The Ashes 5th Test. The Oval. August 20-24.

[Dr Cricket]

BT could potentially show cricket this winter since Sky haven't got the rights to the pakistan series this winter.
PCB sells the rights series to series basis.

[Aidan11]

As if BT Sport aren't expensive enough they also charge a £15 activation fee.

What a rip-off.

you could always watch it for free if you know someone with BT broadband and share their login details.

Probably easier to find an internet stream. Wont be as good quality but better than nothing.


Competition is supposed to benefit the customer not fleece more money out of them.

[rich1uk]

Have to see if the BT commentators can operate from India...

depends if they agree to the mandate from the BCCI about what they are allowed to talk about

pre-emptive censorship

[Dr Cricket]

As if BT Sport aren't expensive enough they also charge a £15 activation fee.

What a rip-off.

you could always watch it for free if you know someone with BT broadband and share their login details.

Probably easier to find an internet stream. Wont be as good quality but better than nothing.


Competition is supposed to benefit the customer not fleece more money out of them.

TBH with cricket it should be easier and cheaper to have 2 broadcaster showing the cricket.
but this assumes you only follow one team and not really interested in neutral games.
with cricket tours are usually 2 months so if bt are showing the game cancel Sky for 3 months and when Sky are showing English cricket again cancel BT and join Sky.

remember when ITV had ipl I use to get Sky sports at half price for 6 months every year lol.
literally I would cancel sky at feb/march and join again at june or july would give the may series a miss and always got sky at 6 months half price and when that usually expired I would probably cancel or pay full for one month before cancelling.
Cricket is not like football where you actually need two subscription at the same time.
although it does get messy if you want to watch all the cricket live.

think Virgin might be the cheapest place if you want both sky and BT.

[rich1uk]

As if BT Sport aren't expensive enough they also charge a £15 activation fee.

What a rip-off.

you could always watch it for free if you know someone with BT broadband and share their login details.

Probably easier to find an internet stream. Wont be as good quality but better than nothing.


Competition is supposed to benefit the customer not fleece more money out of them.

TBH with cricket it should be easier and cheaper to have 2 broadcaster showing the cricket.
but this assumes you only follow one team and not really interested in neutral games.
with cricket tours are usually 2 months so if bt are showing the game cancel Sky for 3 months and when Sky are showing English cricket again cancel BT and join Sky.

remember when ITV had ipl I use to get Sky sports at half price for 6 months every year lol.
literally I would cancel sky at feb/march and join again at june or july would give the may series a miss and always got sky at 6 months half price and when that usually expired I would probably cancel or pay full for one month before cancelling.
Cricket is not like football where you actually need two subscription at the same time.
although it does get messy if you want to watch all the cricket live.

think Virgin might be the cheapest place if you want both sky and BT.

you cant really do any of that without penalty clauses as providers usually require you to sign minimum 12 month contracts

[Gingerfinch]

Anyone else seen Swann's ashes player ratings? Smith gets a six, the same as Voges, and to cap that wood gets an 8?

[rich1uk]

Anyone else seen Swann's ashes player ratings? Smith gets a six, the same as Voges, and to cap that wood gets an 8?

some of those are weird

I don't think hazlewood bowled particularly well but he still took 16 wickets @ 25 and he gets 3.5/10 compared to Lyth getting 3/10

[Gingerfinch]

Anyone else seen Swann's ashes player ratings? Smith gets a six, the same as Voges, and to cap that wood gets an 8?

some of those are weird

I don't think hazlewood bowled particularly well but he still took 16 wickets @ 25 and he gets 3.5/10 compared to Lyth getting 3/10

Bairstow got 6.5, which is fine, but not when a player with over 500 runs gets a six.

[Dr Cricket]

Have to see if the BT commentators can operate from India...

depends if they agree to the mandate from the BCCI about what they are allowed to talk about

pre-emptive censorship

TBH seem like BCCI and ECB are in good terms now nothing like it was before or during that time.
the issue wasn't even about the Commentators.
BCCI didn't like the fact that Sky were gonna send their own comm team, own graphic, have a director choose pictures from BCCI productions etc.
So basically BCCI started charging Sky for those facilities and Sky were having none of it.

With Bumble working on the IPl think the issue is sorted now, still don't think sky will be able to send their own comm team, own graphic etc.
probably sky sharing the feed with Star Sports/BCCI.

Don't think that censorship that bad now if Michael holding joined last year, plus most/all of it shouldn't really affect the touring commentators considering the commentators can't speak about BCCI politics, any controversial selection issues/ captaincy and possible DRS although have heard touring commentators mention that before in a sly way in india before.
Most of these will never affect the commentators considering I highly doubt Bumble and co know anything about the BCCI politics and with this being a new team the only player not allowed to be discussed for a dropping or over the top criticism will be Kohli.

