[ronnie_allen]

I nearly fell asleep watching Selby. Top player, but he is using gamesmanship to perfection. I would have loved seeing him play Alex Higgins because "warfare" would have taken place. Verbally and possibly physically.

Just glad that Shaun Murphy wasn't the first player since Ken Doherty to bring the World Championship trophy to Dublin (he wasn't living here when he initially won it). Can't stand the bloke. I do enjoy the contrast in styles although every one i was cheering on for the tournament was pretty much knocked out by the Quarter-Final or earlier.

[Albionic]

It’s a cricketing term used by the Aussies mainly now I think

When you claim five wickets in an innings it’s known as a 5-fer.

There was an actress called Michelle Pfeiffer and so it’s a play on words.

A nice Michelle (meaning 5-fer/pfeiffer) 

Blimey, Aussie rhyming slang, this site is a revelation at times, Hector and homer one day, Aussieisms the next !

[Baggies]

No Johnny Sexton in the lions squad - the Irish media meltdown is just starting.

A ringing endorsement of the Scotland backs with them getting more selections than England and Ireland.

[ronnie_allen]

No Johnny Sexton in the lions squad - the Irish media meltdown is just starting.

A ringing endorsement of the Scotland backs with them getting more selections than England and Ireland.

Irish media seemed prepped for it to be honest. Thought there would be more dismay about CJ Stander not getting his swansong with Jack Conan usurping him. Many in Irish media seem to be taking it as good that with his concussion/injury issues; Sexton is rested from an attritional tour.
Though I guess we would agree that there was an over the top reaction in Ireland to an on the brink of retirement Brian O'Driscoll being dropped in the 2013 series.

The Greene King IPA Championship getting very significant representation too.

[Adder]

Onto round 8 of the Ireland v Gatland love-in.

Must be one of the most even spreads across the nations ever.

England 11 (Really ? 
Wales 10
Ireland 8
Scotland 8

[TheJacko2000]

With all the relegation stuff I forgot to update. Saturday was wet, every other game in our league was abandoned before the start. We managed to get it fit enough for a 32 over game. Comfortable 6 wicket win (Jacko 1/24). Top of the league. 

[leeiswba]

Who is it you play for mate? Really wished I played cricket as a kid. 29 is a bit to old to start out   

[TheJacko2000]

Who is it you play for mate? Really wished I played cricket as a kid. 29 is a bit to old to start out   

Never too old for a game of amateur cricket mate.

I'm based in the northwest, but you should check out local clubs, it's a dying game regards uptake trnds with kids, I'm sure you'd be welcomed. If you find the right group the social side is superb.

[SmethDan]

Mate of mine was massively into cricket. I can confirm the social side is superb. The cricket less so but it doesn't really matter when you can no longer see straight anyway  .

[LiamTheBaggie]

Who is it you play for mate? Really wished I played cricket as a kid. 29 is a bit to old to start out   

Not at all mate - we have a couple of mid forties and 50 year olds in our local club. As Jacko says, it doesn’t have a particularly great uptake but thankfully those involved aren’t your Bertie big balls types. Proper chaps doing it because it’s enjoyable

Nothing better than a few bottles of beer with your pals after a game on a Saturday evening

[MarkW]

As a 29 year old who played for 10 years before giving up at 18, I do miss playing cricket. I just had mixed feelings about going from 20/20 matches at u18 level to 50 overs.

I was never any good, but my (Limited) game suited 50 overs much better than 20/20, but I hated having to give up an entire day of my weekend, and definitely wouldn't want to commit to that these days.

[Adder]

As a 29 year old who played for 10 years before giving up at 18, I do miss playing cricket. I just had mixed feelings about going from 20/20 matches at u18 level to 50 overs.

I was never any good, but my (Limited) game suited 50 overs much better than 20/20, but I hated having to give up an entire day of my weekend, and definitely wouldn't want to commit to that these days.

That's why clubs have trouble keeping a lot of kids interested these days. It's a long day and a slow burner when they'd prefer to be out with their mates or whatever.

[MarkW]

Yeah, I remember playing 20/20 games after school on weekdays, which was a nice way of doing it.
I'd often end up playing for the Saturday 3rd XI and the Sunday 2nd XI, and your weekend would fly by without doing anytjt else but either sitting in the pavilion or fielding at Point

[TheJacko2000]

Good afternoon, after a total washout last week I was back on the cricket field yesterday. A fine 9 wicket win and a miserly 10 overs 6 maidens 1 for 9 for yours truly.

[Baggies]

Phil Mickelson becomes the first golfer in his 50’s to win a men’s major - the 6th of his career. Incredible considering he looked way past his best a few years ago.

I always thought Tiger might be the first but in the end it was his old rival. One of the greatest ever.

[BigFrank20]

Mate of mine was massively into cricket. I can confirm the social side is superb. The cricket less so but it doesn't really matter when you can no longer see straight anyway  .

A guy I work with is still playing, daft old sod, and was telling me the covid rules meant you could drink as much as you wanted outside the clubhouse but were not allowed to watch the match going on, the match that meant the club house was open 

[Baggies]

If you're up for a different sporting fix, GB ice hockey team face Sweden on freesports at 2 pm.

They beat world number 13 Belarus last time out in a bit of a surprise victory.

[gazberg]

If you're up for a different sporting fix, GB ice hockey team face Sweden on freesports at 2 pm.

They beat world number 13 Belarus last time out in a bit of a surprise victory.

Thanks for that. I don't mind a bit of Ice Hockey at all.

[Baggies]

GB ice hockey back in freesports at 10 am vs Czech Rep. When i was in Prague during the Ice Hockey euro champs (or something like that), it was always on TV which shows the interest in that part of the world so they will be a tough nation to beat.

[skyclad99]

Indy 500 tomorrow - absolutely love this race, normally you have no idea who is going to win until the last 5 laps

Would love to go and see it live one day - definitely on my bucket list

[TheJacko2000]

Mixed weekend of club cricket. Comfortable 8 wicket win on Saturday saw me return figures of 6 overs 5 maidens 2 wickets for 1 run. But a cup upset on Sunday as we fell to a 35 run defeat. 3 for 24 off my 9 overs and 0 not out with the bat.

[TheJacko2000]

A rare barren weekend, 2 defeats and zero wickets for me (tends to be the case if I don't take a few scalps we don't win). Did a bit of batting too which again is unusual.
Saturday 7 - 0 - 14 - 0 and a 2 ball duck, and Sunday 8 - 1 - 26 - 0 and 23 off 29.

[TheJacko2000]

Morning lads, bounced back with a 40 run win to move back to within a point of the leaders after last week's blip.

Even I impressed myself with 10 overs 8 maidens 3 for 3. (and 11 not out from 10 balls).

[Baggies]

Really pleased for John Rahm who at 26 has secured his first major Golf Tournament, winning the US Open last night. My Masters pick Louis Oosthuizen managed to get his second major runners up spot in this years majors - just a shame he didn’t do it in the one I picked him for when he was a long odds shot 😬.

Good news from a European perspective that 24 year old Italian Guido Migliozzi managed a career best 4th place, every little helps with an eye on the Ryder Cup.

[MarkW]

Speaking of golf, I've started playing it a bit...bloody frustrating game. Does anyone else play it? Managed to fix the slice on my driver but I daresay my swing is horrid.