Good fortune to the English cricket team

The English cricket team has played brilliantly in their last three games, winning each of them in style. They have earned their place in the final, and they are quite capable of winning the title of world champions.

Their comprehensive defeat of Australia displayed great hostile bowling and flamboyant and powerful batting. Jason Roy was fantastic, hitting 85 very quickly at the start of the innings and making the most successful pace bowler of the competition look ordinary. It was a travesty that he was given out when he missed by a big margin a high rising ball going well down the leg side, only to be judged out caught behind. He looked set for a big hundred in super fast time.

Today we will witness the most important cricket game of this year, at Lord’s,the home of cricket. It is a fabulous ground and the eyes of the cricketing world will be on the two teams left to battle it out. New Zealand has a hostile and impressive pace attack who will want to test out the English batting might.

It is sad that this biggest of events for England’s summer sport will not appear on BBC tv. Once again our national broadcaster lets England down and sets its face against our great traditions. There is much more passion and support for this sport in India and Pakistan than there is at Broadcasting House. Other countries and their national broadcasters would be much prouder if such an event took place in their country, especially when the Home team has a chance of lifting the trophy.

65 Comments

  1. Stred
    July 14, 2019

    How can the BBC hope to pay for the cricket World Cup when they waste the money on over staffing and staggering pay for pundits and newsreaders. Half a million for the unlucky and two for the lucky. Millions spent on soap sets and travelling expenses. Dramas wasted because nobody can hear the actors mumbling. Ten newsreaders appearing at different times on BBC London……….

    1. bigneil
      July 14, 2019

      Don’t forget the repeats, the repeats, the repeats. And how many BBC staff has it took for Wombledon?

  2. Mark B
    July 14, 2019

    Good morning.

    A game for insomniacs. And anyway, Auntie will just ruin it, so who cares it does not screen it. A blessing in disguise.

  3. Nigl
    July 14, 2019

    It was a travesty about Jason Roy? No it wasn’t that’s part of cricket. It was Bairstow who wasted the review on a ball that was knocking all three over. The travesty is Roy’s reaction. I guess you don’t get involved in local cricket much. If you did you would find a large increase in umpire abuse as has happened in football for years.

    As for the TV another excuse to bash the BBC when it is the cricket authorities who only care about ever increasing revenues rather than making their product more widely accessible.not forgetting that back in the day, your government proposed protecting the so called Crown Jewels of sport but then did nothing, I guess after lobbying by the sporting authorities. It has been obvious for years that the BBC cannot compete financially against subscription TV.

    Saying all that. Come on England.

    1. Narrow Shoulders
      July 14, 2019

      Come on England on this magnificent day of sport.

      Let us hope that the officials get the respect they require to run the competitions throughout and talent wins the day.

      The BBC offers all sporting administrations huge coverage and excellent production values. If those administrations seek to maximise short term revenues over exposure then Auntie should not overpay with our licence fee.

      Having said that there should be a list of events which must be free to air (I did think there was for instance Silverstone is on Channel 4 this weekend).

      1. Peter Parsons
        July 14, 2019

        There is a list of events that must be free to air. The list is maintained by Ofcom. The BBC have nothing to so with setting which events are on the list and which category each event is in.

        It is a shame that this article is so let down by its last paragraph. It was a final that will live long in the memory.

    2. Pominoz
      July 14, 2019

      Nigl,

      Despite my normally pro UK bias, I have to admit that, after so many years here in Oz, I do support the Aussie cricket team. England very much deserved to win the semi-final. The Australians could do little right, whilst England could do nothing wrong. The run-out of Steve Smith was nothing short of miraculous – how do you get a ball to go through a four inch gap just below a running man’s crotch?

      Anyway, I wish England all the best in the final, but it would be great if, in the future, England could be truly representative of the home country and not be a multi-national eleven with co-opted players from South Africa, The West Indies, New Zealand, (Wales?), and possibly others. UK grass roots cricket will wither if the National side continues to co-opt international players to achieve success.

