Sport Cricket Summer 2025

[Canterburyexile]

I would like to see one run awarded for a flamboyant leave in one day cricket. And 2 for a textbook forward defensive.

 

[SteMerritt]

I would like to see one run awarded for a flamboyant leave in one day cricket. And 2 for a textbook forward defensive.

Well it wouldn't change any of Duckett's scores...

 

[SteMerritt]

Can I be first to blame The Hundred? Can't really be ideal prep for an ODI international series.

 

[holdsteady]

Can I be first to blame The Hundred? Can't really be ideal prep for an ODI international series.

Get bigger scores in the Hundred than this. It shows a worrying lack of adaptability if they can't switch from one short form to another, its pretty much a pro cricketers life now.

 

[SteMerritt]

131 all out.

 

[SteMerritt]

Well hopefully they have got this batting performance out of their system before Thursday, otherwise I'll have to look up earlier trains home.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

You could understand it if the ball was turning sideways, or bouncing oddly. But no - a mixture of bad running, poor shots (and shot selection) and an inability to take a breath once a wicket goes down.

 

[Essexyellows]

Abysmal....... maybe its just too much cricket crammed in over a relatively short period?

 

[SteMerritt]

Well the scheduled innings break was at 4:30pm - Will England be able to drag the game out until then?

 

[unification]

Forgot this was even on. It’s amazing how The Hundred through the month of August (which I didn’t watch a second of) can torpedo my interest in cricket.

I blame The Hundred for this dismal score.

 

[Sarge]

Forgot this was even on. It’s amazing how The Hundred through the month of August (which I didn’t watch a second of) can torpedo my interest in cricket.

I blame The Hundred for this dismal score.

me too

 

[SteMerritt]

Welcome to international cricket Sonny Baker. Batting, stumps splattered first ball. 0. Bowling currently 2-0-34-0. Hopefully this won't get too bruising for him.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

Well, given that SA are going at 10 an over, 131 all out was only about 370 short of being a competitive target!

 

[tonyw]

There's a lot that depresses me about the modern world, but the fact that the month of August is now set aside to play disco cricket is very high up there.

But kudos to South Africa for being utterly, utterly ruthless, and giving us such a serious kicking for being unprepared. What a good team should do (and they are undoubtedly a good team).

 

[holdsteady]

It’s a bit harsh to blame the hundred for this hammering, we have been capable of collapsing spectacularly in all forms of cricketer long before anyone even thought that up.

 

[Foley]

There's a lot that depresses me about the modern world, but the fact that the month of August is now set aside to play disco cricket is very high up there.

But kudos to South Africa for being utterly, utterly ruthless, and giving us such a serious kicking for being unprepared. What a good team should do (and they are undoubtedly a good team).

One thing that dan never been said of England (utterly utterly ruthless)

 

[tonyw]

One thing that dan never been said of England (utterly utterly ruthless)

We were pretty ruthless under Strauss - strong tendency to step on opponents' throats when we had them down.

Certainly not ruthless under Stoles & Baz.......

 

[ZeroTheHero]

This is a bit like scratching at a wound that you know you should leave alone...

... but there is another ODI V South Africa this afternoon (and maybe the evening - weather and English batting dependant).

After 40 overs, SA are 240-4. Exactly a run a ball with 10 overs left.

Bets on how many runs we will lose by?

 

[Orkney Islands Yellow]

A true character of the game

BBC News - Legendary umpire Bird dies aged 92

Dickie Bird dies aged 92: Tributes paid to iconic former umpire

Yorkshire describe iconic umpire Dickie Bird as a "national treasure" following his death at the age of 92.

www.bbc.com

 

[Sarge]

A true character of the game

BBC News - Legendary umpire Bird dies aged 92

Dickie Bird dies aged 92: Tributes paid to iconic former umpire

Yorkshire describe iconic umpire Dickie Bird as a "national treasure" following his death at the age of 92.

www.bbc.com

RIP

 

[ZeroTheHero]

RIP - he seemed to be an ever present on the TV coverage when it was on terrestrial. Him and David Shepherd are the ones I remember best - both slightly eccentric, and excellent umpires.

