Or Harbhajan can score 2 centuries ….If Glenn McGrath can do it...
For me the issue is that Marnus is not just having a form slump, but that this is his mean and he's just not that good. His ~3 years of dominance was based on a combination of a bizarre Voges-like run of form, roady home wickets and absurd luck. Before 2019 he was never particularly good either. Didn't even average 40 in fc cricket IIRC.Marnus's form is a serious concern, but I'm not sure there's much we can do about it right now? Backup in the squad is renshsw, and his recent domestic form isn't much better. Plus, after this series we don't play again until India in November, and marnus will have a full county season and some shield cricket between now and then. Reckon we stick with marnus for the last test given that.
From memory Lyon has the most Test runs without ever reaching 50 as of the time of writingNo doubt Lyon will score a fifty tomorrow now.
This does not seem like a typical NZ pitch at all to me. I don't know what they've done but it's played almost like an SA deck at times.Have read a lot here in CW that NZ pitches get better to bat in the fourth innings unlike other places. If that's the case, a 350-370 odd run chase will be interesting. Have to get the aussies within 200 though at the max.
The same Kagiso Rabada that scored a rollicking 47 in his last test innings against NZ?From memory Lyon has the most Test runs without ever reaching 50 as of the time of writing
Does have a couple of Shield half tons though. So he's better with the blade than Kagiso Rabada at least
I recall a stat going around a year or so ago saying Marnus was the luckiest cricketer in the world since his debut and had he not been so lucky using his expected dismissals would have averaged high 30's or soFor me the issue is that Marnus is not just having a form slump, but that this is his mean and he's just not that good. His ~3 years of dominance was based on a combination of a bizarre Voges-like run of form, roady home wickets and absurd luck. Before 2019 he was never particularly good either. Didn't even average 40 in fc cricket IIRC.
So rather than him picking back up and returning to being a 50+ average batsman I expect it to just stay like this. Because this is him, not the run-making machine he was for a few years
Letting that happen was vastly more shameful for New Zealand cricket than anything that has occurred in this TestThe same Kagiso Rabada that scored a rollicking 47 in his last test innings against NZ?
I mean who he is right now isn't just the sort of middling batsman you describe but a walking wicket who can't get the ball off the square without presenting a potential catching opportunity. I share the same concerns as you long term but right now he's also in an unusually poor run of form.For me the issue is that Marnus is not just having a form slump, but that this is his mean and he's just not that good. His ~3 years of dominance was based on a combination of a bizarre Voges-like run of form, roady home wickets and absurd luck. Before 2019 he was never particularly good either. Didn't even average 40 in fc cricket IIRC.
So rather than him picking back up and returning to being a 50+ average batsman I expect it to just stay like this. Because this is him, not the run-making machine he was for a few years
Jeez I dunno. That's like being locked in a car with an old dog and deciding which of his farts smells the rankestLetting that happen was vastly more shameful for New Zealand cricket than anything that has occurred in this Test
#NZSoSpinnyWhy is a NZ pitch spinning like this
But he hasn't dropped off at fc level AFAIK? Between our last India tour and the Ashes in England (Middle of his current form slump) he went over to Glamorgan and made runs for fun. Even when he went back to shield cricket for a round before this series he was able to grind out some runs despite looking nowhere near his best.For me the issue is that Marnus is not just having a form slump, but that this is his mean and he's just not that good. His ~3 years of dominance was based on a combination of a bizarre Voges-like run of form, roady home wickets and absurd luck. Before 2019 he was never particularly good either. Didn't even average 40 in fc cricket IIRC.
So rather than him picking back up and returning to being a 50+ average batsman I expect it to just stay like this. Because this is him, not the run-making machine he was for a few years
The second part of that is bs. During that lucky period rahane was being dropped as much as marnus and averaging half of what he does. Marnus was lucky, but it wasn't Henry nicholls (ohh, I'm not making runs for ages then getting dropped twice/three times to make a hundred) areas either.I recall a stat going around a year or so ago saying Marnus was the luckiest cricketer in the world since his debut and had he not been so lucky using his expected dismissals would have averaged high 30's or so
I’ll find it for you soonThe second part of that is bs. During that lucky period rahane was being dropped as much as marnus and averaging half of what he does. Marnus was lucky, but it wasn't Henry nicholls (ohh, I'm not making runs for ages then getting dropped twice/three times to make a hundred) areas either.
I never had any issue with marnus being called lucky or claiming the luck exaggerated his peak. My issue was the claim about his expected dismissals average.
Yeah might not have been quite high 30’s but it certainly wasnt near the 60 he was averagingI never had any issue with marnus being called lucky or claiming the luck exaggerated his peak. My issue was the claim about his expected dismissals average.