3rd Ashes Test: Old Trafford, 11-15 August: Day Three

[Ernest]

Warne is fast becoming a thorn in Englands side, while he is a pain in the neck, you can't help but admire him.

England need him out for a chance of a win, I wonder if Australia have thought of promoting Warne?.

Only 4 overs left, and the sun is shining

[Ernest]

Jones drops of Flintoff again, this may be costly.

[Occasional Fan]

A great shame at the end of the day to hear the crowd booing - but I imagine that was for the ICC. I know we all play to the same rule book, but it really does seem a shame that the day ends with the players coming off in glorious sunshine. Sunset in Manchester today is at 2044BST, and play ended at 1832BST. Is anyone at the ICC listening? I doubt it!

Overall, definitely Australia's day, for the first time in this game. England will be disappointed not to have taken at least one wicket in the fourteen overs we have had, and GO Jones may be buying his own beer tonight having missed a stumping and a catch from Shane Warne. Warne, who was always going to be the danger man with the ball, is also leading the way with the bat: he's got to go early tomorrow if England are to take the match, IMO.

Always a shame to have a day like this with so much play lost to the weather, but we still have a game on, and I'll be here for it tomorrow.

[Six & Out]

G Jones should be ashamed of himself. Simple stumping and a simple catch. I don't care if he is good with the bat, his keeping is resembling Sunday League standards in this series. Its very poor and it may well cost England the match.

[Occasional Fan]

Yep, I'm afraid it could come down to that. Shane Warne is the danger man and he's got to go if England are to have a chance.

[Alison]

Well, that was a frustrating 'day' of cricket...

[Ninjaman]

Originally Posted by Occasional Fan

A great shame at the end of the day to hear the crowd booing - but I imagine that was for the ICC. I know we all play to the same rule book, but it really does seem a shame that the day ends with the players coming off in glorious sunshine. Sunset in Manchester today is at 2044BST, and play ended at 1832BST. Is anyone at the ICC listening? I doubt it!

Why are you complaining about the ICC?? Regulatons are there with regards to how muich cricket can be played in a day and sadly, rain has spoilt the day.

They have to put in place regulations that are as uniform as possible across all cricketing countries so can't take into account the time of sunset in Manchester or any other place.

[Alison]

Originally Posted by Ninjaman

They have to put in place regulations that are as uniform as possible across all cricketing countries so can't take into account the time of sunset in Manchester or any other place.

Is it best to have uniform regulations to cover this type of thing though? Would it work better if the regulations were more flexible with regards to local climate?

[Occasional Fan]

Originally Posted by Ninjaman

They have to put in place regulations that are as uniform as possible across all cricketing countries so can't take into account the time of sunset in Manchester or any other place.

That, in a nutshell, is the complaint. It seems to me to be crazy to use the same regulation on timing close of play in, say, Barbados, where sunset varies by - you tell me: an hour throughout the year? - and England where we have sunshine until 2130 in the summer (and only until about 1540 in the depths of winter). It's not a question today of having played more cricket than would have been possible in Barbados - I'm not after more than 90 overs even though in England at this time of year we would have enough daylight for 120. But today we had 14 overs and enough daylight and good weather for at least another hour. The message from the crowd, I believe (and I agree, in fact), is that, in this case, the law is an ass!

There is one other thing, Ninjaman, which was mentioned on the radio yesterday when Jonathan Agnew knocked the ICC in a chat with David Morgan, who is chief executive (or similar) of the ECB. Morgan pointed out that knocking the ICC is pointless, as it is simply a federation of the governing bodies of the test playing nations. Morgan himself said that if you knock the ICC, you are in fact knocking the national governing bodies. So, if it makes you feel better, strike "ICC" above and insert "ECB".

[R W S]

What are the rules regarding refunds to paying customers for a truncated days play? there were, i think, 14 overs today.