The Cricket Thread

[grizzlym]

Clint mcKay just took a hatrick! grizzlym

Just turned it on, so I missed it. Damn.

 

[moginie]

So folks, what do we think about the new domestic one day format? I'm not sure that some of the Sydney grade pitches are really up to scratch.

 

[djboonie]

Great it's on Gem, but this should be the format for the 20/20 crap! 2 months of drawn out D20:20 games and a couple of weeks ok D50/50 sucks

 

[Boot Studder]

Great it's on Gem, but this should be the format for the 20/20 crap! 2 months of drawn out D20:20 games and a couple of weeks ok D50/50 sucks

Couldn't agree more. This 20/20 stuff is killing cricket faster than a Pakistani spot fixing scam.

Hmm, I received the 150th edition of Wisden a little while ago. My goodness, have you seen the size of the font? Now, I know my eyes are not as good as they once were, but a 90-year old with an astigmatism wouldn't have a hope of finding number four on the list of Most Centuries by a County Batsman in the Rain. *sigh*

 

[grizzlym]

Watching the NSW vs Vic 50 over game.

Patterson looks the goods to me. Like the way he plays.

 

[djboonie]

So an unsuccessful 350+ defense and a successful 300+ chase...

Not bad cricket I suppose.

Missed Faulkners innings but watched the 350+ batting the other night. Impressed it George Bailey and Maxwells knock. Only Phil Hughes is holding the team back at the moment

 

[Langford4FBOTC]

If you believe the commentary, Faulkner just ended Ishant Sharma's career

 

[moginie]

It was a pretty impressive onslaught. Better than Lamb v Reid in 1987.

 

[Henry Jr]

So an unsuccessful 350+ defense and a successful 300+ chase...

Not bad cricket I suppose.

Missed Faulkners innings but watched the 350+ batting the other night. Impressed it George Bailey and Maxwells knock. Only Phil Hughes is holding the team back at the moment

Id imagine for when the Poms come out that Warner will be in the ODI team rather than Hughes

 

[djboonie]

Cam White 5 half centuries in a row...

At 30 he may have something to offer? I'm all for picking form players, so I hope he takes this form through the summer, even if its for himself.

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

Agree Boonie, I'd like to see Cam have a great season for the Vics. No captaincy burden to keep him focused elsewhere. He guy has talent, probably under performed over his career, hopefully he finally has turned that corner and we'll see a big few summers from him. Even if it is just for the Big V

 

[Henry Jr]

And we thought the AFL was a corrupt organisation...

The tour's confirmation came after an assurance from CSA that it would suspend its CEO, Haroon Lorgat, from dealing with matters related to India and the ICC pending an inquiry by the world body into allegations against him. The allegations relate to Lorgat's role in the statement issued by David Becker, formerly the ICC's legal head, that the BCCI's flouting of the FTP could have legal implications. In his statement, released to the media last week, Becker had said it was "improper" to allow a member body to "blatantly disregard an ICC resolution".

http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-india-2013-14/content/story/681123.html

 

[MinerBoy]

So an unsuccessful 350+ defense and a successful 300+ chase...

Not bad cricket I suppose.

Missed Faulkners innings but watched the 350+ batting the other night. Impressed it George Bailey and Maxwells knock. Only Phil Hughes is holding the team back at the moment

Went to bed after we made 350 only to wake the next day and see we lost (just like I did when we made 400+ v SA that time).

Then watched the chase the other night until the 46th over and then went to bed thinking we can't win this............next over.

 

[djboonie]

Vic's attack slaughtered this afternoon on a flat track by an in form Warner...

Outstanding knock assusted by a lack of imagination shown by Wade as skipper. Probably the most disappointing aspect of the loss today.

 

[Henry Jr]

Wisden All Time World XI.. Discuss

Wisden World XI
1. Jack Hobbs (England, Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1909) 61 Tests, 5,410 runs at 56.94
2. W. G. Grace (England, CY 1896) 22 Tests, 1,098 runs at 32.29
3. Don Bradman (Australia, CY 1931, capt) 52 Tests, 6,996 runs at 99.94)
4. Sachin Tendulkar (India, CY 1997) 198 Tests, 15,837 runs at 53.86
5. Vivian Richards (West Indies, CY 1977) 121 Tests, 8,540 runs at 50.23
6. Garry Sobers (West Indies, CY 1964) 93 Tests, 8,032 runs at 57.78, 235 wickets at 34.03
7. Alan Knott (England, CY 1970, wkt) 95 Tests, 4,389 runs at 32.75, 250 catches, 19 stumpings
8. Wasim Akram (Pakistan, CY 1993) 104 Tests, 414 wickets at 23.62
9. Shane Warne (Australia, CY 1994) 145 Tests, 708 wickets at 25.41
10. Malcolm Marshall (West Indies, CY 1983) 81 Tests, 376 wickets at 20.94
11. Sydney Barnes (England, CY 1910) 27 Tests, 189 wickets at 16.43

