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Post by Wicked Cricket on Oct 31, 2017 14:11:47 GMT
Witchcraft Used to Win Test Series over Pakistan? ________________________________________________________________A bizarre revelation which slipped out from the mouth of Sri Lankan Captain, Dinesh Chandimal, today to reporters, poses an uncomfortable question to the world? Can sporting events be affected by spells and magic? Chandimal who scored 155 during Sri Lanka's first Test win over Pakistan in Abu Dhabi explained that a maaniyo, a type of Shaman, had given him a special blessing before the series. Sri Lanka unexpectedly beat Pakistan 2-0 with a 21-run win in the first Test in Abu Dhabi and then a 68-run victory in Dubai during October. The result was very surprising given how poorly Sri Lanka have recently played. ![](https://s1.postimg.cc/2gsz5q5a8f/witchcraft.jpg) "I am always ready to accept the blessings of anyone - whether it is a maaniyo or any clergy," explained Chandimal. "You can have talent, but without this blessing you can't move forward." Chandimal said the maaniyo he consulted was the mother of a friend. His comments came a week after Sri Lanka's sports minister denied ordering the struggling national team to use witchcraft before the Test series. Dayasiri Jayasekara threatened to sue a sorcerer for claiming that, at his request, she cast a spell over Pakistan to ensure Sri Lanka's victory. Several Sri Lankan politicians, business leaders and sports stars put their faith in witchcraft. After the two-match Test series, Sri Lanka failed to win any of their limited overs games against Pakistan, losing the one-day series 5-0 and all three Twenty20 matches. Whether this is pure coincidence or a load of baloney, it once again throws up many questions over the power of sorcery and its ability to influence events. Last December, witchcraft was outlawed from being used before African football games by the sports authorities after a match between Rwandan Premier League teams Mukura Victory and Rayon Sports, when a player apparently performed a ritual mid-game, and within seconds scored a goal. The idea that powerful and evil people can use black magic to affect sporting outcomes throws open the corruption of sports gambling. You don't have to fix games by paying off players when spells and black magic, instead, can be used to affect the course of play. www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/witchcraft-banned-football-games-africa-9526780
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Oct 31, 2017 17:18:16 GMT
Poor ol' Essex. The County spend various years underperforming and becalmed in Division 2. Then, Chris Silverwood takes over as Head Coach and for the next two years (2016/17) Chelmsford Members and supporters can't believe their eyes. They pinch themselves so much that bodies become black and blue. First, Essex gain promotion to Division 1 and then immediately thrash all opposition by winning the hallowed Championship Trophy by 72 points over closest rival Lancashire whilst not losing a single match all season. ![](https://s1.postimg.cc/15mr1u5xbz/Silverwood.jpg) Oh woe is me! All this success brings the County total disaster. FEE! FIE! FOE! FUM! The ECB smell the blood of an English cricket man. Be he Essex, and be he Head Coach, We want him for his bowling and we will poach!Yep, Chris Silverwood was named today as the new England bowling coach. He will take over from Ottis Gibson, who left his role at the end of the summer to become the new Head Coach of South Africa. But Silverwood will not be joining up with the England squad for the Ashes straight away, as former New Zealand pace bowler Shane Bond was already previously appointed on a consultancy basis for at least the first two Tests. What a waste of a highly talented Head Coach. Why waste your obvious all-round abilities on just the bowling side of cricket? Silverwood, surely, should become the England commander the ECB have been pining for since the two disappointing stints from Peter Moores. This makes little sense but, hey, at least Jon Lewis will remain now at Sussex for next season. www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12173/11107170/england-to-appoint-essex-head-coach-chris-silverwood-as-fast-bowling-coach
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Post by joe on Oct 31, 2017 18:57:10 GMT
Poor ol' Essex. The County spend various years underperforming and becalmed in Division 2. Then, Chris Silverwood takes over as Head Coach and for the next two years (2016/17) Chelmsford Members and supporters can't believe their eyes. They pinch themselves so much that bodies become black and blue. First, Essex gain promotion to Division 1 and then immediately thrash all opposition by winning the hallowed Championship Trophy by 72 points over closest rival Lancashire whilst not losing a single match all season. ![](https://s1.postimg.cc/15mr1u5xbz/Silverwood.jpg) Oh woe is me! All this success brings the County total disaster. FEE! FIE! FOE! FUM! The ECB smell the blood of an English cricket man. Be he Essex, and be he Head Coach, We want him for his bowling and we will poach!Yep, Chris Silverwood was named today as the new England bowling coach. He will take over from Ottis Gibson, who left his role at the end of the summer to become the new Head Coach of South Africa. But Silverwood will not be joining up with the England squad for the Ashes straight away, as former New Zealand pace bowler Shane Bond was already previously appointed on a consultancy basis for at least the first two Tests. What a waste of a highly talented Head Coach. Why waste your obvious all-round abilities on just the bowling side of cricket? Silverwood, surely, should become the England commander the ECB have been pining for since the two disappointing stints from Peter Moores. This makes little sense but, hey, at least Jon Lewis will remain now at Sussex for next season. www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12173/11107170/england-to-appoint-essex-head-coach-chris-silverwood-as-fast-bowling-coachBecause he has ambition and now has a foot on the rung of the international ladder.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Nov 1, 2017 9:44:47 GMT
joe,
I take your point. My view is Silverwood should have stayed at Essex; won another Trophy for the County and 'do a Sussex'; and then 'later' put himself up as a strong contender to become the next 'English' Head Coach after Trevor Bayliss steps down.
