Cricket stuff that doesn't deserve its own thread

[Starfighter]

I wonder what Sobers's batting average was before the rest of the world test status was revoked? He made some massive scores on those tours of England and Australia.

At the end of the second ROW series Sobers' average was 59.94. With both the England and Australia series this goes to 60.15. The Australian matches were never considered tests though. With just the England tests it is 60.77 instead of 58.92 at the end of that series.

It should be mentioned that he only averaged 48 in Australia with two modest not out innings (20* and 15* at Brisbane). His 254 was his only score over 50 in the series and was scored on probably the slowest pitch of the series. His scores otherwise were 0, 33 at Perth, 15 and 2 at Sydney (where Massie took 7/76 in the first innings) and 2 at Adelaide.

 

[Starfighter]

Looking a cricinfo's nominees for their performances of the year guff I couldn't help but notice the absence of even a single Virat Kohli innings.

 

[Burgey]

North Sydney in more strife than a one legged bloke in an arse kicking contest at 7/60 in the 25th chasing 203

 

[Burgey]

Job duly done. Semi on Tuesday vs NDs.

 

[AndrewB]

I wonder what Sobers's batting average was before the rest of the world test status was revoked? He made some massive scores on those tours of England and Australia.

If you include just the 1970 series in England, Sobers's final career figures are
8620 runs at an average of 58.64
256 wickets at an average of 33.01

If you include both series, his figures are
8961 runs at an average of 58.19
265 wickets at an average of 33.53
and he'd have equalled Bradman's record (at the time) of 29 hundreds.

 

[fredfertang]

If you include just the 1970 series in England, Sobers's final career figures are
8620 runs at an average of 58.64
256 wickets at an average of 33.01

If you include both series, his figures are
8961 runs at an average of 58.19
265 wickets at an average of 33.53
and he'd have equalled Bradman's record (at the time) of 29 hundreds.

There's a school of thought on here that asserts Sobers wasn't a decent bowler, but I forget now who it is that always espouses it - it's the only subject I keep out of on here on the grounds I may say something I later regret

 

[AndrewB]

There was a Sobers fan on one newsgroup/forum (I think it was rec.sport.cricket) who frequently claimed that Sobers was (at his peak at least) a very good pace bowler, but admitted that he was only a moderate spinner (but was required to bowl spin quite a lot, hence his mid-30s average) - is that fair?

 

[fredfertang]

There was a Sobers fan on one newsgroup/forum (I think it was rec.sport.cricket) who frequently claimed that Sobers was (at his peak at least) a very good pace bowler, but admitted that he was only a moderate spinner (but was required to bowl spin quite a lot, hence his mid-30s average) - is that fair?

He bowled really well in that RoW series in 1970, which is the only real memory I have of him as a bowler - don't ever recall seeing him bowl spin over here - the explanation I always give for his relatively modest bowling figures is that he was generally either the back up seamer to Hall and Griffith or the back up spinner to Gibbs, which is inevitably something of an over simplification, but not the worst point I trot out in favour of my favourites

 

[OverratedSanity]

His figures are all right tbh. 230 odd wickets in 93 matches is pretty awesome for a batting all rounder

 

[cnerd123]

There are human beings who have dedicated their entire lives to mastering a single form of spin bowling, with the end result of being able to 'only' manage a Test career bowling average in the mid 30s or low 40s

The fact that Sober could bowl both types of spin to an equally proficient level, all whilst being a better fast bowler, an exception fieldsman, and one of the greatest batsmen to have ever lived is genuinely remarkable.

Besides - spin bowling is like 10% real skill and 90% mental. Its why they peak in their mid-30s like batsmen and not their 20s like fast bowlers. If you're only bowling spin part time you don't develop guile that is required to be world-class at it. For all we know Sober's raw skills at spin may be world class (he did get selected to the team on the strength of it, after all), but what prevented him from becoming a world class spinner was just the limited amount of bowling he got to do while doing it.

