A West Indies team that never played ODI cricket
The fourth and final instalment looks at some great West Indian players, most of whom would have been superstars in the ODI format. I…
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The fourth and final instalment looks at some great West Indian players, most of whom would have been superstars in the ODI format. I…
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Did he say that to Langer’s face because I don’t get any impression he or any other player did?
Cricket's generation game is ugly, but Cummins' leadership shows the way of the future
Huh. Where have I said Cummins had to make a public statement hat he didn’t want Langer as coach? What I replied to you was, Cummins had to be honest with Langer and CA and tell him, to his face he didn’t want Langer as coach.
I’m also not criticising him and his team mates for having any conversations. I don’t give a toss what they talk about, but when it becomes public what they were saying which does not match with what he had been saying to the meda, then there are problems.
And if the details are scant, why hasn’t any of the four guys denied them?
Cricket's generation game is ugly, but Cummins' leadership shows the way of the future
I agree it’s possible but Langer was offered a contract extension for 6 months. That says to me the players must have been okay with him staying in the role till the end of October. That makes these conversations about getting rid of him hard to take.
If true, behind his back they’re saying to each other they don’t want him, but to his face they must have been saying something else.
Cricket's generation game is ugly, but Cummins' leadership shows the way of the future
I agree Constantine was a high risk choice as opener, but I wasn’t sure where he’d fit in down the order. It would likely mean bringing someone into the team but I wasn’t sure who I’d then leave out.
The guy I wanted in the team as an opener was George Challinor. From what I’ve read, he was a terrific bat, perhaps only second to Headley in the West Indies teams, pre WWII.
A West Indies team that never played ODI cricket
” Sobers later apologised for Griffith’s Mankad, so you’re on the wrong side of the gods here, Paul.”
Aaahh but Griffith didn’t. 😊
A West Indies team that never played ODI cricket
In this era of phone cameras and other recording apps, any conversation in a public place is going to be treated as making a public comment. In other words, with social media being what it is, as Vaughan said, anything goes
Whinging about your boss at the pub used to be an Australian tradition but the advent of mobile phones killed that, unless people want to get sacked
Cricket's generation game is ugly, but Cummins' leadership shows the way of the future
👍 👍 👍
I scored way more runs and took plenty more wickets over several schooners than I ever did on the playing field.
Cricket's generation game is ugly, but Cummins' leadership shows the way of the future
I think the term “elite honesty” was a poor choice of words, but given the events that led to Langer’s appointment, I understand what he was trying to get across to the squad.
What’s sad I think is that the messages he tried to impart appear to have gone nowhere. As you say, Warner’s name crops up yet again as a malcontent. I suspect Australian cricket will be better off when he retires.
Cricket's generation game is ugly, but Cummins' leadership shows the way of the future
No it’s not shocking they discussed this among themselves, but it is incredibly stupid they’d do so in a public venue where anyone could hear what they were discussing. That’s tantamount to commenting publicly.
Would you go down to the pub and have this type of conversation with mates about your boss, when next table over is someone who could report it straight back to them?
Cricket's generation game is ugly, but Cummins' leadership shows the way of the future
By being honest. If Cummins wanted Langer gone, say so to his face and/or say so in a get together with the CA CEO.
Langers not a child. He’s perfectly capable of being told the truth given his “elite honesty” mantra. Clearly though, that appears to have been a step too far for both Cummins and Hockley to take, given the dragged out negotiations, the 6 month offer of extension and all the while Cummins is white-anting him.
Cricket's generation game is ugly, but Cummins' leadership shows the way of the future
There’s clear hypocrisy when Cummins was going behind Langer’s back to shaft him well before the Ashes was finished, yet publicly saying “oh no, I have no opinion on this, it’s not part of my role as captain”.
Langer wanted to stay on as head coach and was negotiating with CA in good faith to do so. Langer had every right to expect the support of the players, coaching staff and CA given he was offered a contract extension. In hindsight this was not an offer made in good faith, thanks in part to Cummins two-faced approach to Langer.
As I said, he’s just as bad as the ex-players you criticise and perhaps sillier if he’s involving Dave Warner in this sort of conversation, given what Warner instigated in 2018
Cricket's generation game is ugly, but Cummins' leadership shows the way of the future
The histrionics in this piece is a real shame. “The NRL signings system has reached tipping point”. Really? What tipping point is that? What happens if the tipping point is exceeded?
“The players’ union will resist change. The current set-up allows its members to pretty much come and go as they please for all but about three months on the calendar.” Sorry, but this suits the Clubs just as much as it does the players. Plenty of Clubs in recent times have been happy to move guys on at nearly any point in the year. The only losers in this are the fans.
“strict anti-tampering punishments must be enforced.” Really? How are you going to police this, in an era of Whatsapp and other media forms that use encrypted technology?
