Michael Clarke

[Jono]

The whole thing is just poorly timed though. unless people think Clarke's struggles right now are reflective of his career (and I'm sure no one does), I just don't get the point of bumping this thread and saying "yeah he's not as good as people always said". What he's doing now obviously doesn't reflect his career / ability. He's just cooked now.

If you thought YK was better than Clarke 2 years ago, what Clarke is doing now doesn't make you any more right or anything. You may have been right then, but him sucking post injuries doesn't really strengthen your argument.

 

[Black_Warrior]

hey I did not bump this thread.

 

[Jono]

yeah I know. I'm just wahhhing about the general anti-Clarke sentiment worldwide right now, especially from casual fans in aust.

 

[Daemon]

I think it's fair, especially if you're a Pakistan fan, to feel a little aggrieved when people suggest Clarke > Younis

 

[Jono]

yeah but him being unable to bat without a back doesn't make that view any more right. If you believe that, you were right before Clarke's recent downfall.

 

[Daemon]

Yeah, not the best of timing from BW it must be said. My point was that it's not a stretch to say that Clarke was being a bit overrated during that period, and when your own countries players are being underrated fairly often, then it's fair to feel a bit aggrieved and want to stick the boot in so to speak. Doesn't make it right but it's understandable.

It's not like he's done it outright anyways. He sugar coated it very nicely

 

[Spark]

Yeah, not the best of timing from BW it must be said. My point was that it's not a stretch to say that Clarke was being a bit overrated during that period, and when your own countries players are being underrated fairly often, then it's fair to feel a bit aggrieved and want to stick the boot in so to speak. Doesn't make it right but it's understandable.

It's not like he's done it outright anyways. He sugar coated it very nicely

It's almost as if he has an axe to grind and this isn't the first time posting in this thread...

 

[Jono]

People underrating Devilliers in this thread. The guy is an out-and-out gun. Averaging 63.90 since the start of 2010 and was ranked #1 in the world alongside Clarke only a few months ago.

I'd still take Clarke I reckon, but its not ridiculous to put AB in the same category.

fist pump worthy post back in 2012. What a way to start the weekend.

 

[Daemon]

It's almost as if he has an axe to grind and this isn't the first time posting in this thread...

Haha yeah, just went back and looked through the thread.

yeah Benchy it was a superb knock but surely other HTB's also have played these knocks sporadically away from home during their time. There is a hole in Clarke's CV that needs to be addressed at the moment IMO Cook, KP, ABDE and Amla are ahead of him for being the batsmen of this generation.

Really don't understand how "I can't get past 60 nowadays" ABdV gets close tbh

DeVilliers, really????

People underrating Devilliers in this thread. The guy is an out-and-out gun. Averaging 63.90 since the start of 2010 and was ranked #1 in the world alongside Clarke only a few months ago.

I'd still take Clarke I reckon, but its not ridiculous to put AB in the same category.

This though.

 

[Spark]

Nah stand by that. ABdV at that time was infuriating.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Yeah, felt AB's stats at the time flattered him.

 

[akilana]

dawta

 

[marc71178]

Yeah, felt AB's stats at the time flattered him.

What you mean when it took him ages to score a lone ton in ages but nobody betted an eyelid and raved about him but at the same time criticised Ian Bell for the same thing?

 

[Flem274*]

This thread is an interesting read for me. I'm starting to rate players based on the awesome things they do more than their stats, which brings cricket closer to how I rate players in my own sport. I know most will think they're one and the same, so let me explain. Sangakkara gets a lot of stick from some quarters for being a hometown hero or a subcontinent pitch bully (because they're all the same obviously #cwatgthreads) but without looking at his statz his Hobart knock against a classy Aussie side where they only got him out through sawing him off, his ton against Bond and co. and the double v Southee and Boult are more than enough for me to think he's the goods.

Same with Clarke and his home and away record. He's done enough awesome things for me to put him up with Waugh. I think Ponting, Border and Greg Chappell are just above him but Clarke is the man.

This is also making me reconsider though. I would have said Clarke > YK but I don't really have much to stand on. It's more a function of YK usually batting at 3am on a Wednesday when I'm alseep. That and the Big Three media machine making everything all about The Ashes, Border-Gavaskar Trophy and whatever England and India play each other for.

Statistics are a strange beast though. Ian Bell has over 20 test hundreds that I have no idea who he scored about 10 of them against, and his average of 45 or whatever it is is 5 runs shy of Clarke and Younis and equal to Laxman and Crowe and I wouldn't have Bell anywhere near them. MoYo is another who stole an awesome career record that makes him look as good as Younis and Inzi.

I've probably got all those stats wrong too which means I am now a true rate by awesome moments cricket watcher. Go me.

 

[akilana]

What you mean when it took him ages to score a lone ton in ages but nobody betted an eyelid and raved about him but at the same time criticised Ian Bell for the same thing?

Because Ian Bell is rubbish

 

[fredfertang]

Because Ian Bell is rubbish

An average well north of 40 in 100+ tests tells me you must have a very odd idea about the meaning of the word "rubbish"

 

[The Battlers Prince]

An average well north of 40 in 100+ tests tells me you must have a very odd idea about the meaning of the word "rubbish"

Bell's a strange one, his drive is one of those ***y shots that some people are blessed with. But I think if a captain would put a flyslip or third man in I could see less of those stupid late cuts between slip and gully. Its his go to shot and it seems Root is following the same theory, just as Tony Greig did when Chappelli refused to put in a fielder there. Anyway, more drives from Bell and I'll like him more

 

[Spark]

What you mean when it took him ages to score a lone ton in ages but nobody betted an eyelid and raved about him but at the same time criticised Ian Bell for the same thing?

I'm pretty sure PEWS and I both made direct comparisons to Ian Bell on this forum tbh.

 

[Cabinet96]

Really weird to look back and think there were times in history when Ian Bell was considered superior to both Clarke and de Villiers.

 

[Cabinet96]

On de Villiers, I'm kind of torn. Think a lot of people underrated him for some of the stuff BK talked about earlier. Him not performing in enough series involving India, Aus and SA, and no one giving a **** about South Africa v Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the West Indies, etc. But it also probably worked the other way in terms of the being a bit like Ian Bell thing, lots of people just looked at the numbers and decided he was amazing when they flattered him a tad.