Cook, Clarke or Amla?

[Hellgood]

I am only critiquing Clarke's fielding here. In my opinion it's a bit overrated and is more based upon his earlier days in the Australian side where he was very good (in an amazing fielding side: Warne, Hayden, Ponting in slips, Martyn/Hussey in gully, Clarke at point, Symonds at cover and Langer in close - absolutely a horrendous experince for any batsman). He did a few freakish things early in his career, regularly hitting the stumps side on, full length diving saves etc. but we haven't seen too much of that in recent years. He is still a very safe pair of hands today and one of our better fielders (would only say that Ponting, Hussey and perhaps Warner were better than him), but I don't think he is up there with the best few in world cricket at the moment, which is what his reputation seems to be.

Clarke's batting since taking over the captaincy has been incredible and for aesthetics it's hard to split he and Amla. Cook's concentration is amazing though and I am not looking forward to him batting for hours on end against us in the upcoming Ashes series. I like them all, but I think I would take Amla by a whisker.

 

[Xtreme]

I've been petitioning for the Bangladesh cricket forum to be setup, that way he can have somewhere to post alone.

I'd love it considering i am their number 1 supporter whenever they face Australia

 

[Mateyman]

I'd love it considering i am their number 1 supporter whenever they face Australia

Out of interest, do you actually barack FOR a team, or just against Australia?

 

[Xtreme]

Out of interest, do you actually barack FOR a team, or just against Australia?

As i have previously mentioned in cricket i will support any side that faces Australia , why support a team i do not believe in from the administration, to the selection panel, to the coaches and the players ?

However i am not anti-Australia as a whole, i do support Australia in every other sport, just not cricket.

 

[Mateyman]

As i have previously mentioned in cricket i will support any side that faces Australia , why support a team i do not believe in from the administration, to the selection panel, to the coaches and the players ?

However i am not anti-Australia as a whole, i do support Australia in every other sport, just not cricket.

So you follow cricket just to hate on the Australian team?

 

[Xtreme]

So you follow cricket just to hate on the Australian team?

Oh i still enjoy the game and follow other matches religiously, not just when Australia plays.

 

[Rocky_Star_Pro]

Because regardless of India's ability to tour away, they have been virtually impossible to beat in a series at home, regardless of who they've had in the side. The last time England won a series in India was the mid 80's. Which is virtually the same amount of time between drinks for an Ashes victory in Australia. Clarke's home form of 60 and away form of 40 is something to go on as well.

And what does that have to do with Clarke/Amla or Cook? I would go as far to say that it's even easier scoring runs in India than it is here, it's like continuously playing in Adelaide. We'll see how Clarke fares in India when we visit, if he goes shit I will happily admit I was wrong. But for now I think India are a shit side and hitting a big score against them isn't that hard.

 

[Natho]

Amla darn bearded bastard. Destroyed us. But he can play cricket for us any day of the week

 

[Ill Chicken]

And what does that have to do with Clarke/Amla or Cook? I would go as far to say that it's even easier scoring runs in India than it is here, it's like continuously playing in Adelaide. We'll see how Clarke fares in India when we visit, if he goes shit I will happily admit I was wrong. But for now I think India are a shit side and hitting a big score against them isn't that hard.

Easier to score runs in India than in Australia? Are you kidding? Clarke is the epitomy of throwing his hands at the ball to the quicks and running at the ball for the spinners. Next you'll say that Adelaide is a seamers wicket.

Cook, captain, first tour away as captain, to India, which they haven't won at since the 80's and his performance has nothing to do with anything.

 

[Parquet Court]

As i have previously mentioned in cricket i will support any side that faces Australia , why support a team i do not believe in from the administration, to the selection panel, to the coaches and the players ?

However i am not anti-Australia as a whole, i do support Australia in every other sport, just not cricket.

I kind of agree with this. The Australian team has lacked charisma and vitality for the most part of the last decade. I just don't like many players in there anymore. I'm not overly old, in my mid 20s but the players of yesteryear just made you want to support aus cricket.

I follow wa religiously now, openly support, barrack, comment on selections and up and comers from district cricket with friends.

I just want to see good test match cricket. Don't really care who wins. Test cricket lacks a season / championship. It will come though, the internationals just seem like exhibition matches these days.

Another topic though

 

[Carbine Chaos]

I kind of agree with this. The Australian team has lacked charisma and vitality for the most part of the last decade. I just don't like many players in there anymore. I'm not overly old, in my mid 20s but the players of yesteryear just made you want to support aus cricket.

Lacked charisma and vitality for the past decade?

Did the names Warne, Lee, Symonds, McGrath etc. not provide enough of that?

Geez, we have been blessed with the cricketers we've had for the past decade. Based on a lot of stuff I read on this forum I think Australian cricket fans are the biggest whingers in world sport.

 

[Ill Chicken]

I just want to see good test match cricket. Don't really care who wins. Test cricket lacks a season / championship. It will come though, the internationals just seem like exhibition matches these days.

Another topic though

That has to do with ICC and BCCI mainly. A Test Championship would not be that hard to set up and it would mean fair representation of all test playing nations. All that would be required is that major series play 4 to 5 tests, and minor series play 3 test, this could be achieved in two year cycle without compacting the cricket schedule. All that would be required is dead rubbers not be played. Pretty simple, in a similar vain they could follow it with a t20 and ODI schedule and the max playing days would be equal to around 100 playing days if all matches were played. It is extremely simple but would mean the good of cricket is explored rather than the good of "money".

