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Now Daniel lets not get ahead of ourselves though I always like to remember '69 it seems like such a long time ago!

I have just observed an amused look (nay, a glint) in my beloved's eye at the mention of Ireland's captain.
"Oh, is that William Porterfield?" she asked coyly, laughing in that ever-so-slightly embarrassed way.
"Yeees.. Was he in your class at school..?"
"Oh, he was in the year below."
Hmm.

Justin K wrote:Now Daniel lets not get ahead of ourselves though I always like to remember '69 it seems like such a long time ago!

I think there was some advantage gained by taking the whole Windies team out to the pub the night before!

djewesbury wrote:I have just observed an amused look (nay, a glint) in my beloved's eye at the mention of Ireland's captain.
"Oh, is that William Porterfield?" she asked coyly, laughing in that ever-so-slightly embarrassed way.
"Yeees.. Was he in your class at school..?"
"Oh, he was in the year below."
Hmm.

But can she get us tickets for the Ashes at Edgbaston?

We are going to go and see Ireland v Australia in Belfast in August. That'll be interesting!

Justin: while Owen and Derek are remembering 1970, time for us to turn our thoughts to 1969! Wonderful win. As Swann says, even better than the defeat of England in 2011.

djewesbury wrote:We are going to go and see Ireland v Australia in Belfast in August. That'll be interesting.

An interesting contest: international sport star versus hairy art lecturer. I'm sure it will be fine.

Actually it was Audrey who kissed William Porterfield, I am now informed. It can be very hard to remember these things.

djewesbury wrote:Actually it was Audrey who kissed William Porterfield, I am now informed. It can be very hard to remember these things.

Hmmm. An itch not yet scratched. That makes it better I suppose.

Just watching the highlights of the Windies v Ireland, Joyce seems to be able to give it a thwack. Good work.

Poor Ed. If only he hadn't declared for England. 4 lost years of an otherwise excellent career.

Windies don't look like they have turned up though.

They get better.

The New Zealand team must be quaking in their boots this evening.

It's the game the world has been waiting for.

Scotland 60-4 after 20 overs. They are just luring New Zealand in, drawing them into the trap.

LGTrotter wrote:Scotland 60-4 after 20 overs. They are just luring New Zealand in, drawing them into the trap.

Yes, the old Ali "Rope-a-Dope" tactic. Should work a treat.

All out for 142.

It is refreshing to see Scotland not going for the glorious defeat method. Our Rugby and Football teams seem to have established a tradition of showing promise and determination but not quite getting there. Throwing yourself in front of the bus is much kinder on the supporters as it gives them no false hope.

I think Ally McLeod's dream must have been about Peru.

NZ 52-2 with the skipper out cheaply.

Could this be it? Are we about to witness the greatest comeback in the history of world cricket?

Tense stuff...

I cannot believe you are watching this.

djewesbury wrote:I cannot believe you are watching this.

You can take our Ashes, but you cannot take our FREEDOM!!!!

I've just watched my recording of the Scotland-Wales rugby match from last Sunday. I was surprised at how hard Scotland had to work to lose the game. The rugby team should train with the cricket team so they can both continue to offer their supporters that outside chance of just possibly pulling off a miracle, before delivering reality with a crash. I first experienced the feeling in 1974 and have watched it with amusement ever since.

AHB wrote:I've just watched my recording of the Scotland-Wales rugby match from last Sunday. I was surprised at how hard Scotland had to work to lose the game. The rugby team should train with the cricket team so they can both continue to offer their supporters that outside chance of just possibly pulling off a miracle, before delivering reality with a crash. I first experienced the feeling in 1974 and have watched it with amusement ever since.

It is quite unbelievable how refined that skill has become over my lifetime. Being significantly younger that AHB my first memory of the phenomenon is from 1978. We managed to be defeated by a team that most Europeans would have dismissed as a third world country and then beat The Netherlands, who eventually lost to Argentina in the final. Glorious defeat has become the underlying theme of Scottish sport ever since. It is a very painful disease to suffer from. Thank the Lord our cricket team have abandoned the tradition and just gone for quick and dirty humiliation. Much less painful to watch.

I am really impressed by the England cricket team's planning horizon. To have developed and be delivering a strategy to win the World Cup in 2023 is really looking a long way ahead. I can't think of any other reason they would be trying to make the rest of the world believe that they dont know what those stick things you hold are supposed to be used for.

At this rate, there could be some interesting matches against the minnows!

Ally McLeod has had another dream...
Some seriously impressive numbers there.

With England on it's current run of form and with Scotland determined to lose by any means, fair or foul, it could be an interesting game. The two titans of disaster going head to head. I have seen Boycott's response, but not yet 's Boycott, aka Mr Jwewsbury's. Still traing up his gran with a stick of rhubarb to take over the captaincy I suppose.

"the two Titans of disaster" - I like it.

Perhaps a good name for a coalition government involving the SNP?

When do England play Scotland? I might make an effort to listen to that game - it could be quite close.

