Roar Rookie
Joined November 2020
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Test match cricket in the bio-secure bubble has brought into sharp focus the need to maintain neutral umpires at all cost. The Tim Paine…
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Everything I have ever read in the last 50 years about South African Graeme Pollock tells me that he was a great batsman cut…
Everything ever written about the South African cricket team of 1969-70 that beat Australia 4-0 refers to it as “great” team that was invincible.…
The idea of getting Dolly a coaching job was real and its confirmed by him in his autobiographu. The deal was to get him out of the way so that he is “unavaliable” for the SA tour. However, it wasn’t to be as a national coach as they didn’t really exist back then. Dolly was to coach black/coloured kids in the “townships” not even white kids!
Dolly’s domination: The cricketing crisis that helped bring an end to apartheid
G Chappell (GC) was amazing and arguably better than anyone around at the time the way he played against the WI , he did it both home and away which makes a huge different. Along with Gavaskar.
The all-time XI for all time: South Africa
We just don’t know!!!
You can’t call anyone as a “great” on mere speculation as to what might/would have happened.
If Steve Smith hadn’t been recalled and reinvented himself as a batter we’d all say why was he ever selected in the first place? I myself had a chuckle when I saw that he was recalled from the “A” team for the 2013 Ashes but he’s proved everyone wrong. And given everyone confirmation that you shouldn’t judge players by at the start of their careers.
The all-time XI for all time: South Africa
I’ve not seen anyone look as good/great as Mark Waugh in 30 years yet he averaged only 42+
The all-time XI for all time: South Africa
Very few,if any batsman in the last 25 years have sustained their averages in the last 5 years of their careers including Ponting,Lara,Tendulkar,Pietersen,Inzy,Amla etc etc
The all-time XI for all time: South Africa
Warner averages nearly 70 at home and very little outside so is he all times great?
Don’t think so. Averages alone tell us one part of the story like Barrington averaging nearly 60 over his career and Lara only 52 and Gilly only 47 after many years over 55 like Ponting.
All of the trial and tribulations that Pollock never went through and overcame which is also part of the greatness equation
The all-time XI for all time: South Africa
There’s a guy called Ian Chappel who seen a bit of cricket (including Pollock) and swears that Sobers was the best batsman he ever saw. of course, given their history they would never agree. But that said Pollock didn’t score a run in india/Pakistan or WI. Touring would have taken its toll on him. Sobers way ahead on that and he could bowl a bit too.
The all-time XI for all time: South Africa
Why not Adam Voges, similar average in similar tests against similar average bowling like WI.
Pollock got his runs against medium pace pie chuckers from England/Australia bar McKenzie.
Not a single bowler he batted against was even a regular international for any length. Both England and Australia were in transition during the time Pollock played his 21 tests. No doubt a good player but his numbers against rebel WI/Australia and England sides (which were all second teams) are modest by comparison (Averaged about 47)
The all-time XI for all time: South Africa
Anyways, you are only a great at the end of a lengthy career playing everyone home/away in all conditions, not a home flat track bully. Very few of the pre 1970 SA played in India/WI/Pakistan .Playing in Australia/England was hardly “away” as they had all the home comforts of beers and BBQs
The all-time XI for all time: South Africa
Pretty silly selection bar for those post 1992 players.
If you can include someone as an “All Time Great” on the back of 5-10 tests you might as well include Adam Voges as an “all time” aussie great along side the Don and Steven Smith!
The all-time XI for all time: South Africa
I agree this sledging or “mental disintegration crap is due for a review. Its nothing short of bullying an opponent. Just exactly when was such conduct in the “Spirit” of the game?
Those good enough at test level don’t engage in such rubbish and you can add Buttler to Dohni as good examples and Knott from long ago. Paine was never good enough as wicket keepr or batsman but just happened to be around at the right time much like Misbah from Pakistan.
West Indies did not and still don’t engage in such conduct which is restricted primarily to Australians. Lets face if Jeffery Dujon was never standing close to the batsman to sledge them even if he wanted to!
Why Tim Paine's sledging leaves such a bitter taste
Trent Boult is rated 20th best all rounder in world cricket!