 

[Berliner]

Before the final of the 1987 World Cup against England, the Australians asked the ICC to appoint Dickie as on-field umpire...such was their appreciation of him.

As an official, there is little better to hear than that.

 

[SteMerritt]

RIP Dickie, he seemed to umpire every game I watched on TV when I was a kid, from Test Matches down to the Sunday League. Absolute cricketing legend.

 

[Eric Blair]

Lovely story from the Times obit:

Merv Hughes, the abrasive Australia fast bowler, was shouting abuse at Graeme Hick, the mildest-mannered of England batsmen, during a Test match. Enter the umpire Dickie Bird: “Mervyn, Mervyn, goodness me, why are you swearing at the man? What harm has Mr Hick ever done you? Mervyn, your language is terrible.”

Hughes looked at Bird, all aggression gone, and said: “Dickie, you’re a legend.” And so he was, the first of his profession to attain celebrity status, one of the game’s richest characters and for nearly 30 years as near to infallible as it is possible for an umpire to be.

 

[Eric Blair]

Don't want to make this political but Dickie Bird was the ideal representation of Englishness.

Anyway, enough of that. Let's just mourn a good man.

 

[Foley]

Lovely story from the Times obit:

Merv Hughes, the abrasive Australia fast bowler, was shouting abuse at Graeme Hick, the mildest-mannered of England batsmen, during a Test match. Enter the umpire Dickie Bird: “Mervyn, Mervyn, goodness me, why are you swearing at the man? What harm has Mr Hick ever done you? Mervyn, your language is terrible.”

Hughes looked at Bird, all aggression gone, and said: “Dickie, you’re a legend.” And so he was, the first of his profession to attain celebrity status, one of the game’s richest characters and for nearly 30 years as near to infallible as it is possible for an umpire to be.

Great story

 

[Banbury2018]

Dickie Bird watched Yorkshires last home match as he did pretty well all in Yorkshire and was in good spirits walking around the boundary at Scarborough stopping to talk to anyone who spoke to him. A true character of the game. R.I.P Dickie.

 

[Foley]

Ashes 2025: England pick Will Jacks in squad to play Australia

England give a surprise recall to Will Jacks as their back-up spinner for the Ashes, with Harry Brook replacing Ollie Pope as vice-captain.

www.bbc.co.uk

Not meaning to derail the memories of Dickie Bird, but a very strange spinning decision?
It looks as if fast bowlers will be our go to.
The rest of the squad makes sense to me.

 

[stu_tay]

Ashes 2025: England pick Will Jacks in squad to play Australia

England give a surprise recall to Will Jacks as their back-up spinner for the Ashes, with Harry Brook replacing Ollie Pope as vice-captain.

www.bbc.co.uk

Not meaning to derail the memories of Dickie Bird, but a very strange spinning decision?
It looks as if fast bowlers will be our go to.
The rest of the squad makes sense to me.

Recent pitches in Aus have been very seamer friendly, I assume Jacks is more cover for Root/Bethell than Bashir

 

[ECYellow]

Really cannot see what Jacks gives with the bat that Rehan Ahmed doesn’t, because it has to be that he’s been selected on his batting ability, as his bowling numbers don’t stack up against Ahmed or Leach.

I fully expect the Aussies to go after Bashir at the first opportunity, they could legitimately bat our spin options out of the series at a very early juncture.

I don’t read too much into Brook over Pope for vice. Brook is most definitely the next in line to be captain, so it makes sense for him to take up that leadership role. Pope will start the series at 3, imo.

Fingers crossed Archer, Gus and Wood stay/get fit. Injuries to any one of those and I’m not sure the back ups will be experienced or skilled enough to hurt the Aussies on hard flat ones down under.

Aussies have their own problems, that top of theirs is very vulnerable and can be got at if we bowl well.