Is the Era of the Genuine Rabbit Dead?

[Dazinho]

Probably an appropriate thread given that Chris Martin recently retired.

The comedy no11 (sometimes as much as nos 9-11 in a poor test team) is an increasingly rare sight these days.

With the pressure at the top level on sides to squeeze runs out of the tail, the basic skill of tailend batsmen is as high as it has ever been IMO. The idea of a bowler with near zero willow-nous and no intention of improving it seems to be something that is met with more than a little scorn.

Whether that's fair or not, since batsmen are rarely encouraged to develop their bowling, might be another issue.

BUT is the truly dreadful and pretty hilarious rabbit a thing of the past?

Thinking of guys like Ambrose and Donald, who took their pride out with them and had little skill, they would almost certainly be walking out at 9 down in the current era...

 

[Furball]

Probably an appropriate thread given that Chris Martin recently retired.

The comedy no11 (sometimes as much as nos 9-11 in a poor test team) is an increasingly rare sight these days.

With the pressure at the top level on sides to squeeze runs out of the tail, the basic skill of tailend batsmen is as high as it has ever been IMO. The idea of a bowler with near zero willow-nous and no intention of improving it seems to be something that is met with more than a little scorn.

Whether that's fair or not, since batsmen are rarely encouraged to develop their bowling, might be another issue.

BUT is the truly dreadful and pretty hilarious rabbit a thing of the past?

Thinking of guys like Ambrose and Donald, who took their pride out with them and had little skill, they would almost certainly be walking out at 9 down in the current era...

Of course it's fair. Everyone has to bat.

In this day and age there's really no excuse for being pathetic with the bat.

 

[grecian]

No, and I think the fact you mentioned Chris Martin, which was a relatively modern era proves it.

The thing is with cricket, and I'm not sure whatever sport, if any, provides this, is you get someone utterly untalented at a skill facing someone who is supreme at it.

So there will always be moments where you actually feel like when you're watching it, a bit like that could be me.

When they guts it out it's just brilliant, and always will be.

 

[fredfertang]

Sadly Kegga is no great shakes with the bat, so if he sees any more action in this current test it might set him back even further

 

[cpr]

Sprang to my mind too. Considering Lancs can allow Hogg to bat as low as 10, its not like he ever needs to do much at county level

 

[grecian]

Sadly Kegga is no great shakes with the bat, so if he sees any more action in this current test it might set him back even further

hey fertang, how are you buddy, hope your well and your one of the best posters around here, I say this all because:

Kerrigan is horrid, the fact the selectors may have selected Woakes because of his batting to accommodate Kegga makes it horribly worse.

So can we all forget his week & move on.

 

[Maximas]

Jackson Bird is pretty awful with the bat, Suranga Lakmal too

 

[morgieb]

Bird is a bunny, but the likes of Siddle and Lyon aren't horrid with the bat and the likes of Pattinson and Starc are arguably bowling all-rounders.

There's still a few bunnies around though.

 

[kyear2]

Not may McGraths and Walsh's around these day and even if they are not talented there seems to be more emphasis on ensuring that all off the bowlers work on their batting and take it seriously when they go out to bat.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I think one of the leading exponents of tailend ineptitude is taking a break from test cricket to concentrate on pissing on security staff, but he'll be back.

 

[Prince EWS]

Not may McGraths and Walsh's around these day and even if they are not talented there seems to be more emphasis on ensuring that all off the bowlers work on their batting and take it seriously when they go out to bat.

Yeah; Matthew Hoggard is probably the archetype for the modern bunny. He had virtually no batting ability of any kind but he put an extremely high price on his wicket and clearly worked pretty hard on his defensive technique to a point where he was far more useful as a tailender than someone like Harmison, who clearly had some basic batting ability but batted like a traditional tail-ender.

 

[Hurricane]

In the1980s the commentators would differentiate between rabbits and bunnies. A rabbit being someone who could keep an end up for a few overs, while your bunny was Chatfield etc.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Some comms would call the properly dire tailend charlies (Devon Malcolm, etc) "ferrets" as in "they go in after the rabbits".

 

[Howe_zat]

I think one of the leading exponents of tailend ineptitude is taking a break from test cricket to concentrate on pissing on security staff, but he'll be back.

Even he got to basic competence after going to Sussex, I remember him playing as nightwatchman against Aus A in 2010, and doing the job well.

 

[Daemon]

Mohammad Irfan probably the worst batsman playing International cricket atm.

Close second would be johnson charles.

 

[Cabinet96]

Even he got to basic competence after going to Sussex, I remember him playing as nightwatchman against Aus A in 2010, and doing the job well.

Peter George was opening the bowling though.

 

[fredfertang]

At least with a bat in his hand Monty knows his many and varied limitations and conducts himself accordingly, which is more than can be said for when he gets a grip on some things

 

[uvelocity]

No, and I think the fact you mentioned Chris Martin, which was a relatively modern era proves it.

The thing is with cricket, and I'm not sure whatever sport, if any, provides this, is you get someone utterly untalented at a skill facing someone who is supreme at it.

So there will always be moments where you actually feel like when you're watching it, a bit like that could be me.

When they guts it out it's just brilliant, and always will be.

you can get someone who could play club cricket as a batsman looking completely clueless

kind of like Toucher & Rich's "Scallenge" - YouTube

 

[marc71178]

Not may McGraths and Walsh's around these day and even if they are not talented there seems to be more emphasis on ensuring that all off the bowlers work on their batting and take it seriously when they go out to bat.

Harsh on McGrath to bracket him with Walsh IMO

 

[BoyBrumby]

Peter George was opening the bowling though.

Now there is a properly gash tailender.

Would imagine he's slipped quite a long way back in the Oz seam pecking order now, so his chances to display that bravura lack of talent on the international stage are sadly limited.