delete this account pls Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 I'm all for giving the third umpire access to hotspot. Not convinced about Hawkeye though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horza Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 [quote name='Brady' post='1703760' date='Mar 1 2009, 15.41']I'm all for giving the third umpire access to hotspot. Not convinced about Hawkeye though.[/quote] hotspot > snicko> "hawkeye" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Well, the collapse is on, and it isn't Steyn who's doing all the damage, it's Kallis with three wickets and a one-handed grab at slip. Australia have lost four wickets in three overs, it's an incredible collapse. But to be fair there's still a lot of work to do for the Springboks and the lead is 350+, so the Aussies are still handily ahead. I guess it's passages of play like this that we need to remember Kallis for. There was an article on cricinfo about comparing him to Sobers. Part of the reason people don't seem to rate Kallis is that he has great numbers, but no memorable hundreds or five-fors, whereas people like Dravid, Ponting, Smith, Lara etc we can all think of a famous innings. Kallis is every bit as good as they are, if in a slightly different way. The criticism that he isn't a matchwinner who seizes control of a game is somewhat valid I feel, but not nearly to the extent that the theory seems to be peddled about. Steve Waugh was another great player who might not be considered a dominating game-winner, but he was definitely still someone you'd want in any team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horza Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 The Springboks are bowling?! :P Yep, big fan of Kallis - a genuine allrounder and SA will be the poorer when he retires. OUCH. Hughes gone 75. c ABdeV b. Harris McDonald's unconvincing run continues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 The tail wagged a little too much, so the Boks are still well out of this match. They had a chance to roll over Australia for around 400, but now the target is 450+, which is a bit too steep. Still, it's possible that with the help of the weather they might yet save a draw. Looking at the Sri Lanka vs Pakistan match and since when did Samaraweera have a Test average of 50 over a longish career of 49 Tests!? As with many Sri Lankan batsmen a better home average (58) than away (43) but they're still pretty impressive numbers, I had no idea he was that statistically accomplished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted March 1, 2009 Author Share Posted March 1, 2009 [quote name='Jeor' post='1703871' date='Mar 1 2009, 20.49']Looking at the Sri Lanka vs Pakistan match and since when did Samaraweera have a Test average of 50 over a longish career of 49 Tests!? As with many Sri Lankan batsmen a better home average (58) than away (43) but they're still pretty impressive numbers, I had no idea he was that statistically accomplished.[/quote] Samaraweera is an excellent test batsman, but the problem is that he doesn't score regularly against teams with strong pace attacks. He averages just 31 against Aus, 29 against England and 24 against South Africa. Nevertheless, the fact that he scores so heavily against the other teams means that he is a valuable member of the SL batting line-up. Side-note: The other impressive thing about Samaraweera is his first-class career: 10501 runs @ 47 and 348 wickets @ 23!! To put that in perspective, Keith Miller made 14183 runs @ 48 in his first-class career and took 497 wickets @ 22. And Miller is widely regarded as one of the best all-rounders of all-time. Of course, Samaraweera's bowling has not been effective at test level (unlike Miller's). But the comparison does show that Thilan is one of the more underrated cricketers going around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubby Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 [quote name='Horza' post='1703846' date='Mar 1 2009, 18.23']McDonald's unconvincing run continues.[/quote] Henceforth I will refer to McDonald only as Ronald. The guy is a clown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delete this account pls Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 SAFers are well in this at 2/178. They need 270-ish more, very gettable with Smith and Kallis still at the crease. Unless the weather takes a part, we should get a result one way or another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sh_wulff Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 very excited about the Windies 700+ score the match may fizzle out to a draw.. but at least they won't lose from here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 [quote name='sh_wulff' post='1704250' date='Mar 2 2009, 10.51']very excited about the Windies 700+ score the match may fizzle out to a draw.. but at least they won't lose from here[/quote] Same here. I would be a lot less excited if it was just Chanderpaul carrying the whole team. But guys like Jerome Taylor, Devon Smith and especially Denesh Ramdin and Sarwan made excellent contributions in that innings. Which means that the WI are finally starting to play [i]as a team[/i] and are not just surviving on the back of individual performances from Chanderpaul. These are definitely good signs for WI test cricket. @Brady: I remain skeptical about the Saffers' chances here (to draw or win the match). I still think that the Aussies are overwhelming favourites to win this. However, in hindsight, I'm sure Australia regret playing McDonald. Bryce McGain would've been a handful on Day 5, and, provided he was "holding up" one end, it would have taken the pressure off the three premier pacemen. So Australia have almost, but not quite, got their team selections right in this game. But the inclusion of Hughes and North is still a marked improvement on the selectors' woeful team selections in the Aussie summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubby Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 [quote name='Paxter' post='1704343' date='Mar 2 2009, 12.47']So Australia have almost, but not quite, got their team selections right in this game. But the inclusion of Hughes and North is still a marked improvement on the selectors' woeful team selections in the Aussie summer.