Overrated, over-indulged and overpaid

[sifter132]

I thought the article was just overly negative. Maybe it was on purpose, trying to fire the boys up a bit. But I thought most of the points were way off.

Players are paid too much? Well the other choice is losing the veterans to the IPL or losing the young kids at recruitment stage to AFL, which would you rather Craddock? And we don't want to se Bravo/Pollard type players in Australia thanks, basically mercenaries who want cash rather than play for their country. Half the reason for that is because WICB pays them jack-squat.

Cameron White's 'desperately unlucky...despite the fact his first-class average of 42 does not demand it' , but he uses Ferguson's FC average alone to justify why he shouldn't be selected. No mention that Ferguson hasn't had a chance in the last 2 years to improve on that average.

Kinda agree on Dave Warner being overrated, but that's unfortunately what T20 cricket is all about. Kieron Pollard is rolling in cash, but it took him over 2 years and almost 30 matches to get past 50 in an ODI. He's a hack.

And Michael Clarke? Well yeah I dunno, I'm tired of sticking up for the guy. If the other players in the dressing room don't respect him, fair enough. But I don't think he gets passed over as captain just because the fans would prefer someone else. Generally speaking the fans are idiots.

 

[Prince EWS]

So many people completely missing his point about White is dire.

 

[howardj]

I didn't find it a good article to be honest. The problem is not that we have been punting on youngsters but that we haven't been. Craddock says that North and Hussey earned their spurs...but where are they now? We should be punting more on guys like Usman, Ferguson and Hughes - not on journeymen like North.

As for the big entourage travelling with the team, this didn't seem to worry him when we beat the best team in the world in their own backyard just last year (SA in SA), but suddenly it's a problem now.

As for the big money when not having done much, this has been in play for years even when we were dominant. From way back, guys like Warne, Lee and Slater were earning astronomical amounts after not long in the spotlight. I remember reading Slater's book (the little blue one he brought out in 1996), saying that he bought a house in Queen's Park in 1994 for $850 000 (a lot of money back then for a property).

As I say, **** article.

 

[pup11]

I didn't find it a good article to be honest. The problem is not that we have been punting on youngsters but that we haven't been. Craddock says that North and Hussey earned their spurs...but where are they now? We should be punting more on guys like Usman, Ferguson and Hughes - not on journeymen like North.

As for the big entourage travelling with the team, this didn't seem to worry him when we beat the best team in the world in their own backyard just last year (SA in SA), but suddenly it's a problem now.

As for the big money when not having done much, this has been in play for years even when we were dominant. From way back, guys like Warne, Lee and Slater were earning astronomical amounts after not long in the spotlight. I remember reading Slater's book (the little blue one he brought out in 1996), saying that he bought a house in Queen's Park in 1994 for $850 000 (a lot of money back then for a property).

As I say, **** article.

Don't think Hussey or North were bad selections, both have performed for Australia and even if they have been inconsistent they both have scored a lot of runs.
I don't believe in handing over test caps to young batsmen who don't have one or two consistent seasons of FC cricket behind them. I like Ferguson and Khwajha, but all they have going for them right now is the reputation of being good young players, but they certainly don't have the FC runs to stake a claim in the test team, or atleast that's the way I look at it.
As for cricketers being overpaid, this is something that I've always felt was a pretty ridiculous debate. Cricketers give the best years of their lives playing for their country, and once they are done with the game, they need to have financial security to live rest of their lives comfortably, so don't know why anybody should have a problem with cricketers being paid well.
Also one shouldn't forget, that with the lure of IPL and other T20 competitions around the world, if the cricket boards don't pay their cricketers well enough, then their cricketers could easily refuse to sign contracts and look at the T20 competitions to make a living.

 

[Prince EWS]

I like Ferguson and Khwajha, but all they have going for them right now is the reputation of being good young players, but they certainly don't have the FC runs to stake a claim in the test team, or atleast that's the way I look at it.

Agree about Ferguson but Khawaja averages 54 in First Class cricket.
I know 22 games is a relatively small sample size but he's obviously bloody good. He's scored runs across more than one season too.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Agree about Ferguson but Khawaja averages 54 in First Class cricket.
I know 22 games is a relatively small sample size but he's obviously bloody good. He's scored runs across more than one season too.

The fact someone has scored in more than one season is always a good sign.Once the bowlers have had a look at them after that first year and made plans if they can still score heavily the following season then it is a sign of a good player.

Not seen him myself but his record is impressive.Quite funny though that he is regarded as a great young hope and he is 24 next month.

 

[Spark]

Clarke debuted as a 23-year old. It's young enough.

I've not seen him either but I'm told his technique is nigh on impeccable, with back foot play to match Ponting at his best.

 

[GotSpin]

The fact someone has scored in more than one season is always a good sign.Once the bowlers have had a look at them after that first year and made plans if they can still score heavily the following season then it is a sign of a good player.

Not seen him myself but his record is impressive.Quite funny though that he is regarded as a great young hope and he is 24 next month.

Fairly young for Australian batsmen though.

 

[vcs]

Clarke debuted as a 23-year old. It's young enough.

I've not seen him either but I'm told his technique is nigh on impeccable, with back foot play to match Ponting at his best.

Any clips of his batting? Can't find anything from a cursory search on youtube.

 

[Prince EWS]

Any clips of his batting? Can't find anything from a cursory search on youtube.

Well he should be batting for NSW tomorrow; I'll record it for you and put it on YouTube if I'm home/awake.
Lack of YouTube footage is probably due to the fact that he's crap at one day cricket and rarely plays in it, which is the only properly televised domestic cricket we get here.

 

[Jarquis]

Blatantly getting a golden now, nice one Rob.

 

[Prince EWS]

Blatantly getting a golden now, nice one Rob.

Haha yeah, or Victoria will bat all day. Definitely put the mockers on.

 

[vcs]

Well he should be batting for NSW tomorrow; I'll record it for you and put it on YouTube if I'm home/awake.
Lack of YouTube footage is probably due to the fact that he's crap at one day cricket and rarely plays in, which is the only properly televised domestic cricket we get here.

Thank you!

 

[vic_orthdox]

Any clips of his batting? Can't find anything from a cursory search on youtube.

Khawaja playing spin.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Khawaja playing spin.

More that I think about it, Khawaja really is out of the Strauss/Cook school of batsman, although he generally seems to be a bit more economical with movement of the feet.

 

[Top_Cat]

The weirdest bit about that ball was how he barely seemed to notice he'd been bowled. Just let the ball go and walked off, quick glance at the stumps. I'd have at least stood there a bit more stunned at how I'd been bowled by an offie with the ball turning the other way.

 

[Burgey]

Was that the doosra Krejza got him with there? Hauritz bowled one in an ODI as well. Don't know why they don't give it more of a go in tests. Hauritz should talk it up as his mystery ball ahead of the Ashes.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Yeah, it's an Iverson/Mendis style doosra.

 

[Prince EWS]

Well he should be batting for NSW tomorrow; I'll record it for you and put it on YouTube if I'm home/awake.
Lack of YouTube footage is probably due to the fact that he's crap at one day cricket and rarely plays in it, which is the only properly televised domestic cricket we get here.

Posted it elsewhere, but:

YouTube - Usman Khawaja 11/11/2010

Every ball bar his first and list.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Looks like his strengths are square of the wicket based on PEWS's clip. Quite wristy with his nudges to leg. Looks a very on side kinda player, actually, although that might just be in that innings. Didn't seem interested in any width outside off, which shows patience and (if the on-side pref is correct) a chap who knows his game.