Women's Ashes, July 21-Aug 31

[Alviro Patterson]

I usually like watching women's cricket but the standard of batting in this game is absolutely appalling.

This against the two best teams, yet there are calls for all women's internationals to feature a test! Imagine the standard of a game between Sri Lanka and Pakistan

Women's tests might as well be scrapped. One test a year is pointless anyway. The standard is terrible, the players prefer the shorter formats and there isn't even multi-day cricket at domestic level.

I don't mind them playing tests, just don't televise it, and the fact it is called the Ashes is ridiculous as well. Burning a bat or something similar in 1998 doesn't quite have the same sort of historical appeal.

I have to say I'm glad I didn't watch it.

I don't know how many tests England Women have played but more work is needed for us to play this type of cricket properly.

4 days is too long for a test where women are not used to playing multi-day cricke. I think 2 innings of 50 overs with the option of declaring in the 2nd innings would make for better playing and viewing.

[The Waugh Twins]

Lot of naysayers on here, but I thought this was an excellent promotion for the women's game. I mean really were the English batters much better than the Aussie men, and yet all praise for Cook and co. What a load of rubbish and hypocrisy.

What bugged me the most however with the BBc sports web was the ridiculous number of references to male cricketers during the female test. Do we reference constantly to the female cricketers whilst the male ashes is on?

[The Waugh Twins]

Lot of naysayers on here, but I thought this was an excellent promotion for the women's game. I mean really were the English batters much better than the Aussie men, and yet all praise for Cook and co. What a load of rubbish and hypocrisy.

What bugged me the most however with the BBc sports web was the ridiculous number of references to male cricketers during the female test. Do we reference constantly to the female cricketers whilst the male ashes is on?

Um, no one knows the female cricketers names Mark.

[The Waugh Twins]

Lot of naysayers on here, but I thought this was an excellent promotion for the women's game. I mean really were the English batters much better than the Aussie men, and yet all praise for Cook and co. What a load of rubbish and hypocrisy.

What bugged me the most however with the BBc sports web was the ridiculous number of references to male cricketers during the female test. Do we reference constantly to the female cricketers whilst the male ashes is on?

Um, no one knows the female cricketers names Mark.

That's not the point.

[Durhamfootman]

4 days is too long for a test where women are not used to playing multi-day cricke. I think 2 innings of 50 overs with the option of declaring in the 2nd innings would make for better playing and viewing.

or........ they could play more 4 day cricket and get used to it

[Durhamfootman]

the England girls have professional contracts now. they have nothing else to do, but get used to different aspects of the game

[budgetmeansbudget]

the England girls have professional contracts now. they have nothing else to do, but get used to different aspects of the game

That's a joke in itself, professionals? What are their contracts like, 2k a year? They certainly aren't worth much more given the standard and amount of interest shown in them.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Just tuned in to watch an over or two, batsman ducks a supposed bouncer, and gets bowled, hilarious. I played a fair bit of club cricket in my time, have never seen a dismissal as bad as that. Embarrassingly awful, a quick reminder for me, that women's cricket is truly awful.

Even the great Tendulkar ducked a bouncer and was given LBW.

I've seen one or two lbw's given from ducking bouncers. Neither was close to being out, just reckon the umpire went with the whole absurdity of the situation and thought the batsman deserved to be out. Malcolm Marshall was one of the bowlers in question, ball tracker would have had it clearing the stumps by a foot.

This was different, in that she ducked and was bowled, and because the bowling was so pedestrian the ball was on its way down as it went past her.

[Aidan11]

the England girls have professional contracts now. they have nothing else to do, but get used to different aspects of the game

That's a joke in itself, professionals? What are their contracts like, 2k a year? They certainly aren't worth much more given the standard and amount of interest shown in them.

£40,000 a year in 2014. Not sure if it's increased this year.

