County Cricket

Thank god the counties (somebody needs to step up and help them with production values) are streaming their matches from the early rounds of the Royal London Cup, a welcome respite from the Hundred. Shame on Sky!!

Unfortunately, whilst watching the latter stages of todays match between Yorkshire V Lancashire, the stream went down and didn't fire up again! I see from the Scores, that the 'Lankeys' completed a routine victory thanks to Wells and Bohannon in particular

Fear not though, where the roses match was cut off in its' prime, Middlesex v Leicestershire took over! The Foxes racked up the runs with a total of 359/8, and you might have thought that would have been way to much for Middlesex, however, despite coming up just short by 15 runs, they made a right fight of it!

Once again the proper cricket shines through, and in front of big numbers too. Today also saw a much needed and timely intervention from the England Captain by putting his support behind a petition against cutting the county games and in particular, the Championship! All respect to him, as he knows what will benefit his team most at international level. Should A. Strauss et al not listen to him and more than meet him half way, surely his England leadership is untenable?? How can you lead when you are not being permitted to have influence on the domestic format(s) you (and we) are being told exist almost solely to give you and your charges, the best chance to succeed on the park??

^^ Yorkshire's stream has frozen far to often this year, this is a drawback which prevents it from being a viable service which you would pay for, & for that reason it should remain free. The overall quality of the County streams vary, some are very watchable, others less so. they do seem to have a major issue with the system which all the counties use for providing the scoring, which struggles with real-time ball by ball. quite often the previous overs graphics are showing.

(04-08-2022 20:08 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  ^^ Yorkshire's stream has frozen far to often this year, this is a drawback which prevents it from being a viable service which you would pay for, & for that reason it should remain free. The overall quality of the County streams vary, some are very watchable, others less so. they do seem to have a major issue with the system which all the counties use for providing the scoring, which struggles with real-time ball by ball. quite often the previous overs graphics are showing.

Good point Booms, however - in the main - I have found that, yes while there is the occasional buffering, the stream of which ever match I have chosen to watch has collapsed completely on only a couple of occasions. Maybe if they were to charge a nominal 'entrance' fee (I take your point on this entirely) they could 'pool' their resources to an extent, to source a more reliable streaming platform that they all then make use of?? Agree on a 'flat rate' for example that they all contribute too for this purpose??

Today the issue appears to be cross feed comms now and again.

By the way Booms, I think I saw one of the streams - from yesterday I think - with 6 figure viewer numbers?? Was most likely for the highlights but still!!

I read an article on the web that doesn't bode well for the release of the reviews conclusions. Clare Connor said that people will be quote:- 'disappointed' so it seems inevitable that the intention is to drive a coach and horses through the county game - most notably the championship. In addition, she said that they had 'heard' Ben Stokes, but clearly not as it relates to the domestic structure - only on the issue of scheduling!! Not surprisingly, the ICC have effectively washed their hands of the issue as something they can effect too, putting pretty much all the onus on individual boards to come up with solutions. Easier said than done, as any reduction in series and/or games within series, will be met with a resounding 'what about us and our financial position'?? particularly outside the big 3 stakeholders. It is in terms of the money question that the ICC must take a role in securing nations futures.

The sport is indeed at a crossroads, but in a number of different ways. Time to hold our collective breath I think for what comes next!!

The Strauss review looks likely t have stalled, in terms of Championship match reductions, at least for another year, more time needed.
After a 10/8 div 1 & 2 split this year, he now believes that a smaller div 1 will improve standards, no shit Sherlock, think we had that in the past, but they voted for a bigger div 1, because some of the larger counties didn't want to be stuck in div 2. Why not just play better & get promoted, that's the whole idea of divisions.
Don't like the sound of the re-vamp 50 over comp, unless it involves a window were a full strength side can be fielded. I'd hate to see less games, if that's the plan.
Just going round in circles getting nowhere.
Fact is The Hundred has messed up an already crammed season. So much money has been ploughed into it that they will never admit that it's a flop. Wonder how many free tickets have been handed out to families this year to swell the crowds.

(03-09-2022 13:47 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  The Strauss review looks likely t have stalled, in terms of Championship match reductions, at least for another year, more time needed.
After a 10/8 div 1 & 2 split this year, he now believes that a smaller div 1 will improve standards, no shit Sherlock, think we had that in the past, but they voted for a bigger div 1, because some of the larger counties didn't want to be stuck in div 2. Why not just play better & get promoted, that's the whole idea of divisions.
Don't like the sound of the re-vamp 50 over comp, unless it involves a window were a full strength side can be fielded. I'd hate to see less games, if that's the plan.
Just going round in circles getting nowhere.
Fact is The Hundred has messed up an already crammed season. So much money has been ploughed into it that they will never admit that it's a flop. Wonder how many free tickets have been handed out to families this year to swell the crowds.

To my mind they are looking in the wrong areas if reducing playing days is the goal. Whether they like it or not, they need to look at the impact of the Hundred and Blast in these terms too. It seems they have turned their face against this, and all the while, they want us to believe them when they say that their wish is to protect - particularly test cricket yes (although it could do with being reduced - but not through expelling/excluding nations) but The limited 50 over format as well. It may be a convenient fall guy - the ICC may though scupper those plans without accepting that the world cup will no longer be 50 overs - though how ironic would that be if the nation that won the last tournament, was to be the one to see its demise!

I am not convinced that reducing matches in the county championship is the way forward. Yes, you might see it as creating an elite best v best but if those best are pulled from it as England players, how will that help, or are we suggesting such a reduction in playing days and therefore matches, that those players could represent their counties more?? in which case, would that not be rendering the competition overall meaningless as a competition.

By the way Booms, did you see - what is the only response so far - from the chief exec of Middlesex CCC - to the review?? An 'in - house' interview in which he seemed quite relaxed about the mooted changes suggested after he and his counterparts sat down with the Review Panel and R Key?? Maybe since he represents one of the big 12 clubs (with 12 needed to vote in favour - coincidence?? ..Hmmmm!!) he can afford to be relaxed and signal Middlesex CCC tacit support??

Thankfully the County Championship is back tomorrow, and the cricket season can resume again for the run - in (unless one has been watching the RL cup via stream as I have) Some interesting match ups too with three rounds to go including the second Roses tie. In addition to the roses match, one of the other title contenders Hampshire are at home to Northamptonshire (I might select this as my watch for the next 4 days) while Surrey sits this one out.

September's here, so 10.30am start. Sadly rain about this week, (much needed, just not for cricket) Roses match certain to be affected, played on the wrong side of the Pennines. Day 1 looks clear, day 2 possible disruption in the last session, day 3 & 4 are potential washouts.

(04-09-2022 22:07 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  September's here, so 10.30am start. Sadly rain about this week, (much needed, just not for cricket) Roses match certain to be affected, played on the wrong side of the Pennines. Day 1 looks clear, day 2 possible disruption in the last session, day 3 & 4 are potential washouts.

Not such good news!! Hopefully we get lucky!

Compelling 1st day from Old Trafford, as Lancs won a good toss on a pitch that offered little to the bowlers. Jennings made it a record breaking 4 centuries in 4 championship innings in Roses matches. Hill broke through at 180-1, before tea with the wicket of Wells (84). Soon after tea, Hill removed Jennings (119) with the score on 231, which was the start of a spell of 5-5 in 41 balls. Coad took 2 in 2 balls with the 2nd new ball, as Lancs closed on 272-8.