• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

*Official* Second Test at Lord's

Top_Cat

Top_Cat

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Ruckus said:
You could also argue the definition of a team is one where players put their hands up and cover for anothers failings. It works both ways, and if the batsmen are so reactive to what someone like Watson does, then that is a problem in and of itself. There are too many collective failures, and not enough individuals gritting it out in tough situations.
Click to expand...
Probably a bit of both but that's the risk when you give one bloke the golden ticket when he doesn't deserve it.
 
grecian

grecian

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Big innings for both these two really. Root obviously needs to get some runs to justify him being an opener.

Yet Bres needs some too, and I think that probably played a part in him coming in as Nightwatchman. Yes he took a couple of wickets but so did Finn to start with at TB. He's partly in for an added stability in the batting. Recently he just seems to score a very slow 7-20 without ever really looking like he's going to push-on. Got all the time in the World to do it now.
 
Furball

Furball

Evil Scotsman
Uppercut said:
Well, some players are better at starting and some are better at scoring runs when set. As in 2009 Watto's consistency should really be worth a lot more given England's ability with the new ball but for whatever reason the rest of the team can't take advantage. Maybe you can blame Watto for that but I think the criticism of him is a bit too personal. I mean, it's not like he's getting to 40 and thinking "yep, that's my job done now", he just doesn't get well set.

Honestly I think it would be madness to drop him. It's always frustrating that he isn't doing more but 60-ish runs and a couple of big wickets a test is a better contribution than you can really expect from anyone else in the top six bar Clarke.
Click to expand...
He doesn't exactly leave the middle order in a position where they absolutely shouldn't fail, he got out in the 13th over which is still early.
 
uvelocity

uvelocity

International Coach
i think the reason we did so badly yesterday was due to the lack of topcat predictions. good to see n00fers is still alive too
 
uvelocity

uvelocity

International Coach
Uppercut said:
Well, some players are better at starting and some are better at scoring runs when set. As in 2009 Watto's consistency should really be worth a lot more given England's ability with the new ball but for whatever reason the rest of the team can't take advantage. Maybe you can blame Watto for that but I think the criticism of him is a bit too personal. I mean, it's not like he's getting to 40 and thinking "yep, that's my job done now", he just doesn't get well set.

Honestly I think it would be madness to drop him. It's always frustrating that he isn't doing more but 60-ish runs and a couple of big wickets a test is a better contribution than you can really expect from anyone else in the top six bar Clarke.
Click to expand...
we need someone to blame though
 
FaaipDeOiad

FaaipDeOiad

Hall of Fame Member
GingerFurball said:
Nah, rubbish. This is the same argument as 2 and a half years ago after a rubbish Ashes series. The fact that Watson hasn't learned a thing in 2 years should he concerning.
Click to expand...
What is the same argument? That making 30 is better than making 2?

Why is it so hard to say "Watson should be making more than 30" but also :"our batting would be significantly worse with someone other than Watson in the team"? Even ignoring his bowling. Dropping Watson at this point would be utterly stupid, he is our highest run scorer in the series among the batsmen.

If anything, the case against Watson 2-3 years ago was stronger, he was making starts then but not going on with it and we had a stronger batting lineup and more options. What do we have now?

The fact is that the guy averages 42 opening the batting and he also bowls. That's more than Andrew Strauss. He isn't a perfect cricketer but he is a more valuable member of the squad than most and the reactions to his dismissals on here are over the top. He was, by any standard you like, our best performing batsman yesterday and yet has received the most criticism in the media. Going on with starts is important but actually getting a start is still better than just chain losing batsmen for absolute failures.
 
Last edited:
E

Expressway76

U19 Vice-Captain
Can't he bat further down the order? Are decent openers so thin on the ground in Oz that you have to get a guy in who plays in ODI mode no matter what?
 
uvelocity

uvelocity

International Coach
FaaipDeOiad said:
What is the same argument? That making 30 is better than making 2?

Why is it so hard to say "Watson should be making more than 30" but also :"our batting would be significantly worse with someone other than Watson in the team"? Even ignoring his bowling. Dropping Watson at this point would be utterly stupid, he is our highest run scorer in the series among the batsmen.

If anything, the case against Watson 2-3 years ago was stronger, he was making starts then but not going on with it and we had a stronger batting lineup and more options. What do we have now?

The fact is that the guy averages 42 opening the batting and he also bowls. That's more than Andrew Strauss. He isn't a perfect cricketer but he is a more valuable member of the squad than most and the reactions to his dismissals on here are over the top. He was, by any standard you like, our best performing batsman yesterday and yet has received the most criticism in the media. Going on with starts is important but actually getting a start is still better than just chain losing batsmen for absolute failures.
Click to expand...
you carrying on about him being the best of a **** bunch who folded for ****all is meaningless. he still failed
 
Ruckus

Ruckus

International Captain
thats not his point at all though, its about prioritization of blame and the idea singling him out doesn't really have much merit considering the others performances
 
Furball

Furball

Evil Scotsman
FaaipDeOiad said:
What is the same argument? That making 30 is better than making 2?

Why is it so hard to say "Watson should be making more than 30" but also :"our batting would be significantly worse with someone other than Watson in the team"? Even ignoring his bowling. Dropping Watson at this point would be utterly stupid, he is our highest run scorer in the series among the batsmen.

If anything, the case against Watson 2-3 years ago was stronger, he was making starts then but not going on with it and we had a stronger batting lineup and more options. What do we have now?

The fact is that the guy averages 42 opening the batting and he also bowls. That's more than Andrew Strauss. He isn't a perfect cricketer but he is a more valuable member of the squad than most and the reactions to his dismissals on here are over the top. He was, by any standard you like, our best performing batsman yesterday and yet has received the most criticism in the media. Going on with starts is important but actually getting a start is still better than just chain losing batsmen for absolute failures.
Click to expand...
His average as an opener is meaningless because it's padded by bashing **** attacks 4 years ago. He's done absolutely nothing in the last 3 years.
 
Spikey

Spikey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
fredfertang said:
Yet he still looks better than most of his teammates
Click to expand...
Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Dropped at some stage

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Dropped at some stage

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Dropped at some stage

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Dropped at some stage

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/5560.html?class=1;template=results;type=batting

Dropped at some stage

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Dropped at some stage

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Keys to the world
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Top