The class of mid 00's

[GIMH]

How's that work?

Oh, you mean over a career?

 

[uvelocity]

well I've not checked the maths at all but;

Alastair Cook's projected career record if he retires in 2022 at the age of 37, based on his current record: Tests-229, Innings-403, Runs 18,832 and 100s-61

 

[GIMH]

Well that's completely ********.

He'll obviously play until he's 42.

 

[TNT]

M Hussey worth a mention.

 

[Spark]

A lot of this depends on whether Clarke and Amla continue their insane form for another 3-4 years or whether this is just a briefer purple patch.

 

[Howe_zat]

You get the impression both have genuinely come into their own as batsmen rather than just being in good nick, though. Clarke especially has had very good runs of form before, but nothing like he'sproducing now.

 

[Jager]

KP has already left plenty of lasting memories for mine. He's the only real genius-level batsman going around. The rest are extremely good but not in the same league as the previous generation's top 3-4.

Clarke's in there for me in terms of attacking batsmanship, Amla and Cook are near-unbreakable too but it's a different role they play.

 

[Spark]

Think we can safely say that Amla can attack, tbf. Clarke almost unmatched when it comes to moving between the gears, though. Can go from watchful to all-out-attack in the space of a few deliveries.

 

[Jono]

Yeah odd time to doubt Amla's attacking ability. 99 in a session!

 

[fredfertang]

Hasn't Clarke suffered from a dodgy back in the past? Which presumably has resolved itself

If so I'd like the contact details of his osteopath - my back held back my batting career too, and my bowling come to that

 

[smash84]

Yeah odd time to doubt Amla's attacking ability. 99 in a session!

yeah....some innings was that one

 

[benchmark00]

Hasn't Clarke suffered from a dodgy back in the past? Which presumably has resolved itself

If so I'd like the contact details of his osteopath - my back held back my batting career too, and my bowling come to that

Is dealing with his sore back aws actually Tangy. Missed a t20 game tonight because of it, or so we were told.



Probably a result of shaggers back though. As yours is too, no doubt.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Kevin Pietersen is the only 'special' batsman for this decade. I am pretty sure in future many of his knocks would be right up there with the special knocks played by Lara, Tendulkar and Ponting.

Amla - getting there.. I think people would talk about him the way we talk about Dravid today..

Cook - a run machine.. I am pretty sure he will end up as England's highest run scorer for all time..I think he will be remembered like an Allan Border kind of player..he will score tons of runs and centuries...but when it comes to the truly outstanding batsmen of this era, I don't think his name will be up there simply because of the way he plays..

 

[The Sean]

Cook - a run machine.. I am pretty sure he will end up as England's highest run scorer for all time..I think he will be remembered like an Allan Border kind of player..he will score tons of runs and centuries...but when it comes to the truly outstanding batsmen of this era, I don't think his name will be up there simply because of the way he plays..

Ok, I've had Christmas drinks tonight and I'm hammered so I'll be the guy who bites. Do you genuinely not consider AB to be one of the truly outstanding batsmen of his era? And if not, who do you think was?

 

[sphynx]

Ok, I've had Christmas drinks tonight and I'm hammered so I'll be the guy who bites. Do you genuinely not consider AB to be one of the truly outstanding batsmen of his era? And if not, who do you think was?

V.Richards, B.Richards, G.Chappell, Gavaskar, Boycott.


I guess his anology is similar to G.Chappell vs Border, as the Pietersen vs Cook.


One might slightly overshadow the other in time.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Ok, I've had Christmas drinks tonight and I'm hammered so I'll be the guy who bites. Do you genuinely not consider AB to be one of the truly outstanding batsmen of his era? And if not, who do you think was?

Given his record, I cannot but consider him as an oustanding world class batsman..

Not to undermine stats and records but there are a few other areas I appreciate and like to see other than pure stats...among them being aesthetics, style, attitude, temperament, courage etc..which is why I rate someone who barely has 8000 test runs and barely averages 50 and whose tally of hundreds are overtaken by the likes of Mahelas as the greatest of them all.

Honestly I have been quite perplexed that Australians generally pick Border over Ponting in their all Time XI.. Its sad people just remember Ponting's last 2 years just because its recent.

 

[smash84]

Honestly I have been quite perplexed that Australians generally pick Border over Ponting in their all Time XI.. Its sad people just remember Ponting's last 2 years just because its recent.

It is also because Ponting came in at number 3 for most of his career and so he is competing with the king of all batsmen. Also at 4 you have G Chappell so where do you fit Ponting?

Border down and 5/6 doesn't have such strong competition

 

[The Sean]

V.Richards, B.Richards, G.Chappell, Gavaskar, Boycott.

I guess his anology is similar to G.Chappell vs Border, as the Pietersen vs Cook.

One might slightly overshadow the other in time.

Boycott is 15 years older than AB, and Barry Richards is ten. I don't consider them the same generation, nor for that matter do I consider Boycott even close to as good as Border.

Given his record, I cannot but consider him as an oustanding world class batsman..

Not to undermine stats and records but there are a few other areas I appreciate and like to see other than pure stats...among them being aesthetics, style, attitude, temperament, courage etc..which is why I rate someone who barely has 8000 test runs and barely averages 50 and whose tally of hundreds are overtaken by the likes of Mahelas as the greatest of them all.

Honestly I have been quite perplexed that Australians generally pick Border over Ponting in their all Time XI.. Its sad people just remember Ponting's last 2 years just because its recent.

So if I'm reading that right - are you seriously questioning Border's attitude, temperament and courage?

 

[Prince EWS]

I don't think Carberry made the squad (happy to be corrected on this) which meant that, of the batsmen other than Strauss & Cook, only Ian Bell had any (Test) opening experience, which was two low scores when standing in for Strauss away to India in 06.

Didn't Trott open in Bangladesh before the Ashes? Minor point but yeah.

I do think he was perhaps a little closer to being dropped than you're putting across, too. There were members of this forum who weren't pick him in their touring parties to Australia and while he was probably going to play the whole Ashes regardless, he was definitely getting the chop afterwards if he failed and he may have been replaced on the tour if the series was close and he was looking particularly poor. "About to be dropped if he didn't make a score in the series" just about sums it up for me.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah Trott did open that one Test, good point.

He might have been dropped during the series had his miseries continued but I don't personally believe they ever considered seriously not playing him in the 1st Ashes Test. I think he was always going to get that series.