***Official*** Bangladesh in Sri Lanka 2017

[weldone]

You know that using averages to compare a fast bowler with a spinner is disingenuous.

I know and that's why I put a caveat around my statement.

Herath gets 2 more wickets per match in the subcontinent which is much more significant than the fact that those wickets cost 3 more runs each.

Wasim shared his wickets with Waqar, Imran, Shoaib, Mushtaq, Saqlain, Qadir. Herath had no competition from anyone for a long period except Murali. That's another unfair comparison. The wickets per match mean nothing in this context.

Also he is already 39 - unless he goes on till 45 there is no extended career ending slump that will change his numbers.

One or two years of really bad performance can dent a player's overall numbers. There are many examples of this. If his next 50 wickets come at an average of 45, his career average will jump from 27.97 to 30.02.

 

[viriya]

I know and that's why I put a caveat around my statement.



Wasim shared his wickets with Waqar, Imran, Shoaib, Mushtaq, Saqlain, Qadir. Herath had no competition from anyone for a long period except Murali. That's another unfair comparison. The wickets per match mean nothing in this context.



One or two years of really bad performance can dent a player's overall numbers. There are many examples of this. If his next 50 wickets come at an average of 45, his career average will jump from 27.97 to 30.02.

Sharing wickets argument works both ways. Herath had no support so had no good bowling partnerships to help take wickets.

Also, most of Wasim's wickets were of tail-enders (35%) while Herath took mostly middle order batsmen (31% tail-end). This suggests that Wasim depended on his teammates more for early-mid breakthroughs and got the low value tailenders out more often than not while Herath had to toil through the middle order first.

 

[DriveClub]

I don't want to bag herath so don't wanna respond but lol at viriya, wierdo

 

[viriya]

I don't want to bag herath so don't wanna respond but lol at viriya, wierdo

Someone's bound to take the bait.

 

[weldone]

Viriya's website will be so good if he removes everything except cricinsight and cricodds. He has no idea about ranking / rating.

Edit: This comment is not related to the Wasim-Herath debate.

 

[viriya]

Viriya's website will be so good if he removes everything except cricinsight and cricodds. He has no idea about ranking / rating.

Edit: This comment is not related to the Wasim-Herath debate.

I knew you secretly thought that Sanga > Sachin. I can't make everyone happy!

 

[viriya]

Akram in wins: 211 wickets @ 18.5 in 41 matches (5.1 wpm)
Herath in wins: 200 wickets @ 18.8 in 32 matches (6.2 wpm)

Who's the better matchwinner?

 

[weldone]

Haha no there are so many things wrong with your ranking methodology that I don't know where to begin. I genuinely think your website will also be more popular if you get rid of all the rankings sections. Even amateur eyes get turned off seeing those sections. I have told many people (some friends, some professors, some students of my professors) to check cricinsight and cricodds sections but everyone invariably opens the ranking section first and comes back with a "Lol how is Voges no. 1?", "Oh De Kock best test batsman! Seriously?" kind of experssion.

 

[viriya]

Haha no there are so many things wrong with your ranking methodology that I don't know where to begin. I genuinely think your website will also be more popular if you get rid of all the rankings sections. Even amateur eyes get turned off seeing those sections. I have told many people (some friends, some professors, some students of my professors) to check cricinsight and cricodds sections but everyone invariably opens the ranking section first and comes back with a "Lol how is Voges no. 1?", "Oh De Kock best test batsman! Seriously?" kind of experssion.

I'm always open to feedback - Voges had done enough to be considered the #1 batsman at the time, De Kock was slightly overrated and I adjusted the system accordingly. You of all people should know ratings systems don't make everyone happy - I'm not trying to either. It's just a hobby/time waste with no grand plan at this point.

Back on topic, I'm not saying Herath is clearly > Akram in Tests, just that there is an argument now. Even in cricrate their careers have overlapping confidence intervals.

 

[weldone]

Akram in wins: 211 wickets @ 18.5 in 41 matches (5.1 wpm)
Herath in wins: 200 wickets @ 18.8 in 32 matches (6.2 wpm)

Who's the better matchwinner?

Since we are talking about match-winners:
Wasim 17 MotM
Herath 10 MotM

 

[viriya]

Since we are talking about match-winners:
Wasim 17 MotM
Herath 10 MotM

That's deceiving cos Akram was an all-rounder.

 

[weldone]

That's deceiving cos Akram was an all-rounder.

Herath averages 15 with the bat versus Wasim's 23 - I don't think many of Wasim's 17 MotM's were for batting either

 

[viriya]

Herath averages 15 with the bat versus Wasim's 23 - I don't think many of Wasim's 17 MotM's were for batting either

Probably 2:
2nd Test: Australia v Pakistan at Adelaide, Jan 19-23, 1990 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo
1st Test: Pakistan v Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura, Oct 17-21, 1996 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

In any case, MoMs are very subjective and Akram's bowling is way ***ier than Herath's so that makes a difference too. Herath is expected to do well at home in SL and sometimes loses MoM to a young kid who managed to get a few runs even when fatty is actually the reason for the win.

 

[YorksLanka]

A young kid scoring a few runs?? He almost got a double ton and without those runs we wouldn't have had anything to bowl at!

 

[vitalogy83]

Congrats to the Lankan's a on a good effort. Good to see K Mendis in the runs - this is an important series for him.

I was surprised DDS was left out. Guneratne continues his decent run which is great to see. And of course Herath finished the job as usual.

I strongly feel that it's time for SL to try something new with the openers. But since they won - it's going to make it harder to see any changes there. With UT scoring a 100 it's made the decision even harder to make. Quite keen to see Chandragupta play as I said before the series.

 

[vitalogy83]

If SL want to play Mathews then it has to be Guneratne or Chandimal who is left out. And with Chandimal failing it seems like the axe might fall on him.

But SL in the lead - I don't think there is any reason for Mathews - to - come back. And it will give Chandimal another chance.

 

[vitalogy83]

Regarding Akram - Herath debate. Akram is usually considered an ATG. Is Herath really seen that way? I know he has done superbly at home and won SL many games for them but is Herath really in that upper echelon of ATG's?

Feel like he's maybe in the second tier?

I haven't looked at the stats but I would think Akram helps throughout the game in the push for a win rather than cleaning up in the 4th innings like Herath? Is that not more valuable?

 

[viriya]

Regarding Akram - Herath debate. Akram is usually considered an ATG. Is Herath really seen that way? I know he has done superbly at home and won SL many games for them but is Herath really in that upper echelon of ATG's?

Feel like he's maybe in the second tier?

I haven't looked at the stats but I would think Akram helps throughout the game in the push for a win rather than cleaning up in the 4th innings like Herath? Is that not more valuable?

Akram is in the 2nd tier of Test ATG bowlers. Herath is too. Obviously Herath doesn't have a great away record but he has one of the best home records to counter that imo.

 

[Daemon]

I love fatty to bits but come on viriya, you'd be hard pressed to find a single person here who agrees with you on this, and that should tell you something

 

[cnerd123]

How do you even begin to compare Wasim and Herath. Different bowling styles, different roles, different modus operandi...