Best ever .
Flat decks, protective equipment, big bats, bowlers only allowed to bowl 2 bouncers etc.
Boxing Day Test 2017
- Thread starter Gough
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Flat decks, protective equipment, big bats, bowlers only allowed to bowl 2 bouncers etc.
Yeah maybe but not that much.
He was never a team man and that was reflected in how he was seen in the dressing room.....and afterwards. Thats an issue because cricket is still a team game.
Sure he could bat all day and was nigh on impossible to dismiss some days but the rest still stands
Not to mention truncated boundaries.
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Weird thing is the Melbourne grass tends to be lifeless and more like straw due to the dry conditions. Hence the ball bounces slowly off it. Not like Brisbane.
Melbourne should do a Hobart. Remember when Hobart was in dire straits in 2011 when the curator didn't mow the grass and watered the be Jeebus out of it so it moved sideways. NZ got rolled for 150 odd everyone bagged them then the next day they rolled Australia for 130 odd.
On Day 4 it flattened a bit Australia had a tight chase of 240 odd fell 7 runs short but Warner made a century which basically kick started his career.
Next year have a raging seamer which dries out a bit. Or dig the bastard up roll and relay then drop it in and make it like an Indian turner.
Drugs Are Bad Mackay?
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Do the average scores bear that out?
What I couldn't believe about Boycott was the story about John Gleeson, the "mystery" spinner from Australia. Ater trying to work out what Gleeson was doing, a team mate (can't recall who) came down the pitch and excitedly told Boycott he'd worked out how to read Gleeson. Boycott replied he'd worked it out Tests ago and asked the player not to tell any of his team mates. Very strange man is Boycott.
How many players over the years have had team mates come out to try and run him out (a la Botham) so they can get on with the game.
Did anyone see the practical joke the commentary team played on Boycott? They prepared an official letterhead proclaiming certain matches were no longer awarded 1st class status, leaving Boycott on 99 1st class 100s instead of 103. Boycott carried on like a baby who'd lost his rattle. It was hilarious.
I had to laugh when, after avoiding all the quick bowlers, came to Australia in 1978-79 thinking all the quickies were in World Series Cricket, and then got cleaned up by Hoggy
Also, if you want a laugh, google "David Lloyd on Geoff Boycott" on You Tube. Classic.
Jesus Christ look at all those empty seats
I thought this was the ‘premier’ test?
*yawn
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Off the top of my head 2000's and 2010's are about 10% higher scoring than other decades in the Post-WWII era (which has a higher amount of test matches so not such a lack of data). Definitely a good period to be a batsmen.
Post -WWI was significantly lower than after WWI.
I'll dig up the numbers on StatsGuru in a moment.
The single biggest factor stopping it from being 20 to 25% higher scoring decades is the standard of fielding has improved significantly.
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Drugs Are Bad Mackay?
Batting averages only (excluding extras)
WWI - 1990's: Ave: 30.13
WWII - 1990's: Ave 29.99
2000's to now: Ave 32.03 (6.3% increase post WWI, 6.8% increase post WWII)
Batting averages by decade - 2000's and 2010's are #2 and #3.
Amazingly taking out the freakish Don Bradman's performances from the 1940's it brings the total average for the entire decade down (essentially) an entire run. From 34.26 to 33.27. You need to do that calculation manually by taking Bradman's 1940's performances from the 1940's overall aggregate above.
I think the high averages of the 1940's can largely be put down to statistical anomaly and small data set (only 45 tests played due to WWII).
Batting averages only (excluding extras)
WWI - 1990's: Ave: 30.13
WWII - 1990's: Ave 29.99
2000's to now: Ave 32.03 (6.3% increase post WWI, 6.8% increase post WWII)
Batting averages by decade - 2000's and 2010's are #2 and #3.
Amazingly taking out the freakish Don Bradman's performances from the 1940's it brings the total average for the entire decade down (essentially) an entire run. From 34.26 to 33.27. You need to do that calculation manually by taking Bradman's 1940's performances from the 1940's overall aggregate above.
I think the high averages of the 1940's can largely be put down to statistical anomaly and small data set (only 45 tests played due to WWII).
- Oct 14, 2011
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I'd say it's more down to keepers and bowlers being expected to bat now.
That's a good point - would have to think that would have an influence. Perhaps also Tests against the newer Test playing nations (although that would have happened in previous decades too).
