#4432

Fixtures for final round of county championship are out https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/2195329

Severe lack of weekend days, the final round of games being Tuesday-Friday followed by the Bob Willis Trophy being Tuesday-Saturday finishing in October is peak ECB. At least there are live streams.

#4433

The counties are completely financially dependent on the ECB and test income so the income generated by the hundred will benefit that.

It’s not like there’s a strong link between the 4 day County game and tests anymore, with the quality of the 2nd division being pish. If they can put a hundred style city level into the 4 day set up to concentrate talent a bit more then that would probably benefit the test team.

#4434

True, they are and it is all about money. The counties signed off because they get paid for it and a million is a lot to turn down in county cricket. A gamble though given expected losses of the first year of the hundred are greater than current ECB cash reserves (security of some big future TV deals for future coverage though).

Is a gulf class now, but feels like it’s impact of how they’ve slowly pushed the season to bookend other competitions. It’d be nice to see 4 day cricket in the actual summer and having games play out were there could be more emphasis on spin, or at least not having to worry about snow stopping play. Yep agree it’d be interesting to look at how they can improve 4 day game, at least they’ve tried something and this year’s is a little different so the 6 team division one league should hopefully be a good example of what could be achieved.

#4435

Surprised Lancashire came back and saw that out, great work from Lamb and Bailey.

#4436

Very surprised, needing 7/8 an over with 3 wickets left

Guess experience told in the end

#4437

Also something needed to be done to get the kids involved. That thing was terrestrial TV. I used to love the Natwest trophy games the day after the test matches back in the day, if the kids can in effect reverse that by watching longer games via some of this Youtube stuff off the back of more Hundred games on TV, that’s another step.

#4438

Indeed, all about terrestrial TV coverage. Hopefully it gets children into the game and playing who may also discover an interest in other formats. Could really do with some highlights show & online push in general to help it.

Used to love the channel 4 coverage growing up, certainly got a few people I know now into cricket and they’ll go to a test match and T20 games off the back of those few years growing up seeing it on. Not had that for a very long time (hard to count India series). If only they’d gone down a different route with T20 and looking to maintain some level of free to air test matches.

#4439

:eyes:

@Avery
please confirm how many hat tricks this would actually be

#4440

You’re right to ask. I’d suggest each individual hat-trick is indeed separate, and thus 9 wickets taken in a row is 3 hat-tricks. One does not get to perform maneuvers with their cap twice for a 4th straight wicket.

Edit: hit me up with an @ if you disagree, or wish to add more #chat to this discourse.

2 Likes
#4441

wait are you not the “4 in 4 is a double hatrick” truther? this has shocked me to my core, who was it

#4442

Maybe I am, maybe I was, who knows. Can’t a man flip flop in peace?

Sure there’s a splendid argument for the 4th ball to be the 4th ball of a hat-trick, and sure I might dabble in allowing that to be celebrated, but deep down, I’ve studied the required level of maths to always be right.

3 Likes
#4443

Apparently I’m dusting off my whites for the first time in a decade, next Friday. Is anyone else here in that team?

1 Like
#4444

I’m not sure a cricketer has ever looked better than Imran Tahir in this kit.

1 Like
#4445

It’s a bit Fruit Salad for me. Did think about a nice purple Superchargers shirt, but it’s riotously expensive.

#4446

Not even with the gold pads? They look like kings :heart:!

#4447

KP actually proper enjoyable in commentary here. More likable than he’s any right to be!

#4448

That was a great game of cricket. All about the Benjamins :sunglasses:

#4449

Good innovations from The Hundred that could be applied to other forms:

  • Prominence of the Cricviz predictor thing, gives an answer to the eternally annoying to answer cricket question - who is winning?
  • Real punishments for slow rates.
  • The bar charts are growing on me, did they improve the graphic design after the first match or have I just got used to it… either way they can stay.
#4450

So much this!

It really irks me that the County Championship have punishments for slow over rates yet test sides can roll at 12.5 overs/hour with impunity.

#4451

I’ve reflected a lot about the Hundred in the past couple of days and realised my dislike isn’t for the new form itself, which is wholly unnecessary when you have the T20 Blast, but for the ECB.

I’m really struggling to see how this is a gateway into cricket for new fans when, if they do get hooked by the Hundred and want to explore more, they’re suddenly gonna be hit with 6 ball overs rather than five ball fives or tens, they’re not going to see umpires holding up white cards for some reason or other.

I’m struggling to see what the Hundred provides that a slightly remodelled T20 competition wouldn’t have done, both in terms of the formation of teams and how its presented to viewers.

I can foresee a lot of navel gazing in 2027 when England have been eliminated early doors in the World Cup about what needs to happen to ensure a competitive 50-over side again. Or, indeed, Test match side.

Good luck to those involved, I’m not that interested in watching, I’ll stick to the admittedly diluted 50-over stuff.

7 Likes