Rimmer Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 [quote name='Paxter' post='1650826' date='Jan 15 2009, 22.29']Anyway, to change the subject entirely, cricinfo recently posted a statistical analysis of the contributions made by Gayle and Chanderpaul in recent times ([url="http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/386553.html"]link[/url]). I honestly believe that, if not for these two players, WI would be the equal-worst team in the world - way below NZ and probably on a par with Bangladesh. When Chanderpaul retires (and he's already 34), they will struggle to maintain any illusion of competitiveness against the major test nations.[/quote] Chanderpaul is incredible. In test matches he puts such a high value on his wicket that he's probably the hardest man in the world to get out, but in the last ODI in Napier (which I attended :thumbsup: ) he was reverse-sweeping Vettori for 6. With that crazy stance he's just a one-of-a-kind player. Side-note, I thought the Duckworth-Lewis end of the Napier ODI was a bit of a farce. It started pouring with rain while NZ were behind, but it seems that the batsmen choose when to go off, so we stayed on for another two overs, with the fast bowlers running through the rain, until we got ahead. The batsmen then walk off and we win the game. The Duckworth-Lewis system works OK if you suddenly have to go off unexpectedly, but not when you know you have to go off soon and chase every little adjusted target over-by-over. Caught the end of the game in Australia too, great finish. These two teams playing each other so often have the best matches lately (2005 Ashes aside!). [quote name='Multaniette' post='1651204' date='Jan 16 2009, 08.05']two games which showed why ODIs are still awesome.[/quote] Total agree, and while I like 20-20s, they should never replace ODIs. I just took a day off work and drove 4 hours to watch the Napier game, wouldn't really be worth it for one day of a test or 2 to 3 hours of Twenty20. ODI bowling strategy is a lot more straightforward than test bowling (especially for NZ bowlers...), but I always like seeing how a batting team paces out their innings over 50 overs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubby Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 [quote name='Rimmer' post='1652011' date='Jan 17 2009, 09.35'].....but I always like seeing how a batting team paces out their innings over 50 overs.[/quote] Something the yarpies did extremely well yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted January 17, 2009 Author Share Posted January 17, 2009 Hayden's scratchy form at the end of his career will tarnish it slightly, but he was indeed a great opener; I remember his string of four centuries in seven innings after the 2005 Ashes, showing he could bounce back from when people thought his career was over back then. Anyone who scored 30 centuries and had an average of over 50 (not to mention at a rather fast Test strike rate of over 60) has to be counted as an all-time great. Fantastic one-day match between South Africa and Australia. The Boks almost blew it with their middle order collapse, but Albie Morkel powered them back in it. In truth I think Australia could have scored more runs and ultimately 271 wasn't enough. Funny to think that about 10 years ago, 271 would have been seen as a terrifying target and 300 would have assured victory; nowadays especially with Twenty20 showcasing what you can do in 20 overs, no target can really be declared as safe anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Pretty moderate score of 249 for the Aussies in the second ODI. The pitch isn't great for batting, but you would still expect SA to chase it down if they don't lose too many wickets early on. Great stuff from Shaun Marsh again. Ave over 55 in ODIs now - that is excellent for a young player just making his way in international cricket...surely test match selection beckons at some stage over the next couple of seasons... ETA: another great ODI there, this time SA fell just short. In hindsight, I'm sure SA wish that they had pushed Morkel up the order to accelerate the run chase a little earlier. This is shaping up to be an excellent series...hopefully we see more of the same in the 8 ODIs to come... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Well, after two great performances against SL, Bangladesh have slumped to another devastating loss in a thrilling match against Zim. The fact that the game was very close will be no consolation for the Tigers. Their batsmen really need to lift in the next match... Meanwhile, Pakistan are busy taking SL apart in the first ODI. Pak currently cruising at 155/0 chasing 220. And they are playing Murali and Mendis with ease (unlike the much lauded Indian ODI team). I was looking at the Pakistan line-up and it truly is a fantastic team: Butt: excellent one-day batsman with an average touching 40 in 61 matches. In fact his average of 39.50 makes him (statistically) the 38th best ODI batsman of all-time. Manzoor: only played a handful of matches, but he has an average over 50! Khan: very experienced top-order bat in ODIs - scored over 5000 runs in ODI cricket Misbah: average over 40 in 44 matches, great strike rate of 86 - best stats of the lot Malik: decent batting average of 35 in 171 matches. Very useful off-spinner - 126 wickets and an economy of 4.5 Afridi: awesome strike rate of 111, and an average of 23. Excellent limited overs leg-spinner: 243 wickets and an economy of 4.6 Akmal: average of 25 in 92 matches - has made 4 hundreds but only 2 fifties!!!!!!!! Good strike rate of 84 - just what you need at no. 7 Tanvir: Great emerging left-arm fast medium bowler (ave 27, SR, 33 balls, econ 4.86) and handy lower order bat (ave 16, SR 106) Gul: Tall fast medium bowler with very similar bowling stats to Tanvir Iftikhar: 70 wickets at 30 in 54 matches. Another good fast-bowling prospect. Handy batting average of 20 (although that is mainly due to not outs)!! Akhtar: awesome SR of 30 balls. RPO of 4.65 is also very acceptable. That is a very good team to say the