So, are you one of the 1,000s whose first thought on waking up today was

The Welsh Fire are playing today? I’m not, I’ve just remembered that the team who were the story of last season’s Hundred for many were playing this morning (in the women’s match) and afternoon in the men’s case. I watched about three quarters of an hour of yesterday’s match on BBC and they had some bloke commentating on there who was clearly trying to introduce a catchphrase to the tune of you never know what’s going to happen in the Hundred - my immediate response was that you knew exactly what was going to happen when the Welsh Fire men’s team played in 2022 (at least the women managed to win one match)!

Actually, if the weather forecast turns out as predicted, the men’s team may well have more points by tonight than they managed through all of last year. Seriously, the franchise cannot afford a repeat of last year’s disastrous results and you’d like to think that the squad has been improved if everyone is fit and available.

I enjoy all formats of cricket from test to T20 and including the women's game, but I'm afraid the 100 has left me behind. It's just too many changes at once for me. 5 ball overs, made up teams, players with no connection to the region they play for. And then the Ashes, compressed into a stupidly tight schedule in order to get it out of the way in time for this nonsense. I probably sound like one of those ridiculous MCC dinosaurs with their stripy ties, but I just can't be doing with it.

I watched about 20 minutes of yesterday's game. I'm still getting to grips with the TV scorecard and, even though each over (or set) is just 5 deliveries, found myself converting the runs required into runs per (6 ball) over.
I wouldn't have known the Welsh team were playing today if you hadn't mentioned it.

No interest whatsoever.
I don't even know which potato snack product i am supposed to follow.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

The Welsh Fire are playing today? I’m not, I’ve just remembered that the team who were the story of last season’s Hundred for many were playing this morning (in the women’s match) and afternoon in the men’s case. I watched about three quarters of an hour of yesterday’s match on BBC and they had some bloke commentating on there who was clearly trying to introduce a catchphrase to the tune of you never know what’s going to happen in the Hundred - my immediate response was that you knew exactly what was going to happen when the Welsh Fire men’s team played in 2022 (at least the women managed to win one match)!

Actually, if the weather forecast turns out as predicted, the men’s team may well have more points by tonight than they managed through all of last year. Seriously, the franchise cannot afford a repeat of last year’s disastrous results and you’d like to think that the squad has been improved if everyone is fit and available.

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I like the games. The men’s game ending yesterday was good. A decent ending. . Based on crowds and sales it’s here to stay.

For the second year on the trot I’m off to watch brave vs Welsh this Friday in Soton. I’d hope they give me something to support and actually make a game of it this year. My hips are low.

I want to support Welsh but I feel no connection to them and my normally Welsh supporting kids have split their support between brave and one of the London teams which they have just as much affiliation too and those teams win a few games

As a side note I think Welsh should have been called Western to get more support etc and not try to create a specific link to wales.

Q

I’m another in the no interest camp. Never seen a game, have no idea who plays for who or even what the format is.

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Originally Posted by The Bloop

I watched about 20 minutes of yesterday's game. I'm still getting to grips with the TV scorecard and, even though each over (or set) is just 5 deliveries, found myself converting the runs required into runs per (6 ball) over.
I wouldn't have known the Welsh team were playing today if you hadn't mentioned it.

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I was doing exactly the same as you when it came to the five ball sets.

Here's the Welsh Fire squads for this year;-

https://www.thehundred.com/teams/wel...-hundred-2023-

They have the fastest bowler in the women's game, in most "experts" opinion, and a realistic contender for best quick bowler in the men's game playing for them.

Not really sure why they tried to reinvent cricket when 20 20 had already done that a decade ago.
Its just 20 balls less and a stupid multi coloured score card.

Have they signed a decent Bowler?

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Originally Posted by insider

Not really sure why they tried to reinvent cricket when 20 20 had already done that a decade ago.
Its just 20 balls less and a stupid multi coloured score card.

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I agree, I'd call the crowd last night at the ground of the men's tournament defending champions no better than decent.

[QUOTE=the other bob wilson;5443121]I was doing exactly the same as you when it came to the five ball sets.

As the TV scoreboard shows the balls left, and not sets, it's only natural. If they require 52 off 25 balls that's just over 12 an over in my mind, and not 10.4 runs per set.

I actually find it so boring - as with all forms of non-red ball cricket. Batsmen whacking the ball all over the place like a dad and his kids on Barry Island, Bowling with little variation, and in most cases, the result is a foregone conclusion long before the end. It's like comparing 5-a-side football in a sports centre with a normal league match..

