***Official*** Australia in South Africa 2018

[Bolo]

Yes. A lot of things in cricket are based on personal preference, which are then touted as absolute truths. Usually to win brownie points on internet debates.

As in the case of this ludicrous overrating of Rahane. Must be a truly great batsman. Why? Because he has scored a few runs away. "Away!!"

In Rahanes case I think there is reasonable case to consider him more valuable for scoring away, because the assumption is the majority of your players will be scoring big at home and you will not need those runs as much. The pitches might be friendlier as well. A hundred on a pancake and a duck on a mine field may not win a game for you but if you reverse these you probably won one. Take the two most recent RSA series- if he lays both India still wins home, but may win away as well

 

[Bolo]

I was just trying to use the SA circumstance as an example were losing at home hit their reputation....

But I think people actually do concentrate more on the away wins, because they are so much more difficult to do....... but you also have to consider the opponent. you lose/win in SL as Eng, Aus, RSA you've done well (at home expected), because SL tough at home (similar to Bangladesh). You beat India in India were almost nobody wins and you get a few extra stars.... even if they come and steal a test off you later at your home.

It is not a straightforward that all tests for all teams and places are equivalent... you can't take away the opposition, or who won where, when considering a teams good/bad home/away record.

Home means you have ability in one set of circumstances. Away means you have ability in a number of circumstances. Home performance only could be an accident of birth. Away (multiple locations) is a range of skils

 

[harsh.ag]

Rahane's not considered a truly great batsman by anyone. But he's considered invaluable because, apart from Kohli, other Indian batsmen don't do that well abroad. And India needs those runs.

Other than those times when he, of course, gets dropped for the great talent of Rohit Sharma.

 

[Borges]

I'd say, strongly favour Rahane over Sharma, even for home test matches; there is a more than reasonable chance that he can still evolve into a good test batsman.


What I find amusing is that a host of South Africans, turning cartwheels of euphoria over a home series win by their team after some donkey's number of years, still find it worthwhile, even in their state of extreme breathlessness, to shout loudly that home performance pales into insignificance in comparison to away performance.


There are too many of them here; the kind that refuse to acknowledge that James Anderson is a contemporary great.
Why? Because he has been merely competent away. Didn't you know that away performance is the only thing that matters?

 

[S.Kennedy]

Am I correct in perceiving that this test series (SA/Oz) does not have a permanent trophy? Seems a bit of an oversight! Should have a Bancroft-Du Plessis Ball-Tampering Trophy.

 

[Victor Ian]

Interesting. Who would they name it after. For SA the pollock name might be a shout. Can't think of a worthy Aussie name. Actually. Should call it the Wessels Cup

 

[OverratedSanity]

Am I correct in perceiving that this test series (SA/Oz) does not have a permanent trophy? Seems a bit of an oversight! Should have a Bancroft-Du Plessis Ball-Tampering Trophy.

yeah needs a trophy name imo. Ashes, Border-Gavaskar, Basil D'Oliveira, Pataudi trophy all sound much cooler than Generic Sponsor Trophy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_cricket#Perpetual_trophies

Must admit I had no idea about some of these names (Ganguly-Durjoy for Ind-BD). Also why is WI vs SA called the Viv Richards trophy and WIvs Zim the Clive Lloyd trophy? Pattern with most of the WI series, but atleast Worrell has a history with both WI and Aus, so it makes sense in that case.

 

[Daemon]

Hopefully they don't name it after old farts and go with something more creative

 

[Flem274*]

smith-cronje trophy imo

 

[harsh.ag]

Second the Kepler Wessels Trophy

 

[stephen]

Yeah the Wessels trophy feels most appropriate.

Or we could call it the sandpaper/spit trophy. :ninja:

 

[Spark]

yeah needs a trophy name imo. Ashes, Border-Gavaskar, Basil D'Oliveira, Pataudi trophy all sound much cooler than Generic Sponsor Trophy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_cricket#Perpetual_trophies

Must admit I had no idea about some of these names (Ganguly-Durjoy for Ind-BD). Also why is WI vs SA called the Viv Richards trophy and WIvs Zim the Clive Lloyd trophy? Pattern with most of the WI series, but atleast Worrell has a history with both WI and Aus, so it makes sense in that case.

Frank Worrell makes perfect sense for WI/Aus tbf, he was the one who first made that rivalry a serious thing.

 

[Marius]

The Wessels Trophy would be a good one too I think.

Border-Wessels could have been a nice one too, but I see he's already got half the Ind-Aus trophy named after him.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Frank Worrell makes perfect sense for WI/Aus tbf, he was the one who first made that rivalry a serious thing.

That's what I said? I was asking about Viv and Lloyd

 

[SeamUp]

Poor Pakistan don't have one named trophy.

 

[srbhkshk]

Poor Pakistan don't have one named trophy.

If India ever play them again, Kapil - Imran would be great.

 

[Tangles]

Bancrofts Balls Trophy.

 

[Senile Sentry]

Should name it the Pietersen Trophy

 

[Spikey]

peter dutton memorial trophy

 

[Bijed]

Interesting. Who would they name it after. For SA the pollock name might be a shout. Can't think of a worthy Aussie name. Actually. Should call it the Wessels Cup

Need to go for two great batsmen who also captained their teams. Smith-Smith trophy imo