***Official*** Australia vs Pakistan in UAE

[Uppercut]

Who, Katich or Clarke?



EDIT: Anyway, I'd argue that a steady hand in the muddle order right is a welcome change.

Sometimes, a lot of the time he just damages the cause by scoring too slowly. Chasing 200 that's fine, but when trying to get 300 scoring at a strike rate of 60 just increases the pressure on the rest of the side to carry the burden of upping the run rate. Players doing that are supposed to allow everyone else to bat around them, but sometimes they just collapse under the pressure of having to score at a run a ball from the moment they arrive at the crease. And playing sensibly doesn't mean you won't get out- usually you do anyway, for a 40 off 80 that your team would be better off without.

Then what really ****s me is that people look at the score of 200 chasing 300 and see that everyone threw their wicket away except Michael Clarke, stranded on 60 off 110 deliveries, and he gets cast as the lone ranger fighting against his team-mates' ineptitude. Sometimes I don't think there's a place for a player like that when not chasing a small awkward total.

 

[Migara]

Exactly

The Pakistani manager came to the UAE months ago to ensure that the wickets were tailor-made for his spinners and these wickets are a spinners' wet dream

And that is the cardinal sin in making pitches. They should ask curators of SL, where it only spins for Murali and Warne. For lesser spinners it is a nightmare.

 

[Top_Cat]

Sometimes, a lot of the time he just damages the cause by scoring too slowly. Chasing 200 that's fine, but when trying to get 300 scoring at a strike rate of 60 just increases the pressure on the rest of the side to carry the burden of upping the run rate. Players doing that are supposed to allow everyone else to bat around them, but sometimes they just collapse under the pressure of having to score at a run a ball from the moment they arrive at the crease. And playing sensibly doesn't mean you won't get out- usually you do anyway, for a 40 off 80 that your team would be better off without.

Then what really ****s me is that people look at the score of 200 chasing 300 and see that everyone threw their wicket away except Michael Clarke, stranded on 60 off 110 deliveries, and he gets cast as the lone ranger fighting against his team-mates' ineptitude. Sometimes I don't think there's a place for a player like that when not chasing a small awkward total.

I see what you're saying but the same criticism was levelled at Bevvo sometimes too. Guys like that may affect some games negatively (dispute entirely he actually costs many if any games, there are usually other contributing factors) but scores like that will win more games than lose, I reckon. Point is, you can bank on his ability and at least you know what you're dealing with so can select the rest of the team accordingly and stack some big hitters around him. I like it better in this period of re-building seeing a team of bankers who will score 240-260 most of the time than a team who might get 300 but will more often get around 200.

 

[pasag]

But Hussey and Symonds can play that role and they can also accelerate when needed.

 

[Top_Cat]

But Hussey and Symonds can play that role and they can also accelerate when needed.

Their strikerates haven't been much better than Clarke's for a while now and I've not seen either of them go big in the happy hour for ages. As of right now, I'd look at them and Clarke as fairly similar players, even if Hussey has managed to nurdle a few more 50's in the last little while. The question really is who'd get a game ahead of Clarke if he was to be dropped and I can't think of anyone else who should.

 

[pasag]

Full strength:

Haddin
Marsh
Ponting
Symonds
Ferguson
Hussey
Watson

IMO. Look I know it's not going to happen and Clarke will never, ever get dropped, but that's the way I see it.

 

[Jono]

I think the main point is, 4-5 years ago, Clarke was a batsman that could play both roles.

Wtf happened?

 

[Top_Cat]

Full strength:

Haddin
Marsh
Ponting
Symonds
Ferguson
Hussey
Watson

IMO. Look I know it's not going to happen and Clarke will never, ever get dropped, but that's the way I see it.

Ferguson instead of Clarke?! Insane.

 

[Top_Cat]

I think the main point is, 4-5 years ago, Clarke was a batsman that could play both roles.

Wtf happened?

In my view, same reason we've seen Hussey and Symonds unable to do both of late; team form. Have little doubt Clarke will revert to type when the team does.

 

[pasag]

Ferguson instead of Clarke?! Insane.

Gotta make the hard choices.

 

[Top_Cat]

Gotta make the hard choices.

By that rationale, surely you'd drop Huss then. He's done enough to hang on but he's clearly not in awesome form by looking at him and will only decline from here.

 

[Jono]

In my view, same reason we've seen Hussey and Symonds unable to do both of late; team form. Have little doubt Clarke will revert to type when the team does.

Yeah its definitely easier for Clarke to cream them at a SR of over 80 when Australia are flying.

That being said, don't really get your comparison with him and Symonds.

 

[pasag]

By that rationale, surely you'd drop Huss then. He's done enough to hang on but he's clearly not in awesome form by looking at him and will only decline from here.

Why would we drop our best ODI bat of the last 12 months?

And I'm not advocating dropping him because of poor form, if I thought it was something he'd grow out of or it was something just temporary I obviously would want to stick with him in the hope that things will change. However I just can't see it happening.

 

[Top_Cat]

Yeah its definitely easier for Clarke to cream them at a SR of over 80 when Australia are flying.

That being said, don't really get your comparison with him and Symonds.

Haven't seen a Symonds power-hitting knock for a while. He can't while the team is struggling, is my point pretty much. And fair enough too, shows he has more gears than many give him credit for. He's still hitting at a decent rate (and higher than Clarke) because he's Symonds but he seems to me to be playing well within himself of late.

 

[aussie]

What makes Ferguson better than Clarke, even on current form?

 

[Uppercut]

Their strikerates haven't been much better than Clarke's for a while now and I've not seen either of them go big in the happy hour for ages. As of right now, I'd look at them and Clarke as fairly similar players, even if Hussey has managed to nurdle a few more 50's in the last little while. The question really is who'd get a game ahead of Clarke if he was to be dropped and I can't think of anyone else who should.

By that rationale, surely you'd drop Huss then. He's done enough to hang on but he's clearly not in awesome form by looking at him and will only decline from here.

Clarke has indeed scored quite a bit slower than the rest and Huss is your best batsman by a distance. Cricinfo Statsguru - One-Day Internationals - Batting records

I guess you're blurring different forms of the game.

 

[TT Boy]

What makes Ferguson better than Clarke, even on current form?

Nothing.

These wickets are right up Clarke’s alley though. He didn’t look too hot in the Republic but when he did score, it was on the surfaces which were slower.

Also helps that he isn’t batting when his side needs more than 5 runs an over or is batting on a wicket where 270 odd is just par.

 

[Furball]

Full strength:

Haddin
Marsh
Ponting
Symonds
Ferguson
Hussey
Watson

IMO. Look I know it's not going to happen and Clarke will never, ever get dropped, but that's the way I see it.

No.

 

[Briony]

Nothing.

These wickets are right up Clarke’s alley though. He didn’t look too hot in the Republic but when he did score, it was on the surfaces which were slower.

Also helps that he isn’t batting when his side needs more than 5 runs an over or is batting on a wicket where 270 odd is just par.

Clarke is showing his leadership mettle. He's the best player his age in world cricket today and at least he's in excellent shape , unlike other international leaders. He can also lure a woman like Lara Bingle, yet Chelsy Davy decided another man measured up better than the Proteas skipper.

 

[Top_Cat]

Clarke has indeed scored quite a bit slower than the rest and Huss is your best batsman by a distance. Cricinfo Statsguru - One-Day Internationals - Batting records

I guess you're blurring different forms of the game.

I know what the stats say but I'm going on how they look in matches. Hussey still looks as if he's just holding on to his form whereas Clarke looks like he's about to surge, for mine.