Cricket Anyone?

[R8RMR]

Which makes all the difference! 

[Ramraider]

South Africa v England 4th Test

South Africa need the win to tie the series 1-1. England need to win or draw to come away with a series win. 4th Test starts tomorrow and here is a report on the playing surface.

PITCH AND CONDITIONS

Coach Mickey Arthur has briefed Wanderers groundsman Chris Scott to prepare a "heavily-grassed" wicket, according to reports. He wants to ensure there is a result either way; frankly, losing 2-0 will not be much worse than losing 1-0.

In any case, it has been raining in Johannesburg since New Year's Day, and with the thunderstorms expected to linger it could be a seam bowlers' paradise one way or another.

Rice sums it up: "Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel might be able to put England under a bit of pressure but I don't see why the English attack can't get some movement as well. In fact, they might do even better."

Does not look like the game will end up as a tame draw

[Ramraider]

Well, a total no show by England and the umpires gives SA a win. I suppose a Test series draw in South Africa is not a bad result and England would have taken that at the begining of the series.

[Ramraider]

England are now heading off to play Bangladesh in a two match test series (if two matches can be called a test series) without captain Andrew Strauss. As captain should Strauss have travelled with the rest of the squad?

"Jaded" England captain Andrew Strauss will miss the tour to the UAE and Bangladesh next month, with Alastair Cook, 25, standing in as skipper.

Strauss is rested along with seamer James Anderson who will have his troublesome right knee injury assessed.

Yorkshire pace bowler Ajmal Shahzad, Kent off-spinner James Tredwell and Hampshire batsman Michael Carberry form a trio of uncapped players included.

Paul Collingwood is named captain for the two Twenty20 games in Dubai.

[the watchman]

Wow this threads not been visited for awhile.

Got tickets for the West Indies at Edgabston next June.

[Bakuron]

I really enjoy test-match cricket. I love listening to Test Match Special on 5live sports Extra too, particularly when they have old Blofeld on. But I've always felt that there had to be some way in which to make more sense of the rankings and competition.

I also struggle to see any real place for 50 over cricket now. It doesn't seem to have a real purpose. It's less of a spectacle, less of a marketable commodity, less basically entertaining than 20 over cricket, and hasn't got any of the appeal of the 5 day format either.

It would seem to make much more sense to treat 20 over cricket as THE limited overs format that allows the sport to bring in all the television attention and money, whilst allowing more scheduling space for the longer format.

[the watchman]

I love test cricket and try to get to the test matches at Edgbaston. I'm from Manchester orginally and I do like going to OT.