Major League Cricket - 2023 Edition

[Pakistan]

They building NYC stadium in my neighbourhood. I think they should just use my high school stadium. We just need to put in a pitch. We already have flood lights.

[IndiaWC8311]

19 hours ago, Prabhdeep Singh said:

I am quite surprised a thread is open for this mediocre tournament:

 

*No Indian Players

*No T20 status so stats don't count

*I am not sure what the appeal is apart from the game growing in USA

*Possible match fixing could be going on so the viewer could be watching a bollywood movie without even knowing

 

Anyway just my opinion, if you enjoy it keep watching it.

 

Peace.

6 overseas players makes it interesting and some of the best names going around too - Faf, Conway, Miller, Rahsid Khan, Rabada, Stoinis, Boult, Pollard, Nortje etc

5 local players but they are not truly local - Guys like Corey Anderson, Liam Plunkett (world cup winner), Rusty Theron and then a bunch of ex pakistan and india players

I'd say 8-9 decent players in each team with 1-2 holes

 

Overall , better quality than a lot of other leagues including BBL, ILT20 etc

[Lord]

20 hours ago, Prabhdeep Singh said:

I am quite surprised a thread is open for this mediocre tournament:

 

*No Indian Players

*No T20 status so stats don't count

*I am not sure what the appeal is apart from the game growing in USA

*Possible match fixing could be going on so the viewer could be watching a bollywood movie without even knowing

 

Anyway just my opinion, if you enjoy it keep watching it.

 

Peace.

 

its massive for those living in and around US as usually timings for cricket don't match with their time zones.

 

 

[maggot_brain]

Just watching the current match. 

 

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/major-league-cricket-2023-1357742/san-francisco-unicorns-vs-washington-freedom-11th-match-1381371/live-cricket-score

 

The standard of cricket is not particularly high to be honest and at times the fielding is comically bad.

[vvvslaxman]

16 minutes ago, maggot_brain said:

Just watching the current match. 

 

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/major-league-cricket-2023-1357742/san-francisco-unicorns-vs-washington-freedom-11th-match-1381371/live-cricket-score

 

The standard of cricket is not particularly high to be honest and at times the fielding is comically bad.

 

Only difference between IPL and this is addition of Pakistan players :) 

[maggot_brain]

This is like watching incels play cricket.

[vvvslaxman]

Netravalkar is running through them. 

[vvvslaxman]

Netravalkar has dismissed stoinis, shadab, matthew wade

 

3.6 No way! Are you kidding me? Another brute of a delivery, fuller on this occasion and gets it to shape back from outside off as Shadab makes a mess of his stumps. Late movement and then nipping it back like a barracuda out of the murk to clatter the stumps. Completely bamboozled him and Netravalkar has brought his team back in this game! 25/3

Edited July 22, 2023 by vvvslaxman

[maggot_brain]

Pathetic fielding there like Pommie said, "you have to go for it".

[maggot_brain]

Extra advert break  strategic timeout was good.

[vvvslaxman]

Netravalkar

 

3-0-7-3

 

 

[vvvslaxman]

Saurab Netravalkar 6 for 9 . wow   He might get an IPL gig?

[Lord]

9 hours ago, vvvslaxman said:

Saurab Netravalkar 6 for 9 . wow   He might get an IPL gig?

 

Left arm trundler right? Played for India U19 then moved to US ala Unmukt Chand

[BacktoCricaddict]

My family and I were able to watch the TSK-Orcas match in-person in Morrisville, NC (stadium is a 20-min drive).

 

First, it was surreal that "real" top-notch cricket has made its way into North Carolina. I see it happening in large cities, but NC?  Much kudos to the cricketing community here and the town of Morrisville for building an ICC-level ground and small stadium around it with both bleachers and grass seating.

 

The atmosphere was slow to begin with. Friday evening, hot as hell, people just coming in. But there was a great deal of hype from MLC and the teams. There were a bunch of food trucks, free merch being handed out, speaker blaring out music.  And then the TSK fans started to stream in!! By the time we were a few overs in, it was electric. The TSK/CSK fans represent mightily!! They are die-hards.  But for them, the fan environment would have been subdued.  Even when their team was 46/5, they were cheering!  And when Bravo walked out to bat, it was out-of-control! It died down when QDK and Nauman had a long opening partnership, but when Nauman got out .... the whistles came out, the dancing started again and it was crazy!