[/quote] Agreed. Including McGain or even Hauritz at the expense of Ronald would have made the team better balanced overall. Hughes has some promise at the top. North slotted in nicely. I'm very impressed with Haddin now. His 'keeping is excellent and better than either Healy or Gilchrist and has batting is useful at no 7. I'm liking Siddle more and more, but he still needs to become a little more consistent. Finally, if Johnson continues to bat the way he did in the first dig I will retract my negative comments about all-rounders because he will fall into that category. If I were Johnson I'd be insulted at having to come in after Ronald. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 [quote name='Triskele' post='1704400' date='Mar 2 2009, 15.33']Totally random but I just watched a segment on Fox Sport's "Sports Science." They use physics to analyze shit...anyhow they just suggested that the cricket ball is the most dangerous ball in sports.[/quote] I wouldn't be surprised - a cricket ball is harder than a baseball, the only other similarly sized ball that can travel at around 100 mph. And as far as gameplay is concerned, in baseball they never hit you (or if you do get hit by pitch you get a free pass to first base, so contact is not encouraged), whereas there's nothing such in the laws of cricket. Two quick wickets and the Boks are well on the back foot. It was going to be a tougher ask this time, Smith being out really stifled their momentum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 [quote name='Jeor' post='1704534' date='Mar 2 2009, 18.32']I wouldn't be surprised - a cricket ball is harder than a baseball, the only other similarly sized ball that can travel at around 100 mph. And as far as gameplay is concerned, in baseball they never hit you (or if you do get hit by pitch you get a free pass to first base, so contact is not encouraged), whereas there's nothing such in the laws of cricket.[/quote] Which is why I always get defensive when cricket is labelled as a "pansy" sport (especially by one-eyed AFL or Union/League supporters). Just because there is no actual physical contact between two people doesn't make it a "soft" sport. I would like to see Barry Hall face Jeff Thompson or Shoaib Akhtar in the nets ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 You kind of learn to trust your equipment more when you bat. There were perhaps a couple of times in grade cricket where I felt a bit physically intimidated by some seriously fast and wild pacemen, but after you've played a good shot or two (it can even just be a nice back foot defensive that you make good contact with, or a well-timed hook) it loses its sting. I remember watching a guy who bowled with a massive slingshot action (a bit like Shoaib's action) and not really wanting to go in against him, but after I pulled him off my chest for the first four (completely by chance and an involuntary reaction) you suddenly felt you could manage him. That being said...there always are times where it takes guts to stand your ground and get right behind the line of the ball. I was pretty partial to the fend away from the body and getting caught behind. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 [quote name='Jeor' post='1704552' date='Mar 2 2009, 10.09']You kind of learn to trust your equipment more when you bat.[/quote] Speak for yourself. I jibber like Phil Tufnell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 [quote name='Hereward' post='1704565' date='Mar 2 2009, 20.48']Speak for yourself. I jibber like Phil Tufnell.[/quote] I think a lot of it's psychological. Even though my technique is awful and I was a terrible batsman for my club (I was one of those bits and pieces non-players who they tried to hide at No.6 while bowling pies) I can't remember ever getting seriously hurt, or even hit on the body many times - the fact that I was often out before I could get hit is beside the point. ;) But I think the threat of getting hit is often way out of proportion to the actual number of times it happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Mongoose Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Cook scored a century! Shah failed again. He must be kicking himself, what an opportunity on this pitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IheartTesla Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Cricinfo is reporting breaking news that the Sri Lankan team bus in Pakistan was ambushed by terrorists.......bloody terrorists. They've now managed to break the illusion that sports people were somehow immune from them. Especially cricketers in the subcontinent. Edit: 5 SL cricketers suffered minor injuries, and some policemen protecting them were killed. Bad news all around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubby Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 [quote name='cyrano' post='1705576' date='Mar 3 2009, 13.58']Cricinfo is reporting breaking news that the Sri Lankan team bus in Pakistan was ambushed by terrorists.......bloody terrorists. They've now managed to break the illusion that sports people were somehow immune from them. Especially cricketers in the subcontinent.[/quote] [url="http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=4&ContentID=127779"]One News Story[/url] [quote name='from the story']Sri Lankan team manager Brendon Kruppu confirmed the incident and said batsman Kumar Sangakkara, was among the injured. Sri Lankan Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge named two injured players as Tharanga Paranavitana and Thilan Samaraweera and said they were taken to hospital in Lahore after the shooting. Skipper Mahela Jayawardena was slightly wounded in the foot, his father told a local television station after speaking with him by telephone.[/quote] This is just fucked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delete this account pls Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 :ack: Horrible news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.