Cracking Hundred match with Birmingham getting a measure of payback for the last year’s final.
A five week haul for one bowler , the first ever hundred in the hundred and a catch worthy of Collingwood at his best.
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Yep – much hitting and in no way sublime (compared to DM’s knock a few days ago). Very much ‘see ball, hit ball’ approach. Why do they keep saying ‘deep mid-wicket’ when it’s really ‘cow corner’ 
An interesting adjunct to @Camphuw 's words above, in that Smeed doesn’t play 1st class cricket. Perhaps this is just due to balancing up his studies but it certainly appears to be how player skills and focus are evolving.
The traditionalist in me is offended by how far they bring the boundaries in though. A modern day 6, noting the advantages of the latest bats, can be achieved by a far shorter hit (as obviously can a 4). Pre winding in the boundaries, in some of the grounds in Aus, all-run 4’s were possible. Not now.
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I’d hate to be a bowler, these short format games are definitely slanted towards the batter.
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Pete - that’s the sadness for me, as a bit like rugby, power is now a substitute for skill in many instances. I’ll never forget the Big Bash game a few years back, played on a ‘sticky dog’ spinning wicket (Sydney?), where the team batting first got ~65 (IIRC) and the oppo were something like 45-7 chasing. The batsmen were clueless as to how to play the spinning & gripping ball.
Now it’s just all about the theatre of whackathon.
Maybe that’s the answer start doctoring the wickets make them think before they walk into a ramp shot.
It’s almost the bowlers just throw down sht cause they don’t have time to out think the batsmen.
And the matches where the teams struggle are often the most enjoyable to watch.
But yesterday there was good bowling and a cracking catch .
The one thing I really wanted to see (but never did) was a Paul Collingwood “spectacular” live at Lords
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I think the reason there are so many sixes is due to bat technology rather than short boundaries as the majority of sixes end up in the stands.
One of Gary Sobers six sixes ended up in the high street. Heaven knows how far it would have gone with a modern bat.
The only way they’ll balance bat and ball in one day cricket is to leave the wickets open but then I doubt it would be entertaining.
Looking at the number of wickets falling in one day cricket it does appear that bowlers are beginning to fight back.
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Bizarre.
Is that meant to be men and women? All formats?
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Unclear from original post.
Well let’s be honest I’d be pretty close. I’d say that’s unofficial at best though.
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Windies three rows down is a bit unkind. If it is only a now snapshot , maybe.
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Yes , I would still raise the Windies up and Sri Lanka down
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The preparing Australian must have some English ancestry too , as England were thumped at Test level in India and, arguably, did well to get even in the 2021 Test series recently – plus the white ball games went with India.
I would class India and Aus as top sides, with England/SA/NZ and Pakistan vying for top table on their day – with Pakistan perhaps favourites for elevation, albeit they lost a Test series to Aus earlier this year.
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I think if you look at the ladies teams, I would suggest those are the top three.
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Watching Hales bat in the 100 it’s surely time he was back opening for England. If Roy continues to retain his place then we’re not picking the team on merit.
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Yes, I was thinking that yesterday myself.
Edit: Plus Morgan has gone.
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First SA Test today.
About 6 weeks (of the hottest/driest summer) since the last Test match.
Bruce
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I’m afraid money talks.
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