Anyone see the Ashes?

I'm embarrassed for Michael Clarke. He was practically begging the umpires for bad light. Must be a pre-requisite of the Australian captaincy to be a complete lovely person.

 

Don't think it solely applies to the captain....

Tho to be fair it was a very sporting declaration.

 

Got to say the crowd let us down at the end. The fans obviously not aware of the rules.

 

To be honest without him declaring early the match today would have been a total bore, even more so that England's slow play on the other days. The people I feel sorry for are those that had a bet on England to win, it must have been squeaky bum time for the bookies.

 

Just got back from the game. Fair play to Clarke to declare and make a game of if, but he took the decision to declare when he did. You take the rough and the smooth and take the consequences of your decisions

The slow play, bowling leg side, stopping mid run up, changing fielding positions to delay the game... Frankly were a disgrace

Only 11 overs were bowled in the last hour, if England had done it I'd have been ashamed

Seems he had the balls to declare when he thought we wouldn't win, but then showed contemptible cowardice to avoid the flip side of his decision

 

England did it numerous times in the series
Grow up

 

4 overs should have been bowled, simple as that. Floodlights on and starc had no problems throwing the stumps down

 

Would have been gutted if I had been at the game and it seems like Clarke bottled it and should have 'manned up' and accepted the defeat that was coming. But I am not sure we would have done any different, in fact I know we wouldn't. And, after being asked about the light, the umpires have to be consistent in their application of the rules, however **** it looks at the time.

 

Don't blame anyone but the ICC. They made this stupid rule. If the light had been offered to the batsmen as they were in the past this match would have been played to a conclusion.

Fair play to Clarke for declaring and making it a game.

 

This is the crazy thing

No balls bowled day before (on my birthday to boot, what fun that was then gearing we got a royal pasting too) and the cricket turned into a cracker.

It was set up for a thrilling end, and the ability for the umpire to let common sense prevail isn't allowed anymore

The light wasn't bad to be fair, the sun was low and behind a cloud but I was still picking the ball as it went aerial

Just a shame rules don't take into account the paying public

And what is the point of floodlights?

 

Must admit, that's the bit I don't get. They are supposed to allow matches to go into the night, so if floodlights are available, why is light ever an issue at all?.

 

clarke did his best to force a result then slowed it when he knew he wouldn't win!
where are the cricket fans slating cook for not declaring 30 mins earlier when batting?
its the rules that the umpires must follow by the icc, so i applaud clarke for giving the paying fans great entertainment in a forgettable 4 days before.
if roll reversed then we would have played out a dour drawn test match