Does a ''real'' cricket fan have to hate LOI and/or consider them irrelevant?

[Adders]

I enjoy going to grade matches and screaming at the players for not playing the purest form of the game

I mean seriously....wtf??

Where did that come from??

 

[Daemon]

Calm down Adders. No one insulted you or anything and you've just so randomly become angry.

 

[Hurricane]

Don't think I ever said that. If I did it's a bit surprising, as I can't really recall myself placing T20s above Tests except when I had just started watching cricket (I suppose that means I still fit the example either way).

I may be wrong. Will see if I can find the post.

 

[Adders]

Calm down Adders. No one insulted you or anything and you've just so randomly become angry.

LOL, I'm not angry in the slightest mate, I just didn't appreciate Spikey's cryptic input as he clearly hasn't appreciated my comments.........he's said his piece and I've said mine, don't think either of us have crossed any line.......why would you assume that I'm angry??

 

[Maximas]

Your arguing is upsetting the children

 

[Adders]

And I if I ever hear someone say "Purest form of the game" again

I'm sure you understand that purest means undiluted?? How is test cricket not the purest form??

 

[Hurricane]

I may be wrong. Will see if I can find the post.

Rank the formats - View Poll Results

You voted for T20 as your preferred format in this poll. Think there are a couple of comments from you as well in the thread.

 

[Cabinet96]

Will admit there have been plenty of limited overs games that have entertained me more than some of the days of Test cricket I've watched. That said, I'm much more emotionally invested in any Test we play than nearly every single ODI barring an ODI WC match or two, the outcomes of Tests just hold a lot more significance for me.

Yeah, this.

 

[Daemon]

Rank the formats - View Poll Results

You voted for T20 as your preferred format in this poll. Think there are a couple of comments from you as well in the thread.

Was a joke vote (T20>ODI>Tests). Took a peek at my posts there and the one on the last page about watching a club game sort of confirms it.

The thread was also in 2011 so it's entirely possible that it was not a joke vote - it's common knowledge amongst Indians that no Test cricket took place in 2011.

 

[Muloghonto]

Watching Test cricket is like making love to a beautiful woman, whereas T20 is more akin to a quick knee trembler round the back of the bike sheds - there's really no comparison, but then if you can't get to see a Test match the T20 is still a better option than just about any other way of passing the time

More like watching test cricket is like victorian era courtship, where you don't even get to speak to the girl alone till the nine millionth date.
It is fun, it can be an experience but it is mostly too long-winded for popular appeal,

Limited overs cricket is what the real deal is. Not because it is the 'most skilled format' (though it does offer opportunity for developing certain skills more than test cricket does) but because it is the most popular one. Pro Sports is ultimately whatever is a form of physical contest that is popular and has a lot of money involved. That is what most fans and players care about. That is what limited overs cricket is, i see it as a superior form of cricket than Test cricket.

 

[Red]

I'd much prefer to watch a 50 over match than a 20/20. I like the ability to dig in and stage a batting recovery after a bad start in 50 over cricket.

Test cricket IS cricket as far as I'm concerned...

 

[Red]

Limited overs cricket is what the real deal is. Not because it is the 'most skilled format' (though it does offer opportunity for developing certain skills more than test cricket does) but because it is the most popular one. Pro Sports is ultimately whatever is a form of physical contest that is popular and has a lot of money involved. That is what most fans and players care about. That is what limited overs cricket is, i see it as a superior form of cricket than Test cricket.

So, in music, you would prefer Pink to Wilco?

 

[fredfertang]

If we're doing a musical comparison Test cricket is the Beatles, and T20 the Ramones

 

[Jassy]

T20 does not really interest me aside from the World T20. ODIs are a different kettle of fish though and on decent pitches ODIs can be pretty exciting. I actually enjoying watching ODIs more than tests sometimes but a test win is always more important(WC wins aside maybe). Australia and India are the two teams I support; if I had to rank wins/series, it would be :

From an Aus POV:
1)Ashes
2)WC
3)Test series vs major sides
4)Champions trophy/World T20
5)jam ODIs

From an Indian POV:

1)WC
2)Away test series vs major sides
3)India vs Pakistan any format
4)Test series vs major sides
5)Champions trophy/World t20
6)Asia Cup
7) jam ODIs.

I think sometimes LOIs get too much flak on here. It is almost as if it is blasphemy to like or give importance to the shorter formats. I wholeheartedly agree that tests are the most important form of the game but with the importance fans and players alike attach to the shorter formats, it clearly isn't just ''Mickey mouse'' cricket. I was watching the hghlights of last year's CT final the other day and you just had to see Cook's reaction when India won, it was as if someone had died. And mind you that was Ashes year too....I think the time has come for us to acknowledge that LOIs are important, especially the major trophies. Tests are the still the most important format IMO but if say, a Sri Lankan fan would readily swap their test win in SA for a Champions trophy or the World T20, who are we to judge?

 

[Red]

If we're doing a musical comparison Test cricket is the Beatles, and T20 the Ramones

Ramones are way too cool to work for the argument I was attempting!

 

[Flem274*]

If we're doing a musical comparison Test cricket is the Beatles, and T20 the Ramones

Ramones > Beatles

 

[GotSpin]

I honestly can't remember the last time I watched a complete 2020 match. Would have been a few years as I just don't find them interesting. Same for ODIs

Interestingly enough. my manager at work doesn't consider me a real cricket fan because he believes that a true fan would watch any cricket available.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Test cricket is cricket in its purest form, nothing can ever come close to it. But it depends, some fans are crazy about cricket but they don't like test cricket, in Asia, most people would think that the shorter formats are the real thing, but its rather the media which makes it look like that. Test cricket doesn't get that much attention or coverage, whereas T20s or ODIs are given so much importance that the fans fail to understand the value of test cricket.

ODIs "used to be" competitive and was an important format, but, recently, the new rules have just made it an extended version of T20s. Now every Tom, Dick and Muhammad comes lower in the order and thrashes all the bowlers since there's no reverse swing, no spin and 5 fielders are placed inside the circle. ODIs have become a joke and ICC has really spoilt a wonderful format by trying to make it more entertaining.
T20s can be enjoyed for the individual performances, but then there's nothing else to look at. Just enjoy it if you like it.

Great post. Covered virtually everything I was about to say.

The emotional investment I put into every test that India plays is far more than some random odi or t20. T20s have, for some reason never really made me feel like supporting my team passionately at all. Generally, I enjoy watching t20s for a good evening's entertainment, but I've just never been able to take it seriously as a contest between two teams because by design,there's just so much more luck involved than the other formats. And because I can't take it seriously,I don't really care whether India wins or loses, even if it's the world t20. Unless it's India v Pakistan, I'm completely indifferent to the outcome of the match.

 

[Prince EWS]

Interesting comments about T20 in this thread. Personally I've actually found it a bit the opposite; I can really enjoy a T20 contest when I care about who wins, but I don't really find much entertainment value in it as a neutral. I can watch a Test or indeed even a park cricket game where a draw is a possible result for hours purely for the contest between bat and ball. To enjoy a T20 game I basically have to bet on it or be cheering on Zimbabwe/an associate.

 

[watson]

If we're doing a musical comparison Test cricket is the Beatles, and T20 the Ramones

Almost.

Rachmaninov's second piano concerto is Test Cricket, The Beatles 'Let It Be' album is 50 Over Cricket, and One Direction is 20 Over Cricket.