Would you like these sort of tracks in international cricket

[Speersy]

Would prefer a test match that goes five days and each team has a genuine chance of winning on the last day.

 

[aussie]

^^
Seconded. But damn, Sharma was way too good for some averaging domestic bats there, either way superb stuff for him. From a cricketening perspective would hope he does become a world-class operator.

 

[Xuhaib]

^^
Seconded. But damn, Sharma was way too good for some averaging domestic bats there, either way superb stuff for him. From a cricketening perspective would hope he does become a world-class operator.

he is already a world class operator.

 

[aussie]

Well is an "Indian fast bowler" so labelling them any as WC too early based on the exploits of past bowlers (even though he does seem like the real deal) could come back to sucker punch you..

 

[Xuhaib]

Well is an "Indian fast bowler" so labelling them any as WC too early based on the exploits of past bowlers (even though he does seem like the real deal) could come back to sucker punch you..

The good thing about Ishant is that he is not a one trick pony like previous over-hyped Indian pace men. Reckon he will avg < 25 with >300 wickets if he can stay fit.

 

[Precambrian]

Well is an "Indian fast bowler" so labelling them any as WC too early based on the exploits of past bowlers (even though he does seem like the real deal) could come back to sucker punch you..

True that, like Lillee's "Once in a Generation" comment about Mitchell Johnson.

 

[Xuhaib]

True that, like Lillee's "Once in a Generation" comment about Mitchell Johnson.

TBF MJ is improving though 'Once in a generation' he is certainly not.

 

[Richard]

What's really funny is I remember when Steve Waugh first took over, there was a flurry of articles about how 3-day Tests where one side demolishes the other or there was a dodgy deck were killing the game. Yet they were always well-attended on a per-day basis but because they were over in 3 days, CA lost ticket money overall.

So since then we've had a glut of flat pitches stretching Tests into late 4th/5th day and we're seeing them pretty poorly attended yet LO matches are sell-outs.

Rock\hard-place scenario.

 

[Top_Cat]

True that, like Lillee's "Once in a Generation" comment about Mitchell Johnson.

True, but Ishant really does look very, very good. He's already making a habit of knocking over the top batter or two in every line-up he plays against and regularly. That alone is a great sign, I reckon and not something that could be said by any of the other hyped Indian quicks since, well, since last I can remember.

That's the difference. A bloke like Pathan, for example, knocked over Steve Waugh in his first series and was hyped then from that series on, just didn't live up to it because once he was figured out, he couldn't adjust. Sharma, had that great spell against Ponting in Australia and generally bowled okay but then in the return series, looked like he'd taken several steps up. Can't think of any of the Indian bowlers who've done that.

That's what made Glenn McGrath so great; everyone knew what he was about, knew all of his tricks, knew he'd try to bait you, etc. Yet he beat every batsman he came up against time after time and at least broke even with the best like Sachin and Lara. All of the Aussies already know what they're going to get when they face Sharma yet he looked more dangerous if anything. Potentially a top-class bowler.

 

[zaremba]

True, but Ishant really does look very, very good. He's already making a habit of knocking over the top batter or two in every line-up he plays against and regularly. That alone is a great sign, I reckon and not something that could be said by any of the other hyped Indian quicks since, well, since last I can remember.

That's the difference. A bloke like Pathan, for example, knocked over Steve Waugh in his first series and was hyped then from that series on, just didn't live up to it because once he was figured out, he couldn't adjust. Sharma, had that great spell against Ponting in Australia and generally bowled okay but then in the return series, looked like he'd taken several steps up. Can't think of any of the Indian bowlers who've done that.

That's what made Glenn McGrath so great; everyone knew what he was about, knew all of his tricks, knew he'd try to bait you, etc. Yet he beat every batsman he came up against time after time and at least broke even with the best like Sachin and Lara. All of the Aussies already know what they're going to get when they face Sharma yet he looked more dangerous if anything. Potentially a top-class bowler.

I've not seen that much of Sharma but am I right in thinking that he only really moves the ball in to the right-hander? If so, that's potentially a pretty major limitation unless you have serious pace or bounce. Some people think of McGrath as having done something similar but my recollection is different - he could move the ball both ways off the seam.

Would be interested to hear the views of anyone who's seen more of Sharma than I have as to whether he has more strings to his bow that the off-cutter.

 

[Top_Cat]

I've not seen that much of Sharma but am I right in thinking that he only really moves the ball in to the right-hander? If so, that's potentially a pretty major limitation unless you have serious pace or bounce. Some people think of McGrath as having done something similar but my recollection is different - he could move the ball both ways off the seam.

