Kasprowicz announces retirement

[The Sean]

Sad, sad day. I think we can all agree that cricket will never be the same again.

Quality bowler - great servant to Qld and a valuable (if slightly under-rated and underused) one for Australia. Always seemed a good bloke too.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Would be surprised if he didn't plough on to the 1000 wicket mark in FC cricket in England. With 955 scalps to his name currently, should only take the one season if he keeps fit and bowls well.

I never realised how good his ODI record was, average of 24 is nothing to scoff at.

 

[NUFAN]

Love Kaspa. Brilliant career.

Hoping my personally signed Michael Kasprowicz player card is about to be worth a bit more now.

 

[Jono]

I couldn't think of cricketer's I miss less (Langer aside). Still, well bowled Kaspa

Miss less? As in you weren't a fan of Gillespie, Bichel, Kaspa and Langer?

Why may I ask? Quite odd too, since all those four players played the game in the best spirit IMO. Its a big reason why I was a huge fan of Gillespie, Bichel and Kaspa as fast bowlers. Would mind their own business, run in, do their thing, and get wickets (and sometimes runs too in the case of Gillespie and Bichel). No jackass behaviour from them generally, and if it was, it was in good fun (Gillespie mocking Lee's dance in 02/03 Ashes, riding his bat etc.) and not to be an asshole.

That being said, Akhtar's probably my favourite cricketer and I'm for send-offs in the game so I'm a bit inconsistent there. But I guess it was my dislike of McGrath and Warne as people (respect the **** out of them as bowlers) which lead me to like Gillespie, Bichel and Kaspa so much.

Also, Kaspa's come-back in 2004 was out of nowhere IMO. It was the Sri Lankan tour which saw his return to the test team and placement in what was the best cricket team I ever saw play - Australian Test Team 2004/05.

 

[andyc]

****ing gun, was Kasper.

 

[brockley]

Good time for kasper to call it.Not as good as he was.
Good career a long one.
Gives some queensland youngsters a go,see hard time for queenslanders ahead.
Would be good if they get edmonsen and magoffin back,touchwood.
I gather bichel will play to he is 40.
My main memory of kasper will be the last wkt partnership with lee in the ashes 2005.
Was going great guns tho just before the ashes.

 

[Matt79]

Well bowled Kaspa - great servant of the game for Australia and Queensland. Was a big part of some amazing teams and performances, and seems a very decent guy as well.

 

[Perm]

Sad to see him go, was a bit of a gun.

 

[chaminda_00]

Poor quality bloke if you ask me, but he was QLDer so what else do expect.

Apart from that he was a good bowler and at his prime was as good as any bowler Australia has had in the last 20 years.

 

[burr]

Miss less? As in you weren't a fan of Gillespie, Bichel, Kaspa and Langer?

Why may I ask? Quite odd too, since all those four players played the game in the best spirit IMO. Its a big reason why I was a huge fan of Gillespie, Bichel and Kaspa as fast bowlers. Would mind their own business, run in, do their thing, and get wickets (and sometimes runs too in the case of Gillespie and Bichel). No jackass behaviour from them generally, and if it was, it was in good fun (Gillespie mocking Lee's dance in 02/03 Ashes, riding his bat etc.) and not to be an asshole.

That being said, Akhtar's probably my favourite cricketer and I'm for send-offs in the game so I'm a bit inconsistent there. But I guess it was my dislike of McGrath and Warne as people (respect the **** out of them as bowlers) which lead me to like Gillespie, Bichel and Kaspa so much.

Also, Kaspa's come-back in 2004 was out of nowhere IMO. It was the Sri Lankan tour which saw his return to the test team and placement in what was the best cricket team I ever saw play - Australian Test Team 2004/05.

Yeah, I've got nothing against them as people but I don't miss cricketer's based on their personalities (unless it's particularly memorable); I miss them based on the way in which they performed. I just found them all to be a little meh - average bowlers who were 'reliable, good servant's, nice guys' and all those other bland terms you bring out when someone's pretty forgettable.

 

[gettingbetter]

Does anyone think that if Lee didn't have the 160 tag attached to him, Kaspa would have played more Tests?

 

[Mister Wright]

Does anyone think that if Lee didn't have the 160 tag attached to him, Kaspa would have played more Tests?

Definitely. Didn't deserve to be dropped for Lee to make his debut.

Would have played close to 100 tests in any other era and probably would have shared the new ball for his country with his great mate Bichel.

 

[Ikki]

Kaspa was a great servant and often unappreciated. The stats really don't do him justice either.

 

[Richard]

Yeah, I've got nothing against them as people but I don't miss cricketer's based on their personalities (unless it's particularly memorable); I miss them based on the way in which they performed. I just found them all to be a little meh - average bowlers who were 'reliable, good servant's, nice guys' and all those other bland terms you bring out when someone's pretty forgettable.

Well unless you're Glenn McGrath, Ray Lindwall or Dennis Lillee, can't really ask for too much more.

Yeah, Kasprowicz was probably just short of the highest class, but it's still always somewhat surprised me how many people appeared to be picked for Test-cricket ahead of him throughout his career. Certainly a far superior bowler to his long-time opening partner Bichel and had more breaks gone his way could easily have matched the likes of Gillespie, McDermott, McKenzie etc.

