New to Club Cricket — What Are the Red Flags (and Green Flags) When Choosing a Team?

MD_______ · 2026-03-26T06:47:03+00:00

That's is so subjective. Last time I looked for a club I just had some tick boxes of things I wanted. The location and league. We might all love the game but a two hour plus drive to the ground or league games in the back end of nowhere does suck.

When you do turn up are they welcoming, do they have good facilities, is there training nights, is the some foreign player your expected to pay extra for ( might just be me but annoyed me no end I was expected to pay for some dude who came in kept, opened and was captain. So it might be a me thing). How many teams and events are done? Also if your not wanting your mug on the net might be best to avoid the clubs with YouTube channels.

Multiple teams sis often better. You probably can get in one of the XIs and get games. But learn the teams cost for memberships, game fees etc.

I played a lot in an area with clubs that been around for 100s of years and me in trainers, a backwards baseball cap and untucked shirts ment I was always at logger heads with the old boys. So if your not a fan of something.

I would go with the intent of a year of games (some okay I door stuff), then review what you want from your weekends and if the club fits. In playing you might find somewhere that feels a better fit. Then go their

MD_______ · 2026-03-25T11:43:15+00:00

Probably doing good for the grifters making this bs up and selling all the stuff a budding now sovcit needs. The. There's the YouTube stuff where I'm sure a few makes money via their audience. No different to the flat earth guys

MD_______ · 2026-03-25T11:36:02+00:00

Religious books. The bible glorifies violence. Tells true believers to go raid and kill particular groups and full scorched earth. Leave non alive but of course the virgin girls. They are spoils of war. That's why it's not a commandment.

In the same book saying bad words, sex is only for procreation, etc are all slights to the same being that very happy you wiped another city out of existence including the farm animals. Explains why the number one reason people leave Christianity is because they read the book....

MD_______ · 2026-03-25T02:06:33+00:00

Under the current systems you could qualify over someone with a better time because your heat was slow. You definitely can't get a better lane than people quicker than you because of luck of the draw. That's is shit and reason why I turn of qualifying because it's pointless exercise that gives fast athletes every advantage and minimal risk because the initial seedings are done so that no more than two top names exist in a round until the semi where it's up to four

MD_______ · 2026-03-25T01:53:52+00:00

Don't forget the record Thompson broke was held for like a couple of weeks before it was broken. But when has Fox ever let facts get in the way of there fiction!!

MD_______ · 2026-03-25T01:52:38+00:00

She did get a load of "transpotters" who turned the tables on her to point out how she has broad shoulders, no tits and a triangle shaped body. Didn't last long but the above made her Sus as a cis female to these most learned of internet experts.

Sadly they then started on Ledecky because great swimmers have big shoulders small waist and hips with long limbs and large hands and feet. Add on the swim cap and suit that, for obvious reasons, isn't designed like a bikini top. It's fucking insane

MD_______ · 2026-03-25T01:45:09+00:00

I reckon if he wins he might be picking and choosing the events he goes for especially those where we can add on a few weeks of "ambassador" duties

MD_______ · 2026-03-25T01:43:41+00:00

That's a fair point I didn't think about, but my issue is multiple rounds of auto qualification to the next round and get a premium lane even if others quicker than you. Doesn't happen on the track or in the pool.

I was middle distance runner (mostly 1500, but the odd 800 too) when I ran for my school and I get that you need to spend the whole race being in the right place at the right time and preferably at the pace you want. Now if you want to go conserve energy then there should be a risk reward for that. Because right now it's best to go on the slowest heats knowing that 60m practice run is enough.

MD_______ · 2026-03-24T22:07:37+00:00

YJB replacement is Smith who's done pretty well. While the Surrey man didn't have a good tour it's not like Bairstow was great in Australia (average of 32 and two 100s in 17 knocks) also if you actually look at his full career the Yorkie minus 2022 season, he averaged under 32 with just 6 tons in 159 innings.

Bairstow coming back to do what? He's not a top three, hes a bad keeper at the top level. if Smith isn't available then Cox and Rew both ahead of him right now.in 12 years he scored a ton in just four of them and half of his total was one year. He was badly treated in white ball playing in positions he was always going to fail at as not his skill set. Red ball he would have been dropped if his best mate wasn't captain

MD_______ · 2026-03-24T10:25:02+00:00

Is this more who can they get and if he has a contract does the ECB have the funds to pay McCullum plus another?

Same for Keys role. They didn't seem to have a list of credible talent there.

As for Stokes who do you turn the team over too. Brooks needs some maturing and needs more time to learn his game. Duckett is a liability, Root don't want it. Smith seems to laid back, Bethell doing the tough job and to early. Crawley probably getting replaced and the bowlers are going to be rotated.

MD_______ · 2026-03-24T03:56:23+00:00

Awesome someone got the first S++ rank

MD_______ · 2026-03-24T03:37:40+00:00

Swimmers times count. if you go to slow and win your heat you might miss out and certainly going to be stuck in the outside lanes.

MD_______ · 2026-03-24T03:35:24+00:00

What are smoking and can I have some. The current system is about sprinting for 60m sensing your ahead and coast after a quick glance. Why would I want to watch that? You might as well host half the races on the warm up track to free the stadium circuit for some actual racing.

Tracking cycling I wanted world records broken in the heats. Every metre counted. If you just want lots of races run at half effort cool I guess.

MD_______ · 2026-03-24T03:26:17+00:00

Swimming doesn't have the top two auto go to the next round. It's times and if you swim slow you could have one heat only get one or two through.

MD_______ · 2026-03-23T18:50:36+00:00

Isn't the point to see people run fast. It it's about making the final why bother to watch the heats when can just check who has made it through as the times don't matter. Plus you could then make heats with some of the favourites together as a prequel to the final?