      1. Anonymous
        July 15, 2019

        And it’s not in the spirit of sport.

    3. Alan Jutson
      July 14, 2019

      Let us hope Theresa May does not put a jinx on the England team and breaks their bats before they go in, given her presence at the ground today.

  4. Lifelogic
    July 14, 2019

    Indeed the lack of cricket on “free” TV is slowly killing the game in the UK.

    In the West Indies as well, many sporty children are choosing American Sports like baseball so as to get sport scholarships for US universities.

    The absurdly irrational attacks on Boris over the Ambassador to the US sill continue with the BBC happy to assist at every turn. I am left wondering if the people doing this are the same unpleasant hence men who distorted the totally innocuous remark by Andrea Leadsom about having children into a knife to attack her with causing her to drop out. Forcing us to suffer the appalling Theresa May.

    Excellent piece by Robert Tombs today in the Telegraph today.

    It’s not the optimistic Brexiteers who are irrational
    Against the intellectually shoddy Remain arguments, the case for leaving the EU has never been so compelling and powerful.

    1. Lifelogic
      July 14, 2019

      “henchmen” not “hence men”

    2. Newmania
      July 14, 2019

      My boys play rugby. There are hundreds of children involved every week at an ordinary club, it has linked up with the school and attracted outstanding local athletes.
      The game has created and maintained grass roots appeal and this owes nothing to the BBC, it is , if anything, treated even less kindly despite attracting growing excited crowds to the Prem. This is what secures it future , the efforts of parents club members and ordinary people
      Perhaps cricket stop moaning and start doing, ( but then cricketers were always the linseed layabouts …:) )

      1. DaveM
        July 14, 2019

        Maybe true, but the gist is that England cricket and rugby (both codes) should always be on “freeview” tv. Can’t be bothered to rant about the BBC tax today. The MSM are still banging on about the women’s football World Cup and will blanket us with netball. They also only make a fuss of the Tour when a Kenyan or Welshman win. Boxing’s only important when someone from a minority background wins and football only gets coverage when Mo Salah is involved. It’s getting a bit boring now.

    3. Lifelogic
      July 14, 2019

      A typical BBC pro EU line up for the BBCs Andrew Marr Show (what would you like to say to the nation next Sir/Madame seems to be his interview technique unless it is Farage or a Brexit supporter that is). Guests are:- Amber (May stand in but not quite as appalling) Rudd MP, Emily (white van man) Thornberry MP, Ed (full of green unscientific lunacy) Davey MP and former England cricket captain Andrew Strauss.

      Perhaps Andrew Strauss is pro Brexit and we will get some sense out of him? No chance at all of much sense coming Marr or the others.

      1. Lifelogic
        July 14, 2019

        Marr himself says he was a “raving leftie” who handed out copies of Mao’s Little Red Book and acquired the nickname Red Andy (English at Trinity Hall).

        Perhaps I am wrong on Labour’s (and Gove’s) desire to kill off, tax to death or abolish private schools – this as so many some to come out as daft raving, climate alarmist pushing, lefty art graduates or lefty magic money tree economists!

      2. Simeon
        July 14, 2019

        If memory serves, Straussy was quite keen on entering politics on the blue side – so probably not. (Of course, his chances of talking sense would not have been improved were he instead red, yellow or green.)

  5. Peter Miller
    July 14, 2019

    Just think what a better place the EU could be if it and its member states understood the game of cricket and the concept of sportsmanship.

    1. Lifelogic
      July 14, 2019

      They are rather more in the “let’s buy some sandpaper and tamper with the ball a bit” mode.

      Or rather, let’s use tax payers money to undermine them and their nation states and draw all power to the anti-democratic EU at every turn. Using health and safety, one size fits all, employment rights, the EURO …. as the ruses. They seem to have captured about 80% of Academia, The 90% of the Lords, 75% of the Commons, 90% of the legal profession and nearly all the political parties already. Plus the BBC and mainstream media – even the Daily Mail now under its new dire editor.

