StanSP

Toone should have shot!

The 'ohhhh' every time there's a chance is grating. I was determining your sex

Average at best I'd say...

Robyn Cowen is a terrible commentator.

But vastly improving still...

Also, this 'clear error' definition is bollocks too. No leading official has ever been able to decipher what's clear or what isn't either outside of a match or during a game. PGMOL definitely can't, UEFA and FIFA can't. It leaves it to too much interpretation and subjectivity

The rebound thing is crap. The 2nd one is probably the one I agree most with. The third one is bollocks. You go through the process of taking the corner, and the ball goes in from a header or it bobbles round a bit, comes to the edge of the box, played out wide, cross comes in and goal scored. Does it get checked?! Surely the sensible thing here is extend goal line technology so that cameras are trained down the whole touchline and almost instantly you can see who got the final touch. Don't let the corner be taken and then bring it back just because a goal might have been scored!

The women's equivalent of Netherlands, if you will...

Ball under arm in honour of Shakey too.

Already tell this guy takes no shit and is ready to get stuck in. KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON.

I do like how hands on he is. Not afraid to get stuck in and seems quite vocal and proactive with his tactics and philosophy and style. Hopefully it rubs off on the players and we start to see the benefits of it after a couple of weeks. Just have to hope the players buy into it as much as he's putting in. Can't be doing with any mercenaries or passengers any more. Especially not in this league.

Talk about falling upwards.

This link was always going to be made as soon as Cifuentes was done. Makes too much sense nonetheless so it won't happen

I agree BCCI have their biases and hold a lot of power. Over years it's grown because of the IPL and the lure that has. But ECB don't help themselves either when it comes to cricket in this country. Shite like The Hundred taking priority over how Ashes is diarised, not having Ashes matches at Headingley any more and nothing north of Notts. Adding all those T20 matches in and sometimes not having test warm up matches for big series. There's an imbalance, sadly. And probably indicative across the whole of test cricket. I've heard lots of pundits and commentators mention how test cricket needs to be prioritised. They're not wrong but they need to back it outside of the euphoria and entertainment within a test match in the past week or through this series. Make the tests more accessible (read: cheaper) for fans to attend and you'll have more interest in it as opposed to just the Eng/Aus or Eng/Ind games.

Reading up a bit more on the time thing, there's a 60-second clock between overs to be bowled, and timers in place for drinks break. Sounds like umpires need to be a tad more disciplined with it all, for any side. Fines don't seem to be working as overs per hour is on a constant decline, on average over the years. Have the penalty as runs conceded as that'll be something players take much more seriously...

KO times for the 25th July friendlies?

The BBC article makes it sound like it was on Day 2 of the test with Stokes alluding to fast bowlers being used more which takes longer, but ultimately accepting the punishment. I thought it was all averaged out, especially for the bigger sides. I'd say Aus and Eng have the tougher teams to play, marginally - WI, NZ, SA, Bangladesh and India. With Aus not playing Pakistan and SL, and with Eng not playing SL and WI. India don't play Pakistan and Bangladesh. The points system is weird anyway. Rankings are based on percentage points compared to matches played as opposed to actual points gained. I guess that favours the smaller sides to make it more equal?

Ricardo for sure. Just because a manager brings through youth doesn't automatically mean the youth should get captaincy.

Shuts me up then

I presume a home FA Cup tie gets moved to the Sunday then. Crap 12pm KO time no doubt.

Good luck and hope he's backed. Heard the transfer budget is 50p. Goes up to £1.50 on the back of Hermansen sale as that will be used to pay off club debts. £2 budget if BEK is sold.

Anyone at the club has no foresight or creativity. They probably don't even care about 2016 any more.