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Does anyone actually enjoy these high-scoring games?

shaykh

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So today was a tight game primarily cos English batsmen threw their wickets away...not much different to our batsmen...

I've watched this series hoping for batsmen to make mistakes cos it seems nigh on impossible for the bowlers to do anything...

I understand the desire to see boundaries...but it all seems at the expense of bowlers...flat pitches are fine, but this appalling Kookaburra ball, tiny boundaries, huge bats, two new balls...

Its akin to making goalposts bigger, eliminating walls for free kicks, making tackling a foul...all things that would lead to more goals but would make football rubbish...a bit like this series frankly...

There is no point to batting records anymore...NFL has gone down this route too...primarily cos the thought process is people want to see higher scores...

Are games like the ones we have actually seen in this series actually enjoyable for anyone here? ...
 
Cricket needs a variety of games - runfests, low scoring thrillers, mid-range scores. Too much of one thing and fans will lose interest. Even T20s provide a better bat ball balance than ODIs.

There are two simple solutions to the problem. Go back to one new ball and switch to the Dukes. The crappy Kookaburra needs binning so we can get a ball that actually swings an inch. I don't mind flat pitches in ODIs but sort the ball out.

The other is to allow bowlers to bowl 12 overs instead of 10. That way you're not relying on pie chucking part-timers or bits and pieces ARs to make up the overs. Your best bowlers can bowl for longer.
 
Cricket needs a variety of games - runfests, low scoring thrillers, mid-range scores. Too much of one thing and fans will lose interest. Even T20s provide a better bat ball balance than ODIs.

There are two simple solutions to the problem. Go back to one new ball and switch to the Dukes. The crappy Kookaburra needs binning so we can get a ball that actually swings an inch. I don't mind flat pitches in ODIs but sort the ball out.

The other is to allow bowlers to bowl 12 overs instead of 10. That way you're not relying on pie chucking part-timers or bits and pieces ARs to make up the overs. Your best bowlers can bowl for longer.

Yeh I'm pretty much in agreement with that...

I hadn't thought about the 12 over idea...would probably make teams only have 4 bowlers though...with the pie chucking part timers still around...
 
getting so boring now. i come back from school at 1 and watch these sh** mangi's and they just loose. big scores r just getting boring. not just that, but the way england chase them down with ease. I don't get what pk fear and batsmen like babar, sarfraz and malik r just jokes. Rather see umar akmal in the squad rather than sarfraz. and my favourite player rana gee has let me down so we should only keep shadab as all rounder and keep darter imad from team.
 
Imo it should always be an even contest between bat and ball.

The problem is the authorities want a full house, plenty watching and new spectators. Low scoring games will not provide a lot of punters entertainment unless they are 'real' cricket fans who will appreciate them more.
 
Imo it should always be an even contest between bat and ball.

The problem is the authorities want a full house, plenty watching and new spectators. Low scoring games will not provide a lot of punters entertainment unless they are 'real' cricket fans who will appreciate them more.

They don;t have to be low scoring. 260-320 are fine. But when you start getting above that range, it starts to get ridiculous.
 
Imo it should always be an even contest between bat and ball.

The problem is the authorities want a full house, plenty watching and new spectators. Low scoring games will not provide a lot of punters entertainment unless they are 'real' cricket fans who will appreciate them more.

Well i'd like to think tense/close matches are what punters want but evidently you're probably right...it's just 6s and 4s...bowlers have been redundant in this series...

Makes me relieved that football isn't constantly being changed...

That said i'm cool with change but not when it only benefits one side...
 
Everybody enjoys Pakistani comedy of errors. It is rare with modern cricket and therefore always one for the ages. Ask the crowd.
 
The last 20 overs of today’s game was much more enjoyable then anything we’ve had in the series so far. The match was in the balance and every run mattered so it felt like the bowlers actually mattered.

But like a few posters have already mentioned, it’s all about balance. There’s no problem in having 350+ run fests but we also need competitive low and medium score matches. Having variety is important. If every match becomes a ultra high scoring run fest things will get boring pretty fast.
 
NO. Balance b/w ball and bat is the key, I want to see 90s like playing conditions where only proper bats and proper bowler could come on top not anyother imposters..

