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Talking about dodgy umpires, has anyone seen the Anglo-South African cricket test? Honestly, all this tecnological witchcraft they have got these days is getting the umpires in the middle excitable. Did people see the ib against Jennings? I mean it pitched outside leg stump, and then would have gone on to miss leg stump.

Kettlebrough is a pretty good umpire, but my favourite is Erasmus, as you can rely on him giving you 'not out', which, in many ways is good umpirring.

AR did you see the ridiculous overturned LBW tonight when the South African batsman (Maharaj) came down the wicket, he was a long way forward and was struck on the pad. Pistol Reiffel quite rightly turned down the appeal as the batsman was so far down it would have been guesswork to say the ball would go on and hit the stumps. Lo and behold when Root reviewed it, the technology showed the ball was hitting the stumps! Reiffel looked very unimpressed I can tell you.

mikeh: I saw the dismissal you mentioned, as you said it was noticable for not being in the spirit of the game. How can you predict anything on pitch where some balls are spinning a mile, some staying low, some bouncing, more or less from the same spot on the pitch? They should bring in a rule that if a batsman is a ceratain distance down the pitch when he is hit, he will be given not out under all circumstances. Incidentally, was not the South African batsman the same player whom received a similar decision in his favour against Steve Smith?

Grassy: a resonable effort by England, one achieved in front of good crowds, even allowing for all the nay sayers in regards test cricket. Anglo-Australian cricket willl alwys survive, provided of course the ACB manages to pick a side. If I was a good club cricketer, I would be getting the whites out and practising over the winter months, because the call my come from the board. I see the England board are sticking with their ACB mates?

Ark I've heard Atherton and Vaugn comment on the Players V the ACB pay dispute.As Grassy mentioned a former Rio board member who is a Union buster.Will be doing the ACB's bidding.I'm not sure how Cricketers rate V NRL +AFL players.My guess is he top 10% of cricketers do very well ie M Clarke.
From the ACB point of view.Big Bash has yet to make an impact in the big citys.Melb+ Syd and has lost over 35 million in the last 2 years. Declining Test crowds + TV ratings.No bucket of gold for Cricket Australia. Like the deals the Nrl+Afl have negociated.Nothing against Channel 10 they do a great job with Big Bash.But up to BB6 Cricket AU would of though an alternative broadcaster would of picked it up by now and coughed up the $$$$$.
On the upcoming Ashes I recon it comes down to two players.IF Cooke and Root hold there form it's difficult for Au.But if they don't there's 5 tests with no draws unless rainouts.

Pretty obvious Sutherlands son Will is gonna opt for footy over cricket with all this carry on....ACB have always tried to rule over the players....how much do the likes of Sutherland and Howard get paid?....what do they even do?

Just listening to Simon Katich speaking to Brad Hogg and Karl Langdon.SK gave the ACA point to of view.And the sticking points that stop an agreement from going fwd.
CA won't give the ACA access to there books to work out what pay increase is sustainable.Like the AFL does with the players association.
CA offered contract like an AWA to the top 7 male and female players and no collective agreements.
In the last agreement the players took a pay reduction to have more money invested into grass roots cricket.The ACA say that agreement has not been honoured.
In the last agreement players below the top level had significant pay increases. But nothing this time.
The ACA believe that Cricket is in better shape than CA is stating.
Michael Clarke has offered to mediate between party's and suggested to have a 12 month cooling off period.On the same pay rate.Well thats one side of the story.The AU A cancelled the Sth Africa tour so it is quiet nasty now.

They should never have taken on women's cricket. The sport will be in real trouble if they demand equal pay.

so the next move should be along the lines of offerring AWAs to the best Shield players?

Àrk + Grassy.It looks like the top level players are trying to look after the other players.By not taking there lucrative aggreements.But someone asked me today.Cant answer the question.. Why are the women playing when the men have cancelled SAfrica A tour.The ladies don't think there getting paid enough.