Michael Clarke Discussion thread

[luffy]

Clarke should NEVER bat ahead of Hussey - he simply is not technically equipped to bat higher up the order

Yeah, good point...



Because Hussey has been playing geat as of late and Clarke, well don't get started on him, absolutely shocking.

True the argument may be raised that he doesn't have the greatest record batting at No. 4, but alot has been said about him batting under pressure, in this thread alone, and they have been proved wrong.

And whilst were discussing this, Hussey has a better record batting at 5 than 4. 936 @ 78.

There you go then....Pup to open.

Hopes back to the middle order.

I don't quite think Hopes has the class to open, but am comfortable with him down the list.

Well, if were talking about past form, than Matthew Hayden is in the peak of his Batting Career right now, eh?

 

[Johnners]

There you go then....Pup to open.

Hopes back to the middle order.

I don't quite think Hopes has the class to open, but am comfortable with him down the list.

So glad you have no say in the team then. Clarke does his best work at 4, he's 3 million times better in the middle order than Hopes, but probably only about 20 times better at opening, you'd be a nutcase to move Clarke.

 

[luffy]

His present run has to thank the direness of SA and Indian fielders.

That's just **** mate.

South Africa would have to be the best Fielding side in the world right now, and your judging them because of a couple dropped catches. Not cool man.

 

[aussie]

Remembering Clarke as an ODI opener. He was pretty againts the major sides. Seem to remember a hundred @ the MCG or SCG in either VB series 04 or 05

So i have no issue letting him, open as a temporary option with Marsh, until Watson is fit as an "all-round" package.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

What happens if you take matches against Zimbabwe out of that?

341 runs @ 37.88, HS: 103*

Only the one score of 50+ from ten matches.

 

[susudear]

5 catches

That's just **** mate.

South Africa would have to be the best Fielding side in the world right now, and your judging them because of a couple dropped catches. Not cool man.

Atleast 5 catches dropped off Clarke in matches when he has made hundreds.

Am not saying SA is a weak fielding side, but it is clear as daylight that they have dropped some dollies this tour, which have proved to be very costly.

 

[luffy]

5 catches?!

If that's right i'll be amazed, because I can only recall 4 dropped catches in all.

 

[pup11]

341 runs @ 37.88, HS: 103*

Only the one score of 50+ from ten matches.

Not only that, as i said earlier he definitely doesn't have the kind of shots that one requires to capitalise on the power-play overs, in ODI cricket he pre-dominantly depends on running hard between the wickets by working the ball through the gaps and keeping the scoreboard ticking in the middle-overs.

 

[pup11]

Atleast 5 catches dropped off Clarke in matches when he has made hundreds.

Am not saying SA is a weak fielding side, but it is clear as daylight that they have dropped some dollies this tour, which have proved to be very costly.

50 catches could have been dropped of his batting, but that's not his problem, is it...?

 

[Prince EWS]

50 catches could have been dropped of his batting, but that's not his problem, is it...?

Well it is in a way, unless it's going to keep happening forever, which is obviously unlikely.

 

[pup11]

Well it is in a way, unless it's going to keep happening forever, which is obviously unlikely.

I mean c'mon mate, 3 of those catches were dropped in the Delhi test and now one was dropped by Amla in this test, so its not like he is always dropped a few times whenever he makes a century.

 

[Jono]

He was dropped by Ntini too in this test.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

He was dropped by Ntini too in this test.

That was a half chance, though. If someone Ntini's height isn't taking it, you can't expect many outside of maybe Morkel to.

 

[Richard]

No such thing as a half-chance, something either should be caught or shouldn't.

I haven't seen that Ntini one but no-one seems convinced there was any real likelihood of him taking it. The Amla one, though, obviously should've been swallowed and I'm sure he was dropped once earlier this series too.

 

[GIMH]

Half-chance = something some would catch, some wouldn't, no?

 

[Mister Wright]

No such thing as a half-chance, something either should be caught or shouldn't.

I haven't seen that Ntini one but no-one seems convinced there was any real likelihood of him taking it. The Amla one, though, obviously should've been swallowed and I'm sure he was dropped once earlier this series too.

Nope. All reaslistic chances have been taken by South Africa, apart from McKenzie dropping Ponting in Melbourne, and Clarke in this test.

 

[Uppercut]

No such thing as a half-chance, something either should be caught or shouldn't.

I haven't seen that Ntini one but no-one seems convinced there was any real likelihood of him taking it. The Amla one, though, obviously should've been swallowed and I'm sure he was dropped once earlier this series too.

I thought Ntini should have taken it IIRC.

 

[Richard]

Half-chance = something some would catch, some wouldn't, no?

Nah, what is and isn't a chance depends on the fielder, always. What's a chance for one fielder wouldn't be if another fielder was in the position, but fielders don't make a habit of materialising after a shot's been played - they're there when the stroke is played and thus whether a shot is going to be a chance is always defined once the stroke is played and won't change in the meantime.

 

[Uppercut]

What about those catches where a player, to paraphrase Smitteh, jumps halfway around the world to catch something that really isn't a chance? Like, pretty much all of AB De Villiers's catches at Perth.

 

[Richard]

If he caught it, it was clearly catchable. If he'd not caught it, then we'd have judged whether he could or couldn't have.