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The Professional XI

wellAlbidarned

wellAlbidarned

International Coach
Unfair to not mention Tendulkar. A career of over 20 years, an often unbearable fan-base, yet the guy still does his thing day in day out without drama. I'm not including media hype and all that as "drama" ftr.
 
Ruckus

Ruckus

International Captain
Na how Tendulkar plays is definitely affected by his immense fandom. Anyone in his position would be affected by it, no doubt, but nevertheless I think it detracts from a 'professional' image. And I dunno, something else about the way he plays just doesn't have that aura to me...I guess it's cause he has often been the one who has targeted (and been targeted by) the 'big' players (mainly earlier in his career) and that makes him seem more salient than you'd expect just a professional-type player to be. Same goes with Lara and Ponting etc.
 
Spark

Spark

Global Moderator
Reading through this thread, I think we should all take a step back and try to work out what the **** we all mean by "professional" first.
 
Ruckus

Ruckus

International Captain
Well it's very subjective, so I guess you have to just go off how SS defined it. Whatever your own interpretation though, I think it would be a bit boring if it was along the lines a general definition like someone who is "extremely competent"...because we all know who the best players are, and that discussion has been done to death anyway.

The main qualities I would attribute to an ideal 'professional' player would be something like (in no order):

-Isn't negatively affected by the context of the match, and has a very clear game plan which they rarely deviate from.
-Is very consistent, but they don't necessarily need to be brilliant.
-Is inconspicuous off the field and never involved in controversy.
-Shows excellent sportsmanship, but without going overboard for the sake of it.
-Can make runs/take wickets in tough situations, and will do it in whatever way necessary, without needing to be aesthetically pleasing or particularly entertaining.
-A team man through and through.
-High level of fitness/stamina.
-Good in the field.
-Trains as hard as anyone.
 
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Eds

Eds

International Debutant
I think this is more of an "Ultra Professional XI". You don't get 10k Test runs or 500 wickets without being a complete pro.
 
smash84

smash84

The Tiger King
Ruckus said:
Well it's very subjective, so I guess you have to just go off how SS defined it. Whatever your own interpretation though, I think it would be a bit boring if it was along the lines a general definition like someone who is "extremely competent"...because we all know who the best players are, and that discussion has been done to death anyway.

The main qualities I would attribute to an ideal 'professional' player would be something like (in no order):

-Isn't negatively affected by the context of the match, and has a very clear game plan which they rarely deviate from.
-Is very consistent, but they don't necessarily need to be brilliant.
-Is inconspicuous off the field and never involved in controversy.
-Shows excellent sportsmanship, but without going overboard for the sake of it.
-Can make runs in tough situations, and will do it in whatever way necessary, without needing to be aesthetically pleasing or particularly entertaining.
-A team man through and through.
-High level of fitness/stamina.
-Good in the field.
-Trains as hard as anyone.
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Malcolm Marshall
 
kiwiviktor81

kiwiviktor81

International Debutant
Jager said:
Legend has it that in the tied Madras test of '86, Jones was violently vomiting on 180 runs. He pleaded with AB to let him retire, but AB told him that he'd drop him from the test side for the rest of his career if he didn't make a double century. :laugh:
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He wanted to quit, and Border said "Go back to the pavilion, and tell them to send an Australian out here." Jones stayed and got the double hundred.
 
silentstriker

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
Spark said:
Reading through this thread, I think we should all take a step back and try to work out what the **** we all mean by "professional" first.
Click to expand...
It means whatever you want it to mean. :laugh:

Is a guy who acts like a moron on and off the field but scores more for the team less professional? Depends on your definiton - if it just means 'most helpful to winning a Test match' then it's simply all time XI, which is not what I mean by it. Though obviously in my initial post, I did mention their run making and wickettaking abilities, but I am not saying it should necessarily be the 'best' XI. I mean, can you really say that Dravid is 'more professional' than Tendulkar? Only if you define professional a certain way.


I mean I don't consider being good in the field a requirement, but you might, and that's fine. I would say you can't be LAZY in the field though. Same thing with batting or bowling - obviously everyone I picked has been excellent but I consider part of it as having been in tough situations and under pressure over a long period and handling it well. You can't get fat and go out of shape. Or throw a temper tantrum on or off the field. You have to treat players, fan, media, and the game itself with class and dignity. Things like that. Again, just my criteria. People can make up their own criteria, and that's fine too.
 
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Spark

Spark

Global Moderator
I essentially equate professional with disciplined. And yes, that means you have to be at least competent in the field. Stuff like training, working on deficiencies in your technique and the like comes into it too. That's why I said Ponting now qualifies as an exceptionally professional cricketer. Clarke, given the amount of care and attention he has to give his back condition in everyday life outside of cricket, would not be a bad shout either.
 
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TT Boy

TT Boy

Hall of Fame Member
BoyBrumby said:
Would fail the "onfield conduct" bit of not being an arsehole. Over a dozen reprimands for his behaviour whilst captaining IIRC.

Think there's a little rose tint to the viewing of dear old Courtney too. Seems a genial giant now, but was a properly nasty bastard as a bowler. Played the Windies' bad cop with the intimidatory stuff. Famously bounced Deadly Dev about a dozen times on the (ha) bounce which, as a tactic, was effectively a punch by proxy as Malcolm wasn't able to play the hook or pull. Devon, Jamaican born, was treated to some rather unsavory sledging about him being the white man's lacky too.

I'd say Gary Kirsten is an obvious shout and the most meticulously professional English cricketer of recent vintage must be The Gaffer himself, Alec Stewart. Reputedly still the fittest member of the squad into his fifth decade.
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And if you are talking career then he wasn’t, he had a drink problem in the 90s and use to enjoy getting beaten up in bars.
 
TT Boy

TT Boy

Hall of Fame Member
weldone said:
A bowling attack of Ambrose, Hadlee, Marshall and Muralitharan would do well - all thoroughly professional and top performers..
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Professional is deliberating bowling beamers?

Mike Selvey - "Apart from the one which came my way I had witnessed but a few previously. The worst by far were the brace delivered successively by Curtly Ambrose to Dermot Reeve, during a county match at Northampton in 1990. Reeve was on his way to a double century, irksome enough for those who have played against him, but the moment Ambrose crossed the line came when the batsman went down on one knee and swept him over square leg for six :laugh:. The indignity. Both beamers scorched past Reeve, who scarcely flinched until the ball had gone, roaring past the flailing wicketkeeper David Ripley and coming to earth halfway the boundary."

Cricket: A deliberate beamer is just throwing a punch by proxy | Sport | The Guardian
 
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