I have tickets , £20 for 2 matches didn’t seem bad value. They came up with this concept as they failed to patent 20/20 and then watched India and Australia embrace the format and maximise the financial value from the format. I just enjoy watching cricket

not me its rubbish

Couldn't give a ****

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Originally Posted by A Quiet Monkfish

I actually find it so boring - as with all forms of non-red ball cricket. Batsmen whacking the ball all over the place like a dad and his kids on Barry Island, Bowling with little variation, and in most cases, the result is a foregone conclusion long before the end. It's like comparing 5-a-side football in a sports centre with a normal league match..

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This ^^^

No interest whatsoever.
Could just about stomach it if I was watching it at the ground, as long as they were serving alcohol, but not TV.

Information overload and very Americanised.

Do they still play if it’s raining ?

Women's match abandoned. If the men's game follows suit the Welsh Fire will be up to the heady heights of 3rd in the table.

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Originally Posted by The Bloop

Women's match abandoned. If the men's game follows suit the Welsh Fire will be up to the heady heights of 3rd in the table.

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Common sense flowing at Sophia Gardens. Fine evening forecast and match is 40 balls each. Hope the tv viewers enjoy the rain at Lord’s.

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Originally Posted by Dave Blue

Common sense flowing at Sophia Gardens. Fine evening forecast and match is 40 balls each. Hope the tv viewers enjoy the rain at Lord’s.

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Eh? It is on tv. Every game is isn't it?
Great stuff so far.

Glory be, a win for the Welsh Fire. Luke Wells, who I used to think of as a stodgy opener, smashed a very rapid fifty to help set a testing target. Shaheed Shah Afridi then bowled a couple of brilliant yorkers to leave Manchester Originals 0 for 2 after 2 balls, but got smashed about after that. They were either clever or lucky enough to keep Josh Buttler off strike for much of the time, so that helped keep things under control and they edged home by eight runs.

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Originally Posted by The Bloop

Women's match abandoned. If the men's game follows suit the Welsh Fire will be up to the heady heights of 3rd in the table.

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We Are Top the league say we are......

(By the way just to be clear, I didn't watch it as I've said no interest :biggrin:)

Good to see a home win at Sophia Gardens this season !

What a great game that was! Welsh Fire’s women’s team became the first team to beat the Southern Brave in Southampton - they posted a massive 165 which meant that the home side needed a record run chase to win and, for a long time, it looked like they’d do it, but Hayley Matthews who top scored, bowled a nerveless last five balls and they just got home by four runs. I know the Hundred, deservedly, gets stick, but that was a great game of cricket.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

What a great game that was! Welsh Fire’s women’s team became the first team to beat the Southern Brave in Southampton - they posted a massive 165 which meant that the home side needed a record run chase to win and, for a long time, it looked like they’d do it, but Hayley Matthews who top scored, bowled a nerveless last five balls and they just got home by four runs. I know the Hundred, deservedly, gets stick, but that was a great game of cricket.

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It was a great game. Hopefully the men's game will be equals exciting. There's some quality players on show.

Just give me test cricket or, maybe 50 over games. Stuff the rest of the crap!

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Originally Posted by The Bloop

It was a great game. Hopefully the men's game will be equals exciting. There's some quality players on show.

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People can think what they like, the quality is excellent. Welsh Fire seem to be competitive now.

Well I was at the 50 over today and lets say entertainment and quality wise it was crickets equivalent of Mick McCarthys back 5.

I love cricket but I hope there were no 1st time attendees today it would be enough to put anyone off going again. Really poor.

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Originally Posted by Dave Blue

People can think what they like, the quality is excellent. Welsh Fire seem to be competitive now.

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It's not the lack of quality or entertainment that the Hundred provides, it's the principle that the game does little to benefit the already established other formats. Until a couple of years ago the test team were in a sorry state and bemoaning the lack of 4 day cricket. There's also little county 50 over cricket to support the largely successful national team, so the last thing the game needed was a new shorter format.
It has however benefited the women's game.

Stuart Broad got it right just now when he said he’s never seen Chris Jordan bat so well - it was so easy for so long for the Welsh Fire, but all of the momentum’s against them now.

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Originally Posted by The Bloop

It's not the lack of quality or entertainment that the Hundred provides, it's the principle that the game does little to benefit the already established other formats. Until a couple of years ago the test team were in a sorry state and bemoaning the lack of 4 day cricket. There's also little county 50 over cricket to support the largely successful national team, so the last thing the game needed was a new shorter format.
It has however benefited the women's game.

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Do any test players play much 4 day or County 50 over games any more?