least, with a solid top order, explosive middle-lower order (Misbah, Malik, Afridi, Akmal and Tanvir are fast scorers), genuine all-rounders, a terrific four-pronged pace attack, two spin options that bowl different varieties of spin, a solid wk-batsmen: in short, all of the ingredients necessary to be a world-beating team. Outstanding fielders is probably the only feature missing from the equation - although the ground fielding is a bit better with no Inzy in the team... Overall, I would be surprised if this team does not become a real force in the lead-up to the next World Cup. Now, if they could just start playing some test cricket... To finish the post on a slighly sad note: it is a real shame that this Pakistan team is missing three pretty special people: Yousuf (one of the best top-order batsmen of the modern era - lost to ICL), Asif (fantastic talent with personal problems) and, of course, Bob Woolmer (RIP). I would venture to say that if you swapped Yousuf for Manzoor and Asif for Iftikhar, this team would be the best ODI team on the planet (at least on paper anyway...) Multaniette, what do you think? You're the resident Pakistan expert IIRC... Edit: well, massive relief for the Tigers as they win fairly easily in the second game. Anything less than another comprehensive win in match 3 will be seen as a massive failure for Bangla cricket. Edit: and, of course, 24 hours after I talked up the Pakistan team, they have been defeated easily in the second ODI. Sri Lanka was on fire in that game. Dilshan has been really effective as an opener. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubby Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Bugger. Albie Morkel's a bit of a find for SAf. Thats two games in this series he's guided them home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sh_wulff Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 [quote name='Ser Stubby' post='1659271' date='Jan 23 2009, 22.22']Bugger. Albie Morkel's a bit of a find for SAf. Thats two games in this series he's guided them home.[/quote] doesn't he make this current ODI series interesting :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Yes, Morkel is proving to be a match-winning player. It's a shame that Justin Kemp isn't in the ODI frame anymore, because he, Boucher and Morkel at 6, 7 and 8 would be an awesome lower order. As it is McKenzie probably deserves his spot in the team though. The other really impressive player in the SA team ATM is Botha - he has hit the winning runs in both victories, caught very well, taken wickets and only gone at 4.5 an over. His captaincy has also been decent - bringing Duminy in two bowl 10 overs yesterday night was a masterstroke. It's probably not a bad thing for SA to have a captain that takes spin-bowlers seriously and knows how to employ them effectively in a limited-overs game. Gibbs, Kallis and Duminy are also in form, while De Villiers and Amla need some runs. From an Aus perspective, I still can't believe that they're picking Cam White in ODI cricket this summer. If he's not going to bowl more than 2 overs in 2 matches, then he's really playing as a specialist batsman. And there are much better specialist batsmen than White in our domestic 50 over competition. For example, Carseldine, Voges and Birt are all young and exciting middle-order batsmen who have made 300+ runs in the Ford Ranger Cup this season, compared to 60 runs from Cam White. Brad Hodge is also a much better batsman than White will ever be. The stand-out players for Aus so far have been Marsh, Warner and Bracken (even though he's not really taking wickets). Bracken easily the most reliable bowler on the planet in terms of keeping runs to an absolute minimum. Hopes has also been useful. Ponting and D Hussey have been OK without getting a big score, while M Hussey is desperate for runs after only scoring two fifties in the entire summer. Drop catches and a lacklustre middle/lower order are the main reasons why they are trailing 2-1. I'm looking forward to the next couple of games. Hopefully the Perth game isn't a dead rubber. Side-note: massive relief for Bangladesh to win the last two matches against Zim fairly easily. They will be annoyed not to have won 3-0 though. For the record, Shakib is now the best all-rounder in ODI cricket, according to the official ratings. ETA: Symonds needs to grow a brain. Seriously. [url="http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24956113-23212,00.html"]Link.[/url] ETA: Also some interesting comments from Hayden about NZ cricket. [url="http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/content/current/story/387625.html"]Link.[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubby Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 [quote name='sh_wulff' post='1660241' date='Jan 24 2009, 08.31']doesn't he make this current ODI series interesting :D[/quote] He reminds me a lot of Lance Klusener. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted January 24, 2009 Author Share Posted January 24, 2009 Great match with lots of twists and turns again.The three ODIs we've had so far are restoring my confidence in the one-day game which was starting to look a bit limp with the introduction of the Twenty20s. I think the introduction of the bowling and batting powerplays is definitely something that helps too. Regarding the latest match where South Africa successfully chased down 270-odd, it was very well done, even if they had a collapse in the middle again. Both teams seem to be able to make good batting impressions at the top of the order, and then lose their way in the middle overs of the match. The difference is that South Africa have had Albie Morkel to reverse the trend in the dying overs, while Australia has lacked that impetus. Morkel does have a few comparisons to Klusener; he's a left-handed lower-order hitter who can club the ball a mile, while also being a reasonably handy bowler. I don't know whether his skills would translate particularly well to the Test match arena, but he's definitely a useful guy to have around in one-dayers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 [quote name='Paxter' post='1655087' date='Jan 20 2009, 13.24']Edit: and, of course, 24 hours after I talked up the Pakistan team, they have been defeated easily in the second ODI. Sri Lanka was on fire in that game. Dilshan has been really effective as an opener.