England Cricket chat

[Pokerpops]

You tell them Geoffrey 

https://news.sky.com/story/geoff-boycott-knighthood-criticised-by-domestic-abuse-charities-11805954

Are you not just a bit uneasy about this?  I don't think the interview helped his cause; agressively raising your voice to one woman and dismissing another fairly offensively probably isn't the best strategy when you are trying to persuade the listeners that you aren't capable of domestic violence.  Expecting Boycott not to be beligerent in the circumstances is probably a stretch though. 

I'd be a bit meh, 20 years ago school before I heard the interview, but I don't really get why they made it a knighthood; there are lesser honours if you worry that the candidate might not fit the criteria for a knighthood.

Having said that, all kinds of scumbags get honours, but they are usually foung guilty afterwards.   

The case against him has been severely discredited in the intervening years. Including a suggestion that the woman in question had told others that she hurt her head in a fall, but used it to attempt to extract money from Boycott. Given the BBC’s stance on all things that may cause offence their continued employment of him suggests that they didn’t consider him to be guilty. Mind you, Stan Collymore still gets broadcasting gigs.

His K is for services to cricket, and it would be hard to make a case against his being deserving of that.

[Woodsey]

You tell them Geoffrey 

https://news.sky.com/story/geoff-boycott-knighthood-criticised-by-domestic-abuse-charities-11805954

Are you not just a bit uneasy about this?  I don't think the interview helped his cause; agressively raising your voice to one woman and dismissing another fairly offensively probably isn't the best strategy when you are trying to persuade the listeners that you aren't capable of domestic violence.  Expecting Boycott not to be beligerent in the circumstances is probably a stretch though. 

I'd be a bit meh, 20 years ago school before I heard the interview, but I don't really get why they made it a knighthood; there are lesser honours if you worry that the candidate might not fit the criteria for a knighthood.

Having said that, all kinds of scumbags get honours, but they are usually foung guilty afterwards.   

Not at all, he’s done his time. Of course he’s going to be belligerent, he thinks he did nothing wrong and his ex tried to bribe him for a milly, if he wants to tell them to do one it’s completely his right.

[Sheriff Fatman]

Not England cricket, but still worthwhile viewing.

https://twitter.com/olibellracing/status/1171782220517916672

[ripple11]

Not England cricket, but still worthwhile viewing.

https://twitter.com/olibellracing/status/1171782220517916672

 

[Woodsey]

Got to be the best summer of cricket ever I reckon? Only 2005 comes close for me......

[Pokerpops]

Got to be the best summer of cricket ever I reckon? Only 2005 comes close for me......

1981 was pretty special. I know it didn’t include the World Cup win, but it had pretty much everything else. Including Beefy.

[Woodsey]

Got to be the best summer of cricket ever I reckon? Only 2005 comes close for me......

1981 was pretty special. I know it didn’t include the World Cup win, but it had pretty much everything else. Including Beefy.

Yeah, I was only 11 so barely remember it. It was 3 or 4 years after v Aus and WI I really started to remember stuff......

[Woodsey]

Sounds like Beefy and Gower have been slung from sky for new blood. Beefy was a bit shit anyway and is only there for his name. I hope they don’t go down the box ticking route of employing Isa Guha, she has only made it because she is eye candy and isn’t that great and has no real credentials to commentate on the men’s game imo....

[bunnydas8888]

Sounds like Beefy and Gower have been slung from sky for new blood. Beefy was a bit shit anyway and is only there for his name. I hope they don’t go down the box ticking route of employing Isa Guha, she has only made it because she is eye candy and isn’t that great and has no real credentials to commentate on the men’s game imo....

Both have been naff in recent years imo, beefy's drunken stories dried up & not much else going for him in terms of comms. Never really been a fan of gower myself for comms, but did have the occasional funny moment.

Isa is a weird one, I've actually quite liked her on TMS this summer, get the impression that she could be rather decent for comms, but depends on who she gets paired up with & what line they take

[Doobs]

Have really enjoyed the cricket this summer too.  Australia were the best team because of Smith, and I think they won 4 out of 5 tosses.  It was a great achievement to fight back for the draw in the circumstances.  Good to see Denly and Burns come good in the end after shaky starts, and good to see Curran take his chance in the end. 

Think Beefy had reached his sell by date; but like Gower's commentary.  Gower is getting on a bit, and maybe his time is at an end.  Things move on and

There doesn't seem to be much wrong with Isa Guha from what I have heard, I can't remember her grating anywhere, but I don't think it is certain she gets it.  I'd take her over Michael Vaughan, who just seems a bit dislikeable to me at times.   I am not sure where I stand on Phil Tufnell, he can make me cringe a bit, then comes across with such enthusiasm the next minute and can definitely make me chortle. 

It seems a bit silly for a few to be threatening to cancel Sky when we don't even know what comes next, especially given what a great summer of cricket it was.

[Pokerpops]

I don’t, won’t, have Sky at home so I can’t comment on their commentary.
TMS and the BBC clips has been my connector to the cricket and whilst there isn’t anyone who can match the tone and communicative skill of John Arlott, or the enthusiasm of Johnners, I think Jonathan Agnew keeps improving, Boycott and Tufnell bring some well backed and thought out comment and Isa has got better through the series.

I miss CMJ though.

