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Post by Auricula on May 4, 2009 23:24:35 GMT
I am very excited that the cricket season has begun, and cannot wait for the first test match to begin on Wednesday. There is nothing better than to spend the day gardening,accompanied by the Test Match Special team on Radio 4. As well as the National team, I am also a big supporter of Essex ( even though they are not very strong) Does anyone else enjoy cricket, or am I a lone voice on these pages?? i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/cheesy.gif |
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Post by farmersboy on May 5, 2009 5:58:11 GMT
Sorry Auricula,too slow for me after footie,but i do look at how Essex are doing,good luck to them this year
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Post by Barbara on May 5, 2009 7:40:51 GMT
I love it Auricula,  I went to the test match at old trafford, against the Aussies, in the 70s, when Beefy won it on his own, well with a little help from Paul Allot,  I have been known to get up in the middle of the night when they play abroad ;D I think it's inbred in me, as I used to keep score for a little place called Middleton where my Dad played when I was norbut a lass. ;D |
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Post by Dr Bill on May 5, 2009 9:43:42 GMT
I like cricket, although I don't watch it as much now as I used too. In fact I am rather out of touch with the national team these days. I must try to get back into it. Part of the problem is that the current coverage of test matches by channel 4 is poor compared to the BBC. Oh for the days of Peter West and Jim Laker!
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Post by Auricula on May 5, 2009 9:48:40 GMT
Glad I'm not alone ;D I come from a family of cricket lovers and both my sons played to quite a high local level.Luckily my husband enjoys it too and we used to go regularly to Chelmsford, and of course to Colchester week!! I am getting Sky so I can watch when it is played abroad ( and also when it is too wet to go in the garden ). Must make sure there are batteries for the radio for tomorrows test ;D
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Post by Dr Bill on May 5, 2009 10:04:05 GMT
Just realized that the test matches are now on SKy, so no chance of watching them anyway
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Post by Auricula on May 5, 2009 14:42:52 GMT
They do have a highlights programme on Channel 5 each day at around 7pm I believe |
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Post by Barbara on May 5, 2009 14:58:26 GMT
It's not the same though is it.   |
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2009 17:43:22 GMT
I love cricket too Auricula. I used to prefer it when the test matches were on the BBC as there were no ad breaks and the commentators were excellent. However, I do still get to watch quite a bit of cricket as I have Sky.
I'm generally an Essex fan as they're my nearest 1st class county, although I was born in Northants so I also watch out for their results.
I have been to watch Essex a couple of times but I don't really know anyone else who likes the game enough to go so if I went these days I'd have to go on my own. I used to live 30 seconds walk from Sudbury's cricket pitch and used to take couple of beers down and sit & watch for a couple of hours on a Sunday. Bliss.
FA x
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Post by Barbara on May 5, 2009 18:21:23 GMT
I enjoy Bumbles commentary, and michael Atherton, but I'm not keen on Ian Bothams. I'm not sure why, it's like he's always right.
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2009 18:40:49 GMT
To me, Richie Benaud was the voice of cricket. There are too many commentators and "experts" on Sky for my liking and I hate the ad break after every wicket and every other over. It spoils it for me.
FA x
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Post by Auricula on May 5, 2009 18:45:51 GMT
I've been to Sudbury's ground when my sons played there ( years ago!!)
I agree about Sky - especially as they jam in the adverts at every opportunity. Still, I'll be rooting for England tomorrow - hope Ravi avoids a golden duck!!! ;D ;D
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2009 19:04:25 GMT
It's a nice little ground, in a lovely setting. I used to go and watch them fairly regularly when I lived just round the corner in 91 & 92. I could walk it in 30 seconds, with a few cans in a cool box. Spent many a happy hour lying in the sun drinking beer & watching cricket.