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

Wisden All Time World XI.. Discuss

Wisden World XI
1. Jack Hobbs (England, Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1909) 61 Tests, 5,410 runs at 56.94
2. W. G. Grace (England, CY 1896) 22 Tests, 1,098 runs at 32.29
3. Don Bradman (Australia, CY 1931, capt) 52 Tests, 6,996 runs at 99.94)
4. Sachin Tendulkar (India, CY 1997) 198 Tests, 15,837 runs at 53.86
5. Vivian Richards (West Indies, CY 1977) 121 Tests, 8,540 runs at 50.23
6. Garry Sobers (West Indies, CY 1964) 93 Tests, 8,032 runs at 57.78, 235 wickets at 34.03
7. Alan Knott (England, CY 1970, wkt) 95 Tests, 4,389 runs at 32.75, 250 catches, 19 stumpings
8. Wasim Akram (Pakistan, CY 1993) 104 Tests, 414 wickets at 23.62
9. Shane Warne (Australia, CY 1994) 145 Tests, 708 wickets at 25.41
10. Malcolm Marshall (West Indies, CY 1983) 81 Tests, 376 wickets at 20.94
11. Sydney Barnes (England, CY 1910) 27 Tests, 189 wickets at 16.43

Wasim Akram was an amazingly good bowler, but better than Lillee?? A guy that is widely regarded all around the world as a genius.
Gilchrist is the other glaring omission for mine. Lara stiff too probably.

From the Herald Sun, this is a team they call the unlucky 11 to not make it. Make for a bloody good game if they ever played (which is of course impossible)- http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/c...-that-missed-out/story-fni2usfi-1226745899308

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

Vic's attack slaughtered this afternoon on a flat track by an in form Warner...

Outstanding knock assusted by a lack of imagination shown by Wade as skipper. Probably the most disappointing aspect of the loss today.

Hopefully it's a learning curve for Wade to try and be a bit more adventurous.

On the game, I think today proves that runs at North Sydney oval should count for zilch.

 

[Langford4FBOTC]

Wasim Akram was an amazingly good bowler, but better than Lillee?? A guy that is widely regarded all around the world as a genius.
Gilchrist is the other glaring omission for mine. Lara stiff too probably.

From the Herald Sun, this is a team they call the unlucky 11 to not make it. Make for a bloody good game if they ever played (which is of course impossible)- http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/c...-that-missed-out/story-fni2usfi-1226745899308

Agree that Gilchrist is clearly a mistake.

Don't think Akram is taking DK's spot. No8 bat he ain't. Marshall and Barnes have nudged him out IMO. Don't know enough about Barnes to make a judgement call there and can't argue with Marshall's inclusion. Curtly is stiff along with DK.

WG Grace is debatable. Obviously revered as a pioneer, but do his performances actually warrant a place on talent?

 

[Henry Jr]

Agree that Gilchrist is clearly a mistake.

WG Grace is debatable. Obviously revered as a pioneer, but do his performances actually warrant a place on talent?

Gilly is a given.

When WG Grace averages less than Ed Cowan in test cricket... you know there is mistake. Make mine a Hammond any day.

 

[moginie]

Agree that Gilchrist is clearly a mistake.

Don't think Akram is taking DK's spot. No8 bat he ain't. Marshall and Barnes have nudged him out IMO. Don't know enough about Barnes to make a judgement call there and can't argue with Marshall's inclusion. Curtly is stiff along with DK.

WG Grace is debatable. Obviously revered as a pioneer, but do his performances actually warrant a place on talent?

Given that Grace was THE player of the Victorian era & his influence on English cricket prior to the First World War was massive, it stands to reason that the British compilers would pick him.

I read somewhere once that cricket isn't played on an abacus. It's very difficult, unless you've got Bradman's average, to compare eras. FWIW, the only issue I have is Knott, but as a pure keeper he was better than Gilchrist. That was the criteria, I believe.

