As Agnew said on the BBC - and he said this after The Ashes as well - our preparation for this tour is an utter disgrace.
No proper first class matches - just a couple of hit and giggles - and then you're bowled out for 58 in the Test.
None of our lot have played any first class Cricket since January 7th so that's 11 weeks without a proper game.
Join the fucking dots.
I agree but also it has to be pointed out that this is Kane Williamson's first 1st Class game this year. Our preparation is crap and has been for years but it is just part of the problem.
As much I know you will hate to learn this Riviera, age group county cricket is becoming more and more focused on quick scoring and funky shots rather than technique. The expectation when you reach that standard is that a player already has the technique to be able to bat but, more often that not, this isn't the case and the quick 30, 40 or even 50 in a limited overs game masks the basic inadequacies.
It's even got to the stage where the ECB, as a result of an initiative from Strauss, that more county age group matches T20 matches are played. In fact the U15s now play in coloured clothing regardless of the nature of the match!
If we're not careful we will go in the opposite direction to football - the old days of the big centre back hoofing it to the quick big lad up front in academy football are, hopefully, a thing of the past whereas in cricket we could see a breed of batsmen with long leavers bullying their way through the system to the detriment of the smaller players with better touch and technique.
As Agnew said on the BBC - and he said this after The Ashes as well - our preparation for this tour is an utter disgrace.
No proper first class matches - just a couple of hit and giggles - and then you're bowled out for 58 in the Test.
None of our lot have played any first class Cricket since January 7th so that's 11 weeks without a proper game.
Join the fucking dots.
I agree but also it has to be pointed out that this is Kane Williamson's first 1st Class game this year. Our preparation is crap and has been for years but it is just part of the problem.
As much I know you will hate to learn this Riviera, age group county cricket is becoming more and more focused on quick scoring and funky shots rather than technique. The expectation when you reach that standard is that a player already has the technique to be able to bat but, more often that not, this isn't the case and the quick 30, 40 or even 50 in a limited overs game masks the basic inadequacies.
It's even got to the stage where the ECB, as a result of an initiative from Strauss, that more county age group matches T20 matches are played. In fact the U15s now play in coloured clothing regardless of the nature of the match!
If we're not careful we will go in the opposite direction to football - the old days of the big centre back hoofing it to the quick big lad up front in academy football are, hopefully, a thing of the past whereas in cricket we could see a breed of batsmen with long leavers bullying their way through the system to the detriment of the smaller players with better touch and technique.
S Africa close on 151-3 at the end of day 3 with a lead of 207.
Once again the Aussies have shown how small their brains are - trying to verbally get inside ABV's head. Of all the players you don't want to do that to is ABV. At 18 not out I can only think that he will be dreaming tonight about grinding the Aussies into submission tonight and delivering that tomorrow.
S Africa close on 151-3 at the end of day 3 with a lead of 207.
Once again the Aussies have shown how small their brains are - trying to verbally get inside ABV's head. Of all the players you don't want to do that to is ABV. At 18 not out I can only think that he will be dreaming tonight about grinding the Aussies into submission tonight and delivering that tomorrow.
Don't know why I thought that was close of play - it was actually tea!
Anyway, at stumps, SA are 238-5 and 294 ahead. And ABV is now 51 not out.
I see that the Aussies have been caught sending out sandpaper onto the pitch to do some ball tampering as well...
Bancroft has admitted ball tampering and amazingly Smith has revealed it was planned. Both have to be banned and Cricket Australia have to strip Smith of the captaincy immediately.
Cameron Bancroft has been charged by the International Cricket Council and Smith told reporters that it was a deliberate plan from the “leadership group” of the side, but added he would not step down as captain. “The leadership group knew about it, we spoke about it at lunch,” Smith said. “I am not proud of what has happened. It’s not in the spirit of the game, my integrity and the integrity of the team has been damaged and rightfully so. It’s not on and it won’t happen again, I can promise you.”
Bancroft was spoken to by the umpires on the field regarding a small yellow object that television footage appeared to show him take out of his pocket before shining the ball. He was then shown putting the object down the front of his trousers before speaking to the on-field officials Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth.
The "leadership group" will include Lehmann:
After the first Test in Durban Australia’s coach, Darren Lehmann, said both sides would try various “techniques” to get the ball to reverse swing.
