fucking. typical. england.

whilst T20 is a (enjoyable) waste of time, i suspect this defeat will eat away at the squad and bring nothing but disharmony to the england camp.

still at least we have a heavy defeat in India to look forward to.

England were particularly inept in this game .... as Moster said it looks like we'll get hammered in India

I think I witnessed the death of the sport of cricket last night.

You may be right.

It's been a debacle of the highest order. The whole 'tour' has been a grubby little affair. Glad we lost. Let us hope a lesson can be learned...

Thats a bit OTT RTS ..... people were saying that about Packer in the 1970's. Hopefully its the begining of the end of 20/20 & so the re-birth of cricket

Not really.

The whole thing was a laboured debacle funded by some twerp who neither cares nor likes the sport and helped single handedly turn it into a circus by his lecherous behaviour. You couldn't watch that crap last night willing your country on when all they were doing was playing against some select side for a ridiculous cash incentive (not that I blame em).

I'd rather go down Edgbaston on a Thursday lunchtime and sit next to a load of pensioners ramming jam sandwiches down their necks than have to sit through such rubbish as that again.

Hilarious levels of incompetence throughout. Haven't laughed so much at an England performance since, erm...

And so the ECB fails in its cunning plan to save the UK economy.

Not a chance

The engine of growth in cricket is in the Indian sub-continent, and 20/20 is the way it is going.

We've been watching some of the Indian 20/20 games on ZeeTV and to be honest, they are fun to watch. That is why it is successful.

But no - it's not the same as watching a test match (or better still listening to TMS on longwave - now that's cricket )

Careful RTS ... you could be sat next to me in 2009 ... I do the sandwiches but aren't a pensioner

Again the ECB show what they think of the county game .... the 2009 fixtures are overdue .... the lists aren't being issued because 'they' cant find anyone to play England in May. Dont these people realise that some of us need to know where we are going to be next summer ... & us Yorkies need to start thinking of booking the b&bs in Scarborough. In 2006 we didn't try to book until December. As a result for one game we ended up around mile away from the ground rather than in 'our usual' under 50 yards from the entrance.

I've never been to a cricket match, but between 7 and 8 this morning I was in the Lord's media center (for the first time).
Made me want to go and watch some cricket next year.

The 'only' place to watch cricket at Lords is in the top deck of the pavilion .... OK I'm showing off, we watched a session when Yorks played in the championship as they allow opposition members in... its actually much more comfortable at the Nursery End (where we watched the other 2 sessions) as one doesn't have to wear jacket & tie .... but it is true that the food & drink is better & cheaper in the Long Room Bar (real ale as oppsosed to keg & rather nice beef sandwiches)

One of the bonuses of county membership indeed. When I was working in London, I used to really enjoy the times when Essex played at Lords. Slip off early from work, into the Lords pavilion for a good bit of cricket before the end of play, and you're totally right about the food and drink. Happy days.



It's a disgrace. Would any other sport have to put up with this? Don't think any of the counties' establishments are too happy with the situation, from what I can gather.

They will have to swallow it, because without the ECB handouts most counties would have gone under during the early 90's.

The simple fact is the County Championship is not financially self sustaining.

This is a world I don't quite understand; (an actual cricket match at Lords I mean).
I was in the Long Room (as well) yesterday morning - and a few days before that, in the ''Members Lounge'' .... or whatever it's called - it's the big window smack bang in the bottom center of The Pavilion.
(The window goes up when they're watching cricket).
I agree with Red Star that the view must be much better from the top of The Pavilion, because down there - and in the Long Room - the view is (for my tastes) too close to the ground.

I really wasn't very impressed by the view from just under the media center, in those seats at the back that are under the stand above. It's dark and cold back there. And there are some pillars right in view across the wicket.

