Things we won't see again

[Craig]

What things that used to be seen in international cricket (or FC) in the last several decades. For me it is:

- 1000 runs before the end of May in England or June, that sort of form would probably lead to a call-up if a spot suddenly came up;

- The long tours, New Zealand toured England in 1978 they were there from the end of May to September and yet they only played three Tests and two ODIs , or Australia's tour of England in 1948 where they had 12 lead-up matches, and another five afterwards. Does anybody know why that was the reason, especially IIRC three of those final games were against selection teams (ie South of England v Australians which must of been as meaningless as Sri Lanka's ODIs against Holland with all due respect to the Dutchman/women on here)?

- Uncovered wickets, bring back the sticky wicket I say, it would sort these modern day flat track bullies into their place.

- Playing for two countries in international cricket, perhaps it could happen in fairness, but it be very unlikely.

- Length of FC careers, people like Hobbs, Rhodes etc. had FC careers for over 20-30 years, be impossible now with all the cricket.

[honestbharani]

bowlers being noballed for chucking?

[BoyBrumby]

Originally Posted by Craig

- Playing for two countries in international cricket, perhaps it could happen in fairness, but it be very unlikely.

Dougie Brown & Gav Hamilton will probably play for Scotland in the WC & both have England ODI caps. Ray Price or Sean Ervine could conceivably both play for us too once their qualification period is up. There is an argument with the Kolpak ruling that it's now possibly more likely to play for two countries (provided one's England).

Things I'll add to list

-players being called for throwing
-Darrell Hair

EDIT: beaten to first one by hb!

[archie mac]

Opening batsman walking out on the first morning of a Test wearing just caps

Rest days during Test Matches

[steds]

Originally Posted by Craig

Length of FC careers, people like Hobbs, Rhodes etc. had FC careers for over 20-30 years, be impossible now with all the cricket.

Graeme Hick's closing in on 23, and has just signed an extension with Worcestershire.

[Craig]

I think Hick will be the last of the kind though.

Aside from Hick, I don't think many (if any) will play for so long? I mean I would doubt Lara or SRT will play for as long.

[steds]

Lara's in his 19th, iirc, which is a fair go.

[Craig]

Well Lara started in 87/88 so I guess you are right, but like I said it must be a dying breed of those who play so long.

Others are 8 ball overs, timeless Tests, three day Tests (I mean Tests scheldued for three days)

[Pratters]

Inzamam and Hair in a test match together. Hair in a match as well in all probability.

[Craig]

Yeah it wouldn't surprise me about Hair. When I first heard this I thought "Well Hair's career is probably over especially if he doesn't have concrete proof". I hope it isn't, but Imran Khan's comments didn't help, but I've gone off track.

What about wearing 'whites' in ODIs?

[Jungle Jumbo]

Originally Posted by Craig

- The long tours, New Zealand toured England in 1978 they were there from the end of May to September and yet they only played three Tests and two ODIs , or Australia's tour of England in 1948 where they had 12 lead-up matches, and another five afterwards. Does anybody know why that was the reason, especially IIRC three of those final games were against selection teams (ie South of England v Australians which must of been as meaningless as Sri Lanka's ODIs against Holland with all due respect to the Dutchman/women on here)?

The tour matches would carry quite a high amount of status. I know from reading a bit about the early years of Indian Test cricket that they were seen not as warm-up games but as genuine fixtures, which would be played to be won by the tourists. Tour averages, not Test series averages, would have been very important. Teams would try and go throughout the tour undefeated, rather than field a second XI for some games.

Thinking about it, I would prefer to see these sort of tours reintroduced, but maybe not quite upon the same scale. Would I be right in saying that last summer the Australians only played two first-class games outside of the Test matches? If I scan through the earliest Wisden I have, which only goes back to 2001, Zimbabwe and the West Indies both played a substantial amount of tour matchs. If domestic sides took it seriously, and the touring side played less international cricket and more tour games, then why couldn't we have, next time the Australians came over, a couple of Twenty20s before the Twenty20 international, three one-dayers before the OD series, and then a mixture of the five Tests and say six or seven FC games? (The answer: time and money.)

If a split in the ICC does happen, as discussed in another thread, I can see no real reason why the above could not be implemented, as a good standard of opposition and time would allow it.

[Jungle Jumbo]

The specialist keeper at number 10 or 11 in Tests?

[Beleg]

Stadiums without 200 policemen doing their best to harrass the spectators.

[marc71178]

Originally Posted by Craig

- Playing for two countries in international cricket, perhaps it could happen in fairness, but it be very unlikely.

It's actually happening at the moment.

Dogie Brown and Gavin Hamilton!

[Langeveldt]

Umpires having a spine and making a call that might cause controversy.. I somehow think every indiscretion, unless its absolutely blatant, will get swept under the carpet after Hair v Pakistan..

Soon you can put ODI's on that list, maybe tests in some countries