 

[grizzlym]

WG Grace is debatable. Obviously revered as a pioneer, but do his performances actually warrant a place on talent?

No. They say cricket is the ultimate game of history. You can compare players, both of an era nd over history remarkably well.

Tendulkar's a great. No doubt. Best batsman I've seen play. For all his dominance and longevity and playing on batting friendly pitches he averaged about 54. The magical 50 is a measure of batting greatness that's stood for 100 years. I can't see how Grace get's into the team on his performances with the bat. It's a sentimneyal choice, one that rewards his pioneering contribution to cricket, but how on earth could he command a place purely as a batsman. Absurd.

No doubting Knott's skills as a keeper. And the purists probably wax lyrical about his keeping technique. But his record, while undoubtedly fine, doesn't hold a candle to Gilchrist both as a keeper or batsman. They played 95 and 96 tests respectively. Gilchrist averaged 47.6 to Knott's 32.75. Gilchirst snaffled 379 catches and 27 stumpings, compared to Knott with 250 and 19.

It just doesn't stack up. His record his vastly superior to Knott's. So much so that you can just rely on the weight of numbers, bit like Bradman.

'fraid it's the Ol' Blighty showing their parochialism there.

 

[Messenger]

I like the Wisden World XI FWIW. Grace is a ludicrous selection, but mostly that rings true.

Alan Knott kept in a different era and on different wickets. More movement, less carry. And 32.75 for that era was quite good.

Gilchrist changed the dynamic for everyone; batting talent was given greater weight after his time. I personally think his keeping was moderate at best. He couldn't hold a candle to the keepers of the 60's, 70's and 80's. And Knott was arguably the best of those.

 

[Henry Jr]

They need to go back and count missed chances by keepers inorder to measure effectiveness.

I mean Gilly/Healy just had to stand there for alot of the their careers (a slight exaggeration) with McGrath/Dizzy/Lee/Warne running into bowl. Great bowlers make great keeper stats.

 

[grizzlym]

Malcom Connn on the front foot re Gilchrist:

English cricket has become delusional.

"All this Ashes success has created a feel good haze that is seriously clouding the judgement of even respected experts.
To mark its 150th anniversary the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack has chosen the best World XI of all time and overweighted it with Englishmen.
Most embarrassing is the selection of Alan Knott ahead of Adam Gilchrist as wicket-keeper.

And the raw figures do nothing to back up the claim that Knott’s glove work was so superior it discounted Gilchrist’s standing as one of the game’s great all-rounders.
In 95 Tests Knott claimed 250 catches and 19 stumpings. In 96 Tests Gilchrist once held the world record for dismissals with 379 catches and 37 stumpings."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ays-malcolm-conn/story-fni2fnmo-1226746340367

I agree with him. Gilchrist's record as a keeper and a batsman are far superior to Knott's. One basically has to find subjective reasons to either lessen Gilchrist's record or to pump up Knott.

For me, you have a statistical case of a player miles ahead of the other in the position. Then when you consider that Gilchrist not only boasts an average nudging 50, but also one of the highest strike rates of any test batsman in history, well, it all gets rather compelling in my book.

And I reckon if one were to have choose the greatest side to actually play, Gilchrist would be one of the first picked. How could you pick Knott over him?

 

[Brishawk]

Yes hard to believe they could leave out Gilly on a statistical basis alone let alone his match winning ability and the way he changed cricket forever!

Grace is a shocker. He may well have scored plenty of runs in some ancient version of county cricket but surely he should be judged for his test record. Gee, if domestic cricket was worth considering old boy Graham Hick would just about make this team!

And I can't have Wasim Akram either. A fine bowler no doubt but I don't think many people considered him the best of his era such as a Glenn McGrath or a Curtley Ambrose. Can't really argue with most of the others.

I find Tendulkar an interesting player. A Great no doubt but I think the attribute of his that stands out most is his longevity. I think he has plugged away scoring runs year in year out for a couple of decades. I think Ponting at his best was better and so was Lara. Both players were match winners more so than Tendulkar. They could both take games away from the opposition in a way few batsman have ever been able to do. I guess ultimately it comes down to what the specific criteria is and what you value in players. But assuming you are picking guys on their best form then I actually wouldn't have Tendulkar. In saying that I would never complain about him been in a team like this as he was a great player no doubt.