Cricket's Great Myths

[Coronis]

Yeah I reckon all his first innings knocks were meaningless. He just coasted on the tails of a great team and never got to play that many second innings. Also 80+ is a significant contribution for a 7th batsmen I’ll have to remember that.

 

[the big bambino]

I can remember being very grateful for Gilchrist. There were many times he came into bat and the game was in the balance which he then settled for Australia within a session. Often only with the tail for support. The revisionism of Gilchrist by those who just "want to be heard out" is a form of mental retardation.

 

[slippy888]

Justin Langer was a bad coach.

 

[subshakerz]

Justin Langer was a bad coach.

If your players want you out, aren't you by definition a bad coach?

 

[slippy888]

He won Australia a world they searched for over 15 years

 

[subshakerz]

He won Australia a world they searched for over 20 years

Apparently that was the result of him taking a backseat. Anyways, if you don't have the confidence of the players you can't be considered a good coach to me.

 

[Adders]

He won Australia a world they searched for over 20 years

What???

 

[slippy888]

The 20 20 world cup it was 15 years the wait for Australian fans, for me Langer a genius coach.

 

[Adders]

The 20 20 world cup it was 15 years the wait for Australian fans, for me Langer a genius coach.

Yes I'm sure 5 times ODI WC winners together with all their test achievements were really pineing for that T20 trophy........definitely sets Langer apart from all Australia's past coaches bringing that bacon home.

 

[thierry henry]

I can remember being very grateful for Gilchrist. There were many times he came into bat and the game was in the balance which he then settled for Australia within a session. Often only with the tail for support. The revisionism of Gilchrist by those who just "want to be heard out" is a form of mental retardation.

Reckon CW has gone too far the other way now and calls obvious facts of life about sacred cow Gilchrist's career (yes he obviously debuted at a point where he was already at his peak, yes he obviously got to bat 7 in a dominant team) "revisionism". It doesn't have to be Gilchrist-denial to state the obvious.

In fairness though, I do suffer from mental retardation.

 

[subshakerz]

Reckon CW has gone too far the other way now and calls obvious facts of life about sacred cow Gilchrist's career (yes he obviously debuted at a point where he was already at his peak, yes he obviously got to bat 7 in a dominant team) "revisionism". It doesn't have to be Gilchrist-denial to state the obvious.

In fairness though, I do suffer from mental retardation.

Him debuted at peak age and batting with a cushion at no.7 are facts though, but it's what he achieved with those that makes him a special ATG.

 

[the big bambino]

He was picked on the back of killing it in odi cricket. If anything he was deprived a few prime years because of Healy occupying the test spot.

 

[Daemon]

Gilly had a couple things going his way of course, I think most people will acknowledge that (the same things hinder him as well sometimes). But trying to adjust in anyway for that is kinda pointless. He’s still the best in his class by leaps and bounds anyways.

 

[thierry henry]

But trying to adjust in anyway for that is kinda pointless.

This is where I kinda disagree. Seems like we happily adjust for other players. Obviously it's a nuanced exercise but I feel like it's perfectly reasonable to say that Gilchrist falls more on the "favourable circumstances improve record" side than the "unfavourable circumstances hurt record" side. Still probably makes the all-time XI regardless.

 

[Prince EWS]

It doesn't come up so much anymore but people always used to say that Steve Smith started his career as a leg spinner and worked his way up the order. This is definitely a bit of a myth imo.

It's true that he used to take his bowling more seriously than he does now and the administration was pretty keen on him developing both, but his batting was always definitely his strongest suit. He was batting top six in Shield cricket averaging 45+ with the bat and 50+ with the ball when he made his debut.

 

[Coronis]

It doesn't come up so much anymore but people always used to say that Steve Smith started his career as a leg spinner and worked his way up the order. This is definitely a bit of a myth imo.

It's true that he used to take his bowling more seriously than he does now and the administration was pretty keen on him developing both, but his batting was always definitely his strongest suit. He was batting top six in Shield cricket averaging 45+ with the bat and 50+ with the ball when he made his debut.

Yeah I always found this a weird one.

 

[Ali TT]

It doesn't come up so much anymore but people always used to say that Steve Smith started his career as a leg spinner and worked his way up the order. This is definitely a bit of a myth imo.

It's true that he used to take his bowling more seriously than he does now and the administration was pretty keen on him developing both, but his batting was always definitely his strongest suit. He was batting top six in Shield cricket averaging 45+ with the bat and 50+ with the ball when he made his debut.

Well, in tests he started off batting at 8 in the games against Pakistan in England and was definitely there as the spinner (bowled 21 overs on debut). He moved up to 6/7 against England in the Ashes that year but didn't bowl much. I remember listening to Warne on comms singing his praises but as a "great bloke" to have in the dressing room, so to us English fans he appeared to be another joke pick by the Aussies that series.

 

[Gremlin]

Shane Watson wore the biggest pads ever manufactured.

 

[CricAddict]

It doesn't come up so much anymore but people always used to say that Steve Smith started his career as a leg spinner and worked his way up the order. This is definitely a bit of a myth imo.

It's true that he used to take his bowling more seriously than he does now and the administration was pretty keen on him developing both, but his batting was always definitely his strongest suit. He was batting top six in Shield cricket averaging 45+ with the bat and 50+ with the ball when he made his debut.

The myth comes from the fact that he was stupidly picked as the main spinner, just like Cameron White.

 

[Coronis]

Shane Watson wore the biggest pads ever manufactured.

Some people need bigger ones, no need to discriminate.