Cricket V

[Paxter]

[quote name='ants' post='1714644' date='Mar 10 2009, 20.25']Personally I think the critiscm of Hair is pretty unfounded.

1. [b]IF[/b] Murali doesn't chuck, the only way it was proved so was through an awful lot of x-rays and medical evidence. Given that wasn't available to Hair when he called him, I believe he was more than justified calling it.

2. Hair was one of the best umpires Australia produced in the last 10 years.

3. Although I don't think it was racism, I think Hair was clearly targetted after the ball tampering issue. Inzaman had no basis to go against them, and the umpires were both justified in their decisions. Both umpires agreed, yet only one was targetted for dismissal. And Inzaman had nothing done against him. Obviously the letter and payoff request were bad form by Hair, but that said they were stripping him of a lot of years of salary.[/quote]

So what do you think about his reaction to Logart's comments? That reaction was really the last straw for me. I could have forgiven him for the Murali incident, and maybe even for the ball tampering - but this is just too much.

As for being one of the best umpires we have produced: the guy just seems to be at the centre of so many controversies - that is not good umpiring. Good umpires go about their job largely unnoticed.

[Stubby]

[quote name='ants' post='1714644' date='Mar 10 2009, 20.25']My problem isn't so much he dropped him, as it would have been very hard, but that he didn't even get close. I don't think the fact he stands up over the stumps for MacDonald is evidence of his glovework.[/quote]

And he has dropped Duminy today as well. That one with Kallis down leg side wasn't the one I referred to - it didn't go down as a dropped chance because he didn't nick it - but it was a straight forward take and he fumbled it. I'm officially off the Haddin bandwagon.

[Paxter]

[quote name='Ser Stubby' post='1714691' date='Mar 10 2009, 21.31']I'm officially off the Haddin bandwagon.[/quote]

I've been off it ever since that incident at the WACA ODI vs New Zealand.

But, personal gripes aside, I think he is an excellent 'keeper-batsman. Sure, his 'keeping might not be up to the standard of, say, Mark Boucher or Gilchrist, but he is on a par with most of the other 'keepers going around international cricket. And his batting is excellent - averaging just a tick under 40 in test cricket.

[Daeric]

As always England seem to be willing to keep us all on our toes regarding the result of a test

[Paxter]

5th test ended up being an exciting finish!! Great way to end the series.

[sh_wulff]

WI won the series-

but 'twas nailbiting at the end

[williamjm]

[quote name='Paxter' post='1714623' date='Mar 10 2009, 10.35']In any case, I think Prior (averaging 47) and Broad (averaging 28) should be able to provide good cover for Freddie and Bopara. In all honesty, I think Prior is good enough to bat at No. 6 if Freddie is really struggling.[/quote]

I don't think there should really be any question that Prior should bat above Flintoff if both are playing. I know statistics don't tell the whole story, but Prior averages 48 and 40 in test and first class cricket, Flintoff averages 32 and 34, Prior is four years younger but has more first class centuries (19 vs 15) and a higher highest first-class score and a superior batting technique (and he doesn't have the same problem against spin that Flintoff usually has). Prior's test average might be slightly flattering at the moment but I'd say he would be a decent test match number 6 whereas Flintoff only batted well enough to justify that position for a relatively short time a few years ago. It's just a pity that Prior's wicket-keeping is a bit lacking.

[IheartTesla]

Seems a shame to put the "blame" for this Test match draw on anyone, least of all KP since his ton set up England in a commanding position. However, those 20 minutes before the lunch interval where Harmison was taking messages back and forth between Strauss and the players was vital. I think Pietersen was on 85 or thereabouts and they were waiting for his century.

Since there was a decent buffer of about 100 runs between WI and victory, I imagine declaring 5 overs earlier would have given England enough time to bowl the tailenders out. We'll never know.

[IheartTesla]

Also, I dont know what it is with the English team...but they just cant seem to put the sword to the opposing team. I can recall many matches in the recent past where they have been oh-so-close.

Rather than a coach I think they need a sports psychologist. They may already have one. I know it has helped the Indians a lot in the recent years. Otherwise....Swann did very well. Monty needs to plan and calibrate his appeals better. Broad tries very hard, I'll give him that. Shah got his chance and didnt quite grab it. Prior is a great batsman, but the number of byes he gave away ....oof.

[Sir Thursday]

[quote name='cyrano' post='1715638' date='Mar 11 2009, 00.26']Also, I dont know what it is with the English team...but they just cant seem to put the sword to the opposing team. I can recall many matches in the recent past where they have been oh-so-close.

Rather than a coach I think they need a sports psychologist. They may already have one. I know it has helped the Indians a lot in the recent years. Otherwise....Swann did very well. Monty needs to plan and calibrate his appeals better. Broad tries very hard, I'll give him that. Shah got his chance and didnt quite grab it. Prior is a great batsman, but the number of byes he gave away ....oof.[/quote]

You're right about that, it has been a problem in recent times. There was the 3rd test in the 2005 Ashes, The 1st test against Sri Lanka at Lord's in 2006, plus the two in this series, just off the top of my head. I think it's part of the national psyche as much as anything else, unfortunately, which makes it doubly hard to eradicate. Unless we import all our players from abroad so they don't share our failings :P.


Sir Thursday

[ants]

[quote name='Paxter' post='1714671' date='Mar 10 2009, 23.11']So what do you think about his reaction to Logart's comments? That reaction was really the last straw for me. I could have forgiven him for the Murali incident, and maybe even for the ball tampering - but this is just too much.