Would be interested to hear the views of anyone who's seen more of Sharma than I have as to whether he has more strings to his bow that the off-cutter.

That's his stock ball, yes. Very similar to McGrath early days too, the movement away really only came later and when it did, he was world-class. Sharma has been getting a few more wickets moving the ball away, though. The spell to Ponting is a case in point. Pinned him on the crease with huge hooping in-swingers and using the uneven bounce of the pitch in that specific area then got him caught in slips right at the end of his spell with one that went the other way off the deck. So, he can move it both ways. Just hasn't got the away-going ball moving at will yet. Matter of time, I reckon.

So, so, so early days for Sharma, though. If he starts to get his leg-cutter moving away regularly, he'll be tough to face.

 

[Richard]

I've not seen that much of Sharma but am I right in thinking that he only really moves the ball in to the right-hander? If so, that's potentially a pretty major limitation unless you have serious pace or bounce. Some people think of McGrath as having done something similar but my recollection is different - he could move the ball both ways off the seam.

Would be interested to hear the views of anyone who's seen more of Sharma than I have as to whether he has more strings to his bow that the off-cutter.

Sharma from what I've seen is pretty similar to McGrath (and Courtney Walsh as well) in that his stock-ball moves in to the batsmen but he can, to order, produce one that goes straight on or away. And this is on almost any surface. If it's seaming, he uses that. If it's not, he just cuts it instead.

Such bowlers are always highly dangerous and if Sharma can maintain what he's done so far he'll be a hell of a bowler for 10-15 years.

The pitfalls of an Indian seamer, however, remain. Look at Munaf Patel. In my view at least an equally skilled bowler as Sharma, and with much of the same skills as well. But he just hasn't been able to keep his fitness to the level required.

 

[Precambrian]

I've not seen that much of Sharma but am I right in thinking that he only really moves the ball in to the right-hander? If so, that's potentially a pretty major limitation unless you have serious pace or bounce. Some people think of McGrath as having done something similar but my recollection is different - he could move the ball both ways off the seam.

Would be interested to hear the views of anyone who's seen more of Sharma than I have as to whether he has more strings to his bow that the off-cutter.

Sharma is doing the away from RHB ball also, but relies mostly on seam movement and reverse swing atm. He got Clarke with such movement in the last series.

 

[Precambrian]

Sharma from what I've seen is pretty similar to McGrath (and Courtney Walsh as well) in that his stock-ball moves in to the batsmen but he can, to order, produce one that goes straight on or away. And this is on almost any surface. If it's seaming, he uses that. If it's not, he just cuts it instead.

Such bowlers are always highly dangerous and if Sharma can maintain what he's done so far he'll be a hell of a bowler for 10-15 years.

The pitfalls of an Indian seamer, however, remain. Look at Munaf Patel. In my view at least an equally skilled bowler as Sharma, and with much of the same skills as well. But he just hasn't been able to keep his fitness to the level required.

Yeah. Munaf is a very talented and skilled bowler and makes up for the lack of pace with the subtle movement. However that guy comes of as lazy who doesnt give importance to gymming to keep up his fitness. That said, in the last ODI series against England, he fairly looked best I've seen him since the tour of West Indies, though I would wait till he plays a full season before anything can be conclusively said about him.

 

[Precambrian]

http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/indiandomestic2008/content/story/380755.html

Interesting article on the Delhi pitch.

 

[nightprowler10]

So its unethical to create a pitch that spectators will enjoy?

I think Manee was talking about the possibility of batsmen getting injured on such a pitch. That said, I wouldn't mind seeing a few of those on the international circuit.

 

[Precambrian]

http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/australiandomestic/engine/match/361270.html

Is this a good pitch?

NSW - 172 & 173 lost to Tasmania 127 & 221/7.

I guess very much yes.

 

[Top_Cat]

Bellerive is such a schizophrenic deck; either it's zipping around corners has knee-high bounce and no movement. Most of the time it's the latter so it's nice to see it with some juice in it at least once a season.

 

[Manee]

I think Manee was talking about the possibility of batsmen getting injured on such a pitch. That said, I wouldn't mind seeing a few of those on the international circuit.

Indeed. Ethically in terms of batsman danger. Moreover, the game not lasting five days, which creats financial loss as well as the cheapening of wickets.

 

[Xuhaib]

http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/australiandomestic/engine/match/361270.html

Is this a good pitch?

NSW - 172 & 173 lost to Tasmania 127 & 221/7.

I guess very much yes.

Sounds like a cracker.