Tbf though I knew itBairstow will take us home!
Objectively speaking, is Hooper really that much worse than say Mike Atherton or Harbajan Singh?I was always baffled by his ability to score amazing centuries whilst never looking like a test class batsman for a long period of time. I mentioned that on here a couple of times. After his failure in the first test, I thought he should be selected but only begrudgingly as he had scored two tons in his last two series and that he'd never really amount to much overall. Thought he was better than Buttler and the other hacks England persisted with but I had planned to declare him the worst cricketers to play a 100 tests when the time came. Looks like that title is still Hooper's.
Atherton was mediocrity personified also but he gets sympathy points for opening in England against several ATG attacks.Objectively speaking, is Hooper really that much worse than say Mike Atherton or Harbajan Singh?
I’ll take a 50 ball hundred every test thanksI do worry though after his success in this series and the McStokes mindset that Johnny is now of the belief that if your not scoring a hundred in 50 balls are you even playing cricket?
I think only somebody who wasn’t around, or non- English (and is therefore over-reliant on overall career stats) could believe that Atherton was “mediocrity personified” IMO. He clearly had a McGrath problem, and was severely hampered in later career by degenerative back problems, but for 10 years was THE wicket the opposition valued most. And in a decade which featured some of the greatest new ball attacks in history combined with generally favourable bowling conditions.Atherton was mediocrity personified also but he gets sympathy points for opening in England against several ATG attacks.
Forgot about Harbhajan though, good point. Vettori in the mix too. The ultimate bits and pieces cricketer.
This is utter drivel, I don’t think there’s been a cricketer since whos had a harder time from the English media.Nah he was a limited batsman who was also badly exposed by great attacks. He had severe back problems also so credit to him for becoming a not bad cricketer. It's just the English media overrating their own and it getting stuck. Mike Gatting is another example. Just a fat blob of mediocrity who's mentioned as an eminent player.
The ironic thing is GIMH really is sorryThis is uncharacteristic from GIMH. Next he'll be apologising to the Mods