 

Overall, the pitch had some uneven bounce and it seemed difficult for the batsmen to get the ball away. But the ground was not only fast, it's a bit of a dome-shape and the ball travels downhill in a flash. So, if you get it past the inner ring with a semblance of placement, it's gone. And, being that it is a small-ish ground, it doesn't take a whole lot to get it away for max. I was in the fine/square-leg or covers area, and only a couple of balls made it over the fence there (there didn't seem to be much short bowling).

 

The quality of cricket was fairly good. There were some excellent efforts on the field and one superb catch by Nauman Anwar!  Several really good throws - direct hits - frome the outfield. But also a couple of catches dropped that should've been taken. But then again, the sun is at a weird angle, so that could be a reason. It may be just me feeling this, but it didn't seem like the star players were going full-throttle. The competitive edge was just missing.  But the fringe guys were giving it their all.  QDK's innings was superb!

 

For me personally, it was a bit underwhelming overall, mainly because I am not a cricket fan, only an India-cricket fan.  I have no rooting interest in any of the players or teams.  So, while it was a good time, I didn't get emotionally invested.  So, I say:

 

Dear BCCI, please, please allow fringe Indian players to play in this league. Like Tewatia, Tripathi, Rinku Singh, Rayudu, Shikhar Dhawan etc. would have, at least for me, added so much more to the rooting-emotion. And I'll bet you - if Rinku Singh was playing - I would've made a total fool of myself to get a selfie with him. 

 

 

 

 

[vvvslaxman]

2 hours ago, Lord said:

 

Left arm trundler right? Played for India U19 then moved to US ala Unmukt Chand

 

yea. But he bowled well against TSK as well. Faf couldn't score against him .

[maggot_brain]

This is just the IPL transplanted to the US to make money from NRIs.  The fact that it looks totally shoddy and second rate does not bode well.  I give this tournament a few years at best.

[vvvslaxman]

33 minutes ago, maggot_brain said:

This is just the IPL transplanted to the US to make money from NRIs.  The fact that it looks totally shoddy and second rate does not bode well.  I give this tournament a few years at best.

 

It is a long shot. Personally i don't see suffereing of quality. Most of them are the same players we play in IPL. Even in IPL we still have guys like Chawla, Mishra still fielding.

[mishra]

I can only feel for Americans who have no ide

On 7/23/2023 at 1:51 PM, BacktoCricaddict said:

My family and I were able to watch the TSK-Orcas match in-person in Morrisville, NC (stadium is a 20-min drive).

 

First, it was surreal that "real" top-notch cricket has made its way into North Carolina. I see it happening in large cities, but NC?  Much kudos to the cricketing community here and the town of Morrisville for building an ICC-level ground and small stadium around it with both bleachers and grass seating.

 

The atmosphere was slow to begin with. Friday evening, hot as hell, people just coming in. But there was a great deal of hype from MLC and the teams. There were a bunch of food trucks, free merch being handed out, speaker blaring out music.  And then the TSK fans started to stream in!! By the time we were a few overs in, it was electric. The TSK/CSK fans represent mightily!! They are die-hards.  But for them, the fan environment would have been subdued.  Even when their team was 46/5, they were cheering!  And when Bravo walked out to bat, it was out-of-control! It died down when QDK and Nauman had a long opening partnership, but when Nauman got out .... the whistles came out, the dancing started again and it was crazy!

 

Overall, the pitch had some uneven bounce and it seemed difficult for the batsmen to get the ball away. But the ground was not only fast, it's a bit of a dome-shape and the ball travels downhill in a flash. So, if you get it past the inner ring with a semblance of placement, it's gone. And, being that it is a small-ish ground, it doesn't take a whole lot to get it away for max. I was in the fine/square-leg or covers area, and only a couple of balls made it over the fence there (there didn't seem to be much short bowling).