[yuppie]

Anyone else seen Swann's ashes player ratings? Smith gets a six, the same as Voges, and to cap that wood gets an 8?

some of those are weird

I don't think hazlewood bowled particularly well but he still took 16 wickets @ 25 and he gets 3.5/10 compared to Lyth getting 3/10

Yeah i had a look at these. Just proves that Swann is not a great pundit. Is he trying to be controversial? Or is he just too biased to be a good long term pundit?

Heard him on the commentary a couple of times and did not like the way he came across. Time will tell if he has a long career in the media.

[Aidan11]

Anyone else seen Swann's ashes player ratings? Smith gets a six, the same as Voges, and to cap that wood gets an 8?

some of those are weird

I don't think hazlewood bowled particularly well but he still took 16 wickets @ 25 and he gets 3.5/10 compared to Lyth getting 3/10

Yeah i had a look at these. Just proves that Swann is not a great pundit. Is he trying to be controversial? Or is he just too biased to be a good long term pundit?

Heard him on the commentary a couple of times and did not like the way he came across. Time will tell if he has a long career in the media.

On those ratings her might have a long career in stand up comedy.

[Dr Cricket]

As if BT Sport aren't expensive enough they also charge a £15 activation fee.

What a rip-off.

you could always watch it for free if you know someone with BT broadband and share their login details.

Probably easier to find an internet stream. Wont be as good quality but better than nothing.


Competition is supposed to benefit the customer not fleece more money out of them.

TBH with cricket it should be easier and cheaper to have 2 broadcaster showing the cricket.
but this assumes you only follow one team and not really interested in neutral games.
with cricket tours are usually 2 months so if bt are showing the game cancel Sky for 3 months and when Sky are showing English cricket again cancel BT and join Sky.

remember when ITV had ipl I use to get Sky sports at half price for 6 months every year lol.
literally I would cancel sky at feb/march and join again at june or july would give the may series a miss and always got sky at 6 months half price and when that usually expired I would probably cancel or pay full for one month before cancelling.
Cricket is not like football where you actually need two subscription at the same time.
although it does get messy if you want to watch all the cricket live.

think Virgin might be the cheapest place if you want both sky and BT.

you cant really do any of that without penalty clauses as providers usually require you to sign minimum 12 month contracts

It depends if you signed/agreed a contract for the Sky Sports.
Think the offer was 3 months free with a minimum 6 month contract, if it was 12 months wouldn't work.
Sky sports is usually an add on so you can usually add or cancel anytime.
only thing you can't cancel is the full entertainment package if you have a contract with sky.
BT sport is complicated since if you join with BT Broadband you have to keep it for 12 months but if you pay for it without broadband you can cancel anytime you want but you have to pay an activation fee + £20 pounds a month now also the activation fee would have to be paid every time you joined BT Sports.
BT Sports is probably expensive if you keep on cancelling but no one knows how the pricing would work in 2017/18.

With BT Sport in the scene now should be easier to get deals now, although you often have to ask and negotiate.

[Dr Cricket]

Anyone else seen Swann's ashes player ratings? Smith gets a six, the same as Voges, and to cap that wood gets an 8?

some of those are weird

I don't think hazlewood bowled particularly well but he still took 16 wickets @ 25 and he gets 3.5/10 compared to Lyth getting 3/10

Yeah i had a look at these. Just proves that Swann is not a great pundit. Is he trying to be controversial? Or is he just too biased to be a good long term pundit?

Heard him on the commentary a couple of times and did not like the way he came across. Time will tell if he has a long career in the media.

Berry ratings were a joke as well.
Gave most players a 7 or 8.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricke ... =endScreen

Swann isn't really a good pundit not sure he even understand cricket like Nasser Hussain/Michael Atherton does plus his comedy/banter style commentary is so annoying plus he is so biased and actually sledges while he commentates which is annoying.

Swann would most likely be heard a lot when BT get the rights, the only Cricket based person BT got a deal with.

[KipperJohn]

The idea that Bell will retire seems highly improbable as he's oft repeated his desire to continue fighting for his place. Of course there are the usual suspects queuing up to help him on his way.

Who are they?

I'm taking the fifth amendment.

Posted before the Ashes that all this stuff was possible if things didn't go to well. Under pressure going into Edgbaston - said so himself - since then has received 3 deliveries with his name on it.

It's pretty clear that, at present, Bell values family life above all other considerations, and that probably for the first time in his life, cricket will take second place when it comes to decisions about his career.

[Making_Splinters]

The idea that Bell will retire seems highly improbable as he's oft repeated his desire to continue fighting for his place. Of course there are the usual suspects queuing up to help him on his way.

Who are they?

I'm taking the fifth amendment.

Posted before the Ashes that all this stuff was possible if things didn't go to well. Under pressure going into Edgbaston - said so himself - since then has received 3 deliveries with his name on it.

It's pretty clear that, at present, Bell values family life above all other considerations, and that probably for the first time in his life, cricket will take second place when it comes to decisions about his career.

Both Strauss and Cook have now come out saying Bell should play on. This is really the last thing a player taking stock of his future needs. Australia were likely desperate to have Rogers play on for another summer while they got their middle order together, but they avoided coming out in the media and pressuring him to play on.