    2. Newmania
      July 14, 2019

      The Leave side won the game by cheating.That is why there is no hand shake in the bar afterwards. It is the abiding loathing amongst the decent English for the cheat who has prospered

      1. Anonymous
        July 14, 2019

        No. The reality is that the Remain side are *going* to win by cheating. That’s if anyone can be considered to have ‘won’ at all.

        The Bus claim has been to court, don’t you know.

        The Bus claim has been dismissed from court, don’t you know.

        It is now official that The Bus was not a lie, so grow up.

        What didn’t happen was 800,000 out of work and “to the back of the queue” – this scared a lot of people out of voting for Brexit. The margin for Leave would have been MUCH greater without these untruths.

        Foreign interference perhaps ? Well. We’re perfectly happy with gay Russian Meerkats selling us our insurance. We’re an open minded people, actually.

        1. Newmania
          July 14, 2019

          It is now official that The Bus was not a lie, so grow up.

          I think the current line is that the bus claim either did not happen or was incidental and no-one believed it if they did see it anyway . You`ll have to get guidance form the “elders” on this point brother anonymous but that’s my take on the scripture ..

          1. Anonymous
            July 15, 2019

            Whatever.

            You lot go around accusing people of criminal offences when they disagree with you. Smear.

            You do it even without evidence.

      2. Lifelogic
        July 14, 2019

        Cheating? All the cheating was on the remain side with Cameron sloping the the pitch, the blatant BBC bias and project fear from all arms of government and the EU.

      3. Jiminyjim
        July 14, 2019

        What a statement and as usual for you Remainers who are becoming more and more hysterical as we get nearer to leaving, not the remotest shred of a fact to back up your assertion. Why are you so allergic to the truth?

    3. Alan Joyce
      July 14, 2019

      Dear Mr. Redwood,

      Imagine if the EU did have a cricket team and we were playing them in the final!

      Many of our citizens I’m sorry to say, would fail the Norman Tebbit Cricket Test and be cheering for the EU.

      The umpires would be appointed by the ECJ (so as to ensure fairplay).
      Agricultural shots would no longer be allowed (pending a review of the CAP).
      Fishing outside the off-stump (otherwise known as the territorial limits) would be prohibited.
      Contestants will compete for The Embers Cup (a small trophy that contains the remains of the Withdrawal Agreement).

      I wonder what the BBC did with all the money it has saved over the years after being consistently outbid for screening live sport?

      Come on England!

      1. Lifelogic
        July 14, 2019

        Indeed. As to the money saved I assume they have used it to increased the pay for all their second rate lefty, climate alarmist pushing, magic money tree, EUphile, anti-democratic art graduate presenters, unfunny comedians and their other actors & “artists”.

        That is what they usually do.

        Or this perhaps:- The BBC’s project to build a brand new, HD-ready Albert Square and expand the external EastEnders set will now cost ÂŁ27m more than originally planned. The original 2015 forecast for the scheme was ÂŁ59.7m, but the revised budget is now ÂŁ86.7m, the National Audit Office (NAO) has revealed.

        About the cost of building 900 three bed family houses.

        1. Jiminyjim
          July 14, 2019

          In any sensible organisation, this would have led to multiple sackings

    4. margaret howard
      July 15, 2019

      Peter Miller

      “Just think what a better place the EU could be if it and its member states understood the game of cricket and the concept of sportsmanship”

      Yes indeed. Just think if the EU countries could take a leaf out of the, say, West Indies cricket teams of lovely countries like Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Leeward Islands and Windward Islands.

      What a successful place it would be.

  6. acorn
    July 14, 2019

    ICC Cricket is on Channels 4 and More 4 along with F1. A deal with Sky Sports that allegedly auntie had a hand in. It, being up to its ears with tennis and itv, likewise, with the Tour de France.

    Amazed you haven’t found a way to blame the EU for this Sunday of sport!!!

