The Ashes - now live

comment by Amanda Hugginkiss (U11574)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by GTWI4T- some people deserve to get trolled (U6008)
posted 1 hour, 46 minutes ago
The answer is simple. Make the county championship more lucrative in terms of finances and rewards so that county's focus on developing players for the longer form as much as the shorter form. You'll never get the crowds or the coverage in the 4 day game, so you need to rewards counties that are producing red ball players that make it to the national set up. This come from the ECB. I've said it on here before and I'll say it again... players that can hit the ball harder and further are seen as a better commodity to county teams than players who have better technique and can bat for hours. Until that changes, nothing will change in Test match cricket for England.
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Also make sure County games are played in the height of summer (steps are already being taken with more games in June and July 2022, with a view to a higher proportion still in 2023). And prep more spin-friendly tracks during those warmer months.

And ideally have fewer sides playing fewer but more competitive matches. At the minute, bats know if they have a bad game, there's dozens more to bump their averages. Fewer but tougher games would mean they have fewer "free hits" (or at least the perception of fewer) and they might be more likely to knuckle down when they realise they don't have so many opportunities to make up for bad form.
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I think a good solution to this would be having 3 decisions of 6 instead of the current 2 divisions of 9.

In theory you'd end up with a highly competitive 1st division instead of the talent spread out across so many teams like it is currently.

Anyone know what the average ticket price is at county to watch a match...? (It'll vary obv's)..?

Also what does a county player get paid...?

Also...in Australia, they must have much more localised matches given the vast distances between big cities, & these might be much more competitive & better attended.

Silverwood gone now

Close the door on the way out.

Get in, Silverwood OUT

comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 6 hours, 54 minutes ago
Also...in Australia, they must have much more localised matches given the vast distances between big cities, & these might be much more competitive & better attended.
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Eh its ok attendance wise at the local stuff

I still found cricket to lag behind aussie rules and rugby league in terms of how much you hear about it

comment by Blarmy (U14547)
posted 12 hours, 30 minutes ago
comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 6 hours, 54 minutes ago
Also...in Australia, they must have much more localised matches given the vast distances between big cities, & these might be much more competitive & better attended.
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Eh its ok attendance wise at the local stuff

I still found cricket to lag behind aussie rules and rugby league in terms of how much you hear about it
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What - whilst living there you mean...or here...?

I've never read a thing about Aussie rules in my entire life...& not a lot more about rugby league

Root stays, Thorpe goes.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/feb/04/england-cricket-ashes-ecb-joe-root-graham-thorpe-giles-silverwood-harrison-strauss

Crazy that Root stays as captain, surely he had a say in the terrible team selections. I guess there's not much alternative as captain, maybe Stokes

No one else to do the job thats the problem.. Stokes doesnt want it..
Roots captaincy is very poor. Our bowlers bowl a lenght too short because they are scared of being driven..