You know what really grinds my cricketing gears?

[Pup Clarke]

I was merely referring to their sucking on hard, hard mints, before using the sticky residue formed to shine their balls. If you're immature enough to see obscure innuendos in such an act then, frankly, you should seek help.

 

[Uppercut]

People who talk about how the 2007 world cup was ruined by Bangladesh and Ireland doing well


*fumes*

 

[andruid]

People who talk about how the 2007 world cup was ruined by Bangladesh and Ireland doing well


*fumes*

or the 2003 one by Kenya, or the 1996 one by Sri Lanka or ......

 

[Richard]

Well it's just as awkward to believe that murray mints contain a secret ingredient that turns one's saliva into Wonderswing cricket ball polish.

It doesn't have to be murray mints, it can be anything sugary. Honestly, you must've noticed how when you suck sweets for a few minutes, your saliva changes. It's not a wholesale wonder-inducing change, but it's an undeniable improvement in the viscousness of it - which means it shines a cricket ball better.

 

[GIMH]

I was merely referring to their sucking on hard, hard mints, before using the sticky residue formed to shine their balls. If you're immature enough to see obscure innuendos in such an act then, frankly, you should seek help.

totally misread your post at first and thought you were being serious!!

 

[Richard]

People who talk about how the 2007 world cup was ruined by Bangladesh and Ireland doing well


*fumes*

or the 2003 one by Kenya, or the 1996 one by Sri Lanka or ......

But it was. There's just no way around that. That doesn't mean Kenya, Bangladesh or Ireland did anything wrong, but the tournament would've been much better if a

Even though Kenya especially did unbelievably well, there's just no denying that before each game against such a team, there's no real anticipation (other than perhaps from the fans of the underdog team). It's so different to a game between two "big eight(\nine)" teams.

 

[andruid]

But it was. There's just no way around that. That doesn't mean Kenya, Bangladesh or Ireland did anything wrong, but the tournament would've been much better if a

Even though Kenya especially did unbelievably well, there's just no denying that before each game against such a team, there's no real anticipation (other than perhaps from the fans of the underdog team). It's so different to a game between two "big eight(\nine)" teams.

I would contend that they actually saved the fans of those test teams that played poorly enough to get bundled out by underdogs the ignonimity of several further beatings by test teams who were actually playing good cricket at those tournaments.

 

[Jamee999]

or the 2003 one by Kenya, or the 1996 one by Sri Lanka or ......

or the 1950 one by Uruguay

 

[Uppercut]

But it was. There's just no way around that. That doesn't mean Kenya, Bangladesh or Ireland did anything wrong, but the tournament would've been much better if a

Even though Kenya especially did unbelievably well, there's just no denying that before each game against such a team, there's no real anticipation (other than perhaps from the fans of the underdog team). It's so different to a game between two "big eight(\nine)" teams.

Well a few extra weeks of Pakistan would not be a good trade-off with the greatest St. Patrick's day known to man.

In any case, it's not relevant when mentioned by you, but when pundits like Michael Holding says it it's just infuriating (and I really like Holding). There's so much talk of spreading cricket throughout the world, not having it as a closed shop, etc. In Ireland we're invited enthusiastically to a big party in the Caribbean, then show up to find nobody actually wants us there. How dare we have the audacity to put out a team who some people might enjoy watching more (i certainly didn't). The tournament would be so much better if what everyone had expected to happen had come to pass!

 

[fredfertang]

Well a few extra weeks of Pakistan would not be a good trade-off with the greatest St. Patrick's day known to man.

In any case, it's not relevant when mentioned by you, but when pundits like Michael Holding says it it's just infuriating (and I really like Holding). There's so much talk of spreading cricket throughout the world, not having it as a closed shop, etc. In Ireland we're invited enthusiastically to a big party in the Caribbean, then show up to find nobody actually wants us there. How dare we have the audacity to put out a team who some people might enjoy watching more (i certainly didn't). The tournament would be so much better if what everyone had expected to happen had come to pass!

It's a fair point

Some South Yorkshire pit village XI knock two of the Premier Leagues aristocrats out of the FA Cup and the average pundit rightly lauds them and describes their achievement as "bringing back the magic of the cup" - yet a cricket team flying the Irish flag does the equivalent and it spoils the competition - bizarre

 

[Burgey]

So is applying saliva and sweat to the ball wrong then?

You seem to be getting the idea that people are actually putting mint juice on the ball - they're not. They're improving the quality of their saliva so as to get a better shine on the ball.

