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

Things are only returning to normal in England because Boris Johnson is now ignoring the increasing number of deaths from coronavirus.

Comparing Tuesdays :

July 20 - 96 deaths
July 27 - 131
August 3 - 138
August 10 - 146
August 17 - 170
August 24 - 174
September 7 - 209 deaths

I live here, and I'm alarmed! I can imagine how touring teams feel. They should be free to call off the tour, just like England were free to call off the tour of South Africa.

Health should come before sport.

sussexpob wrote:

captaincolly wrote:There's even less of an excuse to overreact now that things are returning to normal

You have to remember that at the time India were heading out to the UK to play NZ in late spring, the world news headlines were full of reports showing Indians dying on the floor outside full to the brim hospitals that had run out of oxygen. Recent estimates from pretty respectable sources put the Covid surge deaths in India of that spring to early summer at past 4 million.

Its easy to over-react if you live through that. Imagine how it will look to people back home, and what example it sets, if India's national team say balls to Covid risks and play possiby while infected? I can imagine the fall out would be devastating and the backlash savage, not to mention how such influential high profile behaviour influences things like government attempts to convince people to follow rules. That even aside, its well within the Indian lads rights to refuse to play if they view they are a risk to others.

I am not actually sure England's team are fully vaccinated - in July when several players got Covid, they did report all of them had not received a jab. Not sure about the current team's status.

A very tricky situation but it just seems odd that positive tests during the previous test weren't deemed a problem. The other thing I can't figure out is what changed between last night's statement that the game was going ahead following negative player tests and the cancellation this morning. Or - assuming it's true - why did India insist on a further round of tests but then refuse the suggestion to delay the game by a day in order to carry them out.

According to Mike Atherton the BCCI were trying to get this test rescheduled before the tour began because of the short gap between the match and the resumption of the IPL.

It was foolish of Shastri and Kohli to attend the launch of book. Totally irresponsible. Now even second part of IPL is at risk which starts in about a week's time.

Atherton says players in both teams were fully vaccinated and also identifies the problem that needs to be solved - players can't be expected to live in strict bubbles but the game can't sustain this sort of cancellation when infections occur because Covid will be around for a long time.
He suggests resolving the match status - cancelled or forfeit- could take weeks or months. Sounds as if agreement can't be reached the decision will be taken by an ICC committee.

He clearly thinks it should have gone ahead due to the vaccinated players and having to learn to live with Covid. He might be best advised to keep a low profile because 2 of the non-Covid factors he cites as reasons the game was called off are player power and the IPL!

'Player power' sounds like a rhetorical phrase. It might be a justified concern, but labelling it 'player power' makes it sound a bullish, misguided and selfish abuse of privilege. Why shouldn't players have power anyway? What did he mean by it?

captaincolly wrote:According to Mike Atherton the BCCI were trying to get this test rescheduled before the tour began because of the short gap between the match and the resumption of the IPL.

This is a devious remark. Yes, the BCCI did ask the ECB to reschedule the test series to end earlier, but do remember that India had to come to England in early June to fulfil their game vs NZ, and did not play another game till 4th August. They were left with a massive gap between games facing a choice of either staying in the UK or basically spending 6 weeks in 7 or 8 being in various quarantines while moving country. These players have been on tour for a long time, under restrictions of movement and what they can do, and some like Pant also tested positive on the tour and have been in total isolation to boot. Asking to shorten the players time in the UK was a pretty reasonable thing to do when England had a gap in the schedule to do it.

They didnt accept because the ECB wanted England players to take part in the launch of the 100. So not sure Athers has much to stand on blaming Indian domestic T20s for the chaos.... England prioritized their own over anything else.

Also worth noting that when India made the request, the IPL was not scheduled nor had it been confirmed, the world cup was not confirmed, the CPL waiting for the IPL and World cup dates was not confirmed, India had a series in South Africa yet to be confirmed for October, and all of these parts affected the other and could not clash. So how exactly could India's wish to join up with IPL be linked to something that happened a month or two before the IPL dates and venue were even known?

In the end India have cancelled the Saffer tour, the BCCI and CPL/WICB came to an agreement where the CPL was moved forward with changes to WI match schedules to accommodate, so IPL and CPL would not clash. The CPL is taking place now, so actually the idea India wanted to bugger off early for IPL was never possible. The IPL was slotted in with the WC, who's full schedule was only released literally a couple of weeks ago. England themselves changed the date of their tour to Pakistan slightly a few days to rejig it around the rescheduled other things.