 

The quality of cricket was fairly good. There were some excellent efforts on the field and one superb catch by Nauman Anwar!  Several really good throws - direct hits - frome the outfield. But also a couple of catches dropped that should've been taken. But then again, the sun is at a weird angle, so that could be a reason. It may be just me feeling this, but it didn't seem like the star players were going full-throttle. The competitive edge was just missing.  But the fringe guys were giving it their all.  QDK's innings was superb!

 

For me personally, it was a bit underwhelming overall, mainly because I am not a cricket fan, only an India-cricket fan.  I have no rooting interest in any of the players or teams.  So, while it was a good time, I didn't get emotionally invested.  So, I say:

 

Dear BCCI, please, please allow fringe Indian players to play in this league. Like Tewatia, Tripathi, Rinku Singh, Rayudu, Shikhar Dhawan etc. would have, at least for me, added so much more to the rooting-emotion. And I'll bet you - if Rinku Singh was playing - I would've made a total fool of myself to get a selfie with him. 

 

 

 

 

IMO, Lack of Cricket as sport is missed by most Indians in America,  it has been brought on your doorstep. ENjoy

[Strangering]

Unmukt Chand got dropped in the worst team of MLC. This guy can't complain about not getting enough chances anymore. Maybe he never developed beyond his one-off U19 week. 

[sandeep]

On 7/23/2023 at 8:51 AM, BacktoCricaddict said:

My family and I were able to watch the TSK-Orcas match in-person in Morrisville, NC (stadium is a 20-min drive).

 

First, it was surreal that "real" top-notch cricket has made its way into North Carolina. I see it happening in large cities, but NC?  Much kudos to the cricketing community here and the town of Morrisville for building an ICC-level ground and small stadium around it with both bleachers and grass seating.

 

The atmosphere was slow to begin with. Friday evening, hot as hell, people just coming in. But there was a great deal of hype from MLC and the teams. There were a bunch of food trucks, free merch being handed out, speaker blaring out music.  And then the TSK fans started to stream in!! By the time we were a few overs in, it was electric. The TSK/CSK fans represent mightily!! They are die-hards.  But for them, the fan environment would have been subdued.  Even when their team was 46/5, they were cheering!  And when Bravo walked out to bat, it was out-of-control! It died down when QDK and Nauman had a long opening partnership, but when Nauman got out .... the whistles came out, the dancing started again and it was crazy!

 

Overall, the pitch had some uneven bounce and it seemed difficult for the batsmen to get the ball away. But the ground was not only fast, it's a bit of a dome-shape and the ball travels downhill in a flash. So, if you get it past the inner ring with a semblance of placement, it's gone. And, being that it is a small-ish ground, it doesn't take a whole lot to get it away for max. I was in the fine/square-leg or covers area, and only a couple of balls made it over the fence there (there didn't seem to be much short bowling).

 

The quality of cricket was fairly good. There were some excellent efforts on the field and one superb catch by Nauman Anwar!  Several really good throws - direct hits - frome the outfield. But also a couple of catches dropped that should've been taken. But then again, the sun is at a weird angle, so that could be a reason. It may be just me feeling this, but it didn't seem like the star players were going full-throttle. The competitive edge was just missing.  But the fringe guys were giving it their all.  QDK's innings was superb!

 

For me personally, it was a bit underwhelming overall, mainly because I am not a cricket fan, only an India-cricket fan.  I have no rooting interest in any of the players or teams.  So, while it was a good time, I didn't get emotionally invested.  So, I say:

 

Dear BCCI, please, please allow fringe Indian players to play in this league. Like Tewatia, Tripathi, Rinku Singh, Rayudu, Shikhar Dhawan etc. would have, at least for me, added so much more to the rooting-emotion. And I'll bet you - if Rinku Singh was playing - I would've made a total fool of myself to get a selfie with him. 

 

 

 

 

 

I was in Morrisville for the Sunday evening game.  Had a great time.  Too sleepy to get into details, but I was happy to be 'there' for the 1st season of the MLC.  As a US based cricket fan, I hope it persists and grows from here.