“Obviously, there are techniques used by both sides to get the ball reverse and that’s just the way the game goes,” Lehmann said after the Durban Test. “I have no problems with it, simple. You’d have to ask the umpires and ICC about that one [whether it is legal]. I don’t mind the ball moving, I have no problems with it at all.”
I just wonder if Smith's admission and statement that it won't happen again is a way of pointing the finger at Lehmann.
Cameron Bancroft has been charged by the International Cricket Council and Smith told reporters that it was a deliberate plan from the “leadership group” of the side, but added he would not step down as captain. “The leadership group knew about it, we spoke about it at lunch,” Smith said. “I am not proud of what has happened. It’s not in the spirit of the game, my integrity and the integrity of the team has been damaged and rightfully so. It’s not on and it won’t happen again, I can promise you.”
Bancroft was spoken to by the umpires on the field regarding a small yellow object that television footage appeared to show him take out of his pocket before shining the ball. He was then shown putting the object down the front of his trousers before speaking to the on-field officials Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth.
The "leadership group" will include Lehmann:
After the first Test in Durban Australia’s coach, Darren Lehmann, said both sides would try various “techniques” to get the ball to reverse swing.
“Obviously, there are techniques used by both sides to get the ball reverse and that’s just the way the game goes,” Lehmann said after the Durban Test. “I have no problems with it, simple. You’d have to ask the umpires and ICC about that one [whether it is legal]. I don’t mind the ball moving, I have no problems with it at all.”
I just wonder if Smith's admission and statement that it won't happen again is a way of pointing the finger at Lehmann.
Smith said "We made a poor choice. We deeply regret our actions. Coaches weren't involved. It was purely the players in the leadership group."
So it doesn't seem like he's blaming Lehmann at all. Although i don't see how Lehmann can't have been involved, there's footage of him speaking into a walkie talkie and sending the 12th man on to speak to Bancroft.
Watched the SA v Aus match all day and the cheating suspicion. The Aussies wonder why no one likes them. Awful. How did the umpires not make more of it? What a horrible sneaky way of cheating. I hate smith and so many of that team.
Watched the SA v Aus match all day and the cheating suspicion. The Aussies wonder why no one likes them. Awful. How did the umpires not make more of it? What a horrible sneaky way of cheating. I hate smith and so many of that team.
Agree with this Suzi, the Aussies need to seriously look at themselves - it seems that any aggro/sledging involves Aussies now - and that everyone dislikes them. If it proves that Smith (and maybe Lehmann) did know about the tampering beforehand, then i would expect a lengthy ban for Smith and resignation for Lehmann.
Comments
One mis flag blends into another! ;-)
Kin hell, what a night.
(Still got no idea about this flagging nonsense though).
If you left your phone unattended then it was definitely him... :-)
My money is on @jamescafc being a cock as per, if he was with Danepak... ;-)
Once again the Aussies have shown how small their brains are - trying to verbally get inside ABV's head. Of all the players you don't want to do that to is ABV. At 18 not out I can only think that he will be dreaming tonight about grinding the Aussies into submission tonight and delivering that tomorrow.
Anyway, at stumps, SA are 238-5 and 294 ahead. And ABV is now 51 not out.
Both have to be banned and Cricket Australia have to strip Smith of the captaincy immediately.
Bancroft was spoken to by the umpires on the field regarding a small yellow object that television footage appeared to show him take out of his pocket before shining the ball. He was then shown putting the object down the front of his trousers before speaking to the on-field officials Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth.
The "leadership group" will include Lehmann:
After the first Test in Durban Australia’s coach, Darren Lehmann, said both sides would try various “techniques” to get the ball to reverse swing.
“Obviously, there are techniques used by both sides to get the ball reverse and that’s just the way the game goes,” Lehmann said after the Durban Test. “I have no problems with it, simple. You’d have to ask the umpires and ICC about that one [whether it is legal]. I don’t mind the ball moving, I have no problems with it at all.”
I just wonder if Smith's admission and statement that it won't happen again is a way of pointing the finger at Lehmann.
https://streamable.com/r8psz
So it doesn't seem like he's blaming Lehmann at all. Although i don't see how Lehmann can't have been involved, there's footage of him speaking into a walkie talkie and sending the 12th man on to speak to Bancroft.
Bancroft for actually doing it, and Smith for admitting it was planned and authorising it.
If it proves that Smith (and maybe Lehmann) did know about the tampering beforehand, then i would expect a lengthy ban for Smith and resignation for Lehmann.