Even if, at the very least, the Indians have refused to elongate a tour on the basis their IPL contracts are in trouble - well put yourself in their shoes.

They spent last winter under strict lockdown in Australia, with venue changes and complaints they were living in prison like conditions in empty hotels. They played England at home under strict covid conditions, then went to UAE under strict lockdowns, before a massive tour of England and IPL/WC for dessert.

If someone asked me to stick around an extra day or two Id also have told them to do one.

Just to be clear the devious remark is in reference to Atherton, not you Colly.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:'Player power' sounds like a rhetorical phrase. It might be a justified concern, but labelling it 'player power' makes it sound a bullish, misguided and selfish abuse of privilege. Why shouldn't players have power anyway? What did he mean by it?

I think he meant that as soon as the players decided they didn't want to play there was no way either board could change their minds.
He's been on about this before and think it might stem from the time he had run ins with the ECB, ( or whatever the board was called then!) during his time as captain. I suspect he wishes he had had more power to do what he wanted.

sussexpob wrote:Just to be clear the devious remark is in reference to Atherton, not you Colly.

I know! No misunderstanding at all .

India tour to SA has now been rescheduled to December. Surely rescheduling one test only won't be a challenge.

Well well. Lots of issues and accusations flying around. The main issue seems to be the cost to the ECB rather than the result per se - they are arguing that India are capable of fielding a team so have forfeited (i.e. covid in the camp is not the same as saying players are down with it) and India are arguing it's a cancellation due to covid. The former results in a 2-2 scoreline and an insurance payout for the ECB, while the latter a 2-1 scoreline and no insurance. I guess no-one will cover them for covid cancellations?

Seems as though the most likely outcome will be a reschedule for next summer, and perhaps a financial arrangement between the boards, but this could drag on for months.

People are saying shades of the Oval 2006, but that was a pretty clear cut refusal to take the field and dissent at an umpire's decision. The ICC has rules around covid cancellations. Unfortunately they are open to interpretation.

It seems the only common ground is that cricket is the loser, as are fans on both sides. Was shaping up to be a good finale.

In my experience, if you want to get to the nub of the matter, listen to whatever MPV says and assume the opposite is closer to the truth

Durhamfootman wrote:In my experience, if you want to get to the nub of the matter, listen to whatever MPV says and assume the opposite is closer to the truth

Never a truer word spoken , DFM

Looks like a replacement match next year. Might be a bit messy scheduling but I am sure they will manage. If it saves the financials without the travesty of having India forced to concede a game for the misfortune of suffering an ill-timed Covid infection it will be job well done.

Some question as to whether it will be a stand alone match or the conclusion to this series ? Not sure it matters much : India can't lose the series so they keep the trophy anyway. Best call it 2-1 for this series and a one off "special' game in 2022 would be my call - but as I say , it doesn't really matter too much. I am sure they can work out what it all does for WTC points.

bigfluffylemon wrote:Well well. Lots of issues and accusations flying around. The main issue seems to be the cost to the ECB rather than the result per se - they are arguing that India are capable of fielding a team so have forfeited (i.e. covid in the camp is not the same as saying players are down with it) and India are arguing it's a cancellation due to covid. The former results in a 2-2 scoreline and an insurance payout for the ECB, while the latter a 2-1 scoreline and no insurance. I guess no-one will cover them for covid cancellations?

Seems as though the most likely outcome will be a reschedule for next summer, and perhaps a financial arrangement between the boards, but this could drag on for months.

People are saying shades of the Oval 2006, but that was a pretty clear cut refusal to take the field and dissent at an umpire's decision. The ICC has rules around covid cancellations. Unfortunately they are open to interpretation.

It seems the only common ground is that cricket is the loser, as are fans on both sides. Was shaping up to be a good finale.

well, here it is.

India have some personnel changes and feature a new temporary captain. England have had a lobotomy and then been hypnotised into thinking that they're Australia under Steve Waugh

could be fun..... I hope it is. The trouble is I keep expecting England to go bang at some point and fall down a hole so deep that even Young Jonny Bradman can't pull them out.

Santiago's in

finally an edge carries

It had been a fast start by India