Anyone for cricket?

[H_T 2,941]

Today's Sunday Herald Sun, Greg Chappell has a view on today's landscape of Australian cricket and what needs to be done.

I share his opinion and have touched on some aspects in the odd post in this thread. The Argus review highlighted areas of concern in Australian cricket. One of being the contracts in place for the experienced players.

Good informative view. http://www.heraldsun...o-1226173941775

As Chappell mentions, they need to search and back young potential champions, re-assess the steps to top grade cricket and ensure a contract system review.

[pitchfork 181]

So just wanted to hear some reaction, currently o/s so no one to bounce this off.

Age top 10 today is:

10. G Chappel/ s Waugh

9 ponting

7 benaud/McGrath

6. border

5. Miller

4. Gillchrist

1.2.3. Yet to be announced but probably bradman, warne, Dk lillee

My reaction IS PONTING NOT SERIOUSLY UNDERRATED on this list?

I know his captaincy has been questionable...although he's probably a glen McGrath misstep away from being viewed entirely different.

Best australian batsman since the don, no?

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I would have Ponting up there as a batsman. Since watching cricket since the early 1970's, if we did not have the Don at No 3 then he would be No 3 in the best Aust team I have ever seen.

Hayden

Langer

Ponting

G Chappell

S Waugh

Border

Gilchrist

Warne

Lilliee

Thomson

McGrath

Apologies to the pre 1970 players I did not see. And the Don would replace Ponting in the side if I did see him.

[Macca 16,174]

So just wanted to hear some reaction, currently o/s so no one to bounce this off.

Age top 10 today is:

10. G Chappel/ s Waugh

9 ponting

7 benaud/McGrath

6. border

5. Miller

4. Gillchrist

1.2.3. Yet to be announced but probably bradman, warne, Dk lillee

My reaction IS PONTING NOT SERIOUSLY UNDERRATED on this list?

I know his captaincy has been questionable...although he's probably a glen McGrath misstep away from being viewed entirely different.

Best australian batsman since the don, no?

Greg Chappell is the best batsman I've seen though Punter is a wonderful player

Interesting criteria that was used including (I think) entertainment value ( or such like )

Would have loved to have seen Keith Miller play as he "had it all" by all accounts !

You've got the top 3 right - hard to argue with that trio .

[Axis of Bob 10,497]

I don't think he has been underrated. I think he's where he should be ... as one of the 10 best cricketers this country has ever produced. I think Border was better, IMO, because he was a class above his team mates and faced some of the best bowling there has ever been. Ponting is better than Border. Gilchrist I think is over rated, but he did change the way the game is played. Miller I would love to have seen, and it's hard to argue with his selection.

I believe that bowlers win matches once you get to the very top level. When the best teams play each other they can both bat well and deep - it's the bowlers that set them apart. With that in mind I'm happy with McGrath above Ponting. That said, the Don is still number 1. When you are twice as good as any batsman in history then I think you've earned it! Benaud I think might be a little high, but it's hard when I didn't see him play.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I rate players whose impact on the game changes the way the game is played.

From the Australian perspective in recent years, players like

Hayden - bruising, intimidating batting changed the way Test opening batting was seen relative to ODI. Regularly walked off at lunch with the scoring rate at between 4 to 5 runs an over

Ponting - As complete a number 3 as we have had. Able to destroy attacks and be the backbone of big scores. Also able to bulid the patient big knock. Footwork and hand to eye movement as good anyone I have ever seen. Stunning fieldsman in any position.

Gilchrist - Rewrote the book on keeper/batsman. Able to win a Test from No 7. Able to destroy an attack from No 7. Rarely seen power game.

Warne - Enough said. Completely changed the laws of leg spin. As complete a mater of the complex skill as has ever been. Just re wrote so many so called tenets of the game. 2nd best cricketer ever produced by Australia after the Don.

McGrath - the human metronome. Ultimate master of economy in action, delivery and performance. Ruthless and underrated.

Normally a Test side is lucky to have one such player at one time. We had arguably 5 players. Australian and World cricket supporters were well and truly blessed. And it will be years down the track before people will recognise the uniqueness of each player and their impact on the game.

[Whispering_Jack 28,118]

Being on the Gold Coast ATM, I missed the 3rd ODI v SA.

What happened?

[Biffen 12,557]

The administration of Aussie cricket is shambolic .Sutherland and Hilditch weilding too much ego . Katich was undroppable and Clarke is Cronulla Bogan. Hope Kat make 1000 shield runs this season and laughs at them .

[45HG 1,539]

Hodge with 144.

Smith with 187*

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Yikes!

Victoria 317/7 (49/49 ov)

New South Wales 323/3 (40.4/49 ov)

Wow! Victoria batted well after a difficult start and 774 radio had them a shoo in with that score. Ouch.

Smith 29yo and built like a brick fortress hits 12 sixes.

Katich 13 and he may want to make his bat talk louder than his mouth.

[H_T 2,941]

Yikes!

Victoria 317/7 (49/49 ov)

New South Wales 323/3 (40.4/49 ov)

Wow! Victoria batted well after a difficult start and 774 radio had them a shoo in with that score. Ouch.

Smith 29yo and built like a brick fortress hits 12 sixes.

Katich 13 and he may want to make his bat talk louder than his mouth.

Wow.

Right on the money on Katich. This latest outburst will prove costly. In more ways than one.