But I really like the very old fashioned gents tiolets at that end.

i got up early for that shite today.

in a way i'm glad i did, as india batted beautifully even if we did chuck pies at them.

some series can be called at the outset. see harmison to the aussies in both 2005 & 2006-07. also see gough's 25mph long hop to slater in 1993.

this england side is still smarting over missing out on a big payday in the 20/20 and i reckon is full of in-fighting and is on a 1 way route to self destruction.

this isn't helped by playing the team that are probably better at home than anyone else in the world, and come off the back of beating australia.

we are going to get right royally fucked out in india.

having said that. there are still problems in the side. prior isn't a number 2, and we haven't really found a proper replacement for tresco as opener.

bell and collingwood are both a long series of mediocre shite with the occasional score. this needs to be the other way around and at least one of them has to go. much is made of collingwood being an option in the bowling department but he's not good enough, not if you pay bopara and/or wright as well.

bopara and patel both bat too low down the order, and again you feel that it has to be one or the other. Patel, obviously.

at the moment pietersen holds up the batting on his own, and likewise flintoff with the bowling. it's not quite the bad old days of the 90's, but it's not far off.

Don't think you're far wrong with any of that, moster.

The second ODI appears currently to be going the same way, and I'd be surprised if the rest of the tour goes much differently.

There's no point playing either Bopara or Wright if they're batting at 8 and not (or hardly bowling). Might as well have another proper batsman in the team instead, if they can find one. Bopara's a better batsman than Wright or Patel. Collingwood shouldn't be in the team, even if he is the captain's mate.

England's one-day selection is just as confused as it's been for years.

England are getting better ... they were only beaten by 50 runs this time ... at this rate by the last match they may even give India a decent game

btw These defeates put the Australian games in context .... unless there's a massive improvement England have no chance of regaining the Ashes in 2009.

I was in the Lords Long Room again today. No big deal really, as it's just my job to drive about and deliver and pick stuff up. But while I waited an hour for the tech guys to break down and dismantle this conference audio-visual equpment, I just peeked about the place (into the Long Room bar which looked very nice), and looking at all the oil paintings of cricketing scenes from the past.
The trophies and stuff around the walls. I was told that it was from the middle of the long room that the players walked out on to the pitch.
I got a small thrill from imaginining the pomp and circumstance of the whole scene down the ages.

you obviously didn't get up at 5 o'clock this morning to watch it.

"We improved from the last game," said Captain KP. "We need the bowlers to take wickets and the batsmen to score runs." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/7733252.stm

Now that's a thought, isn't it?

Not just the cricketers, I suppose. Similar sort of stuff was being spouted by Borthwick and co. after the rugby loss to Australia at the weekend. Except without the business about wickets and runs of course.

Anyway, current tactic seems to be to get Yuvraj to win so many motorbikes that eventually he will inevitably fall off one of them. But then again, injury doesn't seem to stop him, so that may not work. A decent spinner might be another way forward.

I'm not 'that' stupid .... but you must admit that losing the 50 odd runs is better than losing by 150 runs. Actually my comment was just black humour .... on the Yorks cricket forums the thought is that its just like watching Yorks Phoenix in 2004/5/6 .. comments like he's bowling better were regualar when a bowler went for 65 instead of 75 of 9/10 overs



Yuvraj actually played part of a season for Yorks in 2003 .... in 7 championship games Singh scored 145 runs at 14.50 (top score 56) & in 9 one day games made 196 runs at 21.77 (top score 50). Is this really the same bloke?

In the batting side's power play today, we scored 21 off our 4 overs. India took 14 off the first of their four.

Thankfully I forgot about the game until it was virtually over.

I'm afraid that the whole of this series appears to be virtually over.

The series will be over by mid-day GMT on Sunday.

The Aussies must be laughing their heads off at quotes such as 'England will easily win the 2009 Ashes contest' after they lost to India in what was a rather close contest.

after the indian series, the australian summer test series started last thursday with Australia playing New Zealand in Brisbane.
the aussies dropped Krejza (after a 12 wicket haul in his 1st test to recall andrew symonds and cameron white made way for stuart clark
There was a bit in the wicket early and the aussies could only manage 214 , michael clarke 98, tim southee , a 19yo kiwi seamer took 4/63 and looks a promising type. NZ's 1st bat 156 all out with mitchell johnson taking 4/30.
australia's 2nd bat 268, katich 131* carried his bat and was the only shining light for the aussies.
nz replied with 177 stuart clark 4/43 and mitchell johnson again was outstanding with 5/39. johnson was man of the match and australia won by 149 runs.
nz fielded a young team , lacking at least 1 quality batsman. there young bowlers did very well on a wicket that provided some assistance to bowlers. but they will be tested next week in adelaide. they miss their IPL stars , Oram, Marshall
another test next week against nz. then 3 tests v south africa

As predicted England lost .... but have naturally come home after the bombings .... I'll be interested to see if certain players return for the tests. These cricketers bleated on for ages about 'too much cricket' yes turned up to the Stamford 20/20 & insist that they are allowed to play in the IPL. The cynic in me expects some members of the team not to return for the tests but to be in India for the IPL. .... of course it will be 'for the good of cricket' & not because they are being 'paid well'

On another front still no fixtures ..... why dont the ECB just cancel the county season as they dont appear to bother about it

I agree with all of the above.