I hold much sympathy for Essex and their supporters, for once more this 'poaching' from the ECB clearly portrays how Counties are little more than their 'lackeys'. But when you accept over £1m a year from them plus a load of other financial perks, what do you expect?
This appointment also shows how cold and clinical Silverwood is concerning his ambition. He wins Essex Division 1 promotion followed by a Championship Trophy; then applies for the England bowling Coach job; gets it and then b*ggers off while hinting, 'Thank you very much Essex but I don't need you anymore!'
Isn't there any loyalty left in sport today?
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Post by flashblade on Nov 1, 2017 10:26:06 GMT
joe, I take your point. My view is Silverwood should have stayed at Essex; won another Trophy for the County and 'do a Sussex'; and then 'later' put himself up as a strong contender to become the next 'English' Head Coach after Trevor Bayliss steps down. I hold much sympathy for Essex and their supporters, for once more this 'poaching' from the ECB clearly portrays how Counties are little more than their 'lackeys'. But when you accept over £1m a year from them plus a load of other financial perks, what do you expect? This appointment also shows how cold and clinical Silverwood is concerning his ambition. He wins Essex Division 1 promotion followed by a Championship Trophy; then applies for the England bowling Coach job; gets it and then b*ggers off while hinting, 'Thank you very much Essex but I don't need you anymore!' Isn't there any loyalty left in sport today?Not a lot. Any decent professional sportsman is entitled to maximise his earning potential over the short and long term, and this is now possible because of the amount of money in the global game. I guess that in the days when there wasn't much money in the game, most players had little incentive to move out of their modest comfort zones. I think fans have to accept that modern players' loyalties are weaker than their own.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Nov 1, 2017 12:27:58 GMT
Who will be the New Sussex CCC Head Coach? Follow the Clues... _________________________________________________________________________________This week the deerstalker hat and pipe has become my fancy dress as I attempt to discover who the Sussex CCC new Head Coach may be. Twitter is often the first port of call. Reading between the lines, then adding a pinch of speculation, there are threads of insight which could help the cause.