Recalling 2010 series b/w Pakistan and England it was one of the best and most enjoyable series of recent times ,played on these same grounds but conditions were very different ball swung in almost every match, there was reverse , boundaries were bigger and pitches had something for the bowlers in them though Pakistan lost it 3-2 but it's one of the best series Pakistan played in the last 10-12 years or so.

Modern day ODI cricket is boring as hell, but have to watch and support Pakistan as without cricket life is dull...but really want to see better balance between ball and bat again
 
Need the balance back asap for the sake of cricket. Balance keeps the game enjoyable. Too much of one thing becomes boring and people seem to lose interest. And the lack of balance will also deter upcoming kids to bowl fast and there's nothing better in cricket than chin music.
 
Remove the two new balls rule and the following will return to the game:

- Spin
- Reverse swing.

Pak never been the same since they implemented the two new balls.
 
Well i'd like to think tense/close matches are what punters want but evidently you're probably right...it's just 6s and 4s...bowlers have been redundant in this series...

Makes me relieved that football isn't constantly being changed...

That said i'm cool with change but not when it only benefits one side...

The authorities dont understand how this potentially could damage the sport. Which kid would want to be a bowler having watched this series so far? There is a risk bowling standards will drop, batting standards increase and make the contest between bat and ball much much wider.
 
The authorities dont understand how this potentially could damage the sport. Which kid would want to be a bowler having watched this series so far? There is a risk bowling standards will drop, batting standards increase and make the contest between bat and ball much much wider.

Maybe the lack of good bowlers would want young kids to turn into bowlers if that makes sense. There would be so many batsmen that it would be difficult to get selected but due to the lack of good bowlers, you may have a better chance of getting selected.
 
It's a stupid joke. Cricket as I knew it is dying. 350 being a par score is ludicrous.

A century used to mean so much now you whack it around and that's it you're there.

It's also boring as hell. I dont wanna see big shot after big shot if it doesn't mean anything.

An even balance is needed with some drama. The sport is turning into a joke
 
These pitches are turning this highly complex and tactical game of cricket into a cheap knock-off of golf; basically a teeing off contest lmao.
 
I am ok with runfests as long as you dont shorten the boundaries. I might be in a minority, but I am realyl enjoying how easily Pakistan is putting up 330+ scores. We might finally be entering the golden era of our odi batting with out top 3 averaging 50+. And we are doing this while still carrying passengers in the team.
Basically 4 batsmen = imam, fakhar, babar, and asif ali (too early for him, but hope he continues)
 
I don't think we would be complaining if PK was winning these games. The game is what it is, and I for one is quite enjoying the spectacle. The bowlers will have to step up or modern batsman, batting without fear,using modern bats and with emphasis on raw power will overwhelm the poor Bowlers.
 
Makes a change for Pakistan in England not have to bowl out teams for under 225 because our own batsmen have been so useless
 
Maybe the lack of good bowlers would want young kids to turn into bowlers if that makes sense. There would be so many batsmen that it would be difficult to get selected but due to the lack of good bowlers, you may have a better chance of getting selected.

Fair point. I hope this does become the case, the quality of bowlers worldwide is pretty poor compared to the 70's,80's and 90's.

As we all know, bowling is a tough job, the phyiscal work you need to put in is more than a batsmens.
 
It's a stupid joke. Cricket as I knew it is dying. 350 being a par score is ludicrous.

A century used to mean so much now you whack it around and that's it you're there.

It's also boring as hell. I dont wanna see big shot after big shot if it doesn't mean anything.

An even balance is needed with some drama. The sport is turning into a joke


The biggest disgrace for me is when a mis hit goes for six. The size of the bats , the edges along with small boundaries and fast outfields give the bowlers little room for error.

Bats should be made smaller, this is easy to do and will be the same worldwide. To hit a six, the ball must be middled with power, not hit an edge and fly into the stand.
 
Ask the full packed stadium crowd.

Or majority of TV viewers.

Some purists on the forum don't count much.
 
Ask the full packed stadium crowd.

Or majority of TV viewers.

Some purists on the forum don't count much.


These are current fans not newer fans. Newer fans are declining quite rapidly. ICC is ruining the game.
 
I would rather watch two teams slug it out by making 400 each than scores of 220 as we saw in the Misbah era.

