Shape Of Things To Come ?

[Canary42]

After all the pre-Series hype, England have been exposed for the weak team they are by Pakistan.

What are the odds on the World Cup following a similar path (we've already had the self-delusionary hype) ?

[redman41]

England v Pakistan or India at Edgbaston is always a colourful Carnival.
By the time the World Cup comes next Year 2019 Players should have been assessed for Test Match ability

[redman41]

Useful Link.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/teams/england/fixtures

[derekpara]

The writing for English cricket was put on the wall several years ago when the BBC stopped televising cricket resulting in a great many families not being able to follow the game unless they had Sky TV or whatever it was. Then, school cricket began to suffer because of the cost of pitch maintenance and inter school cricket declined.
It is absolutely true that in my own state boys' school, where I taught PE for many years, the school bursar charged the staff team for playing their weekly Friday staff match on the square where I and other staff had been coaching pupils all week ! I think it was a fiver a head, and that was about fifteen years ago.

Modern cricket seems more like baseball to me now. Playing one's self in is a dying art.

D

[Canary42]

Your last sentence Derek sounds like Boycott speaking ;-) - and it's absolutely right IMO.

[mushroom25]

mr boycott did have something of a reputation for taking route at the crease - in his return to test cricket at trent bridge in July 1977 he batted for more than 22 hours over all 5 days. he also got derek randall run out, another tactic he became known for. yep, Geoffrey walked alone.

[Gromit]

Not sure anyone is hyping England to win the world cup.

Most fans expect us to go out in the first round, and anything better than that will be a bonus.

[10ClarionSt]

Boycott was a master batsman. He scored lots of centuries against the very best fast bowlers in the history of test cricket. Times change. People don't want to see a master batsman anymore. They want to see a good slog. Something that the late Brian Close forecast would happen, back in the Sixties. A great shame really, in a way.