There'll be bhangra dancing in Banglore tonite!

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
I have proven than in the T20 format, given the fact that the batsmen cannot leave the ball as he can under test conditions, this takes greater accuracy and courage on his part and greater accuracy for the bowler who has not the luxury, in such a field setting, of bowling one or two inaccurate balls.

They are different formats of the game, robbie. The one you have been talking about is, in fact, an approach that one could take to all formats of cricket: 'Let's pack the offside field and bowl wide of the stumps and wait for the batsmen to hole out'. I hope this does not become a common or persistent approach in test cricket.

If you are convinced that T20 bowling is more accurate although it tends to get carted around for 8, 9 or 10 runs an over, and if you are convinced that T20 batsmen are more "courageous" because they risk getting caught on the boundary when taking heaves at balls being bowled over and over again wide outside the off stump, then it is no wonder that you prefer this format. But you will also understand why someone like me is not impressed.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
This is not strictly true FMF, i can appreciate both, you on the other hand are completely dismissive of T20, which is fine.

You are no longer claiming to be "offended" then?

Originally posted by FMF
You are no longer claiming to be "offended" then?

I simply want you to embrace T20 for what it is, FMF. I cannot make you like it, God knows I have tried to make you see that t has its own specifics which are equally as valid and interesting but the rest is up to you.

Originally posted by FMF
They are different versions of the game. Different strategies. Different scenarios. Different kinds of contest. You prefer one and I prefer the other.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
This is not strictly true FMF, i can appreciate both...

Oh? Earlier on this thread - or perhaps that other thread - you claimed that you prefer T20.

Your earlier pronouncements on test cricket included:

robbie: "...such [T20] drama is not only memorable but super exciting and there you are, an old fuddy duddy, sitting there with your Pimms number one, crushed ice and lemonade getting your jollies over some soon forgotten test match, while we Bhangra to some Desi tablas sounds, oh, i dont think so."

robbie: "I used to listen to TMS when Nasser Hussain was captain of England [9 years ago], but no, i have never followed county cricket. Apart from the IPL, ill maybe watch the world cup, but that's about it and some of the Ashes, if the Aussies are winning."

robbie: "103 minutes, without scoring a single run, ouch! must have been electrifying for you. "

robbie: "you are absolutely correct, infidels like me should not be allowed near the T.V to watch the bastardisation of cricket that the IPL obviously is. I'd never dream of putting English summer fruits in my Pimms No1, crushed ice and lemonade, but id sure dollop in some juicy mangoes!"

robbie: "what the heck you super snob, Royal challengers Bangalore post one of the greatest scores in T20 history and you prefer baseball, could not bring yourself to check it out lest you find it entertaining, you'd rather watch 103 minutes of nothingness and claim it was edge of the seat stuff?"

robbie: "IPL is the greatest tournament in history, it has opened up cricket and taken it from the realms of old fuddies and brought it to an appreciative audience!"

These above quotes and others led me to believe that you were expressing a preference for T20 and - at the very least - trying to play down or disguise your "appreciation" for Test cricket. You used to listen to it on the radio nine years ago?? Blimey. I've watched more IPL than you've watched Tests, then, in the last 9 years!

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
I simply want you to embrace T20 for what it is, FMF. I cannot make you like it, God knows I have tried to make you see that t has its own specifics which are equally as valid and interesting but the rest is up to you.

They may be "equally valid" in your estimation, but they are not in mine. T20 is the worst format of cricket in my view. It's odd for you to be telling yourself that I have demonstrated "a failure to recognise that inherent differences will create specific strategies for any given format" when it is exactly these "inherent differences" and "specific strategies" that I have cited as my reasons for not liking T20. I certainly can't be said to be failing to recognize them.

Originally posted by FMF
Oh? Earlier on this thread - or perhaps that other thread - you claimed that you prefer T20.

Your earlier pronouncements on test cricket included:

robbie: "...such [T20] drama is not only memorable but super exciting and there you are, an old fuddy duddy, sitting there with your Pimms number one, crushed ice and lemonade getting your jollies over some so ...[text shortened]... . I've watched more IPL than you've watched Tests, then, in the last 9 years!

I have not watched many tests, except when i lived in Pakistan, I used to listen to them on long wave, TMS when i came back to the UK. I loved Blowers and Agers, CMJ etc That I have a preference for one over the other does not rule out that I cannot appreciate both. To you, Test and T20 are almost mutually exclusive however.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
I have not watched many tests, except when i lived in Pakistan, I used to listen to them on long wave, TMS when i came back to the UK. I loved Blowers and Agers, CMJ etc That I have a preference for one over the other does not rule out that I cannot appreciate both. To you, Test and T20 are almost mutually exclusive however.

Nine years is a long time ago to have stopped listening to TMS, robbie, whichever way you look at it. If you do not understand [or choose to scoff at] the drama of that last day of the last test in the series in NZ, including the famous "103 minutes", then I don't really know what you mean when you say you "appreciate" test cricket. You seem to have been using that day long drama to boost T20 and disparage test cricket, rather than to demonstrate that you "appreciate both".

