It's all a load of Cannonballs in here! This is the virtual Arsenal pub where you can chat about anything except football. Be warned though, like any pub, the content may not always be suitable for everyone.
Test cricket is a strange beast but has great value in and of itself. But for the TV companies it does not and on whole does not attract the crowds. For all the great matches, they produce the same if not more averageto stinkers.
T20 is for me very uninteresting but so are the myriad of shit tv programmes, "lift" music which populates the charts or indiely-pindly guitar music with a female solo who sounds like she on the verge of nervous breakdown. As are shit cafes charging a fortune for,erm,what? or outside food events, where real people cook real food for people with a lot of money
But back to the cricket How long will the English players have an interest in test cricket when they can get big bucks in India, Wes Indies or Aus?
Stop talking sense mate; this is the OG after all.
If you’re on a central contract then that’s probably a million, plus whatever endorsements and sponsorships means that they’re OK financially. It obviously doesn’t compare with IPL money but it’s enough to ensure England players are available for tests.
It’s a bit of a Faustian pact but the ECB effectively blackmail its players by ‘encouraging’ them to not consider IPL auctions, unless they’re limited overs specialists only. The fact that England’s players are dogshit at limited overs probably helps as they’re not exactly in massive demand in the IPL.
The scoring this morning is very slow; Australia are batting and are 40 without loss. Peter Siddle has replaced Hazlewood, which is a bit strange as I thought they’d give Cummings a match.
The umpires have taken the players off for bad light. That will probably be that for the day with Aus 255 – 3; Smith has 70 and Voges 27.
I cannot understand Cook’s decision to put Aus in to bat. The Oval, like Lord’s, is simply one of those grounds where you bat first, if you can, always.
How long will the English players have an interest in test cricket when they can get big bucks in India, Wes Indies or Aus?
