General Sport Discussion (non-AFL)

Remove this Banner Ad

Fatcat08 said:
He's certainly something to see live. Flew down for the game last night, glad I did. The amount of Sri Lankan fans was insane. Instead of a supporters bay they had a supporters stand being the whole Bill O'Reilly stand.

The best part of the trip was seeing the whole SCG members area. For world cups its a blank stadium so no members or non member section. Got to have a drink in the heritage listed members stand right next to the Australian and Sri Lankan dressing rooms and then also got to walk round the new stand at the SCG. My goodness its impressive. The food options in there put the gabba to shame and that's before you get to the fact they have a matilda bay microbrewery in there! Although unfortunately for the WC it was only Carlton Mid on tap. You could certainly see the old SCG members in the members stand bar looking around bewildered as people walked through there with thongs and singlets on. I'm surprised one old duck didn't have a heart attack!
Click to expand...

I know, Members only area IIRC.. :(
 

Log in to remove this ad.

Really feel that DL played a massive part in this game. SAF were cruising and looking to launch to 350+ before the rain came. DL simply cannot calculate the power hitting in the game now.
 
Albi_Mangler said:
Really feel that DL played a massive part in this game. SAF were cruising and looking to launch to 350+ before the rain came. DL simply cannot calculate the power hitting in the game now.
Click to expand...
It's an interesting point. So far I haven't heard for any calls on revising DWL but you'd think they'd need to. To think SA had wickets in hand too...

Another point on tonight's game which has been overlooked but what the hell was Steyn doing? Length ball with five needed off 2... quality bowler but far from a death performer
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Cockliff38 said:
Another point on tonight's game which has been overlooked but what the hell was Steyn doing? Length ball with five needed off 2... quality bowler but far from a death performer
Click to expand...

"Death" bowling is really like a game of rock paper scissors. You almost have to outguess the guy at the other end and what he's going to do in his movement. Sure, the ball to bowl is the yorker, but get it slightly wrong and you're going to go for runs, especially on that postage stamp of a ground. Steyn is a bolwer who trades on his pace to a degree, but he was also clearly injured so that may have had an impact. Even with Vettori in, NZ were odds on to get the 12 runds needed.

As CJ alluded to above, there's always a temptation to over-analyse the end of games whereas they'd made much greater blues before that.
 
The Flying Belgian said:
"Death" bowling is really like a game of rock paper scissors. You almost have to outguess the guy at the other end and what he's going to do in his movement. Sure, the ball to bowl is the yorker, but get it slightly wrong and you're going to go for runs, especially on that postage stamp of a ground. Steyn is a bolwer who trades on his pace to a degree, but he was also clearly injured so that may have had an impact. Even with Vettori in, NZ were odds on to get the 12 runds needed.

As CJ alluded to above, there's always a temptation to over-analyse the end of games whereas they'd made much greater blues before that.
Click to expand...

I quite often cringe when people say flat out that they should just bowl yorkers at the death (I must admit i still find myself saying it sometimes in the heat of things). If you've got the confidence to do it and have a really good one aka Starc, then I'm all for it. But its the smallest margin for error ball in cricket. When you bowl length or shorter you've got about a 50-70cm area length wise without affecting the result too much. With a yorker you're looking at about 10cm which when you're bowling at serious pace, is not easy to do. Anything either side of that and you're looking at almost a guaranteed boundary in those final overs. Trying it at a ground with a 55m straight boundary is even more fraught with danger.

On that field I would have been bowling back of a length too. Realistically at that stage of an innings when guys are going for anything you're on a hiding to nothing. Agree that SA lost that match much earlier in the chase.
 
The Flying Belgian said:
"Death" bowling is really like a game of rock paper scissors. You almost have to outguess the guy at the other end and what he's going to do in his movement. Sure, the ball to bowl is the yorker, but get it slightly wrong and you're going to go for runs, especially on that postage stamp of a ground. Steyn is a bolwer who trades on his pace to a degree, but he was also clearly injured so that may have had an impact. Even with Vettori in, NZ were odds on to get the 12 runds needed.

As CJ alluded to above, there's always a temptation to over-analyse the end of games whereas they'd made much greater blues before that.
Click to expand...
I don't think you can merely put it down to a guessing game as that's discrediting the players who specialise at the end of the innings - particularly Starc. Steyn's game is based on pace, so why not bowl a bouncer? Trick Elliot with a slower ball? As pointed out the yorker? My point is he had plenty of options and the decision to bowl length was a poor one. You expect better from one of, if not the, best bowler in the world.
 
Steyn is the 2nd ranked one day bowler in the world but I think I'd only pick him in a World XI if there were two quality containing, finishnig bowlers in the side. SA have been one bowler short all tournament. They'd kill for a Faulkner.
 
POBT said:
Steyn is the 2nd ranked one day bowler in the world but I think I'd only pick him in a World XI if there were two quality containing, finishnig bowlers in the side. SA have been one bowler short all tournament. They'd kill for a Faulkner.
Click to expand...

Even as a new ball bowler he's starting to slide. Think he's been on a bit of a downward trajectory for a little while now. Still capable of bowling great spells but lacks that bit of menace he used to have. Doesn't quite get the nip off the pitch he used to either. As a lefty its nice to see the large number of quality left arm pace bowlers around at the moment. Don't quite get it though when some people question whether you can have 2-3 left armers in your side, huh? Teams for years have had 3 right arm pace bowlers in, don't see why you cant have 3 left armers.

No surprise but Kallis retiring and lack of even a remotely suitable replacement for him has hurt them the most, especially in Australia/NZ. If this WC was played in the subcontinent they probably could have gotten away with Duminy, but you really need that extra seamer on our pitches, or better quality spin option from your part timer (or at least don't need them to have to bowl a full 10 overs). With the batting side that they have I think they could have gone more aggressive and played Parnell instead of Duminy.
 
Fatcat08 said:
Even as a new ball bowler he's starting to slide. Think he's been on a bit of a downward trajectory for a little while now. Still capable of bowling great spells but lacks that bit of menace he used to have. Doesn't quite get the nip off the pitch he used to either. As a lefty its nice to see the large number of quality left arm pace bowlers around at the moment. Don't quite get it though when some people question whether you can have 2-3 left armers in your side, huh? Teams for years have had 3 right arm pace bowlers in, don't see why you cant have 3 left armers.

No surprise but Kallis retiring and lack of even a remotely suitable replacement for him has hurt them the most, especially in Australia/NZ. If this WC was played in the subcontinent they probably could have gotten away with Duminy, but you really need that extra seamer on our pitches, or better quality spin option from your part timer (or at least don't need them to have to bowl a full 10 overs). With the batting side that they have I think they could have gone more aggressive and played Parnell instead of Duminy.
Click to expand...

They did that v India and Parnell bowled like poo and the batting was similar
 
I know it was always a tough ask given he lost wickets at the other end but gee Dhoni ballsed up that chase. He had to attack at least one of Faulkner and Starc during the power play. One 20 run over in that period and the run rate stays at 10 and Clarke starts to worry about what's going to happen given he still needed 2 overs out of Watson and one out of Hazlewood.

Funny things happen under pressure and Dhoni either buggered up his tactics or froze under pressure.
 
Yeah, it was bizarre. Was posting on the cricket board at the time and it was a total "wtf is he doing" moment.

His post-match interview was bizarre too. Potted a few of his own players such as Rohit for getting out, but refused to cop any blame himself.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top