#4472

Yer man made a good point upthread that I’d not really considered - perhaps someone, Sky maybe, insisted on certain changes to maintain the integrity of the Blast, idk.

No expert, but I’d argue the only things stopping the Blast getting a bit closer to the IPL are:

  • lack of investment to attract the real elite world players (admittedly a biggie)
  • schedule clashes with other competitions
  • lack of terrestrial TV coverage

In terms of entertainment, value for money as a fan, and appealability to young people and families, etc, it’s pretty brilliant.

Not vehemently against fads to make it a bit simpler to understand for brand new fans, but imagine this, with shared coverage, but with county sides, not clashing with England games, and with some of the £43m it cost thrown at a bit more star quality.

1 Like
#4473

My word.

That’s a shocker.

1 Like
#4474

Absolutely hilarious terrible scenes that you just love hate to see tbh

:100: fucking unfunny, and Broad can barely keep a straight face which is disrespectful

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#4475
  • I’m watching this and am excited to see how my team The Southern Demolishers do
  • I’m watching this out of nothing but curiosity
  • The ECB is not happy with me–that’s okay, I’ll still watch that garbage.
  • Nah, not watching this

0 voters

#4476

Just like watching my brave cricketers bravely warm up for better, braver days.

#4477

Ill kill myself if the Popchips dont win

#4478

Matt Carter looks quite vague, and I’m a big fan of that.

“Matt, did you just hit it into the stands?”

“Yeah, I think so, dunno…”

#4479

Stokes has dropped the Ashes Hero of the Match there, basically.

#4480

The problem with “why don’t they just put the blast on FTA” is that the BBC would only really want the big games with the big crowds, but given it would be sky stumping up the majority of the cash, they’d get all of those, and the beeb would be left with Leicestershire vs Worcestershire in front of 5k at New Road, which is great and fun and a unique atmosphere of its own, its not the packed out test stadium under the lights that’s going to draw new fans in, and they don’t want to dedicate four hours+ of prime time to it.

And while it’s all well and good saying they should invest in the counties to get the best talent across, alright, but where’s that cash coming from? Its possible with the hundred because they’re starting from scratch and the ecb own all the teams. Do the ECB pay for these international stars to play for the counties?

For me the hundred is the price we have to pay to have cricket on FTA, which is desperately needed. And it’s great for the women’s game, I’ve probably watched more live women’s cricket in the last five days than the last five years (how bout that Alice Caspey)

They really need to sort the commentary out though. Why do sky have so many? Must be at least 6 for each game! And why is it always one of Rob Key or Mark Butcher either joking about being shit or droning on and on and on about fucking pitches (really enjoyed Alex Tudor tbf)

Blimey, that turned into a bit of a rant, sorry

#4481

Are they not making a bit much of these potential fielding penalties, especially as the whole competition’s been designed to simplify the game to lure in Youtubers?

#4482

Women’s cricket being FTA has been the best part of this imho. My niece is into cricket, and just seeing this sort of thing on TV will be a massive boost for her in terms of visibility and representation.

The rest, I feel, seems a bit faddish, but who knows.

Could be worse. The BBC just seem to have Vaughan and Tuffers making the same, tired jokes every 15 minutes.

1 Like
#4483

Just got my Popchips shirt , the silikiest shirt ive ever owned.

#4484

Yeah the comms on both haven’t been great, but I’d moaned enough about Vaughan!

Really think using younger, newer voices would help massively, there was a shift in tone to something less serious when t20 first started that really helped that take off

1 Like
#4485

Just fired up the YouTube stream just in time to see Priest hole out

Feel like I owe her an apology

#4486

three mea culpas

hahaha

her name is priest

1 Like
#4487

Fair play

2 Likes
#4488

Seems a bit harsh to ask Overton to replace him. You’d need two or three players to replace him.

#4489

When you think of all the games in different formats he’s played, while largely being in ridiculously tight Covid bubbles and having a terminally ill father on the other side of the world, it’s not exactly a surprise he’s feeling like that.

Thought at the time his reaction to that drop in the Hundred was a bit odd and it’s probably quite telling in light of this. He looked genuinely distraught, as opposed to the moderately irritating that should probably have been.

Hope he’s ok, what a bloody guy.

1 Like
#4490

Think there should be serious thought given to postponing the Ashes at this point if there’s gonna be strict quarantines and bubbles (as there will surely be)

Really not fair on the players, could lead to a shambles of a series where a half-strength England that can’t be arsed to be there get whitewashed* Obviously won’t happen.

*at least we’ll have an excuse this time.

1 Like
#4491

If families can’t go England should pull out

1 Like