CMS CRICKET AWARDS 2016

[Arthur Crabtree]

AC auditioning to take over from Lineker as the host of next years SPOTY

I said if England ever scored over 400 in an ODI, I'd type out the yearly awards in my pants...

so just a normal friday night then ;)

Well, the pants are actually an addition.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

On we go...

[Arthur Crabtree]

On we go with...

The Best ODI Innings of the Year.

Again, a clear winner for QUINTON DE KOCK'S 178 AGAINST AUSTRALIA IN CENTURION. So incredible I voted for this one myself. What would have been unthinkable 20 years ago comes as standard now And it's not just the bats... QDK announced himself as an international batting superstar with this innings (after a couple of superb tons earlier in the year against England). South Africa chased Australia's 294 with 14 overs in hand. De Kock scored 178 in 34 overs!

Sadly the Australian bowling attack doesn't quite stand up to scrutiny. But what the hell. This was the first ODI. No one knew.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/936135.html

[bigfluffylemon]

While it's hard to argue with any of the ODI results, I find it incredible that England have had such a renaissance year, smashing all their records (and some international records) with the bat, posted the highest ODI score ever, yet don't feature in the top 5 players or the best performances. Just goes to show that it's been an amazing team effort this year. Maybe there should be categories for test, ODI and T20 team of the year (for the record, my votes would be India, England and West Indies respectively. No contest at all for the test team).

[Arthur Crabtree]

Best ODI bowling of the Year.

What is it with Australia and John Wayne Hastings, of Penrith... New South Wales. He averages under thirty with the ball. He goes at under five an over. They call him up and kick him out like a useful but embarrassing first husband. HASTINGS' 6-45 TO BEAT SRI LANKA AT DAMBULLA gave Australia a little white ball boost after their mauling in the Tests. But you know that once the crisis is over, Hastings will be out in the snow with his bag of tools. 2016 was a great year for the Duke, and he is appreciated here at CMS.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/995463.html

[ianp1970]

Best ODI of the Year.

The winner by a landslide was the tie between ENGLAND AND SRI LANKA AT TRENT BRIDGE. Of course a tie is going to be nerve shredding and memorable, but it was the way this game swung that made it so fascinating. At the interval, Sri Lanka had posted what seemed a slightly under par, nondescript score of 286-9, most notable for Seekkuge Prasanna's disorientating 59 from 29 balls after a slow start. In reply, England were 86-6 when Jos Buttler (93) and Chris Woakes (95*) combined for 138 runs, the second highest seventh wicket stand in an ODI. When Buttler was out (to Prasanna), Woakes kept on hitting until England needed 52 off 26, then 30 off two overs). Liam Plunkett hit 22 off 11 balls at the end, and hit the final ball of the innings off Nuwan Pradeep for six, to tie.

Unbelievable.


http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/913623.html

Best after work watch of the year

[Arthur Crabtree]

While it's hard to argue with any of the ODI results, I find it incredible that England have had such a renaissance year, smashing all their records (and some international records) with the bat, posted the highest ODI score ever, yet don't feature in the top 5 players or the best performances. Just goes to show that it's been an amazing team effort this year. Maybe there should be categories for test, ODI and T20 team of the year (for the record, my votes would be India, England and West Indies respectively. No contest at all for the test team).

I should have voted for Buttler in T20s, and he was in my five ODI players of the year ahead of Smith. The other four picked themselves. He got a nomination for his 116 against Pakistan in UAE (though that was just in 2015). Root, Hales and Buttler got two votes each.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Anyway, embarrassingly I only booked the O2 Arena until 22.00 and now the lights have been cut. I'll have to return to this tomorrow, when we will announce:

The five Test players of the year.

The best bowling and innings in Tests.

The best Test match.

And the overall player of the year.

Anyone who still wants to vote in these categories is welcome.

Goodnight, and I hope you can find your coats in the dark. And don't take Giles Clarke home with you by mistake.

[bigfluffylemon]

Cheers AC. I look forward to the conclusion.

[Durhamfootman]

so do I

thoroughly good read

Tolkien-esque

[Durhamfootman]

but without the orcs and the funny feet

[Durhamfootman]

apart from Maxwell, wee Davey and Guppy, of course

[Durhamfootman]

shame about the delay

like the way they chop a film up at the most ridiculous of moments, in order to slot in some adverts on Film 4

[Arthur Crabtree]

Or a news bulletin about a Hollywood actor's drug bust or something Trump has tweeted.

I've been painting, but you probably can't do gloss and emulsion on the same day, so I'll do this, after a shower.

[Arthur Crabtree]

but without the orcs and the funny feet

I'll see what I can do.

[Durhamfootman]

Or a news bulletin about a Hollywood actor's drug bust or something Trump has tweeted.

good point... you may need one of these 60 second news bulletins