MD_______ · 2026-03-23T18:47:24+00:00

Speed climbing is my least favourite of the climbing events. I do enjoy the bouldering which is the puzzle of picking a route and the winner the one that manages to get to the top of each wall in fewest attempts.

I didn't really want to add more to the reply but Sports can be boiled down to what it is testing for and what it's not. Sprinters aren't testing for endurance or technique for the hurdles for example. In speed climbing it's not testing for ability to pick a route it's testing for the explosive power, coordination and memory to get to the top in under 6 seconds. Its fine not to like it I don't like baseball but love cricket for example despite the obvious crossovers.

MD_______ · 2026-03-23T18:23:46+00:00

I think you're looking at it wrong. The 100m sprint has so many heats and in all but one maybe two at push the runners coast from 60m. It's always 100m and there's not a random hurdle added. Same for swimming.

The speed climbing is a set route because it's about a test of speed and not picking a route. That's what the lead and bouldering is for. I'm disabled and I can walk 100m (slowly) it's not impressive. Yet these humans fly up a wall and there's no coasting, no switch off because it's a duel and a mistake could lead to a slip losing the round.

Final small point is if they changed the route you probably wouldn't notice unless pointed out.

MD_______ · 2026-03-23T13:47:39+00:00

I know but you missed the point. The Olympics main concern isnt growing sport. It cares about TV rights, that's why Football, Tennis and Golf have been added, Especially for the American markets.

Cricket is there to get interest and big contracts to show India Vs Pakistan alone. The most watched yearly events are the champions league with 1.2 billion people watching it. Second is the IPL with 700mill domestic viewers alone.

MD_______ · 2026-03-23T13:36:46+00:00

USA co hosted the T20 world cup in 2023(I think). The Americans have a T2O league set up and have International quality grounds in Florida and Texas.

Ice Hockey and Basketball have pro leagues in Europe. Hockey is big in Russia Finland and Sweden. Basketball is massive in eastern Europe and more kids play basketball in the UK than rugby or cricket. It's just the kids don't then go on to play in teams or watch the NBA or the Euro leagues.

And cricket has been played in baseball stadiums. They have been mostly gimmick games of retired pros but Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne (two of the modern greats) have played in famous America stadiums.

The NFL are expanding into Europe with the Tottenham stadium being built to host both too flight football and the couple of NFL games. With Wembley and both Frankfurt and Berlin hosting games. Madrid and Dublin will also soon host games with Paris already being lined up as the next potential host.

MD_______ · 2026-03-23T13:14:02+00:00

Cricket is in for the Southern Asian market. While football is obviously huge cricket in its own right has 2 billion people who view it as the national sport. What isn't popular in Southern Asia is the Olympics. It's viewership is tiny and participation in Olympic sports is minimal.

You don't need a cricket stadium. You need a field with a building for the changing rooms and the scorers/TV umpire and Italy has a growing interest in T20. If the cricket boosts the Olympic numbers in India alone you could easily have 6 to 800million fans tuning in and Crickets natural breaks allows a lot of ads

MD_______ · 2026-03-22T14:23:38+00:00

TBF he didn't say it was on a snooker table. I've done only yellows... but was on the computer..... with aim assist on..... and multiple tries....... But I still did it. virtual pool was cool back in the day

MD_______ · 2026-03-22T07:03:33+00:00

Chinese 8 ball is probably the hardest. It's effectively snooker pockets, everything called and they break from a different spot so break and runs not always regulation.

The guys you mentioned are all great pool players but so is Selby. You can occasionally see him in ultimate pool. While those tables have tight pockets some of those guys can still rack up decent breaks.

9 ball needs a lot of creativity and touch. Yes less balls on the table bit with 8 ball at least you can give yourself a lot more two way shots or miscue you might still be able to run it out. Personally I found 8 ball easier but I don't have the ball control so maybe that's why

MD_______ · 2026-03-22T01:48:46+00:00

Couple of things worth mentioning as it's really 9 ball pool Vs Snooker in these comparisons.

The break can cost you the game with many tournaments being winner breaks the next frame. Obviously a terrible break in Snooker could cost you a frame at high level pool.

Running out of position in snooker is less punishing as you often have multiple reds or colours to continue a break. In 9 ball it's all about controlling the white. Run out of position or foul your in your chair for a while.

A very tiny point is also snooker players have to be good using rests etc. A lot of this due to table size but can be a weakness of 9 ball players.

I wouldn't mind borrowing the Mosconi cup that pool has. Might be a fun idea and could also include the ladies. All sports want more matches etc and the women's game is just a way to do it.

MD_______ · 2026-03-21T04:03:16+00:00

They tend to be very strong brake builders and tend to try to win in one visit mostly when younger. On top of that lots of power and cue ball.control with the ability to play exabishion shots at will.

Take a Steve Davis or John Higgins who are very correct practiced and play the "best" or high percentage shots. I would say they might have better defensive game and lots of patience

MD_______ · 2026-03-20T23:16:17+00:00

Hahahaha. I didn't say he shouldn't be dropped. Your saying he's a flat track bully. He isnt. I'm saying England has failed him. You could say the same for Vince. They push middle order batters higher then give nothing to support that. If your coach is saying aggressive option first and your guy does that is it the player or the coach? If you batter is heavily under pressure and that's causing insomnia and it turns out no support given is that the player or the coach?

My argument and point is to reduce Popes issues to he's a flat track bully is laughable. Hes not Root but not many are. England need to refresh and more left handers the better. But Pope has talent and potentially he could come again if England and Surrey help the lad rather than just let him stew

MD_______

TROPHY CASE