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
but dear FMF you were asked that in consideration of the format of T20 would not such a field placing demand greater accuracy from both batsman and bowler?

How did Pandey, Dinda, Marsh, Murtaza and Finch get on the other night? What impact did the "call for greater accuracy" have on their performance? What I do know is that a bowler who cannot bowl accurately will not have a distinguished test career, assuming he gets picked to play any tests at all. An ability to bowl the ball "accurately" wide outside the off stump to a packed offside field is not going attract the attention of the selectors.

If in a test match - which comes down to a limited overs style equation [putting aside the possibility of a draw] - there are 24 balls left and 32 runs required with a few wickets in hand and the batting captain wants to press for the victory, and the fielding captain decides to pack the offside with 7 men and orders his bowler to bowl wide outside of the off stump and hope that the batsmen just get themselves out, then I am fairly sure test bowlers could bowl 24 balls "accurately" wide of the stumps in the same way as T20 bowlers could.

In such a finish to a test, if there were enough wickets in hand, and with perhaps a bit of luck, the batsmen would hoist a few boundaries over the field and get the runs. Or they might hole out too many times and fail. Or both sides might have to settle for a draw. Clearly there could be some drama in this ... but it would come at the end of a four or five day sporting struggle [where other aspects of this game had been on display]. However, watching such an equation unfold, time and time again - for all intents and purposes contrived by the ultra short format - at the expense of all the other facets and passages of play one can get from this sport in its 3, 4 and 5 day format, is not appealing to me.

Originally posted by FMF
Nine years is a long time ago to have stopped listening to TMS, robbie, whichever way you look at it.

You have missed the mighty Australia and McGrath and Warne in their prime, and their subsequent decline, the rise and fall of India, the rise and fall of England , the rise of the now mighty South Africa; you've missed several dramatic Ashes series etc. etc. A lot has happened in the last 9 years.

Originally posted by FMF
Nine years is a long time ago to have stopped listening to TMS, robbie, whichever way you look at it. If you do not understand [or choose to scoff at] the drama of that last day of the last test in the series in NZ, including the famous "103 minutes", then I don't really know what you mean when you say you "appreciate" test cricket. You seem to have been using t ...[text shortened]... st T20 and disparage test cricket, rather than to demonstrate that you "appreciate both".

Ok so i am not a cricket testophile, beat me with jaggy nettles and make me wear Hessian underpants. I have no doubt that it was drama for you FMF, that it was cited was of course simply to poke fun at you, but you realised that anyway. I cannot help if i like the IPL, it is awesome, today Mumbai Indians play Royal challengers Bangalore, so get your dancing shoes out we gonna be bangrha dancing to the fours and sixes and wickets and scoop shots and reverse sweeps and dusras an tesras and run outs, dont try to stop us FMF, you cannot reach us!

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
Ok so i am not a cricket testophile, beat me with jaggy nettles and make me wear Hessian underpants. I have no doubt that it was drama for you FMF, that it was cited was of course simply to poke fun at you, but you realised that anyway. I cannot help if i like the IPL, it is awesome, today Mumbai Indians play Royal challengers Bangalore, so get you ...[text shortened]... reverse sweeps and dusras an tesras and run outs, dont try to stop us FMF, you cannot reach us!

I haven't been trying to stop you enjoying whatever you want.

Originally posted by FMF
You have missed the mighty Australia and McGrath and Warne in their prime, and their subsequent decline, the rise and fall of India, the rise and fall of England , the rise of the now mighty South Africa; you've missed several dramatic Ashes series etc. etc. A lot has happened in the last 9 years.

Perhaps, I had a flat mate when i was a student from Rugby in England who tried to get me interested in cricket during that epoch. I do remember MaGrath hurting his foot in the Ashes though. I did see Wasim Akram though in the later days of his career and of course the Rawalpindi express, Shoaib Achter ( my wife is from Rawalpindi), my favourite team at the time was Sri Lanka, i even had a Sri Lanka kit.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
Perhaps, I had a flat mate when i was a student from Rugby in England who tried to get me interested in cricket during that epoch. I do remember MaGrath hurting his foot in the Ashes though. I did see Wasim Akram though in the later days of his career and of course the Rawalpindi express, Shoaib Achter ( my wife is from Rawalpindi), my favourite team at the time was Sri Lanka, i even had a Sri Lanka kit.

Maybe so, but 9 years is a long time to have given up listening to TMS.

Originally posted by FMF
Maybe so, but 9 years is a long time to have given up listening to TMS.

I still rememberer when CMJ was doing commentary, it cannot have been that long ago. Maybe it was, who can say. I honestly could not tell you who is captain of England now. Maybe i dont really care.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
I still rememberer when CMJ was doing commentary, it cannot have been that long ago.

Nasser Hussein stood down as captain nine years ago.