![](https://s1.postimg.cc/8csa7pd3v3/Sherlock_Holmes.jpg) The extension of Luke Wright's contract yesterday has sent a massive sigh of relief around the club. There had been rumours for some time that Luke was unhappy. It was even suggested that making him Captain for the 2016 season and onwards was a ploy to keep him at the club when speculation circulated that several counties including Surrey had shown interest in his services after Sussex were relegated. Then, when Luke stepped down as Captain in June this year, questions were raised about whether this was of his own volition or was he pushed? We learn from a poster on this Forum that Mark Davis, allegedly, then offered Chris Nash the Captaincy, only to withdraw the offer the following day by giving it to Ben Brown instead. If true, some might say what terrible man-management and enough, perhaps, to drive Nash away from Sussex. Given his hurt pride and given Chris was the most senior player and longest serving Sussex player, who could blame him?* Meanwhile, Wright's contract extension was met with delight on Twitter. Chris Adams succinctly tweeted, "Fantastic news!" followed by a series of handclap emoticons, while the word that keeps popping up is "culture". Sussex players from the past seem to agree that what is badly lacking from the present squad is the former winning culture. Matt Prior tweets about Luke, "Great news for the club after a tough few weeks. Now we need a culture that will challenge him and get the most out of the player he is!" And Wright himself writes, "I have as big a drive as ever to help Sussex get back to competing for trophies. It’s been tough at times but get the culture right and we (will)." Luke then goes on to say, “I believe that my best years as a cricketer are in front of me and I am excited to be helping this talented young squad in fulfilling its potential." Adding, "(We) have a squad there that can achieve great things hopefully now and in many years to come..." Is one of the major reasons that Davis left because the senior players did not believe in his coaching methods? Which then leads to the obvious question: Who made the final decision at the club on choosing Davis as Coach when, so many supporters felt, he was the wrong choice for the job. I remember at the time, I carried out a straw poll of around 120 Members and supporters during the summer of 2015 and close to 70% wanted a return of Chris Adams in some capacity. At the time, the obvious choice was as a batting coach. So, who will be the new Head Coach? Back in late 2015, it was Luke Wright via the pages of the Evening Argus who was pushing hard for Grizz, whilst Adams himself was carrying out an energetic public relations operation as he attempted to persuade the club to take him back. At times, this self publicity was a little embarrassing, for it became obvious that while a majority of Sussex supporters wanted Chris to return, however hard Adams pushed, the club hierarchy had other ideas. And a few years up the road with Davis gone, supporters have been proven correct in their assumption. Shouldn't the club hierarchy carry out the desires of Members and supporters? Isn't that one of their primary roles? Perhaps, I misunderstand how a county cricket club works? Sadly, this hierarchy have egg on their face now and it is up to Rob Andrew to sort out the mess. For the problem at Sussex is that the Chris Adams question will never go away for as long as success evades the club. Rather like that sweet smell of promise, Adams is never too far from the minds of supporters who still tightly cherish the memories of the club's golden decade. At present, there is no sign of a Head Coach advert on the pages of the club website or anywhere else for that matter. Legally, don't the club have to advertise the role? Perhaps, Andrew already had someone in mind before Davis was asked to leave? Who that person may be, is anyone's guess, but the notion that Chris Adams returns, in some capacity or other, must be on the list of possible outcomes. * News just through that Chris Nash has joined Notts. An excellent move and one that should rejuvenate him.
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Post by jonboy on Nov 1, 2017 13:34:53 GMT
Adams wouldn’t accept mediocrity, which might be a problem for those running the club
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Post by flashblade on Nov 1, 2017 13:41:58 GMT
Not sure his stint at Surrey makes him a very desirable candidate. He's struggled to find work in the UK (unless you count Yorkshire and Ireland *) so I'm not sure how highly he's regarded in this country. His successful captaincy at Sussex has, for me, no bearing on his suitability as a coach. It's too easy a call, and smacks of the wretched family culture that we desperately need to move away from.
* I know Ireland is not in the UK !
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Post by liquidskin on Nov 1, 2017 18:05:07 GMT
Not sure his stint at Surrey makes him a very desirable candidate. He's struggled to find work in the UK (unless you count Yorkshire and Ireland *) so I'm not sure how highly he's regarded in this country. His successful captaincy at Sussex has, for me, no bearing on his suitability as a coach. It's too easy a call, and smacks of the wretched family culture that we desperately need to move away from. * I know Ireland is not in the UK ! He got Surrey promoted and won a one-day trophy didn't he?
S&F, CS ain't gonna turn down England is he. You're living in cloud cuckoo land - whereabouts by the way, I'll pop round.
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Post by joe on Nov 1, 2017 19:27:24 GMT
Not sure his stint at Surrey makes him a very desirable candidate. He's struggled to find work in the UK (unless you count Yorkshire and Ireland *) so I'm not sure how highly he's regarded in this country. His successful captaincy at Sussex has, for me, no bearing on his suitability as a coach. It's too easy a call, and smacks of the wretched family culture that we desperately need to move away from. * I know Ireland is not in the UK ! Don’t agree. He’s had proven coaching success with The Netherlands and Sri Lanka. He’s been away from Sussex now for 10 years and there are very few left at the club from his playing days. He has a passion for Sussex Cricket, he wouldn’t have to relocate and he wants the job.
