Cricket fans on SS?

[MarkB]

I did think of those countries, but seriously, do they count?

They did for Hayden.

As a non Matt Hayden fan. I remember saying a few choice words at the TV the day he carted Zimbabwe for 380.

Much rather see him double tonning England, NZ, Sth Africa, India, West Indies, or Pakistan. He's going great though, good on him too!

True.

Even if he never double tons, it is such a boost to the batting team (and demoralising for the bowling team) to have a guy at the top of the order who can score 100's at better than a run a ball - and from opener too!

I have seen his bravado type attitude and strokeplay compared to that of Viv Richards. Which I think is true at some level, though I never saw Viv bat in anything more than a cap.

 

[MarkB]

Comment on cricinfo -

Brad: "Good to See Watson cementing his spot in the Australian Team. Making runs at a strike rate less than 50, on a belter, after a coming in at 1/200, in a test that means nothing is a massive feat."

EDIT -

107.2

Mohammed Shami to Watson, OUT, and Watson has thrown away a Test hundred on a flat pitch against a flatter attack, another short ball, he forces the pull this time, and picks out the man at deep midwicket, who was in some way from the rope

SR Watson c Ashwin b Mohammed Shami 81 (253m 183b 7x4 0x6) SR: 44.26

 

[speary]

And...right on queue, Watson blows another hundred and takes his tally to 9 scores between 80 and 100..

 

[The Fence]

Well, lets see how the Aussie bowlers go late this arvo after an expected declaration soon after tea or around the 600 runs mark.

 

[boeman]

Couldnt get a better start than that...

 

[MarkB]

Watson now has his first 2 wicket "haul" since 2011.

 

[D.T.]

Watson now has his first 2 wicket "haul" since 2011.

Arguably the 2 most important wickets of the innings as it's changed the trajectory so much

 

[MarkB]

Arguably the 2 most important wickets of the innings as it's changed the trajectory so much

This is a dead rubber test match.

And like many of his better performances (yes I am calling 2 wickets one of his better performances) it has come at a time when it really doesn't matter.

 

[MarkB]

re: my post above and Watto pulling finger when the pressure is off....

Watson in the Ashes 2013
During the first 3 tests - 146 runs @ 24.33. Of course, after these 3 tests England are 2-0 up and have retained the Ashes. Watson in the last 2 Ashes tests of 2013 - 272 runs @ 68.

2013/14 Ashes
Watson in the first 2.5 tests -> 97 runs @ 19.4. This time we are 2 nil up and the engraver has already gone to work etching "Australia" on the trophy. In the last 2.5 tests -> Watto comes alive (again) and scores 248 runs @ 62. When he does fire in that series - in the 2nd innings of the 3rd test in Perth - we are 134 runs ahead on the first innings and 1/157 in the 2nd innings when he walks out to bat (ie. we are streets ahead of the Poms, the ball is old, the bowlers buggered, and the pressure is pretty much off).

Vs Sth Africa

He only played one test vs South Africa last summer (40 and 25) so he is off the hook there.

Vs India this summer.

14 and 33 & 25 and 0 in the first two tests when it mattered most because we were trying to win the series. But from the 3rd test on when we're 2 nil up in a 4 test series (ie. we cannot lose)., he again comes out and scores 52 (and then 17). And in this test - where if the pitch was any flatter you could skate on it - he scores 81.

Recent history suggests he can score runs.

It just never seems to be when we really need them.

 

[Hoffy]

They did for Hayden.

As a non Matt Hayden fan. I remember saying a few choice words at the TV the day he carted Zimbabwe

Fortunately he has another 28 test centuries to his name apart from the 2 scored against Zimbabwe.

Now the man that really benefited from playing Zimbabwe and Bangladesh was Murili who positively feasted on them with 176 wickets heavily inflating his record.

 

[MarkB]

Now the man that really benefited from playing Zimbabwe and Bangladesh was Murili who positively feasted on them with 176 wickets heavily inflating his record.

To be fair to MM, lets finish the math on that....

He still has 624 wickets @ 24.87 in 108 tests. Which is a better record than Warne on both a Wickets-Per-Match and average basis.

But I am still a Shane Warne fan.

 

[pinkboy]

C'mon, lets all agree that MM has never bowled a ball in his career!


pinkboy

 

[MarkB]

Fortunately he has another 28 test centuries to his name apart from the 2 scored against Zimbabwe.

As a Queenslander I wouldn't expect you to say anything else.

Hayden's average was boosted by the 18 tests and almost 1900 runs @ 59 against India (fearsome quicks those Indians, aren't they?).

He batted to average against Sri Lanka (again, great quicks.... not).

And to the West Indies (when all their good quicks were either retired or not bowling so well).

Against Pakistan, England, and South Africa he averaged mid 40's.

Mid 30's against NZ? ???

