2021 WI vs SA - the battle for world cricket supremacy (2 Tests, 5 T20Is)

[jle101]

Nortje was bowling some genuine heat last night. Has to be currently one of the fastest bowlers in the world.

 

[PhatBoy]

Nortje was bowling some genuine heat last night. Has to be currently one of the fastest bowlers in the world.

I really enjoy watching him. I can appreciate the speed of guys like Starc or Bumrah etc but there’s something spectacular about guys who just thump it into the pitch as hard and fast as they can and really hurry the batsmen.

he is the bowler I would least like to face in the world at the moment from a danger perspective

 

[corbies]

I like Powell being back in there. I think he has class he’s just mentally very ordinary.

brathwaite
Powell
Bravo
Bonner
Mayers
Holder
Dowrich/da Silva
Cornwall
Roach
Searles/Joseph
Gabriel

Chase has the goods upstairs but his technique against the moving ball is suspect. Blackwood has something to offer but not sure where he fits in among that group

I reckon that's a bowler too many if you've got Holder and Mayers in the top 6 and as you rightly point out WI usually have no problem bowling sides out. I think you play only one of Cornwall/Seales depending on conditions.

 

[PhatBoy]

I reckon that's a bowler too many if you've got Holder and Mayers in the top 6 and as you rightly point out WI usually have no problem bowling sides out. I think you play only one of Cornwall/Seales depending on conditions.

Yeah that’s fair. Chase comes into the equation on surfaces where a spinner probably doesn’t seem necessary.
Mayers’ bowling was curiously impressive

 

[corbies]

Yeah that’s fair. Chase comes into the equation on surfaces where a spinner probably doesn’t seem necessary.
Mayers’ bowling was curiously impressive

Mayers does have 82 wickets @ 21 at first class level. Obviously he's going to be innocuous in conditions that don't suit but I like that he's got a point of difference to Holder, Gabriel, Roach.

 

[jle101]

I really enjoy watching him. I can appreciate the speed of guys like Starc or Bumrah etc but there’s something spectacular about guys who just thump it into the pitch as hard and fast as they can and really hurry the batsmen.

he is the bowler I would least like to face in the world at the moment from a danger perspective

Some of his bouncers last night were utterly vicious. Seems to have bucket loads of upper body strength. Can't really recall him suffering from many injuries either.

 

[PhatBoy]

Some of his bouncers last night were utterly vicious. Seems to have bucket loads of upper body strength. Can't really recall him suffering from many injuries either.

Absolutely he’s been very durable so far

 

[corbies]

Nortje actually had a terrible run of injuries not long ago. He was lighting up the South African T20 league and then did his ankle. Made it back to get picked up in the 2019 IPL where he then did his shoulder and had to pull out. He then made it back again to make the squad for the World Cup before he had to withdraw again as he broke his thumb.

I listened to an interview he did with The Grade Cricketer recently (he was boring af) and it's the only reason I know.

 

[jle101]

In that case, glad he's been staying fit since then.

 

[PhatBoy]

Series doesn’t solve any issues from an SA perspective either it just buys Boucher a bit more time.

relied once more on de kock bailing them out, Markram made one decent score but continues to under achi eve, Elgar made a score and is still reliable. vDD making 75 with his team 7-70 was probably the only other positive.

their bowlers we know are good that’s nothing new

 

[jle101]

This is how I would currently rank the top 8-9 teams.

1. NZ
2. India
3. Australia
4. England
= Pakistan
6. South Africa
7. Sri Lanka
= West Indies
= Bangladesh

 

[corbies]

This is how I would currently rank the top 8-9 teams.

1. NZ
2. India
3. Australia
4. England
= Pakistan
6. South Africa
7. Sri Lanka
= West Indies
= Bangladesh

In corbies dreamland where the Test playing nations all play each other home and away free from of all other commitments and for my entertainment I think the final ladder would end up something like:

1. India
2. New Zealand
3. Australia
4. England
5. Pakistan
6. South Africa
7. West Indies
8. Sri Lanka
9. Bangladesh
10. Afghanistan
11. Zimbabwe
12. Ireland

In my head I group it as:
Ind
NZ, Aus
Eng
Pak, SA
WI, SL, Ban
Afg, Zim, Ire

 

[jle101]

Looking good. I should have done the top 12. I have a feeling Afghanistan are a tier above both Ireland & the Zim-jims. Looking forward to seeing how they fare down here in a few months!

 

[corbies]

Looking good. I should have done the top 12. I have a feeling Afghanistan are a tier above both Ireland & the Zim-jims. Looking forward to seeing how they fare down here in a few months!

Afghanistan and Zimbabwe played a 2 test series not long ago and it finished 1-1 with Zimbabwe pumping the Afghans in the 1st test so I don't think there's much between them.

In my hypothetical Test league I think the Afghans are more a chance of scrapping a win or two at home against some of the bigger boys due to the conditions.

 

[jle101]

Afghanistan and Zimbabwe played a 2 test series not long ago and it finished 1-1 with Zimbabwe pumping the Afghans in the 1st test so I don't think there's much between them.

In my hypothetical Test league I think the Afghans are more a chance of scrapping a win or two at home against some of the bigger boys due to the conditions.

I had nearly forgotten they had played that series recently. I guess I based my comment on the fact that Zimbabwe are due for a fairly big rebuilding phase, similar to how Ireland are currently fairing. Zim's rebuild began with the retirements of Cremer & Masakadza, & will sadly eventually see the end of stalwarts such as Taylor, Ervine, Raza & Williams. Afghanistan on the other hand seem to have a bright new prospect every year. Rahmanullah Gurbaz currently looks like he could be something big.

Speaking of a hypothetical Test league, would anyone here be interested in participating in a sim league here on BigFooty? We could set up something where everyone chooses a nation they would like to manage & we sim the results. Have some experience simming on other forums.

 

[CrazyJoeFevola]

I had nearly forgotten they had played that series recently. I guess I based my comment on the fact that Zimbabwe are due for a fairly big rebuilding phase, similar to how Ireland are currently fairing. Zim's rebuild began with the retirements of Cremer & Masakadza, & will sadly eventually see the end of stalwarts such as Taylor, Ervine, Raza & Williams. Afghanistan on the other hand seem to have a bright new prospect every year. Rahmanullah Gurbaz currently looks like he could be something big.

Speaking of a hypothetical Test league, would anyone here be interested in participating in a sim league here on BigFooty? We could set up something where everyone chooses a nation they would like to manage & we sim the results. Have some experience simming on other forums.

Yes, in fact lock me in for the Zimbos if you get it going.

 

[corbies]

I'm always interested in a simmed league but we've tried a few times and it always seems to fizzle out.

 

[CrazyJoeFevola]

I'm always interested in a simmed league but we've tried a few times and it always seems to fizzle out.

Oh Errol, I would give anything, just to play a sim

 

[jle101]

Yes, in fact lock me in for the Zimbos if you get it going.

Can do. Will tag you & corbies in the thread. I'm pretty dedicated so hopefully wont fizzle out.

 

[PhatBoy]

Well we just scored more in 16 overs than we managed in most of the completed test innings against the same opponent.

brilliant.

 

[PhatBoy]

This has actually been a fairly decent series as far as meaningless t20 matches go