McGrath would have been right up there 😛
Matthew Wade's latest shocking shot might be the end of the line
England’s county cricket has enhanced many AUS players over the last 50 years
G Chappell, M Waugh, to name two before they played tests.
Lots of SA at Hampshire before they played tests inc Greame Smith.
Matthew Wade's latest shocking shot might be the end of the line
Yes he was born in SA but raised in AUS so more AUS than SA
Matthew Wade's latest shocking shot might be the end of the line
Kepler Wessels played many “official ” test for Australia around the time G Chappell, Marsh and Lillee retired. He played county cricket for Sussex for many years before migrating to Australia and qualifying (don’t know if by marriage or residence) After SA were readmitted to play tests he went back to SA and played few tests including their very first post readmission against IND. But he was well past his best by then. Returned to SA and became a commentator. All players of SA background who have played for ENG like Smith, Grieg and KP also went to live in AUS.
Matthew Wade's latest shocking shot might be the end of the line
It should be about 15/20 tests. Remember Steve Waugh took 25 tests to get going and Amala looked a joke in his first 10 tests, both could have been dropped for good with justification. Also Kallis had a pretty slow start too in his first 10 tests.
Matthew Wade's latest shocking shot might be the end of the line
Fair enough, I forgot about him.
However, now Australia have/should have a better option than the 1970/80s. With the large Asian population it’s only a matter of time before a number of quality players with Indian/Pakistan background come through like Khawaja. Its taken east Europeans with no background in cricket 30/40 years to come through with the likes of Katich, Kasprowic, Duranovic (Pascoe) and now Puckoski. It will also fulfil Bob Simpson’s prophecy from the 70’s about the composition of future Australian teams.
Matthew Wade's latest shocking shot might be the end of the line
Any team that selects a wicket keeper to play as a specialist batsman means only one thing. Lack of good enough alternatives. Apart of Smith and Labuscha
agne Australian batting is well below par for test standards against a good Indian attack. Those old enough can think back to the 1983/87 period when Wayne Phillips and Mike Vellata were doing the same patch up job. Wouldn’t the Australian selectors love to have the “problem” they had in the 1990s/2000s with too many talented batsman such as Law, Lehman, Rogers, DiVento, Love, David Hussey and Marcus North who missed out on lengthy careers because of the likes of Waughs, Ponting, Martyn, Jones, Slater, Hayden etc etc.
Every team goes through a cycle of highs and lows but unlike Man Utd, Australia can’t buy players from South Africa, although I can see several young SA players rushing over to qualify.
Matthew Wade's latest shocking shot might be the end of the line
Great, as tech is not 100% and we want certainty so get rid of umpires call decisions.
With LBW it should only be given if 3 reds on DRS and no arguments. Remember of course that there is still an element of uncertainty when 3 reds are showing but that uncertainty is reduced.
The case for neutral umpires is clearer than ever
Hotspot has been suspect for a while but there was a spike on snicko. Much more interesting were the 2 LBW shouts not given when much of the ball was hitting the stumps. That is my point that it gives too much leeway to the umpires which is being exposed with the use of the home umpires. Those two would have been given 9/10 but because its home umpires an extra dimension is added to the mix.
The case for neutral umpires is clearer than ever
Micko, i’m only looking at events since July 2020.
The brief summary about previous was to show why neutral umpires are essential.
The case for neutral umpires is clearer than ever
The “race card” that many have thrown at me fails because the third umpire was also white/English.
The case for neutral umpires is clearer than ever
Glad to have seen the great man play for England. He was a fearless batsman and the original “crissis” man. England were often 30/3 and “Dolly” would do his resue act time and again. He almost always got the hard/tough runs when it mattered. Also a very useful medium pacer and again, renowned partnership breaker!
He fell victim to MCC selection committee playing underhand and buckling to SA pressure not to select him for the 1968/69 tour. There is a strong senses of opinion that his former captain Cowdry stabbed him in the back and agreed not to select him.
Dolly’s domination: The cricketing crisis that helped bring an end to apartheid