watching the cricket show i found the Ricky Ponting interview interesting. I've been going for his throat a bit over the last 18 months- although i do recall asking why he can't step down as captain but remain in the team if he is making runs, what is overall a very unAustralian thing given captains retire or are 'not selected' sorry Bill!
in the interview he was very candid about his place in the side, what it meant to step down and his belief in himself to continue contributing. Most interesting were his thoughts regarding players 'knowing' when it was time to retire...and that he hasn't felt that yet, so he continues to train harder than ever.
Much is made about converting good scores into tonnes but i just don't buy into that. I didn't when Watson was making consistent scores over 50 and everyone said he NEEDS to go on. Why? i'll take a batsman that you can pencil in 60 runs -but no more- every innings over an uncertainty. And i feel the same about Ricky. He is nearly always good for 70 odd runs, well THAT is good enough! If the whole top order did that every time without a century you'd win every match! it is THAT simple. the "value" of 3 figures is purely a construct of the imagination and statistician.
so for mine Ponting can stay on in his current form, the bigger question is what we do about being a bowler short?
Clarkes bowling changes have been good, but his options are limited, and i believe will be shown up more against the batting quality of India. Obviously Watsons return is critical, but will that be enough? 3 seamers, and all rounder and Lyon?
Watsons return and the need for him to be able to send down 20 overs an innings MUST see Usi open and Watto in the lower middle order. Otherwise he will continue to spend more time on the physio table than the field and we can't afford that when we need his 60 odd runs an innings too.
so there you go, stoph verismo has spoken, so you are now better edjumacated!
The problem has been that he hasn't been "nearly always good for 70 runs" in the past two years. His returns have dwindled and his average has reflected it. His recent brace of 70's on two different continents were encouraging he was out in Brisbane when on top of the bowling and in that all too familiar manner of playing around his front pad. It was clearly evident today as he played balls from off stump off the front foot to mid wicket. His batting has become right dominant, which often happens when experts at pulling and hooking age.
ReplyDeleteAs for not knowing the time ... maybe the difference is that the Lillee's and Marsh's and Chappell's paid a bit more attention to those around them and had a bit more give in their egos than Ponting. If Cricket Australia showed its value of contributions, a senior man acting on the word of selectors, should literally tap him on the shoulder.
Ask if being persevered with is all its cracked up to be from Phil Hughes. He'll leave the side broken in spirit. Had he never gone to Sri Lanka, he would still be trying to improve rather than survive.
Great timing for the BBL - well done CA! 4 test series starting and not one shield game happening.
ReplyDeleteI can't go with the 60 odd for Ponting or Watson for that matter. Batsmen (as a group) are there to make 400 for their team, when you get in you go on and make a big one so there's no wickets falling at your end. If Warner had got dismissed today NZ would have won in a canter (relatively).
As with the mid 80s clean the slate and start again. We've already seen the new bloods are up to the task. Piss off Haddin and Ponting before the India series, keep Hussey for it and if he makes some runs by all means take him on the WI tour. There's no sentimentality here.
If Hughes plays against India I'm following Zimbabwe from now on. The exact same dismissal 4 innings in a row is plain ridiculous. How is it that a bloke playing his 2nd test carries his bat for a ton and not one single player could support him? I don't care how lucky he is, that is not good enough.
My 11 for 1st test:
Warner
Khawaja
Marsh
Clarke
Hussey
Watson
Wade
Siddle
Pattinson
Lyon
Cummins (if fit) or god knows. It's the 3rd seamer that seems the biggest bowling problem. Starc didn't set the world on fire.
that is true Lango that these recent 70's are just that; recent- maybe that is the benefit of less stress as a captain. if he is consistant with that, what then? would you drop a player that had a summer average in the 70's? I think i have been one of the loudest in calling for fresh faces and clean slates, but if his contribution matches his commitment and desire why wouldn't he be kept in the squad in such an important series?
ReplyDeleteas to the theoretical value of a top order (meaning defined batsmen) all only scoring in the 70's, if they all scored just that there is your 400 Lefty- that is good enough if it is consistant. i know in the real world that isn't that case, but this attitude that anything under a 100 (really just a contrived goal to deem successful) is failing to go on. what if the top 6 all get 80? ...but no 100's?
as for the "knowing when" part, i was responding more to Ponting's experiences as captain when players came up and told him, so i think he has a fairly good perspective regarding the issue, and if he is fit, functional and scoring.... still, his out in the 2nd dig was the shot of someone whose eyes aren't what they were, for sure! Hard to imagine that D.K didn't have a towering ego steering his own ship.
Hughes, well, he has been found out to be the great pretender blessed with great support, that is without a doubt due that tap on the shoulder. Skull's call of, "If Hughes nicks shaving tomorrow, Guptil will pop out of the medicine cabinet with a band aid is already my fav for the summer...and we've only just begun.
the BBL for whatever it's worth has been terribly scheduelled. you are spot on about the lack of sheild games priming players for the Test squad, but surely BBL would sit better in Feb/March? balmy evenings and better weather, real stuff out of the way, away from the pre xmas madness; i think all things aside, it is will not be served well by its time slot.
Starc certainly didn't set the world on fire. And with all of the talk about his Jono similarieties, the thing that was different was that he didn't have that Johnson "X-factor" so often lauded but seldom seen; so what was he there for again?
