***Official*** Sri Lanka in Australia

[shortpitched713]

Where did I say MacGill had never, ever bowled well in a Test? I could out-bowl McGrath and Warne if I had enough chances, so could you or anyone else who knew how to bowl.

Comparing oneself to international cricketers is shockingly poor form, and thoroughly merits a roll eyes.

 

[Richard]

I hope that was in jest - if not, please learn the difference between comparing oneself to international cricketers and pointing-out laws of averages.

 

[Johnners]

Where did I say MacGill had never, ever bowled well in a Test? I could out-bowl McGrath and Warne if I had enough chances, so could you or anyone else who knew how to bowl.

All that says is that McGrath and Warne were sub-par that day, because both are capable of bowling better than MacGill is. MacGill, in fact, has rarely bowled especially well. Not never - rarely.

See that's where you are wrong, MacGill has often bowled especially well in test matches, that's why he has 198 test wickets @ 27, which includes twelve 5-fers, and two 10-fers.

Before i go on, i must ask why you think he is "decidedly average"?

 

[Richard]

Because 154 wickets at over 30 - which is what he's got against Test-class teams in matches that deserve Test-status - is decidedly average.

And when you look at things on a match-by-match basis, the picture actually becomes even worse.

 

[Johnners]

Because 154 wickets at over 30 - which is what he's got against Test-class teams in matches that deserve Test-status - is decidedly average.

And when you look at things on a match-by-match basis, the picture actually becomes even worse.

So you're not basing it on anything but your own skewed statistics?

 

[Richard]

No, I'm basing it on the statistics which are there - they're not mine. MacGill has an average against Test-class teams of over 30. I haven't invented this, it's stone-cold fact. And he's not performed well in a great number of matches.

 

[shortpitched713]

I hope that was in jest - if not, please learn the difference between comparing oneself to international cricketers and pointing-out laws of averages.

You could have bowled for Australia in every fixture that Warne and McGrath were in the team and you would not have outbowled them, not once. I hope I haven't shattered your illusions to the otherwise.

 

[JASON]

Hayden in top form for Queensland v NSW against top class NSW bowling side....and so was Symonds....not a good sign....

Katich closing in on a Century for NSW - does this mean the Aussie selectors will mull over whether they should pick him over Jacques ?

 

[Mister Wright]

Because 154 wickets at over 30 - which is what he's got against Test-class teams in matches that deserve Test-status - is decidedly average.

And when you look at things on a match-by-match basis, the picture actually becomes even worse.

You really do know how to distort statistics. You make it sound like MacGill has played half of his test against teams that you consider not to be of test status. The reality is, is that he has only played 4 tests against Bangladesh, and how anyone can claim playing an ICC World XI is not test class is ridiculous. At no time in MacGill's career has his average been over 30 except for after his first innings in test cricket. To me, and I don't care what the opposition is, especially given he's played 90% of his test cricket against what you consider test match quality nations, keeping your average under 30 for your career would make someone a very good test match bowler.

 

[Richard]

You really do konw how to distort statistics. You make it sound like MacGill has played half of his test against teams that you consider not to be of test status. The reality is, is that he has only played 4 tests against Bangladesh

And these games are enough to make quite a skew on his overall average if you add it to his record against Test-class teams.

and how anyone can claim playing an ICC World XI is not test class is ridiculous.

Not at all. That game was a joke.

At no time in MacGill's career has his average been over 30 except for after his first innings in test cricket.

It is now.

To me, and I don't care what the opposition is, especially given he's played 90% of his test cricket against what you consider test match quality nations, keeping your average under 30 for your career would make someone a very good test match bowler.

So you then must care that his average including domestic cricket is decidedly poor?

 

[Richard]

You could have bowled for Australia in every fixture that Warne and McGrath were in the team and you would not have outbowled them, not once. I hope I haven't shattered your illusions to the otherwise.

If I played 1,462,428 times, I gurantee you I would eventually.