FA x
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Post by Auricula on May 5, 2009 19:06:07 GMT
That certainly takes some beating Perhaps you'll be watching one of your children some day |
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Post by torontotrini on May 5, 2009 20:00:56 GMT
I grew up on cricket, auricula, and (true) footbal (soccer in these parts). I was a pretty quick bowler - for my age group as a teenager - and was fairly handy with the bat as well. Played for my high school team. I used to love going to the Queen's Park Oval (Trinidad) with my father to watch the test matches between West Indies and England or Australia when they came on tour. Those were the best. I'm sure I'm dating myself here, but I watched players like "Fiery" Freddy Truman, Statham, Dexter, Cowdrey, Peter May, Boycott, Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall, Ritchie Benaud ... I could go on, and then there were the 3 Ws as we called them: Weeks, Worrell and Walcot; masters with the bat, and Sobers, and Kanhai, and Wes Hall. Unfortunately, cricket is really not big here in Canada. I played a bit of friendly matches at the community level, but good, first class cricket/test matches don't come over on open television here, and of course Canada does not have Test Match status so none of the "big guns" cricketing countries come here to play. Sometimes you might get some "specialty matches" like India/Pakistan, or West Indies/Pakistan one day "exhibition" style tournaments, but that's about it. I do read up on the matches though, and I'm interested in seeing how the West Indies do against England in the series that starts tomorrow. When I was in Trinidad earlier this year England was on tour in the West Indies and I saw some of the cricket on TV, but no live matches. At the time I was in Trinidad, the matches were being played in Jamaica, Antigua and Barbados. They only got to Trinidad the week after I left to return to Canada. Talk about timing.  |
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2009 21:36:19 GMT
TT
When I was growing up, the Windies were the cricket team. They had a fearsome attack with the likes of Marshall, Holding and later Garner & Ambrose, and they had some fantastic batsmen like Lloyd, Richards, Greenidge etc.
I don't think the current squad will produce any "legends" like them but England have been poor of late so it will be interesting to see what happens in the next couple of test matches.
FA x
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Post by torontotrini on May 6, 2009 2:03:12 GMT
Yes, FA. Richards and Lloyd were joys to watch, and Gordon Greenidge was not to be taken lightly. And I still think that Holding had the most wonderful, smoothest run up and delivery that I've ever seen from a pace bowler; but the "Big Bird" Garner was a nasty bowler with a vicious yorker and Roberts was simply brilliant. The present team is a far cry from that team of the 1975 and 1979 World Cups.
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2009 17:44:16 GMT
These things go in cycles TT. Just look at the England football team. We've only really ever come close to winning the World Cup once since '66 (in 1990, when we lost in the semi final). All teams have good and bad periods and I'm sure the Windies will be a force to be reckoned with in the future. Not a bad start to the test match. A good ton from Bopara but it has to be pointed out that the Windies did drop 6 catches in the evening session  If we ofer up that many chances in the Ashes, we'll get stuffed ;D Can anybody answer me a question by the way......why is a test match called a test match ? I don't know the answer so maybe one of you other cricket lovers can enlighten me. FA x |
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Post by Dr Bill on May 6, 2009 18:11:06 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2009 18:36:51 GMT
Ahhhh, I see. Thanks for clearing that up Dr B. Much appreciated.
FA
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Post by Auricula on May 6, 2009 21:28:44 GMT
Well done Ravi but still a long way to go, with honours even after the first day ( mainly due to the Windies abject catching ). Hope our new bowlers aquit themselves well tomorrow |
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Post by torontotrini on May 8, 2009 20:33:55 GMT
Lordie. That certainly was a bummer that the Windies put down there. Congrats to England, all the same.
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2009 22:08:40 GMT
A 10 wicket win inside 3 days - I think it's safe to say the Windies got their asses kicked this time ;D
FA x
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Post by torontotrini on May 9, 2009 0:10:44 GMT
No need to rub it in FA; or using your words, kick it in. Oh well, bring out the cliches - you win some you lose some; we're gonna bounce back; it's only the first test, blah.blah. etc. etc. But yeah; it was a drubbing. |
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2009 7:42:06 GMT
Sorry TT. I'd had a little too much wine when I posted that last night. Didn't mean it to sound like I was gloating.
FA
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Post by torontotrini on May 9, 2009 10:58:51 GMT
Hey. No problem FA. I took it in good jest. Besides a nice little gloat is OK in my book. What do you think I'll be doing when Man U. picks up the title and Rafa starts crying in his beer, or wine, or whatever he will choose to drown his sorrows. ;D
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Post by Barbara on Jun 6, 2009 12:40:35 GMT
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Post by Dr Bill on Jun 6, 2009 17:58:50 GMT
Don't tell Dutchy about last nights result will you. Appalling isn't it. But then it isn't really proper cricket is it. |
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Post by Auricula on Jun 6, 2009 18:18:36 GMT
I think we seriously underestimated them Hope we qualify for the Super8s or we'll look jolly silly ;D P.S. Dutchy doesn't seem to have noticed. ;D ;D |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2009 22:58:44 GMT
Appalling isn't it. But then it isn't really proper cricket is it. I heard it described as a big mac & fries whereas test cricket is an a la carte meal at a michelin starred restaurant. Even though it really isn't proper cricket, it's still embarassing. FA x |
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If we ofer up that many chances in the Ashes, we'll get stuffed ;D