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Originally Posted by Dave Blue

Do any test players play much 4 day or County 50 over games any more?

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Rarely. England play so many more Tests than any other country there's hardly any room in the calender for them to do so. I think a couple of the bowlers (possibly Wood or Anderson) did at the start of the season, but the rest of the squad were on a team building golf break in Scotland. Smith and Labuschagne played more county cricket than most England players.

Talking of test players, how many games has Johnny Bairstow played for the Welsh Fire? Two isn't it? I know he had a bit of an excuse last season, but, if I remember rightly, he'd announced he wasn't going to be playing for them before he broke his leg anyway. They could have done with Bairstow last night, but I'd say the game was just one of those that was down to fate - I don't think there was much that could have been done to sop Jordan's remarkable innings, it was just destined to happen.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Talking of test players, how many games has Johnny Bairstow played for the Welsh Fire? Two isn't it? I know he had a bit of an excuse last season, but, if I remember rightly, he'd announced he wasn't going to be playing for them before he broke his leg anyway. They could have done with Bairstow last night, but I'd say the game was just one of those that was down to fate - I don't think there was much that could have been done to sop Jordan's remarkable innings, it was just destined to happen.

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They really let that one slip away. Apart from Jordan, the Brave fielding was superb with countless 4s prevented, even close to the end.

I’ve knocked the Welsh Fire as much as anyone, but they were involved in two great games today. After winning away at the beaten finalists a couple of days ago, the women’s team went to the Oval and edged home against the Champions in a low scoring game to go to the top of the table. The men’s game ended in a tie as the Welsh Fire were on the wrong end of a decision that was down to millimetres - they were beaten by two runs in midweek.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

Talking of test players, how many games has Johnny Bairstow played for the Welsh Fire? Two isn't it? I know he had a bit of an excuse last season, but, if I remember rightly, he'd announced he wasn't going to be playing for them before he broke his leg anyway. They could have done with Bairstow last night, but I'd say the game was just one of those that was down to fate - I don't think there was much that could have been done to sop Jordan's remarkable innings, it was just destined to happen.

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My son lives in Southampton and loves cricket so we bond over the Hundred. After two years of humiliating spankings Friday had two really top games that went to the last ball in both. The bowling attack with Afredi and Rauf is massively improved but the batting is still too fragile. The Kiwi keeper is tops. Bairstow instead of Abel who can't seem to get it off the square could have turned perennial losers into winners!

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson

I’ve knocked the Welsh Fire as much as anyone, but they were involved in two great games today. After winning away at the beaten finalists a couple of days ago, the women’s team went to the Oval and edged home against the Champions in a low scoring game to go to the top of the table. The men’s game ended in a tie as the Welsh Fire were on the wrong end of a decision that was down to millimetres - they were beaten by two runs in midweek.

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Quality viewing this evening.

My 10 year old is glued to it and this seems to be the summer where cricket has become his favourite sport. He's been to Allstars and Dynamos since he was old enough. Think it was £40 for 10 hour sessions of cricket training, free shirt with his name on it, plus he's had bats, stumps etc for free out of it in the past. Through the cricket club we've had some free and discounted tickets for the 1 days and Hundred. On Monday he went to Sophia Gardens to meet some of the Hundred players, got lots of autographs, even made the BBC Wales news in a feature about it! In fairness to the EWCB, there's been a real push to transform grass roots cricket for youngsters. Our local club has continued the training sessions throughout the summer at no extra cost and has also started hard ball training for youngsters, again free.

Whether my lad is ever good enough to play for any side is yet to be known, but he loves it, I take him out regularly to get him batting and bowling, even though I'm absolutely rubbish. He's been glued to the Ashes. He's playing cricket games on his Switch and phone.

Even someone as anti the Hundred as me has to concede that the Welsh Fire games have been very watchable this season. As stated, the pair of Pakistani quicks have made a huge difference and their attitude seems spot on. I was pleased as well for Joe Clarke who struggled so badly last season when he was supposed to be a top signing and had been out first ball in the two first game - he or Tom Curran played the innings of the day yesterday in a game where the general skill levels on both sides were very high.

For the first time the Welsh public, and the cricketing public in GLoucestershire and SomerSet you’d like to think, have a pair of teams that it’s possible to relate to - it would be nice to see Chris Cooke and/or Dan Douthwaite play now and again though.

Welsh Fire ? ….without one single Welshman? and that Piggy eyed Bairstow is the “star” player ?….no thanks.

3 balls to go at the Oval last night, and the Fire bowl a full toss on the leg side to the man in form. Unbelievable. I would have sacked him straight after the game.