Let’s face it - we all enjoy 4s and 6s way more than a right bowling spell, seam, swing or any of that. Bowling is boring and the sooner we accept that the better - I anticipate pitches and hence scores will get even more higher in the future...
 
I would rather watch two teams slug it out by making 400 each than scores of 220 as we saw in the Misbah era.

Let’s face it - we all enjoy 4s and 6s way more than a right bowling spell, seam, swing or any of that. Bowling is boring and the sooner we accept that the better - I anticipate pitches and hence scores will get even more higher in the future...

Yeah "Bowling is boring" when you don't understand it.
 
To each their own I guess...

Bowling is most certainly not boring imho...but I guess the masses are more like MSB314 who just want to watch stick cricket where bowlers are completely redundant...

I most certainly would prefer those low scoring thrillers over the drivel I have had to witness this series...

The best bowlers in the world would have been destroyed on these tracks...I doubt Rabada or Bumrah would have faired much better tbf...
 
I don't think we would be complaining if PK was winning these games. The game is what it is, and I for one is quite enjoying the spectacle. The bowlers will have to step up or modern batsman, batting without fear,using modern bats and with emphasis on raw power will overwhelm the poor Bowlers.

Stop lying to yourself. People have been complaining about high scores even when we couldn't score 250 against Zimbabwe.
 
The problem about flat pitches is
That it will make ordinary batsmen world beaters and worldclass bowlers ordinary
 
I hope ho, it really has no taste.

Normally you enjoy good balls, good shots but on these tracks there is nothing to enjoy. Good balls never come and boundaries are so easy to come that you don't enjoy them.
 
I would rather watch two teams slug it out by making 400 each than scores of 220 as we saw in the Misbah era.

Let’s face it - we all enjoy 4s and 6s way more than a right bowling spell, seam, swing or any of that. Bowling is boring and the sooner we accept that the better - I anticipate pitches and hence scores will get even more higher in the future...

Speak for yourself.
 
I don't have a problem with true tracks for shot making but at least make the pitch lively and the balls better.

England is an extreme example even for the modern era.
 
Why not? It’s high scoring but not a slog festival by any means, take Babar Azam’s century yesterday or that of Imam earlier, delightful strokeplay with proper cricket shots and it’s not every day we see such fluent batting from Pakistani batsmen - enjoy it while you can!

Yes would be more enjoyable to see a more lively contest between bat and ball, but then unless the pitch is a pancake Pakistan’s batting flops so badly that it becomes a one sided affair anyway.. anyone prefer those sort of games ?
 
A lot of people making some good suggestions on how to address the imbalance. I have the best suggestion, completely do away with ODI cricket. Since 2007 ODI cricket has been absolutely meaningless. I'm pretty sure a ton of teams and players have bashed records for fun in ODIs, but I really can't remember any of them. But I can remember a whole host of T20s and Tests.

ODIs should have been killed a long long time ago. To put things into perspective, when I was younger I used to watch ODIs and buy tickets. I now only consider T20s. If I had the time Tests would be the top choice.

Kills ODIs. No need for them anymore.
 
A lot of people making some good suggestions on how to address the imbalance. I have the best suggestion, completely do away with ODI cricket. Since 2007 ODI cricket has been absolutely meaningless. I'm pretty sure a ton of teams and players have bashed records for fun in ODIs, but I really can't remember any of them. But I can remember a whole host of T20s and Tests.

ODIs should have been killed a long long time ago. To put things into perspective, when I was younger I used to watch ODIs and buy tickets. I now only consider T20s. If I had the time Tests would be the top choice.

Kills ODIs. No need for them anymore.

I feel the last few Champions trophies have shown how good and entertaining ODI cricket can be. Just need to restore the format to its previous glory.

Instead of slogging or death bowling the format still requires the batsmen and bowlers to plan and think about their game.
 
Cricket is evolving.

Instead of complaining why not do something about it? You can stop watching altogether and tell everyone you know to stop watching.

You lot complain yet are glued to the screens when the match is on.
 
Honestly, I am kinda enjoying that pakistan are scoring some runs at a decent pace but the bowling really ruins it for me.
 
Of course, its great to watch. However, problem is its predictable, and as a sport we want some randomness. So low scores, high scores, both have to be there.