The mints don't do anything to the ball - the mints do something to the saliva, the saliva (and trousers) shine the ball and the ball when shined behaves better (yes, better - the game is about bowling, not batting ) than it does if it's not shined at all.

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you, but I was having trouble removing the lining of shoe polish from my gums that I put there at pre-season practice last night. Just a little experimentation to see if the shining of the ball improves, only through use of saliva of course. Doesn't taste that great, but it's a sacrifice I'm prepared to take for the team.

The pie oven's been warmed up in case of rain, all is right to go.

In the spirit of the game of course

 

[Burgey]

It's a fair point

Some South Yorkshire pit village XI knock two of the Premier Leagues aristocrats out of the FA Cup and the average pundit rightly lauds them and describes their achievement as "bringing back the magic of the cup" - yet a cricket team flying the Irish flag does the equivalent and it spoils the competition - bizarre

AWTA

 

[Top_Cat]

It's a fair point

Some South Yorkshire pit village XI knock two of the Premier Leagues aristocrats out of the FA Cup and the average pundit rightly lauds them and describes their achievement as "bringing back the magic of the cup" - yet a cricket team flying the Irish flag does the equivalent and it spoils the competition - bizarre

Interesting. Had no idea people felt that way because everyone I know and have spoken to loved that Ireland spanked Pakistan. I know I did!

 

[nightprowler10]

totally misread your post at first and thought you were being serious!!

Haha yeah, almost threw in a rolleyes myself.

 

[Athlai]

Interesting. Had no idea people felt that way because everyone I know and have spoken to loved that Ireland spanked Pakistan. I know I did!

Agreed.

 

[Richard]

I would contend that they actually saved the fans of those test teams that played poorly enough to get bundled out by underdogs the ignonimity of several further beatings by test teams who were actually playing good cricket at those tournaments.

Nah - however many beatings you get from ODI-class sides, losing-out once to a substandard one is always infinitely worse.

 

[Richard]

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you, but I was having trouble removing the lining of shoe polish from my gums that I put there at pre-season practice last night. Just a little experimentation to see if the shining of the ball improves, only through use of saliva of course. Doesn't taste that great, but it's a sacrifice I'm prepared to take for the team.

Rather you than me. I doubt many others are prepared to make such a sacrifice for their team.

In fact I'd bet it'd be zero.

 

[Richard]

Well a few extra weeks of Pakistan would not be a good trade-off with the greatest St. Patrick's day known to man.

In any case, it's not relevant when mentioned by you, but when pundits like Michael Holding says it it's just infuriating (and I really like Holding). There's so much talk of spreading cricket throughout the world, not having it as a closed shop, etc. In Ireland we're invited enthusiastically to a big party in the Caribbean, then show up to find nobody actually wants us there. How dare we have the audacity to put out a team who some people might enjoy watching more (i certainly didn't). The tournament would be so much better if what everyone had expected to happen had come to pass!

Ireland etc. are invited on the presumption that they'll turn-up, get thrashed a couple of times and have people say "ah well they'll improve with time" then forget them within a few days.

That's the reality. It sounds harsh, obviously, but the expectations of pretty well everyone pre-tournament would be exactly that.

The talk of spreading cricket around The World is mostly made by unrealistic optimists. And that REALLY is just the reality. If you honestly think you're ever going to make a Test-class team out of Bermuda, you're living in Cloud ****oo Land.

 

[Uppercut]

Ireland etc. are invited on the presumption that they'll turn-up, get thrashed a couple of times and have people say "ah well they'll improve with time" then forget them within a few days.

That's the reality. It sounds harsh, obviously, but the expectations of pretty well everyone pre-tournament would be exactly that.

The talk of spreading cricket around The World is mostly made by unrealistic optimists. And that REALLY is just the reality. If you honestly think you're ever going to make a Test-class team out of Bermuda, you're living in Cloud ****oo Land.

Oh well. We were drinking Guinness when we should have been reading the script.

 

[Richard]

There's no "should have been" about it - no-one is saying that Ireland did anything wrong, as I say. Once you invite a team to an event, you fully expect them to play to the best of their ability and if they spring a shock that you don't want them to, it's your (the schedulers) fault for allowing the possibility of something you did not want.

No-one is saying "Ireland should have kowtowed and let Pakistan win" - they're saying "had Pakistan beaten Ireland as expected, the 2007 WC would have been marginally less dreadful".