Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

FFS
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... s-eyebrows

No spinners in the squad to face Australia. That raises questions about the spirit of the game in my view - OK, an A squad is not your first XI, but it should still be put forward as your reasonably best second XI.

This is part of a broader trend that we've discussed previously on these boards where home boards are organising warm-up games that are entirely inadequate by way of the quality of the opposition, types of pitches played on and the timing and number of warm-ups offered. For the sake of the future of test cricket, it's got to stop. All the boards need to grow the *modded* up.

You can understand why some teams don't see the point in playing practice matches.

Australia would be better served playing a match against themselves. That way the batsman can at least face Lyon.

Didn't England play an associates XI going into a series with Pakistan?

Maybe costly, but facing Rashid (for example) would be good preparation.

Too right about the PCB though.

Probably a little different for Pakistan in that the players in their league are not based in UAE. But they should still be able to get a balanced side out.

Still a chance for Pakistan to give their fringe players a game against international opposition.

This match could hardly discredit tour games (the phrases warm up games or practice games are a kind of propaganda) more. It's the cricketing version of the filibuster.

Kohli had a point when he said these games are pointless without quality opposition.

You ain't simulating James Anderson facing Matt Coles.

Why does the need to win negate the need for entertainment.

Surely if money is the aim then an entertaining series is better than a one sided one?

ddb wrote:Kohli had a point when he said these games are pointless without quality opposition.

You ain't simulating James Anderson facing Matt Coles.

Why does the need to win negate the need for entertainment.

Surely if money is the aim then an entertaining series is better than a one sided one?

But India used 18 players in that warm up, Kohli can't have it both ways if he wants a warm up match to be meaningful.

Kohli had the opportunity to play County Championship cricket and an opportunity to face swing bowling prodigy Ben Coad on a green top at Scarborough, but cried off in the end. Probably afraid he would have nicked off to Coad's bowling for a duck, hence the back injury