I don't think you're far wrong there. I suppose at least if England go back to India with a "weakened" team they'll have an excuse for the on-field humiliation that they're likely to suffer. Though I sort of hope that if they do end up having to take some replacements for players that won't tour, those replacements do well and shake up the cosy huddle that's the current England squad.



I think they're hoping that if they never publish the county fixtures, no one will notice and then they won't have to worry about all those pesky counties and their members again...

The following was posted on a Yorks cricket forum by an employee of the club

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We have had confirmation from the ECB the fixtures will be available to publish no later than 18th December.

Kate Edge
YCCC

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On a general cricket forum someone posted

Alan Fordham, ECB Operations Director has said they could possibly be out tomorrow but more likely next week.

I got a further reply on a Yorks forum from James Buttler, who's the Yorks 'comunications manaager' (p.s. Thanks Mr Womble for his quick reply)

The ECB send the fixtures to all of the counties first (my forum name) - the counties are given a small window to suggest sensible changes and then the ECB redraft accordingly. That process is much reduced this time due to the fact we are well into December. The date you refer to is when Alan Fordham expects to get the consultation draft to counties. The later date Kate refers to is when the fixtures have been agreed and are made public.

doesn't matter to me when the fixtures are out.

gloshire ain't going to fucking win any of them, so it hardly matters what order they come in.

England lose after India get the highest 4th innings score ever to win a toss in the sub-continent ... & only lose 4 wickets to boot ...... naughty words

It's hard to begrudge India the win, which they deserved on their fourth-innings batting display.

England blew their chance through their stupidly slow batting on the fourth day, which took the pressure off India. England also have the problem of having a so-called "senior spinner" who disappointed once again when the opportunity was there for him to win a crucial match on the final day on a turning wicket. And two opening bowlers without the ability or accuracy to put the pressure on the batting side when it really counts.

Great match, though. Credit to all who made sure it went ahead.

as much as i stated that i wanted to fuck him in a vain attempt to win a forum award a couple of years ago, it's clear that the better sides have sussed out monty and he needs to add something to his game if his initial success is to continue over a longer period.

what's telling to me is that bell, flintoff and kp all failed twice with the bat. and that's how it is with england at the moment. you can rely on half of the top 6 to fail in both innings.

bell and collingwood are both past their date to me, and only pull out a big score when in danger of being dropped. Not that I know who should replace them, Shah maybe and one other.

flintoff is no longer a genuine all rounder and has to be seen as a bowler who can swing the bat a bit.

harmison can fuck off as far as i'm concerned.

if india win the next toss, i fully expect them to put england in so that their bowlers can have a proper rest between innings.

Tendulkar now has 41 test match centuries.

41.

Amazing.

In my frustration with the bowling, I'd forgotten about the batting. Bell has been given more than enough chances, and has to go. Collingwood, if he ever was a test-standard batsman, isn't any more. Possibly the worst thing for England about the last test is Collingwood's 100, which means he's probably saved his place in the XI for another year.

I don't especially rate Shah, but he must be wondering what he needs to do to get a test start. And he'd be a better choice in the XI for the next match than either of the above.

And they desperately need to sort out the keeping. NOT Prior. NOT Ambrose.

...Anyway, I gather that next season's county fixtures are supposed to be out tomorrow. I've just had a letter from the Essex Supporters' Club telling me that I've won a diary in their Christmas raffle (woohoo ), but that they haven't printed them yet because of the lack of fixtures... Oh the humanity!

