Comments on: More cricket: A story of mediocre batters pushed too hard and the collective burnout of a not-great England side

By: King Cricket

King Cricket — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 10:43:25 +0000

In reply to Cordish. There's no link-posting etiquette here, Cordish. You're good.

By: Cordish

Cordish — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 04:32:28 +0000

KP has something to say regarding this – https://sports.ndtv.com/the-ashes-2021-22/kevin-pietersens-radical-proposal-to-save-test-cricket-in-england-2682820.

Sorry if pasting URL’s is not proper etiqutte.

By: King Cricket

King Cricket — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 22:57:16 +0000

In reply to Sam. It's coming.

By: Sam

Sam — Sun, 02 Jan 2022 20:09:14 +0000

Where is the Lord Megachief of Gold announcement?

By: King Cricket

King Cricket — Sun, 02 Jan 2022 08:27:27 +0000

In reply to Nick. Reminds us of that bit in Office Space where Peter says that every day is the worst of his life because the next one is always fractionally worse. Happy New Year!

By: Nick

Nick — Sat, 01 Jan 2022 22:16:39 +0000

We should see this (not just the Ashes, but 2021 as a whole) in context. England have been getting relatively worse at producing good cricketers for a hundred and fifty years. Utterly dominant pre WWI, though getting less so until Barnes insisted on bowling continuously throughout both innings and averaging 16. Unable to beat Australia carrying a 2 to 3 substandard amateurs handicap in the interwar period. Back to competing with the best once they got rid of that handicap post war. Then gradual decline to the point where they couldn’t compete as a semi professional team against professional teams by the nineties. Central contracts, etc., and competitiveness again for quite a while before the declining relative talent level once again revealed further flaws in the system, like the falling water level of a reservoir in a drought bringing to light evidence of a terrible crime committed decades ago.

Are there any more major structural or selection changes that can be made that will postpone the inevitable for a few more decades? Or is this, finally, it?

I didn’t think I had a hangover, but I must do. Happy New Year, all.

By: daneel

daneel — Sat, 01 Jan 2022 22:13:02 +0000

In reply to daneel. Or not, since he now also has been exposed. They'll have to give Hick a call at this rate.

By: Nick

Nick — Sat, 01 Jan 2022 21:45:39 +0000

In reply to Kanos. I wonder if this was an unforeseen consequence of two division county cricket? It meant that counties actually cared about winning, and therefore took advantage of flaws in the system which they'd previously ignored. Would follow that previously the county championship was a sham, of course. Which explains a lot.

By: Ameya

Ameya — Sat, 01 Jan 2022 21:05:04 +0000

In reply to Ameya. Obviously, they don't. If they did, your team would be better.

By: Nick

Nick — Sat, 01 Jan 2022 12:07:00 +0000

In reply to Kanos. It's not the main problem with England, but it is a problem that preparing pitches which reward mediocre medium pace or mediocre spin has become a really good way of competing for the County Championship.