Would it upset the guys here if I mentioned the success of the English women’s cricket team down under?
Hi Sheona.
No, it wouldn’t upset me in the slightest. Go the Ladies!
But it doesn’t console me. English Men’s Cricket team-wise, I have been plunged into the black pit of despair by their utter failure to be even approximate to adequate.
Mind, looking on the positive side, us Jocks have qualified for the 2015 World Cup Finals and we might gub the English on February 23rd next year in Christchurch if they carry on being this rubbish.
They tell me that Alex Salmond (whom God rot) has already been signed up as a sight screen.
Sheona – it’s true to say that the English Ladies have performed far better than their male counterparts (not that difficult), but as I’m sure your sons would tell you, they haven’t done terribly well in absolute terms.
The new ICC points-scoring system means that those English gals have ably retained their Ashes by 10 points to 8, but they have only won 3 matches, whereas the Aussie Shelias have won 4, and in doing so have won both the ODI and T20 sub-series.
If you’re interested, there’s a rather more extensive explanation in this article. 🙂
Ja well, what a shambles, if that were a premier league football match I’m sure we’d be hearing calls for the club and players to refund the the traveling fans their ticket and travel costs.
And in other news, we renewed our season tickets for E.P rugby over the weekend (yes, the same seats) the ticket includes the Scotland test on June 28 🙂
I don’t understand. If the England squad are such rubbish, how come the Aussies lost here last time out?
An excellent question, Janus.
There is no single simple answer – it’s about people and people-management (or mismanagement); it’s about money, about power and about ego and pigheadedness.
Neither squad contains rubbish, even though many results have been rubbish, on both sides. I’m sure Soutie and Mr Mackie will have different analyses, but here are a few of my pet bullet points –
CA have finally abandoned the cult of youth (not that there’s anything wrong with youth per se), and have belatedly recognised that individuality and experience are far more important that political correctness and designer stubble. ECB have not.
CA are now selecting teams on the basis of appropriateness and current performance for each of the three forms of the game. Cameron White and Brad Hodge are probably the two in yesterday’s game who epitomise this crazy/pragmatic idea!
CA sacked Micky Arthur and installed Darren Lehman, an Aussie through and through with a demonstrable record in cricket, liked by almost everybody in Australia. Team spirit rose immediately by a large factor.
There are many other changes, but that’ll do for now. I’ll wait cautiously for incoming. 😀
Ah yes, Micky Arthur, one of our finest exports to Australia 🙂
To be fair, although the Aussies lost the series last summer 3-0, if memory serves me correctly the Aussies were up in the 2 weather affected draws.
As to the English poor performance in the shorter version of the game I only have 2 words – Kay Pee!
Bearsy, yes. I noticed the change of culture when DL was appointed. Contrast the ECB’s continuing support for Ashley Giles whose limited over squad has failed abysmally.
Soutie, I hardly think you man can take all the credit! 😉
Bearsy, thanks for the link. I think I agree with Meg Lanning. Sons currently unavailable for comment: one skiing (Don’t go off-piste, shrieks mother) and the other busy with chickenpox’d daughters.
Yes, Soutie, I too am looking forward to the curling at the Winter Olympics, though I don’t know how much of it we’ll get to see.
I have to agree – Hurrah! It’s over. I support Oz most times, but I’ve still got my English sympathies, especially when they were so obviously the under-dog…
At least I’ll have no divided allegiances with the SA cricket tour 🙂
Boadicea's Chariot 
Would it upset the guys here if I mentioned the success of the English women’s cricket team down under?
JM, a gracious gesture! Sorry to see the Irish won today. 😦
Hi Sheona.
No, it wouldn’t upset me in the slightest. Go the Ladies!
But it doesn’t console me. English Men’s Cricket team-wise, I have been plunged into the black pit of despair by their utter failure to be even approximate to adequate.
Mind, looking on the positive side, us Jocks have qualified for the 2015 World Cup Finals and we might gub the English on February 23rd next year in Christchurch if they carry on being this rubbish.
They tell me that Alex Salmond (whom God rot) has already been signed up as a sight screen.
Sheona – it’s true to say that the English Ladies have performed far better than their male counterparts (not that difficult), but as I’m sure your sons would tell you, they haven’t done terribly well in absolute terms.
The new ICC points-scoring system means that those English gals have ably retained their Ashes by 10 points to 8, but they have only won 3 matches, whereas the Aussie Shelias have won 4, and in doing so have won both the ODI and T20 sub-series.
If you’re interested, there’s a rather more extensive explanation in this article. 🙂
Ja well, what a shambles, if that were a premier league football match I’m sure we’d be hearing calls for the club and players to refund the the traveling fans their ticket and travel costs.
Not to worry, the curling starts shortly 😉
As for the Aussie tour here, Pup has already declared that he has the best bowling attack in the world ( http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-australia-2013-14/content/video_audio/714815.html )
2nd test starts here on the 20th, can’t wait.
And in other news, we renewed our season tickets for E.P rugby over the weekend (yes, the same seats) the ticket includes the Scotland test on June 28 🙂
I don’t understand. If the England squad are such rubbish, how come the Aussies lost here last time out?
An excellent question, Janus.
There is no single simple answer – it’s about people and people-management (or mismanagement); it’s about money, about power and about ego and pigheadedness.
Neither squad contains rubbish, even though many results have been rubbish, on both sides. I’m sure Soutie and Mr Mackie will have different analyses, but here are a few of my pet bullet points –
There are many other changes, but that’ll do for now. I’ll wait cautiously for incoming. 😀
Ah yes, Micky Arthur, one of our finest exports to Australia 🙂
To be fair, although the Aussies lost the series last summer 3-0, if memory serves me correctly the Aussies were up in the 2 weather affected draws.
As to the English poor performance in the shorter version of the game I only have 2 words – Kay Pee!
Bearsy, yes. I noticed the change of culture when DL was appointed. Contrast the ECB’s continuing support for Ashley Giles whose limited over squad has failed abysmally.
Soutie, I hardly think you man can take all the credit! 😉
Bearsy, thanks for the link. I think I agree with Meg Lanning. Sons currently unavailable for comment: one skiing (Don’t go off-piste, shrieks mother) and the other busy with chickenpox’d daughters.
Yes, Soutie, I too am looking forward to the curling at the Winter Olympics, though I don’t know how much of it we’ll get to see.
I have to agree – Hurrah! It’s over. I support Oz most times, but I’ve still got my English sympathies, especially when they were so obviously the under-dog…
At least I’ll have no divided allegiances with the SA cricket tour 🙂
Scandiwegians love curling too, so we get good tv coverage.