The 2009 fixtures were issued at 11am GMT this morning

I've already been perusing the Yorkshire ones (we is Yorks btw)
Very happy that the Scarborough fixtures have been split.... but are worried about the July fixture. On Sun 19th Jul we play Durham in a 20/20. Monday is a 'dead day'. Finally we play Notts in the championship from Tue 21st to Fri 24th .... BUT the FPT final at Lords is on Sat 25th .... so if either Yorks or Notts get there the game could be moved to be Mon - Thur. This happened in the 1990's for a semi .... which Yorks lost

Glad that Yorks visit to Old Trafford is Fri-Mon but dispointed all of Worcester, Taunton & Rose Bowl games are Tue to Fri ... we enjoy our weekends away.

I feel bad for slating England when India are really playing fantastically well at the moment. A deserved win, begrudgingly.

As for England...the team, as much as I love them, feel like a diet version of a half decent team. When Pietersen was made Captain I had real hopes for a real pain in the arse captain of the Warne variety, making an occasional unpopular decision for the victory, and it doesn't feel like that to me, its still a team of nice guys, and they just won't be winning matches.

I think somewhere in the squad is a truly wonderful team that could go on to win, but the attitude really needs some bite for me.

I best go look at the Kent fixtures. One of the highlights of my previous year was seeing Kent beat Hampshire (my home counties; Kent for home, Hamps for uni) on the last ball of a twenty20 match. Beautiful. I found myself off the seat, screaming and cheering before I knew what was going on. Hopefully a lot of well placed Twenty20's for my less keen friends and I to attend!

one of the best things about england totally gash at the moment is that i spent most of last weekend watching south africa stick it up the aussies.

great test match, didn't understand why ponting took his foot of the gas at the end of day 4 though, bring siddle and the spinner back handed the momentum back to kallis and ab de vill.

I see Adil Rashid has got into the England team for the West Indies .. do we really need 3 spinners? ... & most Yorkies still think he's not ready. In 2008 Adil took 60 odd wickets at just over 30 ... but that included one innings against Kent at Scarborough where his figures were 1-127 off 37 overs. Rashid's batting is also a bit hit & miss ... literally in the first 10 to 15 minutes where he tends to try & hit balls that should be clearly left alone. If Rash gets through this initial period he can bat well. I hope this trip is just for acclimatisation after which Rashid is allowed another season in county cricket to hone his obvious skill.

Taking more spinners to the West Indies than they took to India is just one more demonstration of the complete lack of coherent thought behind current England selection policies. And I agree with your thoughts on Rashid, RS. Hope they don't ruin him. It may (or may not) all change when Moores gets the push.

Having said that, one good spinner would be a step forward...

See, your all missing Ashley Giles now ain't ya?

That's exactly what I was thinking when I put the bin out last night.

Good old King of Spain. And if only he were still playing, then he wouldn't be selecting...

Doesn't anyone ever think to question that? There could be a conflict of interests involving selecting Warwickshire players for England surely?

Well there must be a reason why Ian Bell seems to be undroppable...

There's long tended to be a bit of an issue over this kind of thing. Peter Moores seems to be obsessed with wicket-keepers from Sussex, wonder why that is?

Mind you, I remember the days of Graham Gooch's influence when it was probably easier to get picked for England if you played for Essex. It all goes around, I guess, in the England set-up.

It certainly does. Warwickshire players were continually over-looked back in the 90's when we were winning everything, probably why we were so successful in truth. I'd prefer Bell back at Warwickshire next season both on behalf of the Bears and England.

It now looks as though both Pietersen and Moores have gone. I'm not overly disapointed. Moore's wasn't a brilliant coach & Pietersen is just a big kid ... Kevin left South Africa because he couldn't be bothered to wait to get pick then walked out on Notts because he didn't agree with some players .... interestingly Notts improved at Pietersen left them.

For Yorkshire's sake I hope Mr Vaughan takes over ..... 'Virgil' turned out for the county at the end of last season ..... & although he kept saying I'm in form kept getting out for very low scores.

I'd guess it'll be Strauss who'll get the chance to be captain for an Ashes series... he should, of course, have been captain for the last Ashes series (in Oz). Suppose they may take the chance to bring Vaughan back into the set-up somehow...

Not sad to see the back of Moores, who was promoted beyond his ability.
And the way Pietersen is leaving the job just shows why he shouldn't have been given it in the first place.

KP............"It's him or me ! "
The ECB..........." No, actually it's both of you"