Opinion Cricket thread

[KiwiRoo]

I much prefer your pitches too, I’m not being serious mate, relax.
He’s an absolute gun in all forms and I genuinely look forward to playing you in Test Cricket on those pitches (they do tend to turn pretty white when we arrive historically though). Just find it a tad bizarre he’s ranked 1 given he averages 8 less than Smith.

Better one day record obviously and your second greatest cricketer ever.



the obvious ones?

Warner (psychopath, bully, sociopath)
Smith (spectrum)
Labuschagne (spectrum)
Pukovski (admitted depression, didn’t he?)

yeah the NZ pitches do become good batting tracks after the first dig. Depends on when you tour NZ. November or March is a different kettle of fish to Jan/Feb
I've no idea how they do the rankings. Williamson has averaged probably near 100 this summer and Smith did have a dip in form for a while plus he didn't play for a while. Id like to see how Smith goes on tracks that do a bit as very much a hand eye player. I've no doubt he'd succeed, but he'd find it harder. Kohli struggled on our tracks for example.

dont mind the idea of Williamson opening. Got the technique for it and pretty much does for NZ with some of our openers over the years. Not a lot of top class openers in international cricket at the moment.
Also don't mind Pant as the keeper either. Hes a special talent. His keeping is a weakness though

 

[Usayed Givashe]

When did Williamson and Babar become openers? You must have helped pick last years AA team.

They usually bat 3 and can be batting in the first over. Those 2 are the pawns in this side, as coach, when I’m looking at 3,4,5,6,7 - not exactly worried who opening the batting, but they are are next two best - so in ya go.

Root would be 12th man.

 

[7577969923]

yeah the NZ pitches do become good batting tracks after the first dig. Depends on when you tour NZ. November or March is a different kettle of fish to Jan/Feb
I've no idea how they do the rankings. Williamson has averaged probably near 100 this summer and Smith did have a dip in form for a while plus he didn't play for a while. Id like to see how Smith goes on tracks that do a bit as very much a hand eye player. I've no doubt he'd succeed, but he'd find it harder. Kohli struggled on our tracks for example.

dont mind the idea of Williamson opening. Got the technique for it and pretty much does for NZ with some of our openers over the years. Not a lot of top class openers in international cricket at the moment.
Also don't mind Pant as the keeper either. Hes a special talent. His keeping is a weakness though

The idea that NZ pitches are harder to bat on is a bit of a fallacy, especially when you consider the perception of Australian pitches as roads. Over the past 5 years, NZ has hosted 25 tests that have produced 5 draws and an average per wicket of 33.34. Australia has hosted 26 tests with only 3 draws and an average per wicket of 33.45.

I would say there are a couple of factors driving that.
NZ probably has their all-time best-ever batting line-up over that period with Latham, Williamson, Nichols, Taylor, and Watling all very good to great test batsmen.
In Australia, I think the introduction of the pink ball day-night tests at Adelaide will have had a material impact on numbers. Adelaide used to be very much a bat first and put up 500 plus type of test. Now both the day, night conditions plus the extra grass they leave on the pitch makes it a much better contest between bat and ball, and 350 would be a great first innings score. Much better cricket in my view. Perth stadium replacing the WACA has also had an impact as the WAC pitch had been pretty flat for the past twenty years and the concerted efforts to improve the MCG test after the boring flat tracks served up to the Poms and the Indians (3 tours ago now).

 

[KiwiRoo]

The idea that NZ pitches are harder to bat on is a bit of a fallacy, especially when you consider the perception of Australian pitches as roads. Over the past 5 years, NZ has hosted 25 tests that have produced 5 draws and an average per wicket of 33.34. Australia has hosted 26 tests with only 3 draws and an average per wicket of 33.45.

I would say there are a couple of factors driving that.
NZ probably has their all-time best-ever batting line-up over that period with Latham, Williamson, Nichols, Taylor, and Watling all very good to great test batsmen.
In Australia, I think the introduction of the pink ball day-night tests at Adelaide will have had a material impact on numbers. Adelaide used to be very much a bat first and put up 500 plus type of test. Now both the day, night conditions plus the extra grass they leave on the pitch makes it a much better contest between bat and ball, and 350 would be a great first innings score. Much better cricket in my view. Perth stadium replacing the WACA has also had an impact as the WAC pitch had been pretty flat for the past twenty years and the concerted efforts to improve the MCG test after the boring flat tracks served up to the Poms and the Indians (3 tours ago now).

don't know about a fallacy. There could be any number of factors impacting it. as you say your pitches in the last 2 years have definitely done more, and the pink ball test skew the data a fair bit. There's been a number of collapses in those tests. There is also more rain in NZ than Aussie so that might explain the additional number of draws. It would also depend on who you play.Plus your attack is better than ours.
NZ pitches definitely do more on day 1 because of all the extra grass, but that grass stops them breaking up on day 4 & 5.
Its also not all tracks in NZ. The basin reserve in wgtn has a reputation for big scores. Been 2 world record batting partnerships set in wgtn.
It would also depend on who you play
I wish i could track down the photos of the tests tracks on day one this year. They made kermitt look pale !

Im pleased to see the ACB spicing the tracks up a bit, because they have been a bit staid.. As you say a much better product.

 

[ferball]

I don’t agree at all that cricket is played by a lot if blokes with mental illness. On what basis do u have that opinion? Who in the current Australian team do I think might have a mental illness?

I'm not sure but it could be a joke.

There is a saying: Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.

Its sposed to have originated with Kipling in India and was motivated by watching his countrymen keep working or playing sport when the rest of the country was hiding from the heat.