Yet, regular high scoring matches is infinate times better thAn regular low scoring games
 
Yeah "Bowling is boring" when you don't understand it.

Speak for yourself.

Yes it is boring because it is the “defensive” part of the game whilst batting is the “offensive” par of the game.

In basketball - people love it when baskets are scored, in soccer people loved high scoring games and possession hence why Fc Barcelona have such a large fan base. In tennis - 2008 Wimbledon final was one of the greatest games ever due to both Nadal and Federer going at it with intensity. Same with ice hockey where the highest scoring games and most fondly remembered...

Same with cricket and the sooner the people realize it - the better....
 
Yes it is boring because it is the “defensive” part of the game whilst batting is the “offensive” par of the game.

In basketball - people love it when baskets are scored, in soccer people loved high scoring games and possession hence why Fc Barcelona have such a large fan base. In tennis - 2008 Wimbledon final was one of the greatest games ever due to both Nadal and Federer going at it with intensity. Same with ice hockey where the highest scoring games and most fondly remembered...

Same with cricket and the sooner the people realize it - the better....

Sorry but you have no clue about how sport works and the data backs that up.
 
Honestly, I am kinda enjoying that pakistan are scoring some runs at a decent pace but the bowling really ruins it for me.

It's the same for every team, not just Pakistan. Bowling doesn't ruin anything, current pitches are killing bowling in general.
 
Sorry but you have no clue about how sport works and the data backs that up.

What clue and what data?

Again you are talking about PP "experts" and not the general masses who only follow cricket casually.

Face the music and realize the casual fans and commercial sponsors only care about high scoring games with 4s and 6s - the sooner you accept it the better... Scores are only going to get larger and batsman will score more and more runs in the future. That is just the future.
 
I love high scoring matches. Hate it when a one day match finishes early around 3 pm due to being a one sided contest!
 
High scoring matches with no drama are not entertaining and in the first two games of this series, you could even hear the boredom in the voices of the commentators. Multiple modern ODI series' have had the same problem actually. However, the third ODI worked because the bowlers ALMOST dragged it back and this is what is required, bowlers to be competitive but it is becoming impossible with everything stacked in for the batsmen.

Short boundaries and larger bats, two new balls and free hits, powerplays and dead pitches...the 2015 world cup is known as the best since 1999 for one major reason, Starc and Hazlewood, along with some others, made the ball talk. There were some outstanding games with outstanding bowling. Not quite 1999 but still a very good tournament. 2019 is looking like it will be bowling machines versus batsmen. Quite sad really.
 
Are games like the ones we have actually seen in this series actually enjoyable for anyone here? ...

Yes, because England are winning them.
 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Modern-day ODI cricket:<br><br>2 white balls<br>Flat tracks<br>60 metre boundaries<br>Umpires who start panicking as soon as there is any sign of reverse-swing<br><br>The England versus Pakistan series:<br><br>Completed matches 4<br>Runs scored 2780<br>Runs per over 7.11<br>Average runs per wicket 49.64<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1130890105047191558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Cricket is becoming too mundane and boring due to batting being unregulated

We need to regulate the width and thickness of the bats to be the same as they were in the 90s.

We need to bring back the rules which have favor to the batsmen

We need to limit the number of power plays

We need to encourage rules which allowed fast bowlers to foster rather than teams investing in sub 85 mph bowlers

We need to have one ball for the innings and allow the ball to naturally reverse swing

Cricket of the 90s was much more competitive than what we have now. Right now it’s which batting team can score runs rather than which bowling side can take on a strong batting lineup
 
The best game I ever saw was the Australia South Africa 99 World Cup semi. There was everything in that game and a real contest between bat and ball with bowlers and batsmen trying too outwit each other. Nowadays cricket is like baseball and who can hit the ball furthest is the most important. Element of skill ilhas deceased considerably. Back then I could watch matches of any team now it's hard for me to sit through any games. Honestly the game just isn't all that any more.
 
High scoring games were exciting back in the late 90's , 00's because they were very rare, in those days 280+ was seen as a high score. nowadays 300 is par and teams are scoring 400 for fun, that for me has taken some of the enjoyment out of the game, most of the time the game is done by the halfway stage, hoping for some low scoring nail biters this world cup, a bit of rain in england wouldn't hurt.
 
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