England's Summer Of Cricket against New Zealand and AUSTRALIA!

[Sarb]

Big deal about nothing really. England were on the go slow in their first innings. Australia didn't have to declare in the 2nd innings. They're the ones who tried to make a game of it. So bad light abandoned play. England should have got a move on first.

They'll never sort out this light issue anyway, unless they come out with a blanket rule that says you have to complete your overs (under floodlights if required). Just take away the option of offering light.

[EwarWoo]

Yeah, was a cracking finish to a **** game. Turned it on for half an hour before bed, ended up riveted to the screen and unable to turn off until i forced myself at 1am, even then I never expected it to get that close.

Given the previous call for light when Australia were on course to win I really cant blame Clark for expecting the same. He was within his rights to be pissed off, umpire need some consistency.

Clarke deserves a lot of credit from that match.

They need to have a blanket rule.

The latest storm in a teacup in the Aussie media is that some English players pissed on the pitch.

What actually happened was they were out on the field sat down having celebratory drinks and chatting, after dark, and nature called.

Even our media isn't ridiculous enough to run a story about some blokes pissing on a bit of grass when drinking. They'll do anything to distract from how **** they've been.

[Aj34]

Agree credit to Clark for making a match of it, could easily batted out of sight for the draw

[Sarb]

I actually like Michael Clarke. He always tries to make a match of it. He could have just told his team to bat through and let it drift to a boring draw.

Bring out a blanket rule. If there are floodlights, you have to play out the required overs, be it under lights or whatever. If no floodlights, you offer the light accordingly.

[Shaggy]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/the-ashes/englands-players-celebrate-their-ashes-triumph-by-urinating-on-the-oval-pitch/story-e6frf3gl-1226704042979#.Uhs0sX-wU8w

ENGLAND'S players have celebrated their Ashes triumph by urinating on The Oval pitch.

In a distasteful display about five hours after the last Test was called off for bad light with England in sight of victory, the players gathered near the pitch celebrating and yahooing.

While the centre of the ground was quite dark, lights were on in the grandstands with dozens of people still cleaning up after a late finish which saw the game go beyond 7.30pm.

A number of players including Stuart Broad, Kevin Pietersen and Jimmy Anderson took it in turns urinating on the pitch to the cheers of their team mates.

This could be clearly seen from the outside overflow areas of the press box.

It would have been the only moisture applied to the pitch for quite some time given the deliberate dry and dusty nature of the pitches presented in this Test series to blunt Australia’s pace attack and aid spinner Graeme Swann, the highest wicket-taker in the series.

The incident brought back memories of the pitch party in Perth two seasons ago, when Indian film crews took footage of ground staff drinking on the WACA wicket the night before the Test.

The following day a clip titled "Booze Party on Perth pitch sparks storm" had attracted 680,000 views on Youtube.

It showed a staff member shadow-batting on the pitch while beer bottles were perched on the surface.

Curator Cam Sutherland agreed it was not a good look and it was unfortunate that administrative staff had walked on the wicket, but all he and his ground staff had been doing was inspecting its "aesthetics".

Despite the embarrassment, outgoing WACA chief executive Graeme Wood defended his staff's annual Test-eve drinks.

"It's a traditional event," he said. "The ground staff have put an enormous amount of work into getting the wicket and the ground up to a magnificent state. Some of the support staff and ground staff that were still here at the ground at 8 o'clock just ventured out on to the ground to salute Cam and the guys."

After yesterday’s match England captain Alastair Cook played down the frustration of the game being called off with England needing just 21 from four overs with five wickets in hand following a sporting declaration from Michael Clarke.

Obviously his players took their annoyance out on the pitch later on.

"Of course you understand the frustration, but you can also understand the other side," Cook said.

"You understand the rules and regs. Unfortunately the officials sometimes have to take emotion out oft the game and do their job and be consistently fair to both sides.

"Of course it’s disappointing to be sitting here when we felt we could have taken those runs of the last 4 overs. I understand the umpires’ decision and why it happened.

"If it was the third day no-one would be moaning about it.

"If the boot was on the other foot we'd probably be asking the same questions.

"It was a shame for the amazing crowd we’ve had here but we weren’t allowed to play to the finish. There are certain guidelines and that’s the way cricket has gone."