If he wants to make runs, he'll have to stop sulking first.

[Axis of Bob 10,497]

I was watching the game. It was a game decided by the toss and the first 10 overs of Victoria's innings.

Starc and Hazelwood bowled brilliantly early and Victoria was lucky to only be one down. The ball was swinging around and batting was tough going. The Victorian openers had to do their best to survive and we lost 4 early wickets before the pitch settled down.

Once the pitch settled down it was a batting paradise. Hodge and Quiney did as they pleased on the postage stamp of a ground and a pitch that may as well have had lane markings. The NSW innings was just more of the same and bowling was near impossible.

Hazelwood (especially) and Starc are very promising young bowlers. Starc has all the tools to be really good, but sprays it around at the moment. Hopefully with maturity he can get more consistency. Hazelwood will be a star. Giant of a kid, bowls mid-130s and hits the seam regularly. He is as close to Glenn McGrath as you could get. He'll be a regular national bowler if he stays fit. For the Vics it was only Herrick that looked to have any penetration, although he tends to spray it around a bit.

[Axis of Bob 10,497]

Oh, and Katich must be some sort of tool.

It was interesting to hear the response from Clarke. He said all the right things, but he also mentioned the dressing room harmony being important.

"Team morale is such an important part of having success. The team morale is outstanding and we're enjoying seeing a bit of success as well."

Don't need to read very far between the lines there.

[Rogue 585]

On a similar vein, apparently in Watson's recent book he recounts a sledge he made about Stuart Law.

Watson suggested Law was not a very likeable character and brought up the fact he never played Test cricket again after his one knock of 54* in a winning Test.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Hell, Dirk Wellham must have been hated given he never played a Test again after an away series Ashes century.

I am not sure either Katich or Clarke's blotters are unmarked but one is the incumbent Test Captain starting to get some form and just winning a series in Sri Lanka. The other is 36yo, bitter and not making runs....

[Rogue 585]

Hell, Dirk Wellham must have been hated given he never played a Test again after an away series Ashes century.

I had no idea who Dirk Wellham was so I checked out Cricinfo.

In his first Test he hit 103 (and 24) at the Oval.

However, he played a further five Tests (in Australia and England), finishing with a career batting average of 23.

He didn't pass 36 in any innings bar his century.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I had no idea who Dirk Wellham was so I checked out Cricinfo.

In his first Test he hit 103 (and 24) at the Oval.

However, he played a further five Tests (in Australia and England), finishing with a career batting average of 23.

He didn't pass 36 in any innings bar his century.

Ok thanks. He was a NSW Captain at the time and not the most popular cricketer going around. I think he got dropped for the next season after scoring a ton in the last test of the Ashes series. Funny I didnt realise he came back and played another 5 tests over 5 years.

[45HG 1,539]

Katich made a century in his last first class match - a week ago.

[Rogue 585]

Ok thanks. He was a NSW Captain at the time and not the most popular cricketer going around. I think he got dropped for the next season after scoring a ton in the last test of the Ashes series. Funny I didnt realise he came back and played another 5 tests over 5 years.

He played what looks like the next three Tests following his debut century and was then dropped until 1985, four years later. He played one Test in '85 and another, his sixth, in '87:

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/8198.html?class=1;template=results;type=batting;view=innings

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

He played what looks like the next three Tests following his debut century and was then dropped until 1985, four years later. He played one Test in '85 and another, his sixth, in '87:

http://stats.espncri...ng;view=innings

I just checked the records and Aust played Pakistan at home after the 1981 ashes in Oct-Dec 1981. Wellham did not play in the first test but played the next 2 tests and you're right he never lived up to the day at the Oval. He may well have been injured for the first test but I cannot recall.

[Biffen 12,557]

Wow.

Right on the money on Katich. This latest outburst will prove costly. In more ways than one.

If he wants to make runs, he'll have to stop sulking first.

He just made a 100 and then complained about being dropped from the test team due to age and idiotic selection decisions .

Same problem with Hodge-not able to kiss arses with the right technique .

[Jumping Jack Clennett 1,661]

I'm terribly disappointed by the Bushrangers in the Ryobi Cup.

Shocking, under-nine shot by Hodge to be bowled. Cameron White is just not up to state(let alone National) level as a player.

Gutsy effort down the batting order by James Pattinson.

A message from the coaches should have been sent to Herrick to stop trying to whack it(.....he just had NO timing), and try to deflect. Despite his efforts, he just couldn't score. Our state coaches either are not emphasising the basics to our players, or they're just not listening.

The title holders are Maxie GAWN!!!! Great game to watch last night though.

I'm not confident about the two tests v. S. Africa starting next week. But if we can do well against them there, we might be on the way back.

[Axis of Bob 10,497]

This has been some innings by Clarke.

[Macca 16,174]

Allan Border described Pups knock as one of his best ever .

It reminded me of Kim Hughes' ton vs the Windies in 1981 - Boxing day .

Captaincy seems to be bringing the best out of Clarkie .

And how good is Steyn ? Our bowlers need to step up .

Edited November 9, 2011 by Nuggets

[H_T 2,941]

Steyn is a very good bowler. And Clarke's innings is a very important one for the team and it was good to see him score an innings like that (not out, mind you) when the team requires one to stand up.

The Australian bowlers will have some work to do if we're to win this Test.