The man's a freak and a legend and anyone discrediting him based on bowling average isnt worth listening to.

 

[Daemon]

If he didn't bowl finger spin he'd have a much better average. Unfortunate that the great man reduced himself to bowling that inferior art once in a while.

 

[Burgey]

Daemon gets it

 

[harsh.ag]

Being a part time backup finger spinner can ruin anyone's stats.

 

[Pup Clarke]

An idea I'd like to propose in regards to Test Cricket is to have an Asia X1 v Rest of World X1 series scheduled every 2 years . Dedicate say 2 months of the international calendar solely to this either by way of a 4/5 match test series

Each country has a chance to host the event every 2 years. I think it would be a fascinating way to gain some tangible evidence as to how the best players both cope and adapt across different pitch conditions, climates and other variables.

Anyone else like the idea of this?

If the event was held in Australia, the respected X1s may look something similar to this

ROW X1

Warner, Kane, Root, Smith, AB, Faf (c), Bairstow, Starc, Rabada, Lyon, Anderson (Other squad members; Elgar, Amla, De Kock, Maharaj ,Taylor, Boult, Hazlewood)

Asia X1

Tamim, Azhar, Pujara, Kohli, Mathews (c), Shakib, Mushfiqur, Jadeja, Bhuvi, Amir, Shami (Other squad members; Karuraratne, Chandimal, Shafiq, Sarfraz, Herath, Umesh, Lakmal)

Other potential selections for ROW (Latham, Wagner, Southee, Morkel, Cummins) and Asia (Vijay, Rahane, Yasir/Rashid, Junaid, Taskin)

How does that sound?

 

[harsh.ag]

Make it northern vs southern hemisphere imo.

Aus + NZ + SA vs Eng + Asia + WI

 

[S.Kennedy]

He bowled really well in that RoW series in 1970, which is the only real memory I have of him as a bowler - don't ever recall seeing him bowl spin over here - the explanation I always give for his relatively modest bowling figures is that he was generally either the back up seamer to Hall and Griffith or the back up spinner to Gibbs, which is inevitably something of an over simplification, but not the worst point I trot out in favour of my favourites

It is more that his iffy start drags his stats down. The earlier period he took 43 at 47.25. Between 1961 and 1968 he took 125 at 27.93, making him 4th best bowler in cricket.

 

[Burgey]

The weather is set fair here for today’s semi final.

 

[CricAddict]

If the event was held in Australia, the respected X1s may look something similar to this

ROW X1

Warner, Kane, Root, Smith, AB, Faf (c), Bairstow, Starc, Rabada, Lyon, Anderson (Other squad members; Elgar, Amla, De Kock, Maharaj ,Taylor, Boult, Hazlewood)

Asia X1

Tamim, Azhar, Pujara, Kohli, Mathews (c), Shakib, Mushfiqur, Jadeja, Bhuvi, Amir, Shami (Other squad members; Karuraratne, Chandimal, Shafiq, Sarfraz, Herath, Umesh, Lakmal)

Other potential selections for ROW (Latham, Wagner, Southee, Morkel, Cummins) and Asia (Vijay, Rahane, Yasir/Rashid, Junaid, Taskin)

How does that sound?

ROW XI looks far better.

 

[Daemon]

Yeah they've got 3 of the big 4 plus AB lol. Batting blows Asia XI out of the water.

ROW bowling would be far superior in Australia but on dodgy tracks in Asia I'd back the spinners from Asia.

 

[CricAddict]

Yeah they've got 3 of the big 4 plus AB lol. Batting blows Asia XI out of the water.

ROW bowling would be far superior in Australia but on dodgy tracks in Asia I'd back the spinners from Asia.

Yes but Lyon-Maharaj is a decent combination too. Also, Ashwin should play for Jadeja. Jaddu and Shakib as the 2 spinners is too Bangladeshi.