I’m guessing the author is not old enough to remember all the skulking about that used to happen decades ago, with players, agents etc doing all sorts of things to meet up. Deals would be done months ahead, everyone knew about it but all acted surprised when the actual announcement was made, This is part of the reason why we have the current system.
The system only needs to be changed if it can be conclusively shown the player moving on is not honoring their current contract by playing to the best of their ability. I’m happy to stand corrected, but I can’t name a guy who’s dogged it because he’s leaving a Club for another.
NRL transfer system must change: Signings sideshow has reached tipping point
So please explain exactly when it’s okay to play this shot?
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In terms of managing the issues, your spot on Rowdy, CA is clearly the main culprit, specifically the CEO. That said, this piece is about the difference between what the ex-players are saying and the apparently new generation of leadership.
Langer’s message about “elite honesty” seems to have escaped these guys. From where I sit, given what Vaughan described in recent days, they’re all tarred by the same brush.
Cricket's generation game is ugly, but Cummins' leadership shows the way of the future
and the potential for more and more of these types of tournaments looming.
A West Indies team that never played ODI cricket
Thanks AMD.
I first heard this with my father on an old HMV Bakelite wireless back in the 60’s. I listened to it for the umpteenth time before submitting this piece and still had to laugh.
A West Indies team that never played ODI cricket
In fairness to Johns, he declared the Sharks as his smokies to make the top 4, not as certainties. I’ve no idea what price they are to do that, but if they’re more than 10 bucks, that’s a tempting bet.
What he does have right is Souths being the most likely candidate to drop down a place or two. Just as we have no idea how the Sharks will go with a new coach and so many new players, we have no idea how the Bunnies will go sans Bennett.
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Canberra’s game plan, when they’re going well, is based on a few simple things; solid defence, good metres from their forwards in attack which paves the way for Wighton and the rest of the spine to do their stuff.
Lat season they didn’t get any of this right often enough to challenge for a finals spot and all the people management issues (and injuries) mentioned in this piece must have mentally killed them.
Hopefully Stuart and the players have hit the reset button and they’re mentally in a good place. If they have there’s no doubt they have the talent to make the finals.
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Agreed. I look at a guy like Nicholas Pooran who has killed it in white ball cricket but never played a Test for the West Indies.
A West Indies team that never played ODI cricket
I reckon you were dead unlucky with the timing of this piece Lewis.
While it was waiting for publication, the story appeared that Mr “Butter Wouldn’t Melt in my Mouth Cummins, Dave “Sandpapergate” Warner, Mitch Starc and Assistant Coach McDonald, who hadn’t given a thought to the top job, were caught out having a public discussion about getting rid of Langer, before the Ashes series was over.
You’ve run the line that the era prior to Cummins was ugly and it was, highlighted for all the wrong reason by attack dog Warner. The problem is, by shafting Langer when they thought no-one would hear, but publicly telling us all how much they love him, Cummins has shown he’s no better than those ex-players you think are being hypocritical.
At least the ex-players tell it like they think it is, but Cummins…. not so much.
Cricket's generation game is ugly, but Cummins' leadership shows the way of the future
Hogg played internationals for Australia against India in his 40’s.
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Yep, on the postage stamps they play ODI cricket on these days, those two would be terrifying, though I wonder if the Windies would struggle to get through their 50 overs? Hall in particular took forever to get through an over.
A West Indies team that never played ODI cricket
I gather there was a lot of debate in the West Indies about who was the better keeper at the time, bearing in mind all of the Islands thought their keeper was the best. I’m also not sure Alexander’s cause was helped by being white, at a time when Caribbean nations were aiming for independence
In this format, I think Alexander nudges out Hendriks, solely on his batting. Hendicks seems to have been a much better gloveman and not shabby with the bat.
A West Indies team that never played ODI cricket
There’s a cricketer named J Barton (Bart) King who would be a must for a best of the rest team. He was an American who played cricket in Philadelphia around the turn of the 20th century and is reckoned by some pretty good judges to be up there with the best bowlers in the world. He played some first class games in England, which is how he got his reputation.
He could also bat, so would perfect down at 7 or 8
A West Indies team that never played ODI cricket
These are high profile people apparently having a conversation that should never have been had in a pub. That said, if they want to talk about the coach being no longer what they wanted, surely they should have talked with Langer face to face? Clearly they didn’t do that because he was offered a contract extension and Langer thought he had the backing of the players.
The hypocrisy comes when their leader who was at that meeting in the pub and says he won’t buy into what’s happening with Langer when he was obviously having lots to say to team mates and presumably CA – just not to Langer. Cummins said they were involved in 360 degree feedback all the time, so there was plenty of chances for him and the players to tell Langer exactly what they thought, but that didn’t happen otherwise he would not have been offer another 6 months deal.
Cricket's generation game is ugly, but Cummins' leadership shows the way of the future