 

[Mister Wright]

Hayden in top form for Queensland v NSW against top class NSW bowling side....and so was Symonds....not a good sign....

Katich closing in on a Century for NSW - does this mean the Aussie selectors will mull over whether they should pick him over Jacques ?

I pretty much think the selectors have already chosen the twelve for the first test match, despite what the performances this weekend are. Hayden, Jaques, Ponting, Hussey, Clarke, Symonds, Gilchrist, Lee, Clark, MacGill, Johnson & Tait.

I think the only thing that would change these selections is a triple century by a seasoned batsman or a haul of 8 or 9 by a seasoned bowler. Injuries would be the only other thing that would change the side for the first test match.

However, if any of the players under question do not perform against Sri Lanka, I think any player who is scoring big runs or taking big wickets will come into consideration for the test series against India.

 

[JASON]

Nice to see Jayasuriya, Atapattu, Samarawerra and Vandort score some runs. Interesting to see Muburak get a game ahead of Tharanga. Not a good sign. I reckon that batting line was basically full strenth expect Silva for Muburak. Hopefully Sangakara is ok for the 1st Test.

I hope you are right about Mubarak .....and it looks like the most probable batting line up bar Mubarak..for first Test.

The quality of their opposition bowling attack taken into consideration these runs are meaningless and more time in the Middle against Queensland is an absolute necessity..

 

[Mister Wright]

If I played 1,462,428 times, I gurantee you I would eventually.

Given that the most tests any player has played is 156, and that you'd probably be dropped before you reached 10 (being generous here), I find that hard to believe.

 

[Nate]

Hayden in top form for Queensland v NSW against top class NSW bowling side....and so was Symonds....not a good sign....

Katich closing in on a Century for NSW - does this mean the Aussie selectors will mull over whether they should pick him over Jacques ?

Katich isn't even close mate. Go to the Australian Domestic Season thread for things of the sort.

 

[Mister Wright]

And these games are enough to make quite a skew on his overall average if you add it to his record against Test-class teams.

Not at all. That game was a joke.

It is now.

So you then must care that his average including domestic cricket is decidedly poor?

MacGill's test match average is 27.20.

 

[Athlai]

If I played 1,462,428 times, I gurantee you I would eventually.

Yeah because on that particular occasion there were several detrimental factors: they both came down with food poisoning, they are both very very old after so many tests, the match was against Bangladesh, the pitch was a literal mine field (laid after WW4), Warne may have died in the second innings.

 

[Johnners]

No, I'm basing it on the statistics which are there - they're not mine. MacGill has an average against Test-class teams of over 30. I haven't invented this, it's stone-cold fact. And he's not performed well in a great number of matches.

You are skewing the statistics to suit you though. Whatever you think of Bangladesh, they are a test playing nation, he took the ****ing wickets, and he had to compete with bowlers the quality of Warne, McGrath & Gillespie to get them.

He has performed well in a fair number of matches, otherwise he wouldn't have such a good record. 198 wickets @ 27 is good, especially when you've had to, as i said earlier, compete with the likes of Warne, McGrath & Gillespie for those wickets.

In any case, have you ever seen him bowl?

 

[Nate]

I hope you are right about Mubarak .....and it looks like the most probable batting line up bar Mubarak..for first Test.

The quality of their opposition bowling attack taken into consideration these runs are meaningless and more time in the Middle against Queensland is an absolute necessity..

Saying the runs are meaningless is a huge over-statement IMO. Bollinger and Heal are very decent. While the Queensland fixture may well be a better indicator, this match should play some role in determining who will be in the Sri Lankan starting XI.

 

[shehanwije]

First chance to see how Murali gets treated this time around.....

Saw some of the match highlights on the news - crowd was very very small. Hence, probably wont be able to gauge the real crowd reaction to Murali in Adelaide. He should expect to cop heaps though and use it as motivation to get a bagful of wkts.