    1. Lifelogic
      July 14, 2019

      Well will women’s sports like the Tennis & Football survive any infiltration by transitioning men? What is the EU’s position on this and what will the courts and the “human rights” judges have to say on this?

      The EU like Theresa May gets nearly everything wrong after all.

      1. acorn
        July 14, 2019

        Well LL your Brexit Party certainly does get it wrong. “A Brexit Party MEP has called for the Royal Navy to sink EU fishing vessels that enter a 200 mile exclusion zone around the United Kingdom.

        The policy would see EU boats as far away as France’s Bay of Biscay attacked by British warships. The 200 miles exclusion zone would also include a number of EU capitals and major cities such as Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and Dublin. (Independent)

        Robert Rowland, an MEP for South East England, said EU vessels that entered the exclusion zone would be “given the same treatment as the Belgrano” – an Argentinian [sic] warship that was torpedoed by a British submarine during the Falklands War with the loss of 323 lives.”

        Someone should tell him that the UK has a lot of “Slipper Skippers”. they sell their quotas via brokers, to bigger, modern, more efficient EU fishing vessels and stay home with their feet up.

        Did you know that put 5,000 UK citizens in a field, there is a chance that one of them is a fisherman.

        1. agricola
          July 15, 2019

          Yes Roberf Rowland sounds foolish, but no less so are your thoughts on the delineation of territorial waters. I blame our education system or lack of it.

  7. Dominic
    July 14, 2019

    Privatise most of the BBC (and crush its ability as a left wing propaganda platform) except its sports content (TV and radio) and put that on voluntary subscription.

    1. Fred H
      July 14, 2019

      even the sport content has intentionally dwindled to be of no consequence over say 10 years. Radio 5 – now 5 Live – led the way as an informed Sports channel, but is gradually dropping the sports/news dominance to become a mindless chat channel.
      Abandon the licence, allow advertising, compete with the other media.

      1. bigneil
        July 14, 2019

        Abandon the licence – definitely ! The rabid anti-Brexit claptrap that my local breakfast show presenter spews out is ridiculous. Talks over any Brexiteer and is rude and arrogant – -and that’s on a good day.

    2. Lifelogic
      July 14, 2019

      The BBC “comedy” programmes are unbelievably pro EU, climate alarmism and very left wing and not even remotely funny with it. Jo Battery Acid Brand or Marcus Brigstocke as rather typical examples.

      1. Fedupsoutherner
        July 14, 2019

        Hear, hear to that L/L

  8. DaveM
    July 14, 2019

    It’s a shame the final isn’t at Edgbaston with England’s record there vs their record at Lord’s. The atmosphere at Edgbaston was fantastic on Thursday.

  9. Peter
    July 14, 2019

    Sport has disappeared from the BBC as satellite broadcasters see ways to make money from it. Golf is a more recent example than cricket.

    Anyway the distinct football and cricket seasons of my youth has disappeared as football now continues to some extent throughout the Summer.

    The nature of cricket has changed too. Limited over matches flourish while the traditional county game struggles. I got into Lords for free on the last day when Middlesex beat Yorkshire for the title, with poor old Somerset hoping a draw would make them champions for the first time in their history.

  10. Newmania
    July 14, 2019

    Happy to get rid of the BBC , its need to represent the dumb as well as the clever , is just tiresome and acts to give Leave witter credibility is does not deserve.
    Let us instead have the Brexit Broadcasting Company I have some programme ideas
    ” Top Stair Lift”
    ” Immigrant Island ”
    ” Red white and blue planet ”
    ” Bowl of the day ”
    ” Nigel Farrage Time “( no change there )
    ” Derek Trotter becomes PM and does cushty deal …sorted !”
    ” Back In Time – a family spend a week in a fictional 1950s before immigrants spoilt everything ”
    ” Doctor Who am I and where are my slippers ?”