[tikay]

For me, it was a hugely enjoyable series to watch.

Smith was outstanding throughout, Stokes pretty good most of the time, excellent at least once. For one so young & raw, Jofra was sensational. If he keeps his head in the right place he'll be around for a very long time.

Biggest regret would be the absence of Jimmy.

I thought I'd miss Moeen, but Jack Leach was a most entertaining character.

DRS is immensely good, & not only does it do it's job well, but it's become part of the entertainment. VAR can do the same for football if they are willing to learn lessons.

Personally, as a lay spectator, I'll miss Botham, not so much Gower, though I'm fine with him. Botham has been such a huge part of the sporting backtrack to my life I could never dislike him. Jeez, he's piled some weight on lately though.

Isa Guha? I happen to think she's very good indeed, & would happily see her on the team at Sky, but I think she has a BBC Contract.

Bumble has not been mentioned. A little grating at times, but mostly worth persevering with, especially for those long "dead" afternoons that Test Cricket tends to have from time to time. I suppose he is cricket's answer to Peter Alliss. Both are a bit Marmite.  

I don't think there's much wrong with Sky's cricket coverage, unlike their coverage of Golf & Football, both of which are in dire need of an overhaul.  

[KarmaDope]

Believe Ian Ward, ex-Surrey(?) has got the gig.

Sigh.

[nirvana]

For me, it was a hugely enjoyable series to watch.

Smith was outstanding throughout, Stokes pretty good most of the time, excellent at least once. For one so young & raw, Jofra was sensational. If he keeps his head in the right place he'll be around for a very long time.

Biggest regret would be the absence of Jimmy.

I thought I'd miss Moeen, but Jack Leach was a most entertaining character.

DRS is immensely good, & not only does it do it's job well, but it's become part of the entertainment. VAR can do the same for football if they are willing to learn lessons.

Personally, as a lay spectator, I'll miss Botham, not so much Gower, though I'm fine with him. Botham has been such a huge part of the sporting backtrack to my life I could never dislike him. Jeez, he's piled some weight on lately though.

Isa Guha? I happen to think she's very good indeed, & would happily see her on the team at Sky, but I think she has a BBC Contract.

Bumble has not been mentioned. A little grating at times, but mostly worth persevering with, especially for those long "dead" afternoons that Test Cricket tends to have from time to time. I suppose he is cricket's answer to Peter Alliss. Both are a bit Marmite.  

I don't think there's much wrong with Sky's cricket coverage, unlike their coverage of Golf & Football, both of which are in dire need of an overhaul.  

Good summary and Labushagne and Cummins worth a mention in dispatches. Completely disagree on VAR in football catching up with cricket. You're right about cricket and generally it's because it's about black and white decisions, the game stops and starts like American football so the decisions do add to the anticipation and the game comfortably accommodates it. The marginal ones (like close to the ground catches) tend to be settled in the way most of us would expect and based on the historical interpretation..benefit of doubt to the batting side.

Football with a toe or nipple offside and much more in the way of interpretative stuff cannot be compared (in my humble view). Use the goal-line tech for sure, the rest should be consigned to the dustbin - I cannot imagine anyone who regularly goes to live games thinks it's an improvement and if they do then they're wrong of course :-)

[bunnydas8888]

For me, it was a hugely enjoyable series to watch.

Smith was outstanding throughout, Stokes pretty good most of the time, excellent at least once. For one so young & raw, Jofra was sensational. If he keeps his head in the right place he'll be around for a very long time.

Biggest regret would be the absence of Jimmy.

I thought I'd miss Moeen, but Jack Leach was a most entertaining character.

DRS is immensely good, & not only does it do it's job well, but it's become part of the entertainment. VAR can do the same for football if they are willing to learn lessons.

Personally, as a lay spectator, I'll miss Botham, not so much Gower, though I'm fine with him. Botham has been such a huge part of the sporting backtrack to my life I could never dislike him. Jeez, he's piled some weight on lately though.

Isa Guha? I happen to think she's very good indeed, & would happily see her on the team at Sky, but I think she has a BBC Contract.

Bumble has not been mentioned. A little grating at times, but mostly worth persevering with, especially for those long "dead" afternoons that Test Cricket tends to have from time to time. I suppose he is cricket's answer to Peter Alliss. Both are a bit Marmite.  

I don't think there's much wrong with Sky's cricket coverage, unlike their coverage of Golf & Football, both of which are in dire need of an overhaul.  

Good summary and Labushagne and Cummins worth a mention in dispatches. Completely disagree on VAR in football catching up with cricket. You're right about cricket and generally it's because it's about black and white decisions, the game stops and starts like American football so the decisions do add to the anticipation and the game comfortably accommodates it. The marginal ones (like close to the ground catches) tend to be settled in the way most of us would expect and based on the historical interpretation..benefit of doubt to the batting side.

Football with a toe or nipple offside and much more in the way of interpretative stuff cannot be compared (in my humble view). Use the goal-line tech for sure, the rest should be consigned to the dustbin - I cannot imagine anyone who regularly goes to live games thinks it's an improvement and if they do then they're wrong of course :-)

What if football had "umpires decision "? So a toe or nipple wouldn't get overruled if the linesman said it was fine, but if they called a howler & it turns out the bloke was offside by a noticeably amount, VAR could step in to say no goal?