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[uknsaunders]

West Indies could be handy with marine, badder, Samuels and gator (if he can be bothered)

agree - the left arm quickie looks a good death bowler as does the leggie. If Pollard is fit they will be favourites in my book.

[smilley792]

agree - the left arm quickie looks a good death bowler as does the leggie. If Pollard is fit they will be favourites in my book.

Pollard is not gonna be fit.

[Sam]

Am I right in thinking the Afghan players appealed for a double hit/obstruction after lobbing the ball at Iqbal who was standing about a metre to the side of the stumps at the time  ?

[Alvaro]

How many of these spinners actually turn it though Nick?
Samit can actually bat against the slow bowlers which puts him ahead of some in the squad, particularly luke wright.

In other news, Kumar Sangakkara has retired from t20i but will continue to warm benches in the franchise stuff. Is there any point in international T20?

[smilley792]

In other news, Kumar Sangakkara has retired from t20i but will continue to warm benches in the franchise stuff. Is there any point in international T20?

Probably not as most teams rest, and chop and change players for t20 internationals. Which makes you think. What the point?


I'd scrap them, and make room not he calendar for the ipl, bbl and flt20(if they make it franchise based) to not clash with any tests/Odis, so the best in the world can commit  tot he entire tournaments.

[roco]

Boards like t20 as brings cash in so doubt will go

I think (but hope not) odi will go before t20i

[Alvaro]

Yes Roco,
But I bet that boards like the domestic stuff more than internationals.
ODIs are good for ad breaks.

[Tumo]

They are cr@p along with Hong Kong and Nepal and no better than ecb premier like you state.

Right, so Afghanistan turning over Bangladesh in the Asia cup was what, a colossal aligning of the planets? And taking Pakistan to the last ball of a T20 last year? Give it a rest. They're better than an ECB Prem side, no problems. Considering that 6 years ago they were down in the doldrums of the World Cricket Division 7 (or something about that level) I'd say that they're above that. Try following some of the associate cricketers on twitter, one (Rory Gribbell - French opening bowler) has been stating all day that Associate cricket is of a much higher standard than ECB Prems, and he's played both. Irfan Ahmed is clocking about 87mph, which I'm fairly sure is quicker than almost anything outside of professional/minor county cricket, and Hamid Hassan hits 85-90 usually. For a bloke who's supposed to have played a high level of cricket, you're showing a fair amount of ignorance on the subject of associate nations... Don't get me wrong, they can't compete with the full members every game, and they are just getting used to the big stage, but Sri Lanka didn't start overly well when they came into the test arena and look where they are now.

[roco]

Yes Roco,
But I bet that boards like the domestic stuff more than internationals.
ODIs are good for ad breaks.

The boards that have high profile domestic tournaments yes but ecb don't so maybe if they improved that we might get it as after the new powers can't see ecb ok ing no t20i 

[GarrettJ]

Right, so Afghanistan turning over Bangladesh in the Asia cup was what, a colossal aligning of the planets? And taking Pakistan to the last ball of a T20 last year? Give it a rest. They're better than an ECB Prem side, no problems. Considering that 6 years ago they were down in the doldrums of the World Cricket Division 7 (or something about that level) I'd say that they're above that. Try following some of the associate cricketers on twitter, one (Rory Gribbell - French opening bowler) has been stating all day that Associate cricket is of a much higher standard than ECB Prems, and he's played both. Irfan Ahmed is clocking about 87mph, which I'm fairly sure is quicker than almost anything outside of professional/minor county cricket, and Hamid Hassan hits 85-90 usually. For a bloke who's supposed to have played a high level of cricket, you're showing a fair amount of ignorance on the subject of associate nations... Don't get me wrong, they can't compete with the full members every game, and they are just getting used to the big stage, but Sri Lanka didn't start overly well when they came into the test arena and look where they are now.

I'm not showing ignorance I'm going by first hand experience over the last 10 years.

 I have played for 4 years in icc div 1/2 league and I found it the same as an ecb premier league.

I currently play in an icc div 4 country (last 5 years) and I can tell you right now my local leagues in England's best 11 would beat them.

[procricket]

I played against Nepal in October and I can tell you there  a developing nation and there quality is that of a very decent  premier league side .

There better players are county class one or two of them are on the lords groundstaff.

Very good hosts too there younger. Better players to to india to play and train .

[GarrettJ]

Cricket is quite a unique sport in that your average man off the street with a day job can play on the world stage. You will find that decent club cricketers were just unlucky and we're not in the right place at the right time in order to make it as a county pro.

They may then move to a foreign country with work and suddenly find themselves as a very good player locally with the ability to play on the world stage.

I think as time goes on this gap will shorten as the developing nations are taking their cricket a lot more seriously and getting better at a rapid rate.

I remember England beating turkey 8-0 in football in the 80's, 15 years later they were struggling to beat them. I think this will happen in cricket but to a lesser extent. Who would have thought holland would be England at cricket.

[Howzat]

Would be an interesting comparison to see Afghanistan in an ECB premier league for a season, personally I think they would come top by a mile. My club has a 20/20 game against Holland this year so if selected in that would be interesting to see the standard!

[GarrettJ]

Holland are decent.

[procricket]

I have played a Dutch side made up of half the team and half development they where a different class that Dutch/Australian quick was playing he was very decent a cut above and so did Borren.

They are very very decent side better than a club side they have some serious full time cricketers.