 

[krisholio14]

That has to do with ICC and BCCI mainly. A Test Championship would not be that hard to set up and it would mean fair representation of all test playing nations. All that would be required is that major series play 4 to 5 tests, and minor series play 3 test, this could be achieved in two year cycle without compacting the cricket schedule. All that would be required is dead rubbers not be played. Pretty simple, in a similar vain they could follow it with a t20 and ODI schedule and the max playing days would be equal to around 100 playing days if all matches were played. It is extremely simple but would mean the good of cricket is explored rather than the good of "money".

Needs its own thread.

 

[Parquet Court]

Lacked charisma and vitality for the past decade?

Did the names Warne, Lee, Symonds, McGrath etc. not provide enough of that?

Geez, we have been blessed with the cricketers we've had for the past decade. Based on a lot of stuff I read on this forum I think Australian cricket fans are the biggest whingers in world sport.

They were good players but played in a time of either complete domination or just during a time of the most piss poor standard of cricket in test history.

Symonds yes, warne to a lesser extent. The others not so much. The late 90s to late 2000s was a horrible period of cricket. Bar 2005 Ashes. (I don't get into the ODIs)

 

[Parquet Court]

That has to do with ICC and BCCI mainly. A Test Championship would not be that hard to set up and it would mean fair representation of all test playing nations. All that would be required is that major series play 4 to 5 tests, and minor series play 3 test, this could be achieved in two year cycle without compacting the cricket schedule. All that would be required is dead rubbers not be played. Pretty simple, in a similar vain they could follow it with a t20 and ODI schedule and the max playing days would be equal to around 100 playing days if all matches were played. It is extremely simple but would mean the good of cricket is explored rather than the good of "money".

So many things right with this, it's hard to start somewhere.

Dead rubbers have killed the spectacle. But without dead rubbers no every ground (aus) will get a test. Pennyless organisations like the waca and bellerive will no doubt kick up a stink. Maybe people would then go along to a few more domestic games.

But yes another thread is needed. I've got some very strong views on this.

 

[Super Hans]

Easier to score runs in India than in Australia? Are you kidding? Clarke is the epitomy of throwing his hands at the ball to the quicks and running at the ball for the spinners. Next you'll say that Adelaide is a seamers wicket.

Cook, captain, first tour away as captain, to India, which they haven't won at since the 80's and his performance has nothing to do with anything.

You're the most idiotic person I have seen on BigFooty. India is known for being full of roads. Australia is one of the few countries (South Africa, England) where decent bowling tracks are produced these days.

If Clarke, captain, frist tour in India as captain, which we havent had much succes in, goes and scores big there will you then start to rate him?

 

[evdo1706]

You're the most idiotic person I have seen on BigFooty. India is known for being full of roads. Australia is one of the few countries (South Africa, England) where decent bowling tracks are produced these days.

If Clarke, captain, frist tour in India as captain, which we havent had much succes in, goes and scores big there will you then start to rate him?

It's not easier to score in India as compared to Australia. If you think so back it up with stats please. If it was the case players like Tendulkar or Dravid would have averaged well over 60 in India. But it's been easier to score against India in recent times though.

 

[Super Hans]

It's not easier to score in India as compared to Australia. If you think so back it up with stats please. If it was the case players like Tendulkar or Dravid would have averaged well over 60 in India. But it's been easier to score against India in recent times though.

I am talking about recent times, lat three years, because that's when the three batsman mention started to really come into their prime.

I'd take a ton against against the best pace attack in the world, in Australia, over a ton against India in India. Wouldn't complain with either though. A tons a ton.

 

[mayhem20202]

All three batsmen are outstanding but because I am biased i would go for Cook, he is probably the least exciting of the three (he hit his 9th six in all of his Test cricket innings today) but he knows his limits and plays within them. His mentor is Graham Gooch who was a run machine himself and Goochy is apparently always drumming into Chef that when you get in don't just make a hundred, make it a daddy hundred (something Clarke is particularly good at since becoming captain also). Cooky has been captain in five Tests now and scored a century in every one of them, which is unparalleled. He is the youngest player to score 7000 Test runs (younger even than Sachin).

I have to say, I'm really looking forward to the two upcoming Ashes series, because Clarke and Cook have both proved that captaining their country brings out the best in their batting. It should be a very close contest this time round.

Chef, Cooky, daddy hundred??? Were you on acid when you wrote this???

 

[Ill Chicken]

You're the most idiotic person I have seen on BigFooty. India is known for being full of roads. Australia is one of the few countries (South Africa, England) where decent bowling tracks are produced these days.

If Clarke, captain, frist tour in India as captain, which we havent had much succes in, goes and scores big there will you then start to rate him?

When's the next tour there? If it isn't for two years, then he'll be in a form slump fighting to maintain his spot let alone the captaincy.

 

[Super Hans]

When's the next tour there? If it isn't for two years, then he'll be in a form slump fighting to maintain his spot let alone the captaincy.

Where did you but your crystal ball from? Wouldn't mind one myself. Nice of you to predict the future and not judge Clarke on his present form.

 

[Ill Chicken]

Where did you but your crystal ball from? Wouldn't mind one myself. Nice of you to predict the future and not judge Clarke on his present form.

Well if he bats like he did Perth, then yes, my prediction will be quite right.

 

[Super Hans]

Well if he bats like he did Perth, then yes, my prediction will be quite right.

Well if he bats like he did in Adelaide... Or at the GABBA.. your prediction will be wrong.

 

[Dipper]

I'm a big Cook fan but whilst he's a very good run scorer he lacks that bit of extra class that separates the greats.

He's a bit feast or famine as well, a run of big scores followed by nothing for a few tests.

 

[BluesMan]

For the rest of their careers from here on in, I'd probably take Amla.