[GarlicJam]

Just tuned in to watch an over or two, batsman ducks a supposed bouncer, and gets bowled, hilarious. I played a fair bit of club cricket in my time, have never seen a dismissal as bad as that. Embarrassingly awful, a quick reminder for me, that women's cricket is truly awful.

Even the great Tendulkar ducked a bouncer and was given LBW.

I've seen one or two lbw's given from ducking bouncers. Neither was close to being out, just reckon the umpire went with the whole absurdity of the situation and thought the batsman deserved to be out. Malcolm Marshall was one of the bowlers in question, ball tracker would have had it clearing the stumps by a foot.

This was different, in that she ducked and was bowled, and because the bowling was so pedestrian the ball was on its way down as it went past her.

Right.

My point was that misjudgements are easy to make - by the batter, the umpire and the viewer.

[budgetmeansbudget]

the England girls have professional contracts now. they have nothing else to do, but get used to different aspects of the game

That's a joke in itself, professionals? What are their contracts like, 2k a year? They certainly aren't worth much more given the standard and amount of interest shown in them.

£40,000 a year in 2014. Not sure if it's increased this year.

£38k too much then.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Just tuned in to watch an over or two, batsman ducks a supposed bouncer, and gets bowled, hilarious. I played a fair bit of club cricket in my time, have never seen a dismissal as bad as that. Embarrassingly awful, a quick reminder for me, that women's cricket is truly awful.

Even the great Tendulkar ducked a bouncer and was given LBW.

I've seen one or two lbw's given from ducking bouncers. Neither was close to being out, just reckon the umpire went with the whole absurdity of the situation and thought the batsman deserved to be out. Malcolm Marshall was one of the bowlers in question, ball tracker would have had it clearing the stumps by a foot.

This was different, in that she ducked and was bowled, and because the bowling was so pedestrian the ball was on its way down as it went past her.

Right.

My point was that misjudgements are easy to make - by the batter, the umpire and the viewer.

You're more likely to make a misjudgement against at 90 mph delivery as against a 60 mph one.

[yuppie]

Just tuned in to watch an over or two, batsman ducks a supposed bouncer, and gets bowled, hilarious. I played a fair bit of club cricket in my time, have never seen a dismissal as bad as that. Embarrassingly awful, a quick reminder for me, that women's cricket is truly awful.

Even the great Tendulkar ducked a bouncer and was given LBW.

I've seen one or two lbw's given from ducking bouncers. Neither was close to being out, just reckon the umpire went with the whole absurdity of the situation and thought the batsman deserved to be out. Malcolm Marshall was one of the bowlers in question, ball tracker would have had it clearing the stumps by a foot.

This was different, in that she ducked and was bowled, and because the bowling was so pedestrian the ball was on its way down as it went past her.

Right.

My point was that misjudgements are easy to make - by the batter, the umpire and the viewer.

This looks pretty bad

[Alviro Patterson]

the England girls have professional contracts now. they have nothing else to do, but get used to different aspects of the game

That's a joke in itself, professionals? What are their contracts like, 2k a year? They certainly aren't worth much more given the standard and amount of interest shown in them.

£40,000 a year in 2014. Not sure if it's increased this year.

£38k too much then.

Unlike the footballing counterparts, at least the cricketers have earned the right for professional contracts having won the World Cup and World Twenty20. Problem is the gap between county cricket and international cricket at women's level is huge, the domestic competition is purely amateur and opportunities to play first class cricket does not exist.

[Alviro Patterson]

4 days is too long for a test where women are not used to playing multi-day cricke. I think 2 innings of 50 overs with the option of declaring in the 2nd innings would make for better playing and viewing.

or........ they could play more 4 day cricket and get used to it

the England girls have professional contracts now. they have nothing else to do, but get used to different aspects of the game

Where can the women cricketers play more 4 day cricket? I believe the central contracted players take on non-playing roles to make the professional contract of any value. It's not like the women cricketers are away for 250 days per year.