Unpopular Cricket Opinions

May 5, 2016
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The jawline, Adam's apple, vague shadow of a moustache and body frame were what I was judging by, before even getting to the haircut.

Mate it’s called a windpipe. You’re seeing something that isn’t there.
I haven’t seen many female cricketers that have hourglass body shapes, and well, if you haven’t worked out the colour of hair, facial or otherwise, that dark skinned women grow, you’ve not seen many of them.

She’s not Christy Turlington but put long hair on her and I reckon she looks like any other female cricketer - slightly masculine.
 
Jun 23, 2008
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Mate it’s called a windpipe. You’re seeing something that isn’t there.
I haven’t seen many female cricketers that have hourglass body shapes, and well, if you haven’t worked out the colour of hair, facial or otherwise, that dark skinned women grow, you’ve not seen many of them.

She’s not Christy Turlington but put long hair on her and I reckon she looks like any other female cricketer - slightly masculine.

Fair enough, I just expected an 18-year-old Indian girl to look, well, a bit more girly.
 
Jun 23, 2008
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Lol, mate it’s women’s cricket. You’re looking in the wrong place!

Notwithstanding, as I said, her short locks do her NO favours in the femininity department. Some can pull it off, she.... cannot

Just really struck me, because the picture and article are the first thing on the CricInfo home page. I started reading the article thinking it was about some young bloke playing in the Nihadas Trophy for India at the moment (they're giving a lot of new young guys a go in their T20I side), then thought "maybe they posted the wrong photo", but nope, that's her.
 
May 5, 2016
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Just really struck me, because the picture and article are the first thing on the CricInfo home page. I started reading the article thinking it was about some young bloke playing in the Nihadas Trophy for India at the moment (they're giving a lot of new young guys a go in their T20I side), then thought "maybe they posted the wrong photo", but nope, that's her.

Hahahaha this actually made me laugh audibly
 

The Scube

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I don't have any issues with the ball tampering scandal,
in an era of rules generally favoring the batsman, allowing ball tampering would even up the contest between bat & ball.
People calling for Massive Bans and smith and Warner to be stripped of leadership positions are overreacting too, nobody kicked up a stink like this when other players in recent time were caught ball tampering (Du Plessis, Afridi) and any punishment should be in line with that eg. A fine or a 1-2 match suspension at most
 

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I don't have any issues with the ball tampering scandal,
in an era of rules generally favoring the batsman, allowing ball tampering would even up the contest between bat & ball.

I wouldn't say that's an UO. A lot of past players want that change to happen.
 

JG22

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Jul 12, 2016
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I haven't been listening - what does she do that makes her ordinary?
Commentary preference is such a personal thing

But for a play by play/ball by ball commentator I always prefer someone more strong in the call

Her analysis and banter didn’t impress me hugely
 
May 5, 2016
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As entertaining as the first two tests have been if we hadn't suspended Smith, Warner and Bancroft this series would be a bit of a no contest.

Based on what? One of the few batting strengths for Australia this series has been the ability of Harris - and Finch in this match - to negotiate early spells that have seen the bowlers bowling well and the ball doing a bit. Warner isn’t noted for negating either of those things. Smith is excellent obviously but the guy who would more than likely have never been picked if he was available, (Head) has been Australia’s best batsman.

Of course you get something good with Warner and Smith but you still have to give something up to squeeze them back in.

Worth noting too that India’s first choice opener hasn’t been available either.
 
May 5, 2006
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Based on what? One of the few batting strengths for Australia this series has been the ability of Harris - and Finch in this match - to negotiate early spells that have seen the bowlers bowling well and the ball doing a bit. Warner isn’t noted for negating either of those things. Smith is excellent obviously but the guy who would more than likely have never been picked if he was available, (Head) has been Australia’s best batsman.

Of course you get something good with Warner and Smith but you still have to give something up to squeeze them back in.

Worth noting too that India’s first choice opener hasn’t been available either.

I reckon having two experienced batsmen who average 100 between them available would be pretty valuable. India minus Kohli are nothing special in Australia.