 

[7577969923]

don't know about a fallacy. There could be any number of factors impacting it. as you say your pitches in the last 2 years have definitely done more, and the pink ball test skew the data a fair bit. There's been a number of collapses in those tests. There is also more rain in NZ than Aussie so that might explain the additional number of draws. It would also depend on who you play.Plus your attack is better than ours.
NZ pitches definitely do more on day 1 because of all the extra grass, but that grass stops them breaking up on day 4 & 5.
Its also not all tracks in NZ. The basin reserve in wgtn has a reputation for big scores. Been 2 world record batting partnerships set in wgtn.
It would also depend on who you play
I wish i could track down the photos of the tests tracks on day one this year. They made kermitt look pale !

Im pleased to see the ACB spicing the tracks up a bit, because they have been a bit staid.. As you say a much better product.

Do you mean this one?

 

[KiwiRoo]

Do you mean this one?

View attachment 1045121

yep you got it. I think that's Hamilton ( Seddon Park). To be fair I think the weather had something to do with the preparation of it

 

[7577969923]

yep you got it. I think that's Hamilton ( Seddon Park). To be fair I think the weather had something to do with the preparation of it

Looks like a lawn bowling green.

 

[KiwiRoo]

Looks like a lawn bowling green.

I think we had carpet like that back in the 70's !

 

[7577969923]

I think we had carpet like that back in the 70's !

The more amazing thing about that pitch, apart from it resembling your parent's carpet from the 1970's, is that after winning the toss and sending the Kiwis into bat, as you would, the West Indies managed to concede a first innings of 519 for 7 declared.

Even the green mambas in NZ are roads these days...

 

[KiwiRoo]

The more amazing thing about that pitch, apart from it resembling your parent's carpet from the 1970's, is that after winning the toss and sending the Kiwis into bat, as you would, the West Indies managed to concede a first innings of 519 for 7 declared.

Even the green mambas in NZ are roads these days...

they bowled too short. Got to bowl really full on those tracks. Sounds obvious but been a number of touring team who've fallen into that trap.
West indies dropped a lot of catches from memory too

 

[Themanbun]

yeah the NZ pitches do become good batting tracks after the first dig. Depends on when you tour NZ. November or March is a different kettle of fish to Jan/Feb
I've no idea how they do the rankings. Williamson has averaged probably near 100 this summer and Smith did have a dip in form for a while plus he didn't play for a while. Id like to see how Smith goes on tracks that do a bit as very much a hand eye player. I've no doubt he'd succeed, but he'd find it harder. Kohli struggled on our tracks for example.

dont mind the idea of Williamson opening. Got the technique for it and pretty much does for NZ with some of our openers over the years. Not a lot of top class openers in international cricket at the moment.
Also don't mind Pant as the keeper either. Hes a special talent. His keeping is a weakness though

Williamson is my favourite batsman going around at the moment but I think Smith proved his mettle on ordinary decks when he plundered the Ashes in England against Anderson, Broad and Archer.

 

[Marstermind]

Don't be a dickhead.

Enough is enough.

Wade on fire against the Sixers at the G. Surely gets him on the plane for South Africa.

 

[Themanbun]

Surely Tim Paine doesn't get a gig in the hurricanes lineup?

 

[Samsquanch]

Wade on fire against the Sixers at the G. Surely gets him on the plane for South Africa.

Deserves a spot then. Can open or hold down a spot in the middle order. Will improve the team long term by making the next up and coming batsman so desperate to try to get into the team that they'd do just about whatever it takes (or something like that).

 

[ChoppyGun]

Be a big win for the Hurricanes if get up tonight.

 

[Themanbun]

Be a big win for the Hurricanes if get up tonight.

Should have made 200+ with the start Wade and Short gave them.

 

[ChoppyGun]

Should have made 200+ with the start Wade and Short gave them.

Yeah but that tends to happen a lot I reckon when batsmen come in later and try to hit from the start......

Maxwell types can do it but plenty can't. Still a good total and probably be a close finish.

 

[Marstermind]

Be a big win for the Hurricanes if get up tonight.

Be a bit of a disaster if they lost. They left 30+ out there, had them 3/39 and Short's dropped catches were poo.

 

[ChoppyGun]

Funny how we sort of barrack for our "home" teams (not that I really care) yet Hobart has 2 locals in the 11. (maybe 3 as I have no idea who Winter is)

The rest not Tasmanians at all!! haha

 

[ChoppyGun]

Be a bit of a disaster if they lost. They left 30+ out there, had them 3/39 and Short's dropped catches were poo.

Yeah I haven't been watching tbh (Just checking FoxSports) - have to see the highlights

 

[ChoppyGun]

Lamicchagne 2 for 24 off 4 overs.

Geez that's handy!!

 

[ChoppyGun]

* me.

Riley Meredith doing all he can to blow what should have been a simple win.

He's quick as but no way he should be bowling the final over........terrible coaching.

 

[Themanbun]

Feel like the finals will be really good this year.

Scorchers for me the best side in it - on account of their bowling and top 4 firepower.

Hurricanes have the best top 5 bats and Meredith is a weapon.

Sixers are a really balanced side but I don't rate Jake Ball as the overseas bowler. With Abbott back in they look a lot stronger.

Thunder only need Hales to get going and they have an unchaseable total.

Scorchers are my picks but seems to be 4-5 sides who on their day can take it out.

 

[ChoppyGun]

Hurricanes have the best top 5 bats and Meredith is a weapon.

For the opposition?

He'll get dropped I suspect as he's bowling shithouse.

Ellis is out best bowler easily, then Boland.