You're right 'if all the top order score....there's the 400' but that's a big 'if'. You rarely have all the top order getting those good starts; someone (usually two or 3 out of 7) fail for reasons such as beauty first up, little foot movement early or bad luck. Langer and Hayden got off to great starts but the middle order went on with it. How often did Gilchrist take the total beyond 450 from number 7? If your openers make 150 between them and both get out you're certainly not out of the woods. Then 3 and 4 HAVE to make the said 60 or 70 or else you can be 4/175 and risk being bowled out for under 300.
ReplyDeleteApart from all that, why would you keep a 37 year old whose eyes are going just because he can scratch out a 60 - as opposed to giving an opportunity to a 25 year old with several years ahead of him? That's not logical to me. Dravid isn't just scratching 60s; he's grafting 100s and in England single-handedly saved India from under 12s like totals. That's the importance of '100'. It's not just a symbolic number; it's time that your end is not taken by the opposition.
When we are chasing 200 in our comp we may say 'that's less than 20 runs each' but you know you're blowing smoke up each others' arses. If noone goes on to make 40 or 50 then you're dead in the water.
Great test match! Another day would have been good but then again I'm greedy.
ReplyDeleteWarner proved that there were runs to be had if you played to the conditions.
The kiwis bowled well in helpful conditions and deserved their win.
Changes need to be made.
Bye bye Hughes, go make some runs for your state at shield level.
Thanks for a great career Huss.
Pointing, enjoy your farewell series.
My XI:
Warner
Cowan
Clarke
Ponting
Khawaja
Watson
Wade
Harris
Siddle
Pattinson
Lyon
Harris
Siddle
i'll agree to disagree, mate. while i know my call of everyone scoring 60/70/80 is ridiculus, unrealistic and simplistic, i feel the same about the mentality that a batsman hasn't succeeded until triple figures. never was this more evident than with Watsons 'break-out' season where he was contantly being commented on due to going out in the 90's or 80's- but all was forgiven when he turned over the 1 in the hundreds column due to being dropped stupidly cutting to point.
ReplyDeletei guess -further to this point- that if we had in form players in the squad, not players trying to find form at the top level we could make do with just high scores from the batsman and then this 100 mania will become redundant.
of coarse i would love to score a ton, but if i left the game never having achieved one but had an average above 70 i would feel like my career was a success.
My eleven
ReplyDeleteKatich
Warner
Marsh
Clarke (c)
Khawaja
Watson
Wade (if they don't just habitually pick the NSW keeper....)
Harris
Siddle
Pattinson
Lyon
Katich is the best opener in the country and I think Warner would benefit having him at the other end. He was quite lucky in Hobart. Any one of those swings and misses could have spooned up.
Ricky, sorry mate. You should have taken the opportunity to say goodbye in front of your home crowd. Now you will say it over the phone to Clarke. How bitter will that taste?
Haddin, piss off. You show no respect for TEST cricket and play T20 shots on tough tracks. If you weren't from the Golden Boy state you would have been fucked off long ago.
All of the bowlers will struggle against India's class. I am glad the young ones got the chance to get some poles against NZ cos I can see some 0/150 odds in their futures. Battle on lads.
that is 13 Sledgey!
ReplyDeletemy XI
Quiney
Warner
Cowan
Clarke
Ponting
Watson
Wade
Siddle
Pattinson
Lyon
Cummins (if fit first)
Harris (if fit) interchange between these 2 according to conditon of bowlers.
There is talk of Doug the rug to replace Starc, but i don't think he has enough... of anything to offer.
well! i think that is the biggest spread field from the 4 of us i have ever seen!
ReplyDeletei forgot about Katich Nos, but i agree, he is still the goods and continues to prove it.
If Watto is not ready does anyone have any thoughts on another all rounder?
Ronald??
ReplyDeleteFair enough Stoph, we can't always agree. In answer to your allrounder question clearly CA are looking at Christian. He may not be Watson with the ball but he makes big runs.
ReplyDeleteWell, if we're putting Katich in because we'd like him to play then my ideal 11 is:
Katich
Rogers
Hodge
Voges
Clarke
Watson
Wade
Harris
Lyon
Pattinson
George
My fanciful 11:
Quiney
Rogers
Hodge
Marsh
Clarke
Christian
MacDonald
Wade
Boyce
George
Lyon
Are you sure you couldn't fit Siddons in there somewhere Lefty?
ReplyDeleteYeah taking the piss but here's a go at my no-hopers 11 and the first name will bring you joy.
ReplyDeleteHilditch
Cosier
Yallop
Wood
Whatmore
Laird
Maclean
Bright
Dymock
Hurst
Higgs
a fine list of S.T.Rugglers there Lefty
ReplyDeleteWhat about best side NEVER to play a test.
ReplyDeleteSiddons - captain
Berry - Keeper
Tough Nos as so many filled in at some stage ala Law, Hodge but then dueche bags like Muller got a go too! I'll put up Paul Nobes and Joe Scuderi
ReplyDeletehttp://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/cricket/simon-katich-a-shock-boxing-day-bolter/story-fn67w6pa-1226223406014
ReplyDeleteCONE ON!!!!
I mean COME ON!!!
ReplyDeleteHahahahahahahahaha!