Cricket: Random Discussion Thread

Part of me hopes SA wins to give the selectors a kick up the arse. SA doing well so far in run chase

What an innings from Markram. A potentially match winning 4th innings hundred in the wtc final is a career defining knock.

Good for SA and particularly with this make up of the team - finally a SA team picked on merit and see what they can do.

why is there no good highlights on youtube? this is the final of the WTC, this is the marquee event, you should at least be able to watch some highlights that aren't some terribly edited fan compilations

i can't think of another sport that doesn't provide actual highlights of the games to idk draw interest in the sport. Everyone's talking about why test cricket is dying but it seems a massive own goal that you can't follow the game at all without a subscription to specific cable companies.

I can watch highlights of the NBA finals, the Superbowl, the CL final, Stanley cup, the rugby world cup final all on youtube but not the world test championship final? What a joke.

Yeah it is b/s. I didn't want to fork out the $10 Amazon subscription for this 5 day but turned out to be this just over 4 day contest. I thought this was on Sky in the UK for those that have it? At least if this was on our equivalent to Sky on Fox here I wouldn't have any complaints but this so called Fox channel is the home of Australian cricket is b/s if they can't get these ICC events

Yeah I spend way too much on streaming already with 3 kids to fork out for Amazon. Such a shame the game is hidden

South Africa are Test Champions, partly thanks to South African Marnus Labuschagne.

The result is great for cricket.

June is the best time of the year because it means the next IPL is a long way away.

Don't forget that they have Mark Chapman and Glenn Phillips in the squad as well.

It is a great result that tells SA cricket to finally get rid off their minimum quota selection policy

Marnus dropped, finally.

Yep. Uzzie gets to keep his place though given Smith also out. No doubt he’ll find a way to score a cheap ton against dreadful opposition and hold his spot for the Ashes!

Thank god and tbh having been very close to him watching him grow up through the grade ranks he has done well to get as far as he has as he was always one to blow starts.

But I would drop Uzzie too. Batting needs a clear out after that loss. Also Lyons place is getting close to being on the line

Don't think it matters much for the Ashes. Hayden/Langer/Ponting could be sent out and England isn't getting them out.

Also India begin the post Kohli/Rohit era tomorrow. And Bumrah out for first test. Don't give India much of a chance. Gill is a dubious test batsmen and apparently that's enough to make him captain ahead of Pant. Pant is only saving grace in this squad, and he will prob win 1 game for them. England 3-1 I think

Not sure about that. Not sure again as it was in the WTC final to not play Harris. Experienced in England conditions and top div 2 run scorer in county. He does good to very good usually in shield (although his county form is slightly better) but against English bowlers that he has performed well against in England should be given a chance. However I also like giving Konstas a go as well.

Still can't believe I'll be in London in about 2 weeks time and while there is the England/India test matches - they are all basically sold out and all the other places I go and then back to London it looks like I will again miss out on any live cricket. But I will be sure to catch some of the cricket in multiple pubs as I travel around. Anyone have a good app for listening to the radio for the cricket?

Test Match Special on BBC Radio 5 is all you need

Re test match attendance…remember that the UK is the absolute home of the ticket tout (scalper), so you will 100% get a ticket outside the ground on the morning of the test. You will pay overs but worth it given you’re not there often

Yes I heard about that from a colleague - might head on over to outside Lord's.

If and when I decide to go to England for the cricket or tennis, I would plan well in advance and book with a tour group. That’s what I did when I went to India in 2017. That said, I’ve been to Anfiwld and paid a tout outside the stadium.

For best price results go 20-30 mins after the day has started. Albeit it gets risky if there’s an availability issue

Probably 50/50 I do go but probably less than that. Was only really wanting to spend 1 session at most 2 at a cricket game as I need to balance out my time given how much live cricket I go to here so with the premium on top of normal ticket prices makes it less of an attractive idea but we will see. I'm just annoyed for the week I'm there from about 17th in London there is no Vitality Blast game as that would have fitted in nicely to the schedule

Just on the Ashes are we about to have the greatest sporting contest that a company just dominates that Toyota have got naming rights sponsorship for both Australia and England

Just get the BBC Sounds app

Great decision to bowl