 usually starts off well but gets derailed as soon as a wicket or two falls. The "atmosphere" is so contrived - does anyone want to see non-stop scoreboard shots of people in the usual array of dumb dress-ups? (I suspect that most of those in the dress up area are rent-a-crowds. All 20-something, white, sort of funky looking, happy to dance inanely to whatever between-over pop standard is playing types). It's all futile anyway as the 31,000 in a 100,000 stadium watching a slow moving, predictable, irrelevant contest doesn't exactly create a chills-down-spine experience.

What can be done to make it more relevant? Maybe make all ODIs some sort of World Cup qualification may help. I have my own thoughts on how this would look but won't go into it now. The slow 30-overs in the middle of the innings? Well, just get rid of them and cut the game down to 20-overs aside would make a better spectacle . I'd go to that!

yeah, cricket is shit when it's like cricket.

Wait, what??

 

[Marstermind]

yeah, cricket is shit when it's like cricket.

Wait, what??

Cricket is like cricket when it's Test cricket.

This, and T20, is cricket for the masses. Cricket junk food. It's not what the purists want but we accept that and take it for what it is. Unfortunately, what the 50 over game currently is, isn't what the masses want. It's neither traditional or a novelty. It's neither the sport's ultimate test of skill, temperament and strategy or absolute hit-and-giggle. It's too long for the families and not long enough for the die-hards. It's sort of sitting in sporting purgatory. It's either needs to be revamped or disposed of because in its current form it really isn't anything. I'd love it to be what it was but it seems times have changed.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Cricket is like cricket when it's Test cricket.

This, and T20, is cricket for the masses. Cricket junk food. It's not what the purists want but we accept that and take it for what it is. Unfortunately, what the 50 over game currently is, isn't what the masses want. It's neither traditional or a novelty. It's neither the sport's ultimate test of skill, temperament and strategy or absolute hit-and-giggle. It's too long for the families and not long enough for the die-hards. It's sort of sitting in sporting purgatory. It's either needs to be revamped or disposed of because in its current form it really isn't anything. I'd love it to be what it was but it seems times have changed.

That's the thing. If you want a meaningless game where the music between overs is as big a feature as the match, you can now get it over with in half the time. The only thing one-day cricket has a lot of the time over T20 options is that there are real teams playing - I was tempted to take my son yesterday just so he could watch Australia play - but that's not a big sell.

Maybe Pakistan had more supporters there because they did have World Cup qualification riding on it and Australia had nothing? Or maybe they are just more delighted to have the chance to see their team play at all and we are a bit jaded.

 

[ArjenTheGreat]

31000 fills all cricket stadiums in England, South Africa, NZ, West Indies and Sri Lanka.

Yes it was shit boring, but at least it's cricket and I didn't mind watching them win for some reason.

Mitch Marsh's shot was reminiscent of Damian Martyn v Fanie De Villiers in 1994, old Damo got 5 years for that shot and I wouldn't be against Mitch receiving a similar sentence.

He shits me as much as Gibbo does that genuine 3/4 fraud.

 

[SMaturin]

Warner as an opener upsets the balance of the rest of the batting lineup.

Unless he makes a ton his strike rate is so much higher than the rest of the team that it:

a) causes other batsmen to try and bat outside their natural game to keep up with him, or
b) plod along at the other end and then realise with a gasp that once Warner is out they've barely got their eye in now have to bat outside their natural game to maintain the run rate.

My solution - Warner to come in at 3 or 4.

Come at me.



p.s My friends have already comprehensively ridiculed this theory

 

[Firestarter]

Went from a semi to three quarters eh?

 

[ArjenTheGreat]

Went from a semi to three quarters eh?

He's a North supporter... I was trying to be kind to one of the brethren.

 

[big_e]

Cricket is like cricket when it's Test cricket.

This, and T20, is cricket for the masses. Cricket junk food. It's not what the purists want but we accept that and take it for what it is. Unfortunately, what the 50 over game currently is, isn't what the masses want. It's neither traditional or a novelty. It's neither the sport's ultimate test of skill, temperament and strategy or absolute hit-and-giggle. It's too long for the families and not long enough for the die-hards. It's sort of sitting in sporting purgatory. It's either needs to be revamped or disposed of because in its current form it really isn't anything. I'd love it to be what it was but it seems times have changed.

Just as an aside, maybe they shouldn't be playing those games at the MCG anymore. If you know you're not getting more than 40,000 for an ODI, play them at Etihad.

 

[ArjenTheGreat]

Just as an aside, maybe they shouldn't be playing those games at the MCG anymore. If you know you're not getting more than 40,000 for an ODI, play them at Etihad.

The ODI's should be played in Geelong, Gold Coast, Canberra, Cairns, Darwin... Even Alice Springs, Launceston, Newcastle etc Everywhere but the main centres.

Would make it much more exciting playing at weird and wonderful places.

 

[Le Grille]

As long as ODI's are part of a 5 game (or any multiple game series) between to teams only they are essentially an exhibition game. That's why attendances are falling. Those series don't have the meaning a test series have nor the excitement of 20/20 for the average punter.

ODI's dead in ten yrs

 

[ArjenTheGreat]

As long as ODI's are part of a 5 game (or any multiple game series) between to teams only they are essentially an exhibition game. That's why attendances are falling. Those series don't have the meaning a test series have nor the excitement of 20/20 for the average punter.

ODI's dead in ten yrs

Too popular in India to die, plus the games showpiece is still the 50 over World Cup, not to mention we have won 4 of the last 5 World Cups.

 

[Le Grille]

Too popular in India to die, plus the games showpiece is still the 50 over World Cup, not to mention we have won 4 of the last 5 World Cups.

Is a steaming pile of shit though without something to play for.

 

[ArjenTheGreat]

Is a steaming pile of shit though without something to play for.

Meh it's cricket... You take the good with the bad.

I enjoy the tedious and idiosyncratic nature of the sport just as much as I enjoy being entertained.

If it were up to me, I would have designated "green top" games to spice things up a bit.

 

[SpiderBurton22]

Meh it's cricket... You take the good with the bad.

I enjoy the tedious and idiosyncratic nature of the sport just as much as I enjoy being entertained.

If it were up to me, I would have designated "green top" games to spice things up a bit.

That is half the problem with these One day games. Pitches are way too flat and batsmen friendly. The ballance between and ball had to be narrowed.

 

[Marstermind]

Meh it's cricket... You take the good with the bad.

I enjoy the tedious and idiosyncratic nature of the sport just as much as I enjoy being entertained.

If it were up to me, I would have designated "green top" games to spice things up a bit.

I'm with you on this. What T20 has done ODIs is the misconception that crowds want big scores, flat pitches, 4s, 6s. But this has meant that the games have lost their character. Small scores are too easily run down, big scores too distant. Many great ODIs have been played on bowler helpful pitches where 200 was a good target.

 

[Firestarter]

Perera you are a deadset peanut.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Renegades are a peanut team.

 

[Firestarter]

Renegades are a peanut team.

I did the right thing by the board and walked away after that stupid shot.