Anyway, you're a Queenslander - of course I expect you to stick up for Matt the (flat track bully of medium pace) Bat.

 

[The Fence]

LOL.

Warnie bowling around legs was simply mind blowing to a cricket fan.

What an unbelievable talent he had and did it with such ease and candor.

Loving the recollections today in commentary.

Australia confident that the wicket will deteriorate enough to give them the win.
But Kholi still stands in the way.

Might be a dead rubber match but its still poised.
Smithy was so filthy on himself for dropping that catch I reckon he so wants to win.

 

[pinkboy]

LOL.

Warnie bowling around legs was simply mind blowing to a cricket fan.

What an unbelievable talent he had and did it with such ease and candor.

Loving the recollections today in commentary.

A real talent, thats for sure. I think he finished up prematurely.

Excellent to watch. I hope in my lifetime we get to see another 'Warnie'!


pinkboy

 

[MarkB]

Excellent to watch. I hope in my lifetime we get to see another 'Warnie'!

Never a big turner of the ball.... but then the bat is only 4 and a 1/4 inches wide (I remember that from The 12th Man where Max Walker belts the crap out of Richie) so you don't have to spin the ball more than 2 and 1/8 inch to find the edge or beat the bat.

But (imo) what made him so good - so special - was his control. He was ridiculously accurate. Before him - leggies bowled one bad ball and over that usually went for 4. He refined the art.

But... we also need to remember that the aptly named SCG MacGill was also a champion leggie too - easily the 2nd best in the world - but more of a traditional leggie - a big turner, a bit inaccurate - more of a bowler that buys wickets by conceding runs. SCG would have taken 500 test wickets (I believe) had it not been for the existence of Warne.

Both of them brilliant.

Edit - Just realised I said he refined the art of legspin. I actually meant to say he redefined it.

 

[Hoffy]

Never a big turner of the ball.... but then the bat is only 4 and a 1/4 inches wide (I remember that from The 12th Man where Max Walker belts the crap out of Richie) so you don't have to spin the ball more than 2 and 1/8 inch to find the edge or beat the bat.

But (imo) what made him so good - so special - was his control. He was ridiculously accurate. Before him - leggies bowled one bad ball and over that usually went for 4. He refined the art.

But... we also need to remember that the aptly named SCG MacGill was also a champion leggie too - easily the 2nd best in the world - but more of a traditional leggie - a big turner, a bit inaccurate - more of a bowler that buys wickets by conceding runs. SCG would have taken 500 test wickets (I believe) had it not been for the existence of Warne.

Both of them brilliant.

Imagine how many Warnie would have taken if he didn't have to share bowling duties with McGrath, Gillespie, Lee etc. something Murili never had to worry about, with Vaas being the only other quality bowler.

Unfortunately the legacy of Murili is creating real problems for Sri Lankan cricket, but they are tackling it head on to their credit and weeding out scores of illegal actions from their development system.

 

[J_aco]

C'mon, lets all agree that MM has never bowled a ball in his career!


pinkboy

HAHAHAHA

I absolutely LOVE it pb!!!!!!

 

[J_aco]

Hey guys,

Was Warnie's flippers really really good? (I only got into cricket in 97 so didn't get to see too much of it before that)

Apparently wasn't as effective since his shoulder op?

Think there was 1 against Alec Stewart that's often talked about?
Maybe I should send Robelinda a msg to get a video of "Warnie's flippers"

 

[MarkB]

Apparently wasn't as effective since his shoulder op?

That's my memory. He struggled a bit in the late 90's. He even got dropped at one point as you would recall.

But his stock and trade was always the (very accurate) leg-spinner. His cricinfo profile says this -

At the end he was helped by his stockpile of straight balls: a zooter, slider, toppie and back-spinner, one that drifted in, one that sloped out, and another that didn't budge. Yet he seldom got his wrong'un right and rarely landed his flipper. More than ever he relied on his two oldest friends: excruciating accuracy and an exquisite legbreak, except that he controlled the degree of spin - and mixed it - at will. Like the great classical painters, he stumbled upon the art of simplicity. His bowling was never simpler, nor more effective, nor lovelier to look at.

And in another article Gideon Haigh says this -

He kept getting batsmen bowled. He get kept getting them lbw. He kept getting them WTF. He had almost no right to, but he did.

From the moment he bowled Gatt around his legs, he was like Tiger Woods was to golf for many years - you just know he had a mental hold on people and that they were playing for 2nd. But while Woods' bubble burst and (as yet) has never re-inflated, Warne's mental stranglehold on opponents never really diminished.

I remember when Tubby scored his 334* vs Pakistan I saw an interview where of the innings he said (words to the effect)... "for a brief moment I might have reached, dare I say it, Shane Warne heights..."

Which pretty much sums up just how good Warne was.