LGTrotter wrote:Mr Jwewsbury

Who he? *sigh*
I'm amazed that temporary interloper Eoin Morgan (expect to see him playing in a green shirt in the next World Cup) was able to say that there were some positive points that he could take from England's performance against NZ. What could these possibly be? As far as I could tell, this was about as abysmal a performance as there has been in recent years.
I'm soliciting both serious and flippant responses to my question.

djewesbury wrote:I'm amazed that temporary interloper Eoin Morgan (expect to see him playing in a green shirt in the next World Cup) was able to say that there were some positive points that he could take from England's performance against NZ. What could these possibly be? As far as I could tell, this was about as abysmal a performance as there has been in recent years.

I think what he meant was that they have now managed to lull the Jocks into a false sense of security and can now surprise them by staying in for more than 12.2 overs.

djewesbury wrote:

LGTrotter wrote:Mr Jwewsbury

Who he? *sigh*
I'm amazed that temporary interloper Eoin Morgan (expect to see him playing in a green shirt in the next World Cup) was able to say that there were some positive points that he could take from England's performance against NZ. What could these possibly be? As far as I could tell, this was about as abysmal a performance as there has been in recent years.
I'm soliciting both serious and flippant responses to my question.

Apologies for the poor spelling etc.

Seriously this is one of those things that sportsmen say at these times, I wish they wouldn't as it makes them look ridiculous. On this occasion it seemed fanciful to the point of delusion. I would prefer it if they, as Mr Boycott says, 'put their hands up' to the extent of the loss. Also seriously I think that if England continue to play like this they could lose the Scotland or the Bangladesh game.

I am not convinced by the suggestion that they lack confidence, I saw rather more competence issues. But we will see, Bell has a very good record against Bangladesh.

I'd like England to go through. I'd like to see Eoin's face when Ed Joyce scores the winning runs should these two nations meet again (prior to their fixture in Dublin later this year, which should be interesting).

I'd like England to go through. I'd like to see Eoin's face when Ed Joyce scores the winning runs should these two nations meet again (prior to their fixture in Dublin later this year, which should be interesting).

Ireland v England - May 8th, if anyone's interested.

AHB wrote:When do England play Scotland? I might make an effort to listen to that game - it could be quite close.

The game starts at 22:00 on Sunday night (UK time) and should be over before you need to retire to bed counting 1983 VPs jumping over a hedge.

djewesbury wrote:

LGTrotter wrote:Mr Jwewsbury

Who he? *sigh*

Have you never been told it is poor manners to make fun of someone with a speech impediment. Owen is unfortunate to type with a lisp after consuming a modest helping of port.

DRT wrote:

AHB wrote:When do England play Scotland? I might make an effort to listen to that game - it could be quite close.

The game starts at 22:00 on Sunday night (UK time) and should be over before you need to retire to bed counting 1983 VPs jumping over a hedge.

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That's annoying. I'll be in Vienna and unlikely to be able to watch or hear commentary. Perhaps some kind, Scottish soul would post regular score updates for me?

Radio 5LSX is easily available abroad if you use a proxy server.

AHB wrote: I'll be in Vienna

Funny you should mention that, I was asking Midge Ure if he knew this bloke's Facebook page and he said it meant nothing to him. With apologies to the man who made this joke on Twitter ages ago.

Gentlemen: proof, if it were still needed, that Graham 1985 (or whatever Owen's drinking) is one of the best ports out there.

Fewer or less than 30 minutes to go until the big game. You could cut the tension with butter.

Bell opens cautiously. Scotland have put England in.

I decided to watch Brazil instead. Please keep me updated.

Scotland seem to have bowled more wides than is humanly possible.

Bell has reached 3 without being out. Hold the front page.

Daniel's suggestion to use a poxy server to listen to the commentary has been wholly unhelpful - unless someone can tell me how to do this on an iPhone?

In the meantime please keep the updates coming. Is Bell on 4 yet?

Bell now 29 from 49 balls. England 102-0 from 17 overs.

Scotland seem to have them on the ropes.

Hoorah! ABC commentary is available in Austria. Now happily dozing off in preparation for the nightmare of Scotland successfully chasing a target of 351 to win.

AHB wrote:Hoorah! ABC commentary is available in Austria. Now happily dozing off in preparation for the nightmare of Scotland successfully chasing a target of 351 to win.

Steady on, Tiger. There is still time for England to be all out for 150!

In all seriousness, why are England not spraying boundaries all over the field?

My mother's charity group could bowl better than this and Bell looks like he's up against Mitchell Johnson.

Ali is putting in a good shift and cruising to a century. Bell is scoring at substantially less than one run per ball against the Women's Friend Eleven. Grow a spine man!

Out!

Yes, Bell.

The rout has begun.

DRT wrote:Out!

Yes, Bell.

The rout has begun.

And almost the first time he tried to hit the firkin thing! A good anchoring innings, if you played one dayers like tests. Which you don't.

England are making this look harder than it ought to be.

And now Moeen. He had the right idea.

Ballance gone. Is the rot setting in?