The cricket thread (incorporating the Ashes)

[firehazard]

On the eve of a new cricket season in England, here's a thread for any Medusans who may feel the need to talk about lovely cricket from time to time. If nobody else is interested, I may just talk to myself occasionally.

Anyway, from this weekend onwards I shall doubtless be spending occasional time sitting in a field over the next few months while sunning myself/freezing/drinking beer as appropriate while vaguely watching the match...

[Welshie]

Oh Glammy Glammy ....
I'm telling you now its got to be our year this year, Promotion or a Lords Final to go with our new stadium at Sophia Gardens.....and then I woke up!
Come on Glamorgan!
Enjoy the season Firehazard.
Cheers
Aled

[firehazard]

I'm telling you now its got to be our year this year, Promotion or a Lords Final to go with our new stadium at Sophia Gardens.....and then I woke up!

Yes, I know exactly what you mean. Hope you enjoy the season too. No great hopes for my Essex this season, to be honest. The bright spot is that when, like us, you're in the bottom division you know you can't get relegated, eh?

I think we're playing you mostly in July this year, Aled. Glam have the delight of a trip to "Barren" Park in Southend to look forward to, I think. And then the more pleasant prospect of a one-day at Colchester in August.

I always get excited and ridiculously optimistic at the start of a season, though. Shall probably be freezing my arse off at Fenner's this weekend.

[Shaz]

Not holding out much hope for Glorse to do any good this season. Jon Lewis says the aim is to get promotion back to the first division. I see pigs doing stall turns over Nevil Road

Might do OK in the one-days, though.

Waiting to find out how the Hamish Marshall and Indian League saga will be resolved . . .

[firehazard]

Not holding out much hope for Glorse to do any good this season. Jon Lewis says the aim is to get promotion back to the first division. I see pigs doing stall turns over Nevil Road

Ah, but it's going to be fun down in division 2 of the CC this year, isn't it? I'd say you've got a chance of going up (more of a chance than Essex, anyway ), but it'll probably end up being Warks and Middlesex in the end. Glorse are coming to Chelmsford in July, but I see the return fixture isn't till 24 September, which seems madly late in the season for cricket in England. Maybe the weather will be better by then...

And yes, it's going to be very interesting to see how the whole Indian situation develops.

[moose]

Come on you Bears

[Welshie]

Must say with Mathew Maynard back at my beloved Glamorgan i do feel more confident that we may win a few more games. I dont believe that promotion or Lords finals are likely, but mid table mediocracy would be an improvement on last year.
However 2008 has so far been a good year for Welsh Sport could some of this rub off on the Dragons. I hope so.

Its worth noting Firehazard, Shaz, and moose that of all the teams i've seen play at Sophia Gardens its Glouc, Essesx and Bears are the most vocal! Maybe its a reflection on our music love as well.
Have a good un all!
Cheers
Al

[firehazard]

Must say with Mathew Maynard back at my beloved Glamorgan i do feel more confident that we may win a few more games.

Yeah, I think you may do better with him. Essex suffered last season from having lost so Ronnie Irani, Andy Flower and Goughie early on in the season, leaving not much in the way of experience in the team. I'm not sure that anything that's happened since is likely to change that much this year. But you never can tell, eh?

2008 has so far been a good year for Welsh Sport could some of this rub off on the Dragons...

And Cardiff has now got the first Ashes Test in 2009. Excellent news for you.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket ... 342217.stm

[Welshie]

Crikey its going to be weird sitting at a Welsh spoting venue supporting England (Sorry England & Wales Cricket Board) LOL
I have to say the new stadium looks superb on TV i plan to have a nosey next Thursday.
Cheers
Aled

[firehazard]

I have to say the new stadium looks superb on TV i plan to have a nosey next Thursday.

Look forward to hearing your report on it, Aled. My cricket-mad youngest is already nagging me to try to get tickets for 2009... either Cardiff (though it's too far away really), or Lord's, or Edgbaston, or anywhere there's a chance.

Come on, England & Wales Cricket Board XI!

The County Ground in Chelmsford's due to be redeveloped, and is supposed to be closed for the whole of the 2010 season. I suspect it won't look as impressive as the new Cardiff stadium though.

[Shaz]

Must say with Mathew Maynard back at my beloved Glamorgan i do feel more confident that we may win a few more games. I dont believe that promotion or Lords finals are likely, but mid table mediocracy would be an improvement on last year.
However 2008 has so far been a good year for Welsh Sport could some of this rub off on the Dragons. I hope so.

Its worth noting Firehazard, Shaz, and moose that of all the teams i've seen play at Sophia Gardens its Glouc, Essesx and Bears are the most vocal! Maybe its a reflection on our music love as well.
Have a good un all!
Cheers
Al

I've been to a few Lord's finals where Glos and Warwicks have been involved, and the singing has been non-stop. I really fancy going to Cardiff's first cricket test, as I bet the atmosphere will be great.

Funny thing is, the atmosphere at Nevil Road is often very flat because it's such a weird ground. I think they've had one-day internationals there, but it could never expand for tests, as it's in the middle of a residential area.

[firehazard]

So the ECB, not at all struggling for a way to try to jump on the IPL bandwagon, are looking seriously at a proposal to get the English (and Welsh ) first-class counties to merge for an "EPL" 20/20 competition: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/apr/25/cricket2

So Essex would be joining with (deep breath) Surrey and Middlesex, to form what would doubtless be the London Lions, or whatever. And so on. Hmm.

All this and they've been playing with pink balls at Lord's too. I can feel an outbreak of oldfogeyism coming on. Deep breaths...

[Welshie]

Cant see me supporting a Wales and the West team i'm afraid. Strangely though i was wondering in the car this morning if a Wales T20 would be possible in this league....
Cheers
Aled

[Welshie]

Ok season has started and it does seem like my beloved Glamorgan do have a "bit of dog" about them as things stand we may make a decent fist of it this year. The new stadium is truly fantastic and my new membership card arrived last week. Its October before we can apply for Ashes tickets.
Cheers
Aled

[firehazard]

The new stadium is truly fantastic and my new membership card arrived last week. Its October before we can apply for Ashes tickets.

Thanks for the tip, Aled.

Essex have started better than expected. Masters looks like a good signing in the bowling department. Bopara's in amazing form, though I'm sort of hoping England don't notice.

Anyway, wouldn't have asked for much more than 3 wins out of 4. Losing to Derbys was embarrassing, but all down to bad negotiation over setting a run-race target.

New Zealand are at Chelmsford over next weekend. Interesting to see how they're shaping up.