[/quote] And now they've lost massively by being bowled out for 75 in response to SL's 309/5. That's quite a big defeat :stunned: . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 [quote name='williamjm' post='1660764' date='Jan 24 2009, 22.37']And now they've lost massively by being bowled out for 75 in response to SL's 309/5. That's quite a big defeat :stunned: .[/quote] Yes cricket is a strange game. You would have thought that after losing to Bangla and then nearly losing again to the Tigers in the tri-series final, followed by an extremely comprehensive win by Pakistan in the first ODI, Sri Lanka would fold in the remaining games. Instead, SL have looked like the world-beaters (mainly thanks to Dilshan, Kulasekera, Thushara and the spin-twins) in the recent ODIs whereas Pakistan have looked like minnows. So much for my "real force in the lead-up to the next WC" prediction. It's back to the drawing board for Pakistan now. ETA: just an interesting titbit - Phil Jaques made his return to club cricket yesterday - but was lbw for 5 from the first ball of Greg Matthews(!), the former Aussie offspinner (and excellent batsman), still playing top grade club cricket at 49 years of age!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Important innings for M Hussey in this ODI, he has an opportunity to have a fairly long innings after both openers were dismissed early. ETA: and he fails again. This time a classic dismissal for a right arm offie to a left hander with the ball angling down leg and then straightening as Huss was trying to sweep. Bit of trouble for Aus now after two early wickets and then the dismissal of Ponting, Hussey and Haddin. Come on Aussie! I actually want you guys to win for a change so that the Perth ODI isn't a dead rubber!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overflowing chamberpot Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Wow, a cricket thread! We really got smooshed by the sa's tonight; I'm lovin it :). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 [quote name='overflowing chamberpot' post='1662437' date='Jan 26 2009, 18.52']Wow, a cricket thread! We really got smooshed by the sa's tonight; I'm lovin it :).[/quote] Hey OC, welcome to the board. Yeah, it's been a very entertaining summer indeed, although the fourth ODI was probably one of the least exciting games. To be honest, I hope that SA win the Perth ODI, they richly deserve the number 1 ranking (or, at the very least, Aus don't deserve to have it after losing three consecutive CB series on their home soil). SL just suffered a fairly heavy defeat at the hands of India, despite another big score from the 39 y.o. Sanath. The big concern for SL at the moment is the form of their captain - Jayawardene hasn't passed 30 in a ODI for 13 innings. That run of bad form includes 4 ducks in 5 innings against Zim and Bangla. Speaking of "big concerns", it looks fairly likely that Clark will be missing the SA tour now. That would be a massive blow for Aus, especially since Clark was man of the series last time Aus were out there. The only other big news in cricket recently is the resignation of Shoiab Malik as Pakistan captain and the beginning of the tenure of Younis Khan. Younis probably should have taken the job years ago - IIRC this is the third time he has been asked to captain the side. Anyway, hopefully this can be the start of a new chapter in Pakistan cricket. They have fallen a long way since the last WC, especially in the test arena. They do have a decent core of players, but they need stability in the coaching, captaincy and selection policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sh_wulff Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 [url="http://blogs.cricinfo.com/andyzaltzman/archives/2009/01/worlds_dullest_xi_part_1_titan.php"]intriguing[/url] and[url="http://blogs.cricinfo.com/andyzaltzman/archives/2009/01/worlds_dullest_xi_part_1_appen.php"]funny[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubby Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 [quote name='sh_wulff' post='1666351' date='Jan 29 2009, 12.03'][url="http://blogs.cricinfo.com/andyzaltzman/archives/2009/01/worlds_dullest_xi_part_1_titan.php"]intriguing[/url] and[url="http://blogs.cricinfo.com/andyzaltzman/archives/2009/01/worlds_dullest_xi_part_1_appen.php"]funny[/url][/quote] Agreed and agreed! I remember the series with Tavare, and how the yobbos on the hill in Perth strugled to make his name sound like Boycott's in the chants. "Taaaaaavaaraaaaaay" didn't have the same ring to it as "Booooooycott". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sh_wulff Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I was a cricket n00b back then just got absolutely dazzled by the windies.... [url="http://blogs.cricinfo.com/andyzaltzman/archives/2009/01/worlds_dullest_xi_part_2_deiti.php#more"]more eyebrow raising[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daeric Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Shit, Bill "The Bearded Wonder" Frindall of Test Match special commentry has just died of Legionairre disease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimmer Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Just a random, slightly hungover cricket thought: do captains have to be good batsmen? Not in a ha-ha-Stephen-Fleming-wasn't type way, but when you look back on bowling captains: Vettori, Kumble, Pollock, Botha, they are all very decent with the bat. Funny, because if a captain couldn't roll their arm over to save their life it's no big deal, but if they come out at no. XI and can't put bat on ball then you wouldn't really respect them as much. Still drunk I think, sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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