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Post by flashblade on Nov 2, 2017 7:51:16 GMT
Not sure his stint at Surrey makes him a very desirable candidate. He's struggled to find work in the UK (unless you count Yorkshire and Ireland *) so I'm not sure how highly he's regarded in this country. His successful captaincy at Sussex has, for me, no bearing on his suitability as a coach. It's too easy a call, and smacks of the wretched family culture that we desperately need to move away from. * I know Ireland is not in the UK ! Don’t agree. He’s had proven coaching success with The Netherlands and Sri Lanka. But he left Surrey in a bit of a mess - far too close to the players. AFAIK, other counties have since turned him down.
He’s been away from Sussex now for 10 years and there are very few left at the club from his playing days. True. He has a passion for Sussex Cricket, he wouldn’t have to relocate and he wants the job. Those are reasons why he wants the job - not reasons for Sussex to appoint him. See above
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Nov 2, 2017 11:56:01 GMT
The Chris Adams debate goes around and around. Perhaps, a majority of supporters want him to return, while others believe he is too close to the club and represents the 'jobs for the boys'. ![](https://s1.postimg.cc/7zxbx0wwrz/Chris-_Adams.jpg) As stated before, my heart embraces Adams yet my head asks various questions about his re-emergence. But the bottom-line is this. Sussex are becalmed in no-man's land. A wrong decision by the hierarchy was made in appointing Mark Davis and while the youngsters have improved and gained valuable experience, two years have been lost in the rebuilding of the club. We need someone to come into the county ground speed walking and Adams is one of the few who understands the past club culture and most importantly knows 'How to Win'. Until we try Adams that burning question, that sweet smell of promised success, will always remain. I cannot think of anyone else who carries the club on his sleeve as much as Adams. To say "He loves Sussex CCC" is a little strong but his heart and soul remains at Hove and while his past is a little chequered, agreed, he has the experience and the understanding to take Sussex forward. Nothing would be worse than if a complete outsider comes in and a further three years is wasted. For how long would it take him to bed in? My point is this: Adams is the least riskiest choice given the present demise of the club. I am delighted Sussex have retained Wright. I honestly believed he would leave alongside Nash. For senior players who remember and were part of the glory days, it must be a very depressing time. So, an Adams return would not only re-energise the club and supporters but change the energy back to that which resonated during the golden decade. He has that ability and power to not only change the culture but shake the club up and that is why, perhaps, some at Sussex are concerned about his arrival. I also feel that Adams and Rob Andrew as a team, could become a powerhouse of positive transformation, not just on the field but off it too. My ChoiceHead Coach: Chris Adams Assistant: Matt Prior Bowling Coach: Jon Lewis Chief Exec: Rob AndrewCombine those four outstanding sportsmen and the success and experience they will bring to the club, as a team, may even lead to a parallel of the extraordinary achievements Essex have enjoyed during the last two years.
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Post by howardh on Nov 2, 2017 14:13:37 GMT
That is an excellent post in every respect, S & F. I fully endorse all of your points.
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Post by jonboy on Nov 2, 2017 17:40:22 GMT
Me too
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Post by irishexile on Nov 6, 2017 16:52:05 GMT
Don’t agree. He’s had proven coaching success with The Netherlands and Sri Lanka. But he left Surrey in a bit of a mess - far too close to the players. AFAIK, other counties have since turned him down.
He’s been away from Sussex now for 10 years and there are very few left at the club from his playing days. True. He has a passion for Sussex Cricket, he wouldn’t have to relocate and he wants the job. Those are reasons why he wants the job - not reasons for Sussex to appoint him. See aboveI like the guy, but he presided over a culture at Surrey that ultimately resulted in the loss of a player - although not directly responsible, you have to assume he would have seen the signs, and could have done something to mitigate the issues. Having also seen his work first hand with NL and SL, I wouldn't say that makes him head coach material. Enthusiasm, and ability to do the warm-ups only gets you so far.
And to say he is the "least riskiest" choice (S&F) ranks up there with "best of a bad bunch" - not exactly a ringing endorsement of his credentials. If he happens to be the best candidate after the recruitment process is complete then so be it, but you'd like to think there might be better candidates out there.
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