    1. Anonymous
      July 14, 2019

      Sounds a darn sight more entertaining than:
      “At home with the Smugs”
      “Let’s do another lesbian tryst to spice things up a bit with the Smugs”
      “Question Time – panelled by the Smugs”
      “News delivered by the Smugs”
      “Comedy delivered by the Smugs”

      “The Blue Planet – delivered by Grandpa Smug” Sea turtles confusing plastic bags for jelly fish, which must make shopping very confusing.

      See. It isn’t just Brexit voters that have problems.

      1. Anonymous
        July 14, 2019

        PS, Newmania. For 7.25am that was a cracking post from you. I did LOL.

        *applause* (sincerely)

    2. Roy Grainger
      July 14, 2019

      Newmania: Given those lame and frankly embarrassing attempts at satirical humour I’m surprised the BBC haven’t given you a Radio 4 comedy show.

  11. A.Sedgwick
    July 14, 2019

    The UK has always been a sports mad country, hopefully that is still the case but the malign influence of computer gaming is a concern for young people now and in the future.

    The BBC, as usual, got it wrong by not keeping and developing live sport. Greg Dyke once said in an interview he proposed a BBC sports channel, maybe Rupert was watching. Of course it didn’t happen the other much repeated rubbish prevailed and was increased.

    1. Nigl
      July 14, 2019

      I am not sure why we all complain. Sport is as economically affected by supply and demand as any other product. It is there, indeed far more available than ever before. But you have to pay for it. Actually the product with so many more cameras etc is so much better.

      Anecdotally I hear that Sky has reached a price point where people are turning off as too expensive or becoming more selective.

      I guess we are so used to Auntie giving us so much coverage for almost nothing. What I want is more ‘pay for the event’ opportunities.

      Rugby, cricket, football, not much change from ÂŁ150/200 for the day out, ticket, travel, food, drink etc.

      A modest fraction of that into my front room would be more than acceptable.

  12. formula57
    July 14, 2019

    Good fortune indeed.

    As for “…he was given out when he missed by a big margin a high rising ball going well down the leg side, only to be judged out caught behind” I read the words, recognize them, but what meaning they convey I confess to being baffled but cheer Mr. Roy for his efforts nonetheless.

  13. miami.mode
    July 14, 2019

    Left wingers don’t generally seem to be keen on sport except perhaps football to gain the support of football fans.

  14. Andy
    July 14, 2019

    If you want to watch a sport event you should pay for. Why should my licence fee subsidise your enjoyment?

    I know it’s going to be on C4. But personally, I wouldn’t mind paying ÂŁ5 – maybe even ÂŁ10 – to watch the final. But I don’t want to subscribe to entire sports channels – except maybe F1, a great BRITISH dominated sport.

    While everyone else is getting their free dose of Wimbledon, or the cricket I will be watching the UK’s finest ever sportsman – Lewis Hamilton – try to win the British Grand Prix. Anyone else think it is outrageous that Hamilton has not been knighted yet when Andy Murray has?

    1. Fedupsoutherner
      July 14, 2019

      Andy, finally something I can agree with you about. Yes, Hamilton does deserve to be knighted.

      1. Simeon
        July 14, 2019

        I am aware that our host has been knighted, but seriously, how can anyone have any interest in who is or isn’t deemed worthy to receive such an ‘honour’. I would have thought the bulk of contributors to this site would have recognised just how discredited these gongs are.

    2. libertarian
      July 14, 2019

      Andy

      ( and Newmania and the rest of the rag bag army ) You have all continually knocked this country , indeed Andy just yesterday was telling us how an insignificant tiny little island to the north of Europe had nothing to offer

      Well

      ENGLAND are now the ONLY COUNTRY in history to win World Cups in Football, Rugby and Cricket

      oh and Hamilton won the British Grand Prix

  15. Lynn Atkinson
    July 14, 2019

    BBC fails the Tebbit test. Scrap the License! If they are s lived as they claim to be – no problem for them at all!

