http://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/malahide-to-host-historic-ireland-test-against-pakistan Fantastic - at last!
Don't worry, you've the rest of your life to be convinced.....but don't start with sitting through a 4 or 5 Day Test Match.
I had forgotten that the Ashes is now going to be on BT Sports. Coverage begins tonight at 11 pm from the Gabba. There's also an interesting lineup of pundits including Kevin Pietersen and Ricky Ponting.
Was up at 5am in Dubai and got to watch the end of morning session. Not quite as awkward as a midnight start back home.
To be honest, I sat through (most of) a one day, where I had a mate who plays and was explaining all the rules as we went along, had a couple of light bottles of beer along the way etc. but it still nearly killed me ... Unfortunately just not for me.
England doing everything to give away the First Test. Last 4 wickets for 10 runs, leading up to tea. Aussies need 170 to win.
Did the same in Australia except I was on the heavy beer and didn't really mind what was happening on the pitch and had an incredible day. You made two mistakes that day, one was getting too interested in the game and the second was the light beers Did the same at a baseball game in SF a few months back, cracking night out, couldn't even tell you who won mind
Why does it matter what number a player bats at? I'm sure it does because it seems a big deal but I can't work it out,it looks no different to me than what order players go up for a penalty shoot out.
you need specialist batters to start the innings (batters 1-3 usually called opening batters). These will face the “new ball”. The ball at the beginning is hard and shiny and has a stitching called the seam which is obviously in perfect condition, as is the leather on the ball. Due to aerodynamics and the ability of bowlers, they can make the new ball move in the air and bounce in certain directions which make it the most challenging for the opening batters to avoid getting out or scoring runs. Usually, the ball gets softer, a bit disconfigured, less shiny as it is hit by the bat and the friction of traveling along the ground. So theoretically, it becomes easier to bat when you are number 5 or 6 (based on the condition of the ball). You also want to match the abilities of your batters as they work as a pair so you would keep the better players together down from number 1-7 for example and then your bowlers, who don’t practice batting as much, would come in at the end. That’s my best effort at keeping it simple......other variables like weather conditions (which change the science of aerodynamics of the balks flight, the condition of the actual pitch surface (cracks in the pitch) and match strategies, (the strengths of the batters etc.) would also affect your selection. Happy to clarify further.
Cheers pal,appreciate the explanation. I've actually played in a cricket match believe or not and would have a half decent understanding of the rules(well compared to the next Irish person) but am a bit lost when it gets a bit more technical.
So we're more alike than we thought . I'm a sucker for the game but can understand how off putting it is to most - but am happy to explain anything about it.
So that's that then. England came and got stuffed again. Is there any likelihood of them preventing a 5-0 whitewash?
Australia go on the beer for the rest of the tour and I'd guess they have a punchers chance but Australia have looked completely and utterly dominant, if they take it half way serious I can't see how England can get anything out of it.
I'm not a fan of cricket but I can park that, I don't watch it so doesn't bother me The big deal that was made out of the one England won in 05 was bananas. It's a 2 team 'tournament' that you don't need to qualify for and is on every 2 years, by the law of averages you'll win every now and then. Not a call for MBEs and OBEs or whatever they got by a long shot Interesting explanation of the batting order above. It's more fun playing it than watching it on TV I'm sure
2005 deserved all the hype about the series. The 2nd test at Birmingham the most dramatic end to a final day of a test match that I have ever witnessed. England just winning by two runs. The narrowest winning margin in an Ashes series test match ever. The end of the next test was also very dramatic although it finished in a draw. I am not sure but I think it might have been the last series in England that was live on FTA television which did add to awareness of this series. Awarding honours for sports people is another matter all together. I'd love one day to be in the MCG for Boxing day in an Ashes series. It will probably never happen.
Yes my issue is with the honours the players received. Being involved in an exciting game doesn't make the achievement much better. I had no problem with anything the rugby lads probably got in 03 for example. Theres only 2 teams who can possibly win the Ashes