With all 3 available there's no guarantee any of Bancroft, Head, Finch, Harris, Handscomb, Marsh play. Head has been OK, but he's no Smith. Harris has been OK, but he's not doing anything Bancroft wasn't. Bancroft didn't make big 100s but he farmed a lot of strike in South Africa against the new ball.

The boost of having your two best batsmen in pushes whoever is next best at the time down to #3 in importance. Shaun Marsh might have flourished at #5 with Smith in for all we know.
 
Jan 6, 2004
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Yeah its impossible to know what happens in the uae with smith and warner around and how that changes this summers side, maybe smith scores a ton and ussie doesn't get to play his epic game saving knock, maybe with smith and warner around s marsh fails again and then gets dropped this summer as his experience isn't as vital.
 

DT_fanatic

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As entertaining as the first two tests have been if we hadn't suspended Smith, Warner and Bancroft this series would be a bit of a no contest.

More of an impossible to prove hypothetical than an opinion but regardless, highly doubt it is unpopular. Aside from NZ and England in recent times the home team generally reigns supreme, and Australia have a world class bowling attack that is far more important to winning test matches, especially for them at home. Add Warner and Smith to that and Australia would have been expected to win the series fairly comfortably. Whether that would’ve happened - we will never know.


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I reckon having two experienced batsmen who average 100 between them available would be pretty valuable. India minus Kohli are nothing special in Australia.

With all 3 available there's no guarantee any of Bancroft, Head, Finch, Harris, Handscomb, Marsh play. Head has been OK, but he's no Smith. Harris has been OK, but he's not doing anything Bancroft wasn't. Bancroft didn't make big 100s but he farmed a lot of strike in South Africa against the new ball.

The boost of having your two best batsmen in pushes whoever is next best at the time down to #3 in importance. Shaun Marsh might have flourished at #5 with Smith in for all we know.
Very true. It would be like India without Kohli and Pujara. Ppl can say oh but Smith might have got a duck but in all likelihood it’d be 2-0 down and basically over already.

The opposite would hold too if Australia were touring India and it was the other way around, in all likelihood.
 
May 5, 2016
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Very true. It would be like India without Kohli and Pujara. Ppl can say oh but Smith might have got a duck but in all likelihood it’d be 2-0 down and basically over already.

The opposite would hold too if Australia were touring India and it was the other way around, in all likelihood.

Well it was, the only victory Australia have had in India in 50 years saw Tendulkar miss an Australian win and a draw, Harbajan doing likewise, with Ganguly missing an Aussie win as well.
 

Park cricketer

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Not sure why people big up Bancroft like he's an established test player.

I would fancy Ishant and Bumrah shaping it away against Warner mainly because the wickets in the first two matches have been bowling friendly and Warner has always been vulnerable in such conditions. On flat tracks though, Warner would overcome that challenge.

But yeah Smith is a class player and a big miss. He wouldn't have averaged 100 like last time around because our bowling has improved much from 4 years ago, but he definitely could have made match winning contributions. Anyway we're just speculating here.
 
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Dayan Warna

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I think we are building a good test team. Paine is a smarter captain than Smith. Warner is a douche.

Australia will go up with the current squad.
 
Well it was, the only victory Australia have had in India in 50 years saw Tendulkar miss an Australian win and a draw, Harbajan doing likewise, with Ganguly missing an Aussie win as well.
The difference is Australia won that. India are only 1-1 against this weak Australian line up, scraped home in their only win and have looked ordinary so far relying on too few.

Of course I’m saying this now rather than later in case we go onto lose 4-1....!
 

DaRick

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I think we are building a good test team. Paine is a smarter captain than Smith.

He's definitely more composed and mature, but like Smith he just lacks that inventiveness RE field places/bowling changes that will give the side a definite edge. He definitely has his plans but at times lets the game drift when nothing's happening.

Warner is a douche.

Unpopular opinion, they said. ;)
 

DaRick

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The difference is Australia won that. India are only 1-1 against this weak Australian line up, scraped home in their only win and have looked ordinary so far relying on too few.

Of course I’m saying this now rather than later in case we go onto lose 4-1....!

Nah, no chance of that happening... ;)
 
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