Walking in cricket means that you walk off the field when you know you are out, whether the umpire gives you out or not. Adam Gilchirst is a recent modern day player that was well known for walking. It was easy for him as he more often than not played well and made a good score. It must be harder for other players who are struggling to keep their place in the team, who do not want to give away their wicket unless the umpire says so. The umpires make wrong decisions sometimes, giving players out when they are not, and not giving them out when they are. Over time you would expect that this would even out, and this is one argument of some players who chose not to walk. The players need an incentive to do the right thing and walk when they think they are out. How about an annual prize for the best ‘walker’, based on point every time a player walks before being given out by the umpire, and extra credits when they walk and are subsequently found to be not out by the replays!
Related Pages: About Cricket
Tags: Cricket·walking
It is becoming popular for sporting fans to get together and fly around the world to support their team. Why pay so much when you can do it yourself for much cheaper? There is a big market for these tour groups and people pay way too much for the privilege. People pay thousands of dollars to join a cricket tour of India, where you can get by on as little as $10 a day. However, I admit that you do get plenty of extras from joining such a group, for example meeting some of the sports stars, getting priority entry, and good seats organised/guaranteed. You also don’t have to buy your own travel tickets and organise hotels. It is fun either way you go, but if you want to save money and make it an adventure, then do it yourself. I may even come along and do the self-guided tour with you! Careful, if you get too many of our mates together and it will become one of those tours you are trying to avoid!
Related Pages: About Cricket
Tags: Cricket·events·india·Spectators·tours·travel
Cricket has joined some other sports to now have at Test level an umpire referral system. It was first trialed in 2008 (in a Test series between Sri Lanka and India). Unlike in tennis where the challenge and referral decision is clear cut using hawke-eye technology, the cricket referral is adjudicated by another umpire, and is open to further errors. The actual way it works may change and develop, but when it was first brought in this is how it worked.
Players are allowed to challenge decisions made by the on-field umpires, and have them referred to the TV official. For each innings of the Test, each team can challenge any decisions, though they will be limited to three unsuccessful challenges per innings. Only the batsman on the receiving end of the umpire’s original decision or the captain of the fielding side can appeal by making a “T” sign with both forearms at shoulder height. The third umpire uses the technology of the hot spot and slow motion replays at different angles to gain information and make decisions.
It all sounds great for the players and viewers at home, but the pressure is on the umpires. In reality, the process takes too long and can distract from the game. When there are challenges left near the end of an innings, players tend to make frivolous challenges on the off chance of getting a decision overturned. So there are still problems that need to be ironed out, but a great step forward for cricket.
Related Pages: About Cricket, Technology in Sports
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There has been a bit of media about sledging in cricket lately. I don’t think a little bit is too bad, but when the sledging includes racist remarks, excessive bad language or personal remarks about the players wife/mother/children etc., it has gone too far. Here are a couple I found that are ‘family friendly’ – I think we should encourage this sort of thing.
you have more misses than henry the 8th!
you have more blocks than a lego set
you have more edges than a 50 cent piece
you have more leaves than a tree
he’s swinging like a rusty gate!
got more dots than the bible in braille!
bowl him a piano, see if he can play that
he couldnt cut a slice of bread
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Although it is a time to celebrate one-day cricket with the upcoming World Cup, Australia has had nothing to celebrate in the short version of the game lately. Maybe that is why they have decided to release a list of Australia’s greatest ODI team. The team was selected by a vote of Australia’s 163 ODI representatives since 1971. The team they came up with is: Adam Gilchrist (wk), Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Dean Jones, Steve Waugh (captain), Michael Bevan, Andrew Symonds, Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Dennis Lillee, Glenn McGrath, Greg Chappell (12th man). With such a strong history in the game, it is no surprise that great players missed the cut, such as Allan Border, who led Australia to their first World Cup in 1987, and Michael Hussey, who currently averages 66.88 in his 61 matches. Two of the players listed, Lee and Symonds, are current players but will probably be missing in the upcoming World Cup due to injury, and will be sorely missed. The other players that are in the current squad are Gilchrist, Ponting and McGrath.
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Last night the Victorian Bushrangers took on the Tasmanian Tigers in the domestic cricket twenty20 final. We took the tram to the ground to take advantage of the free entry into the MCG with a MetCard. I don’t know why, but we made our way to the same spot we were in for the Australian game last night. This was my first live experience of a Twenty20 match. The first thing I noticed was that the boundary rope was set an extra 20 metres or so further inside the normal position. Why do they need to make it easier to score boundaries? It was a slog fest, as these games are expected to be, and although Tasmania did not make a huge score, it was a close and exciting finish. I like twenty20, but I wouldn’t go to watch skilful play. I would prefer to watch a Test or one day game, which takes the time for a player to show his skill and develop a game plan.
Related Pages: Cricket, Twenty20, MCG
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