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Cricket Thread

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rf_fozzy 25 Jan 9:30pm, 25 Jan 2025 23,515 posts	0 rf_fozzy I disagree with the fact that you cannot compare. I think you can. And should. Both are professional sides now. And with that professionalism should come greater scrutiny and expectation. And so I think the comparison is fair. I think the talent pool and number of players is a conflation of issues. Yes, the talent pool in the women's game is smaller than the men's. But the selection isn't my criticism. It's the ethos, the desire, the attitude that I think is wrong (and hence why the question over coach and captain) - the fitness issues could have been something they could have fixed, but they haven't. Both England and Australia had disappointing world cup exits, but one team looks like it has reset and come out with a new vigour. The other looks the same. And that again is a captaincy/coach issue, not a selection one. Anyway, I've made my point and I don't see point in arguing further.
phal 25 Jan 9:31pm, 25 Jan 2025 5,055 posts	0 phal If more opportunities for women’s cricket had existed in 2010, you never know. If maybe not the WAshes then at least an opportunity to carry on playing and earning money for playing a sport she loved and was obviously very good at.
phal 25 Jan 9:42pm, 25 Jan 2025 5,056 posts	0 phal But I don’t think it is a fitness issue, Fozzy, that’s not an aspect they have all needed to fix - they’ve just not been tight enough fielding and there’s been numerous errors in play. The number of dropped catches has been insane. The fitness thing has become a side show and an excuse. The majority of the women are fit and they have wanted to win. They went into the full of beans and confident. However, Australia have out played them and England have been poor in the field and let games go. Australia are also bloody great. Their depth of talent is unmatched. The gulf has just been too big between the teams in this WAshes, but I don’t think it’s their fitness. I think the media have jumped on the Hartley comment - it’s caused more of an issue now that when she actually said it last year because Ecclestone refused to talk to her.
phal 25 Jan 9:45pm, 25 Jan 2025 5,057 posts	0 phal (Not arguing here either btw, just really enjoying the discussion about cricket!)
rf_fozzy 25 Jan 10:06pm, 25 Jan 2025 23,516 posts	0 rf_fozzy For me, catching and fielding are very much fitness related. And are something that can be coached and taught that isn't necessarily completely related on "talent" It was highlighted in WC and is what I expected them to work on in between. And it doesn't look like they have.
rf_fozzy 25 Jan 10:09pm, 25 Jan 2025 23,517 posts	0 rf_fozzy Even playing local cricket, you could tell the teams that did even basic fielding drills and practise. New Zealand men really worked on fielding under Stephen Flemming and it moved every other mens team forward because they had to strive to catch up. It's probably one of the reasons Phil tufnell's international career ended. Amongst others.
njosmith 25 Jan 10:13pm, 25 Jan 2025 991 posts	0 njosmith My initial reaction was that the fitness issue was a bit of a red herring but Grace Harris was interesting after the second T20 on how you can make better decisions on the field when you are fitter because you recover more quickly within the game. And generally the English women have made fewer good decisions than the Australians. The Australians were particularly good at running twos at the end of their Innings which also showcased their fitness. Having said all that the difference between the two teams has been about talent not fitness. Across all three disciplines.
Ocelot Spleens 26 Jan 10:58am, 26 Jan 2025 40,316 posts	0 Ocelot Spleens Fitness is 100% part of it. Your concentration and alertness, thinking and decision making better if you are quicker to recover. They're professional, they should take the plaudits and criticism equally. Comparions should be made. If they get whitewashed, the coach and captain will jack it in, I would think. If they stay, it will not bode well for future improvement
paulcook 26 Jan 11:33am, 26 Jan 2025 7,308 posts	0 paulcook I entirely agree with that first paragraph OS. Some aspects of the game may rely on fitness less than other parts, but the fitter the players are any integral part of the game will get better.
Dave W 26 Jan 11:43am, 26 Jan 2025 25,998 posts	0 Dave W You can compare if you want. But I think it’s an unfair comparison. Once the women’s game has been professional for a few more years and the players have all been brought through in the professional era then the comparison would be more valid.