[EwarWoo]

Bring out a blanket rule. If there are floodlights, you have to play out the required overs, be it under lights or whatever. If no floodlights, you offer the light accordingly.

Problem is there is a real issue with visibility. The coloured PJ's and white ball are there in floodlit cricket for a reason.

Best case, catches get missed.

Worst case slip takes one to the skull.

[Sarb]

Problem is there is a real issue with visibility. The coloured PJ's and white ball are there in floodlit cricket for a reason.

Best case, catches get missed.

Worst case slip takes one to the skull.

True. Good point. Is the rule really that bad? Rob Key was on this morning. He was saying common sense is needed in all rules. But when you introduce common sense, then consistency is more than likely to go

[Alex]

Pissing on the pitch? What a ****ing load of rubbish about nothing.

'Taking out their frustrations on the pitch'

That writer needs to get a bit of a grip

[Shaggy]

Story originated in numerous Aussie press outlets.

Aussies getting absolutely desperate

[ChesterDave]

Anyone hear the incredibly awkward banter between Greg James, Graeme Swann, and Jimmy Anderson on 5Live today?

Program was a couple of hours long but from about 1hr 4 mins in for 90 seconds....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b038vjx4/The_Ashes_Not_Just_Cricket_26_08_2013/

Might get away with it on a satirical news quiz but a sports programme on the radio. Very iffy ground to walk on!

[captainfog]

Heard most of it. They've done loads of these and they've all been ****. Greg James should just stick to being **** at Radio One.

[Chazza]

Alastair Cook among big England names rested for Australia ODI's

England captain Alastair Cook and James Anderson, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann are being rested for the one-day series against Australia.

The quintet are being given a break after helping England win the Ashes this summer, with the return series against Australia starting in November.

Batsman Eoin Morgan takes over as captain from Cook.

Michael Carberry, Chris Jordan, Jamie Overton and Boyd Rankin - all uncapped by England in ODIs - are included.

England play two Twenty20s against Australia on 29 and 31 August before travelling to Ireland to play an ODI on 3 September.

Batsmen Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott and Joe Root will miss the trip to Ireland but will return for the five-match ODI series against Australia, which starts on 6 September.

"Following a very intense period of cricket this summer we have decided to rest a number of senior players which will allow them to recover from a heavy workload over the last three months and to prepare for the tour of Australia, which begins in eight weeks," said England national selector Geoff Miller.

"This creates an excellent opportunity for players who have impressed in county cricket and for England Lions recently to test themselves at international level as we continue to build a squad ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup, which is less than 18 months away."

Uncapped Yorkshire batsman Gary Ballance, Nottinghamshire batsman James Taylor and Hampshire spinner Danny Briggs will drop out of the squad after the game against Ireland to make way for Pietersen, Trott and Root.

Sussex bowler Jordan, 24, and fellow paceman Overton, 19, make an England squad for the first time.

Hampshire batsman Carberry, 32, has one Test cap while 29-year-old Warwickshire bowler Rankin has played 37 ODI internationals and 17 T20 games for Ireland as well two T20 matches for England.

Rankin quit playing for Ireland in 2012 in order to try his luck with England, while stand-in captain Morgan followed the same path in 2008.

England ODI squad v Ireland:
Eoin Morgan (Middlesex, capt), Gary Ballance (Yorkshire), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Danny Briggs (Hampshire), Jos Buttler (Somerset, wkt), Michael Carberry (Hampshire), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Jamie Overton (Somerset), Boyd Rankin (Warwickshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), James Taylor (Nottinghamshire), James Tredwell (Kent), Luke Wright (Sussex)

England ODI squad to play Australia:
Eoin Morgan (Middlesex, capt), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Jos Buttler (Somerset, wkt), Michael Carberry (Hampshire), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Jamie Overton (Somerset), Kevin Pietersen (Surrey), Boyd Rankin (Warwickshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), James Tredwell (Kent), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire), Luke Wright (Sussex)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/23850063

[Chazza]

Brilliant knock by Greenway in the Womens T20

80 from 64 to give England the Ashes

[spud_gun]

Joe Root has just gone for 27 runs in an over

Aussies having a field day at the moment.

122 - 1 from 10 overs

[ChesterDave]

Currently, 3 of the highest 5 international T20 scores have been against England. This is going to make 4 from 6.