hopeforthebest wrote:Making_Splinters wrote:hopeforthebest wrote:You can circle around this subject as much as you like but you'll never get away from the fact that the captain of the team batting in the 3rd innings deciding off his bat to declare the innings closed is entirely different to both captains getting together and agreeing a contrived way forward.
Which has happened numerous times before. It's not new.
So anything that's been going on before should be acceptable.
Well that's a matter for personal opinion really, but I am simply pointing out that the attitude of some that what happened during the final game is a sudden aberration in cricket is badly misplaced. As I've said above, I have no real problem with what went on, and I very much doubt that if anyone's side had been involved in the same situation they'd have an issue with it either.
I would have an issue with it if the title race had solely been between Middlesex or Yorkshire and Somerset, but I think it is deeply unrealistic to state that the Middle and Tykes should have let the game peter out and hamstring themselves. Somerset wouldn't have done it if they had been in the same situation, they've past history of complaining that sides wouldn't agree to give them a chase a few years back.
I wonder if Warks had found themselves needing a win to stay up and the game with us was heading to a draw if you'd have been happy for the Bears to relegate themselves on a matter of principle? I certainly wouldn't if Lancashire had been in that boat given how hard it is going to be to get back up to Division 1 after this year.