I haven't given this much thought, but the bowling depth world wide in the 70s & 80s was the best the cricket world has seen. There's not the depth of bowling talent now, which would account for higher individual scores.
It was Basil D’Oliveira. Boycott always denied it.
peternorth
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the afl hate kevin mitchell jnr. 3aw healy and russell especially
What I couldn't believe about Boycott was the story about John Gleeson, the "mystery" spinner from Australia. Ater trying to work out what Gleeson was doing, a team mate (can't recall who) came down the pitch and excitedly told Boycott he'd worked out how to read Gleeson. Boycott replied he'd worked it out Tests ago and asked the player not to tell any of his team mates. Very strange man is Boycott.
How many players over the years have had team mates come out to try and run him out (a la Botham) so they can get on with the game.
Did anyone see the practical joke the commentary team played on Boycott? They prepared an official letterhead proclaiming certain matches were no longer awarded 1st class status, leaving Boycott on 99 1st class 100s instead of 103. Boycott carried on like a baby who'd lost his rattle. It was hilarious.
I had to laugh when, after avoiding all the quick bowlers, came to Australia in 1978-79 thinking all the quickies were in World Series Cricket, and then got cleaned up by Hoggy
Also, if you want a laugh, google "David Lloyd on Geoff Boycott" on You Tube. Classic.
His reaction is just magic
I think he can be a negative sook of a commentator at times, but I kind of find his whole persona as refreshing sometimes. So many people in cricket and sport try hide their egos and agendas and try to push them through insidiously, demeaning the audience. Whereas Boycott just has no filter or shame in his lack of humility so you either simply reject or accept his argument.
To be frank though, the situation last year with the Gabba in the first round was utterly ridiculous considering the capabilities of other venues in turnaround time between events.
Immediately after the war, England which had been decimated fielded its weakest bowling attack of all time. No Englishman contests this point.
Also some of the test teams were fledglings playing their early tests and their bowlers got hammered.
Cook's problem is mental. It's no coincidence that he has put in his best effort only after there's nothing more at stake.
Plugger35
The umpires are always right!
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The pitch had a lot to do with that too, Cook plays better on the lower slower pitches than the faster bouncier pitches that you get elsewhere in Australia.
I actually made a comment in this thread at the start of the England innings that the pitch should suit Cook, I didn't expect him to get a double ton though.
Carbine Chaos
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He’s had technical issues outside off stump for some time.
When all they do is mention what the opposition has to do to win, on a constant basis, you can understand why. If this was played in another country, you don't hear the crap that Slater and Taylor crap on about. All they talked about, and the series is over, and I'm sure it's a directive, is what England need to do to win. Who gives a s**t. They have already lost. That doesn't happen in other countries whether you believe it or not. Its all about TV ratings.I'm talking about grass coverage, not the length of the grass. There was a much thicker mat of grass than at other venues, something commentators also mentioned. I recall Healy in particular explaining that very point, but as usual, most people are too busy complaining about commentators to take in much of what they say
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But its not so who the * cares what the sooky poms think.
What I couldn't believe about Boycott was the story about John Gleeson, the "mystery" spinner from Australia. Ater trying to work out what Gleeson was doing, a team mate (can't recall who) came down the pitch and excitedly told Boycott he'd worked out how to read Gleeson. Boycott replied he'd worked it out Tests ago and asked the player not to tell any of his team mates. Very strange man is Boycott.
How many players over the years have had team mates come out to try and run him out (a la Botham) so they can get on with the game.
Did anyone see the practical joke the commentary team played on Boycott? They prepared an official letterhead proclaiming certain matches were no longer awarded 1st class status, leaving Boycott on 99 1st class 100s instead of 103. Boycott carried on like a baby who'd lost his rattle. It was hilarious.
I had to laugh when, after avoiding all the quick bowlers, came to Australia in 1978-79 thinking all the quickies were in World Series Cricket, and then got cleaned up by Hoggy
Also, if you want a laugh, google "David Lloyd on Geoff Boycott" on You Tube. Classic.
Ashley Mallet tells that story except it was John Edrich at the other end.
He also talks about Rod Marsh drinking beer with Boycott at the end of each day's play. When Marsh was approached by the other Australians for drinking with Boycott, he told them he wasn't drinking with him because he liked him but that Boycott was listing all the faults with the other English batters and Marsh was feeding that back to the Aussie bowlers.
Yes, Boycott is and was a very strange dude. You wouldn't want to be in the trenches with him
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