As for being one of the best umpires we have produced: the guy just seems to be at the centre of so many controversies - that is not good umpiring. Good umpires go about their job largely unnoticed.[/quote]
I thought the comments were in poor taste as I've got no idea why he'd be asked for them.

But that said, it does appear poor that the police left with the Sri Lankan team bus and left the umpires' bus behind, so its understandable that there is a lot of anger. Yes, obviously the loss of a number of policemen's lives is shocking and terrible. But you can understand when the umpires' bus is just left there as a sitting duck that umpires might be pretty upset and angry about that. Also consider that Hair is probably friends with the two Australian umpires.

The best umpires call it as they see it. Hair was seldom wrong with his decisions, and that is my measure of an umpire. Its like Steve Randell. Given what he did, obviously scum of the earth. Fantastic umpire though.

[quote name='Ser Stubby' post='1714691' date='Mar 10 2009, 23.31']And he has dropped Duminy today as well. That one with Kallis down leg side wasn't the one I referred to - it didn't go down as a dropped chance because he didn't nick it - but it was a straight forward take and he fumbled it. I'm officially off the Haddin bandwagon.[/quote]
Also the catch between his legs was a complete fluke. Not that he closed his legs, but that he was so far away with his gloves he didn't even react to knock it to the side or something. The fact it got straight through him to his legs is testimony to how slowly he reacted.

I should clarify I'm not saying I'd replace him, he's an average keeper but very good with the bat. But I just laugh at anyone saying his glove work is on par with Gilchrist, let alone Healy.

[Stubby]

[quote name='ants' post='1716029' date='Mar 11 2009, 20.38']I should clarify I'm not saying I'd replace him, he's an average keeper but very good with the bat. But I just laugh at anyone saying his glove work is on par with Gilchrist, let alone Healy.[/quote]

Yep - and I am now convinced. ;)

[Paxter]

[quote name='ants' post='1716029' date='Mar 11 2009, 20.38']The best umpires call it as they see it. Hair was seldom wrong with his decisions, and that is my measure of an umpire. Its like Steve Randell. Given what he did, obviously scum of the earth. Fantastic umpire though.[/quote]

I don't think the Randell comparison is relevant. The fact that Randell was a convicted sex offender does not, in my view, tarnish his umpiring record at all. But Hair's controversies/attention-seeking antics and his complete and utter inability to relate to the players on the field (he underwent counselling in order to address this very issue after the ball-tampering incident) does taint his umpiring record, even if his decision-making in general play (lbw decisions, bat-pad decisions etc.) was acceptable .

Anyway, I won't say anything more on this topic. I am obviously biased here, because those outrageous comments from Hair are so fresh in my mind. So I will just leave this discussion for another time (when my blood pressure has gone down a few notches...;))

[Stubby]

[url="http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=14&ContentID=129489"]South Africa drop Morkel & McKenzie[/url]

With Smith out, they have brought in three players. Prince will open and captain the side. Morkel is likely to be replaced by his brother. Imraan Khan is brought in as the other opener. Don't know much about Khan - but I see he got 100 in the tour opener.

[Paxter]

[quote name='Ser Stubby' post='1716843' date='Mar 12 2009, 11.31']Prince will open and captain the side. Morkel is likely to be replaced by his brother.[/quote]

And now SA have changed their minds and given the captaincy to Kallis! The South Africans really are in disarray. You can hardly countenance the fact that this is the same team that made two outstanding comebacks to win the test series in Australia and also inflicted a heavy defeat on Aus in the ODIs.

And I'm not sure about dropping Morne for Albie. I can see the reasoning behind it (Morne has been spraying the ball around while Albie is generally quite consistent with his line/length and Albie is a useful batsman), but replacing a premier fast bowler with a military medium bowler will not help SA get the 20 wickets required to restore some pride.

[DJDonegal]

[url="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/7935442.stm"]BBC are implying[/url] that it was not SA that changed their minds, but rather it was Prince who said he wanted to concentrate on his new role as an opening batsman without the added pressure of captaincy.

[Paxter]

[quote name='DJDonegal' post='1716932' date='Mar 12 2009, 13.49'][url="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/7935442.stm"]BBC are implying[/url] that it was not SA that changed their minds, but rather it was Prince who said he wanted to concentrate on his new role as an opening batsman without the added pressure of captaincy.[/quote]

It seems that CSA reversed their original decision of their own accord. It was not Prince's decision:

[quote]"We decided that Ashwell had been out of the game for a while," Majola said in the front-page story in the Cape Times newspaper headlined: "Prince loses his crown".

"We called up Jacques, who has captained the team before, and he accepted. It was a Cricket South Africa decision."[/quote]

[DJDonegal]

Stupid BBC.

[DemonKing]

Seems pretty dumb to me that you would appoint someone captain and then tell him he has to open the batting...surely it should be up to the captain to work out the batting order?

It looks like SA have made the same mistake that the Poms did after winning the Ashes in 2005 - thinking the hard work was all over. To really be the #1 side you have to be *consistently* beating all comers...

[Paxter]

Good performance by Symonds in the Pura Cup Final today - 3 wickets on a fairly flat pitch - and that has kept QLD in the match. This is a shaping up to be a good game. I'm glad that Foxtel are showing the game live. So it's going to be tough to extract me from the couch this weekend...except on Saturday morning of course (the junior cricket team I coach is playing in a grand final - hopefully we can get across the line).