BazBall21
International Captain
SA's bowling from 2002-2007 wasn't that good.
-
Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.
Brian Lara vs Ricky Ponting (against pace bowling)
- Thread starter Johan
- Start date
capt_Luffy
International Coach
2003 was one of the last series Pollock did pretty good in and Ntini and Nel were pretty good at home back then. Also, Ponting had all his major SA tours in that slot
Johan
International Vice-Captain
is it this match? because that would mean nothing considering it would be McGrath"s first PROFESSIONAL match
Johan
International Vice-Captain
another ton against McGrath, but the pitch seems like a proper road
subshakerz
Hall of Fame Member
Of course Lara's runs count. I would likely give him the edge with medium pacers over Ponting but Ponting could destroy them as well.
subshakerz
Hall of Fame Member
No these games are around 99/2000 in McGraths peak.
The way I look at it, on an average day, Ponting is better.
But when both are playing at their best, Lara is in another league from Ponting (against any attack, on any pitch).
It is extremely difficult and frustrating to categorize Lara in any which way.
You can pick several valid examples to support whatever claim you want to make about him.
You can find several examples of him handling 150 kmph deliveries in Test match cricket with absolute authority. Just the amount of time Lara had, to play those deliveries, was so palpable.
On the other hand, you can also find several examples of him looking extremely vulnerable, like a cat on a hit tin roof, totally rushed for time, totally incapable of handling pace.
Because his batting technique involved so much body/arm movement, a lot of 'ifs' and 'whens' have to fall in place for Lara.
But when they did, he was simply in another league to Ponting (against any kind of bowling).
When Lara was physically fit, got his eye in, and in the present moment (all the ifs and whens), his reflexes were insanely quick.
It astonishes me even today how he would consistently face Brett Lee at his fastest, in Test match cricket, with both his feet well outside the crease, and still have plenty of time to play his shots with total control.
No wonder, in his autobio, Brett Lee ranks Lara as one of the two best players of raw pace (the other obviously being Tendulkar), which is very high praise.
In multiple interviews, Waqar and Gillespie too mention the same (they would bowl their best delivery and Lara would play it with ease).
Fast bowlers who bowled to Lara at his best seem to have a very different opinion on his abilities against pace compared to arm-chair analysts or even ex-cricketers who never bowled to him.
Regarding Ponting, maybe it's my subconsicous prejudice, but 'unfortunately' because I grew up watching Viv Richards play, who I still regard as, by far, the best player of pull/hook shots and the best attacking player of hostile pace bowling, I never found Ponting's attacking play against real pace very convincing. While playing the pull/hook against express pace, Ponting's head would often turn away (almost jerk back) before he completed his shot, while Viv's (and even Lara's) head would be very still.
I always felt Ponting's reflexes had a clear upper limit, and he noticeably struggled when fast bowlers went beyond this limit.
But I must add that, anything lower than this limit, the pace bowler would be punished severely.
But when both are playing at their best, Lara is in another league from Ponting (against any attack, on any pitch).
It is extremely difficult and frustrating to categorize Lara in any which way.
You can pick several valid examples to support whatever claim you want to make about him.
You can find several examples of him handling 150 kmph deliveries in Test match cricket with absolute authority. Just the amount of time Lara had, to play those deliveries, was so palpable.
On the other hand, you can also find several examples of him looking extremely vulnerable, like a cat on a hit tin roof, totally rushed for time, totally incapable of handling pace.
Because his batting technique involved so much body/arm movement, a lot of 'ifs' and 'whens' have to fall in place for Lara.
But when they did, he was simply in another league to Ponting (against any kind of bowling).
When Lara was physically fit, got his eye in, and in the present moment (all the ifs and whens), his reflexes were insanely quick.
It astonishes me even today how he would consistently face Brett Lee at his fastest, in Test match cricket, with both his feet well outside the crease, and still have plenty of time to play his shots with total control.
No wonder, in his autobio, Brett Lee ranks Lara as one of the two best players of raw pace (the other obviously being Tendulkar), which is very high praise.
In multiple interviews, Waqar and Gillespie too mention the same (they would bowl their best delivery and Lara would play it with ease).
Fast bowlers who bowled to Lara at his best seem to have a very different opinion on his abilities against pace compared to arm-chair analysts or even ex-cricketers who never bowled to him.
Regarding Ponting, maybe it's my subconsicous prejudice, but 'unfortunately' because I grew up watching Viv Richards play, who I still regard as, by far, the best player of pull/hook shots and the best attacking player of hostile pace bowling, I never found Ponting's attacking play against real pace very convincing. While playing the pull/hook against express pace, Ponting's head would often turn away (almost jerk back) before he completed his shot, while Viv's (and even Lara's) head would be very still.
I always felt Ponting's reflexes had a clear upper limit, and he noticeably struggled when fast bowlers went beyond this limit.
But I must add that, anything lower than this limit, the pace bowler would be punished severely.
subshakerz
Hall of Fame Member
Only time I saw him do so was in England. And I guess in his dip phase too.
Coronis
International Coach
Yeah I’ve already talked about this previously, McGrath was pretty meh domestically overall.
90 wickets @ 27.48 for NSW. Only played 26 matches for NSW in total. Only played 65 non test FC matches.
His first Shield season (92/93) 5 matches 25 wickets @ 21.58 was enough to get him into the side against NZ the following summer. Played 3 matches in the following two seasons and 4 matches in the 95/96 season. Had a decent record at that point I think. Only played occasionally for the rest of his career. Had a season dominating the second division in county with Worcestershire in 2000.
Johan
International Vice-Captain
Darren Gough Ashes 1999 and 2001 and Chaminda Vaas in 2003 Sri Lanka series come to mind
subshakerz
Hall of Fame Member
When was that? Because Ponting played Shoaib more comfortably than any other batter I saw.
Lara...
Johan
International Vice-Captain
Sehwag?
Narayana
U19 12th Man
McGrath don't perform against minnows.
DrWolverine
International Debutant
Centuries against pacers(150+ wkts & avg < 25)
Ponting
1997 : Donald & Pollock
1999 : Ambrose & Walsh
1999 : Akram & Akhtar
2005 : Pollock x 4
2008 : Steyn
Brian Lara
1997 : McGrath
1999 : McGrath x 3
2000 : McGrath
2003 : Pollock x 2
2005 : McGrath
Ponting
1997 : Donald & Pollock
1999 : Ambrose & Walsh
1999 : Akram & Akhtar
2005 : Pollock x 4
2008 : Steyn
Brian Lara
1997 : McGrath
1999 : McGrath x 3
2000 : McGrath
2003 : Pollock x 2
2005 : McGrath
Narayana
U19 12th Man
How many of them are in away conditions ?because lara is always been a home tracks bully.
Johan
International Vice-Captain
all of them except the 2× McGrath ones in 1999
DrWolverine
International Debutant
I disagree Lara is a home town bully