  16. ukretired123
    July 14, 2019

    1990 Geoffrey Howe delivered a famous cricket metaphor for the British negotiations on Europe: “It is rather like sending your opening batsmen to the crease, only for them to find, as the first balls are being bowled, that their bats have been broken before the game by the team captain.”
    2019 DĂ©jĂ  vu but Brexit Bats broken to escape from EU!

  17. Roy Grainger
    July 14, 2019

    As the tournament has been on Sky which I don’t have I’ve not got the slightest interest in who wins today and I will not be watching it. If it had been on the BBC I would have watched the whole tournament which you need to do to feel involved. Tour de France for me today 


  18. Barry
    July 14, 2019

    John you could be a sports correspondent and I had you down as Chancellor.

    1. Simeon
      July 14, 2019

      He’s got more chance of captaining England, never mind commentating on them, than being Chancellor. Sorry Sir John.

  19. John
    July 14, 2019

    The BBC is not the national broadcaster of England, we do not have a national broadcaster. Like every other part of the British establishment, they hate the English and make sure none of the British jobs go to people of English ethnicity.

  20. Lynn Atkinson
    July 14, 2019

    OH WOW! Like Brexit! Dramatic, nerve wracking but wonderful!

    1. agricola
      July 15, 2019

      I agree with much you write, but to ape Brexit there would have to have been, ball tampering, refusal to leave the wicket on out, and lots of umpire abuse. Thankfully there was just great cricket, a record win at Silverstone, and an epic mens final at Wimbledon. I just had time to produce Albondigas and a glass of Muga in celebration of one hell of a day of sport.

  21. Lear's Fool
    July 14, 2019

    Congrats nuncle! Delighted for England – superb cricket.

  22. eleanor justice
    July 14, 2019

    What a finish! my tummy was in knots England very well done

  23. Simeon
    July 14, 2019

    Just a shame that Alex Hales was denied the opportunity to share in this victory, not just as a player in his own right, but for the part he played in allowing Ben Stokes the platform on which to perform. The ECB should be ashamed of themselves. As a pillar of the British establishment, better is expected. Oh, wait…

    But seriously, it’s 50 over stuff. This form of cricket is an anachronism since the advent of 20-20. Our domestic cricket has marginalised one day cricket, and the IPL and the Big Bash are the other serious competitions, both of which are 20-20. Leaving aside the obvious point that the Ashes are the biggest cricketing event of the summer, and a deciding test match would dwarf this final, how significant really is this?

  24. George Brooks
    July 14, 2019

    What’s the betting, Alan Jutson, that Theresa May was sitting next to John Major plotting her parting shot across the bows of parliament.

  25. Brit
    July 15, 2019

    We won.

    Here in the UK we don’t have the .’our-lives-depend-on-cricket’ attitude, so we are not as perfect as others. We did well with our by-the-way playing. Lesser countries than ourselves need that extra verve or they would never win against us.

  26. BR
    July 15, 2019

    I wonder if the audiences are insufficient to outbid the incumbent broadcaster. That would mean rare commercial sense from the BBC.

    I’m not a fan of cricket, I find it boring to watch (but ok to play) so I can’t really find myself caring, but if they simply showed the cricket without the modern take on sport of paying small fortunes to retired players of dubious analytical ability then they could do it much cheaper.

    I get tired of seeing all these ‘pundits’ on MoTD being paid ridiculous sums to repeat cliches – I rarely watch football and if I do watch MoTD I fast forward over the inane chattering.

    These days these people are sycophantic, fawning over the players – you rarely hear them say a bad word. The only real sports ‘analysis’ that told me anything that was not completely bleedin’ obvious was when John Beattie wrote a piece in BBC Sport website saying how the forwards operated in pods of two or three which led to a degree of superiority at the breakdown for the Scotland team in that match.

    I voted with my wallet years ago and ditched all paid-for TV. I rarely watch live sport – I simply look at the results on a free web site, occasionally watch highlights and read a few reports. I find that I can live without it more happily than I lived with it. If more did that then the price would come down, players’ and pundits remuneration would return to sensible levels and we would all be happier in my view.

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