England - India

dickygrace

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Has Sir Ian Botham lost his mind. Grandfather whatever, can’t get my head round that. First time I won’t be in Cardiff since the 90’s. Still huge though, Swing Low....
 

Phil the Brit

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1,499
As an Indian I support and am partial to the Indian side.
However I feel the pitch was bad, even for a national level game.
Both sides have very high standards of talent, skill and professionalism.
In media coverage they have been polite and diplomatic in their statements focusing more on players' performance rather than the pitch itself.
I do not know whether it was intentional to have such a deteriorating pitch or it was just mis-prepated. No matches were previously played on that pitch. The stadium was re-done and increased in capacity. May be more money and time should have been spent curating the pitch.

The stadium is now named after Mr. Narendra Modi or Namo, as we Indians like to call him. He is not known to ignore bad press and I am sure "steps" will be taken to rectify that pitch.

From historical experience, every country does have pitches that suit their own way of playing and give some home advantage.

South Africa and Australia are known for such tactics. (Welcome to Gabbatoir, they said). But India's recent victory has confirmed that a truly skilled team can overcome such situations.
I wish a very talented English team all the best in the next test matches and may be they can turn the tide and win a match on a balanced pitch.

The next test starts there on 4th March, they can't prepare a better wicket in such a short amount of time. The pitch is so ill prepared that we are again going to be deprived of a four or five day test I percieve. It is certainly not good for revenue and fans want to see big hitting scores not cheap wickets so it isn't good for us either. i wish something could be done quicker but fear it can't.
 

dickygrace

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Also, can't believe some people on here don't like cricket..........Wow!
I think if you’re lucky enough to be introduced to it as a child, it becomes a religion. If not, people just don’t understand it and criticise it. It is difficult to get into in later life, not many people ‘discover’ cricket in their 40’s & 50’s. I’m one of the lucky ones, surname aside, I’ve loved it all my life. Played U13’s at eight, 1XV at 14, and grew up playing for the best side in the country, 4 of our junior side made it as pro’s, sadly not me. Still love the game and feel privileged to have been at the WC final in July 2019 at Lords, widely agreed to have been the greatest sporting spectacle in history. All the better after having suffered for so long in the Curtley Ambrose, Shane Warne, Waqar Younis days.
 
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Andyk

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61,038
Also, can't believe some people on here don't like cricket..........Wow!

I played it in school and then played for Chepstow in my teens. Gave it a go...Hated it.....and it still bores me to death. But then so does rugby, football, tennis and golf. Not interested one bit. Only one sport worse than watching cricket and that’s golf. Clearly sport is not my thing. Lockdown has be bliss from that respect....
 

CatmanV2

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48,546
Spectators tend to be fans of sport. ;)

Of course. And he was hardly likely to stand up and say: You know what, **** it ;)

But I look at elite level sport with a mixture of bewilderment and in some cases disgust. Mrs C has Football Focus on right now, and they were bemoaning the potential loss of lower league clubs. Not discussing what the Premier League are doing to help. I guess 2/3 of nothing, with which Mrs C agrees.

And then: Sam Allardyce. Him and the utter disregard of COVID 'correct' behaviours in the pursuit of money simply stand as beacons for much that is wrong.

However, lots of people get great pleasure and companionship, even purpose from being fans as opposed to participants. It's just not for me.

C
 

dickygrace

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Of course. And he was hardly likely to stand up and say: You know what, **** it ;)

But I look at elite level sport with a mixture of bewilderment and in some cases disgust. Mrs C has Football Focus on right now, and they were bemoaning the potential loss of lower league clubs. Not discussing what the Premier League are doing to help. I guess 2/3 of nothing, with which Mrs C agrees.

And then: Sam Allardyce. Him and the utter disregard of COVID 'correct' behaviours in the pursuit of money simply stand as beacons for much that is wrong.

However, lots of people get great pleasure and companionship, even purpose from being fans as opposed to participants. It's just not for me.

C
Football is really the exception to most other sports. Devoid of morality and humility for the last 30 years. The hatred seen between rival football team’s fans is greater than any hatred known to man.
 

Andyk

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61,038

It also divides, it becomes territorial and brings out the worse in people as well...OK more football than other sports. I took my son to see Tottenham at Wembley in the Europa league as he was a fan and so wanted to go to a professional match and once was enough. I will never take him to a professional football match again. Grown men become animals. The language was shocking in front of children. The chap next to my 7 year old using the ‘C’ word at the ref. He did apologise only then to use it three more times after. And they call it the beautiful game. Not from where I was sat. I do get though Dicky that Rugby is much better natured.
 
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dickygrace

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7,309
It also divides, it becomes territorial and brings out the worse in people as well...OK more football than other sports. I took my son to see Tottenham at Wembley in the Europa league as he was a fan and so wanted to go to a professional match. and once was enough. I will never take him to a professional football match again. Grown men become animals. The language was shocking in front of children. The chap next to my 7 year old using the ‘C’ word at the ref ref. He did apologise only then to use it three more times after. And they call it the beautiful game. Not from where I was sat. I do get though Dicky that Rugby is much better natured.
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve not been to a footy match for 25 years.
 

ScaldedCat

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396
Every time I watch the rugby I'm astounded that more players aren't permanently damaged by some of the tackles. When they show the impacts in slow motion it seems they must surely just break into pieces. I know they do all sorts of strengthening stuff but even so it's brutal at times.
 

dickygrace

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Every time I watch the rugby I'm astounded that more players aren't permanently damaged by some of the tackles. When they show the impacts in slow motion it seems they must surely just break into pieces. I know they do all sorts of strengthening stuff but even so it's brutal at times.
It is, and increasingly so over the last few years. Laws need to change to protect players. I played the game for 25 years at a decent level and I watch the game wincing at the contact. It isn’t anything like the game I played, even at the same level as I used to play. Physicality is sadly king at present until law tweaks make teams change the way they select and play.
 

Sommi

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430
4th Test has begun and by the time I have logged in to look England have folded for 205 after winning the toss! Looks like this test will last one day more than the last one.
 

PaulCambio

Member
Messages
480
Another stunning batting failure. A team picked to bat deep with only 3 bowlers. Hmmmm.............