A shame the injuries have mounted in the last couple of seasons, I never like to see a player plagued by lack of fitness in his twilight years, and probably best to go now without trying to fight an obviously losing battle. Either way, congrats on a fine career.

 

[DaRick]

Sorry for bumping; however, since he is [was] actually one of my favourite players, he deserves a good word.

In my opinion, Michael Kasprowicz, much like Andy Bichel, was screwed around on a regular basis by the Australian selectors, particularly during the late 1990's. One could argue that he was unfairly treated post-2005 Ashes, although I do understand why his discarding came to pass - he was truly putrid in England and he was often missing something in New Zealand. I was heartened when he returned for the South Africa tour, although, sadly, he struggled a bit there too (particularly with no-balling).

As for the Bichel.vs.Kaspr debate: I do think Kaspr was superior to Bichel, although hardly by a considerable margin. For you see, while BicheI could probably generate outswing and leg-cut a bit more consistently (judging by what I've seen of him), I don't think Bichel had the weapons in his armoury to trouble left-handers the way an in-form Kaspr could. Kaspr, as well as having the ability to conjure reverse swing, could also generate considerable off-cut (I certainly remember him being quite effective against an admittedly out-of-sorts Ganguly in India in 2004) at a good pace. Kaspr's courage and stamina is also unquestioned, as his spell of 5/28 in Bangalore 1998, leading a weak attack (Adam Dale plus a crocked Shane Warne) and coming off the back of two gruelling, fruitless Test matches, ably demonstrates. In addition, Kaspr was nearly always effective when I saw him in one-dayers - is there a reason why he didn't play more?

Kaspr's main weaknesses, I felt, related to an inability to move it away from the right-handers consistently (he could when in top form, as his spell of 5/30 in Perth 2004 showed), plus a tendency to go for plenty when he was struggling - some of his economy rates during the 2005 Ashes beggar belief. In years to come, people may say that Kaspr could've done more at international level (a Test average of 33, admittedly, isn't that hot - and no better than Bichel's), but he had, in many ways, done more than enough. Kaspr, you're a Queensland hero. Not only do I salute you, but I wish you well in your future endeavours.

 

[Dasa]

Always been a fan of Kasprowicz. Always thought he was treated poorly by the selectors and wasn't give his due. Still, had a decent career and an excellent domestic career.

 

[Richard]

Sorry for bumping; however, since he is [was] actually one of my favourite players, he deserves a good word.

In my opinion, Michael Kasprowicz, much like Andy Bichel, was screwed around on a regular basis by the Australian selectors, particularly during the late 1990's. One could argue that he was unfairly treated post-2005 Ashes, although I do understand why his discarding came to pass - he was truly putrid in England and he was often missing something in New Zealand. I was heartened when he returned for the South Africa tour, although, sadly, he struggled a bit there too (particularly with no-balling). :sad:

As for the Bichel.vs.Kaspr debate: I do think Kaspr was superior to Bichel, although hardly by a considerable margin. For you see, while BicheI could probably generate outswing and leg-cut a bit more consistently (judging by what I've seen of him), I don't think Bichel had the weapons in his armoury to trouble left-handers the way an in-form Kaspr could. Kaspr, as well as having the ability to conjure reverse swing, could also generate considerable off-cut (I certainly remember him being quite effective against an admittedly out-of-sorts Ganguly in India in 2004) at a good pace. Kaspr's courage and stamina is also unquestioned, as his spell of 5/28 in Bangalore 1998, leading a weak attack (Adam Dale plus a crocked Shane Warne) and coming off the back of two gruelling, fruitless Test matches, ably demonstrates. In addition, Kaspr was nearly always effective when I saw him in one-dayers - is there a reason why he didn't play more?

Kaspr's main weaknesses, I felt, related to an inability to move it away from the right-handers consistently (he could when in top form, as his spell of 5/30 in Perth 2004 showed), plus a tendency to go for plenty when he was struggling - some of his economy rates during the 2005 Ashes beggar belief. In years to come, people may say that Kaspr could've done more at international level (a Test average of 33, admittedly, isn't that hot - and no better than Bichel's), but he had, in many ways, done more than enough. Kaspr, you're a Queensland hero. Not only do I salute you, but I wish you well in your future endeavours.

Bichel, while possessing some attacking tools that Kasprowicz didn't, was prone to wild inaccuracy rather more often than a top-class bowler should, something Kasprowicz only exceptionally rarely suffered from.

That's why I'd not hesitate to pick Kasprowicz first out of the two every time.

 

[Mister Wright]

Bichel, while possessing some attacking tools that Kasprowicz didn't, was prone to wild inaccuracy rather more often than a top-class bowler should, something Kasprowicz only exceptionally rarely suffered from.

That's why I'd not hesitate to pick Kasprowicz first out of the two every time.

Kasprowicz is by far the better bowler, and I think anyone would pick him ahead of Bichel. But, Bichel was no mug and did offer an 'all-round' ability.

 

[DaRick]

Bichel, while possessing some attacking tools that Kasprowicz didn't, was prone to wild inaccuracy rather more often than a top-class bowler should, something Kasprowicz only exceptionally rarely suffered from.

That's why I'd not hesitate to pick Kasprowicz first out of the two every time.

IMO, while Bichel could probably generate more leg-cut and outswing more consistently than Kaspr, he couldn't ever generate Kaspr's reverse swing or off-cut, to my knowledge, which is the main reason why I'd take Kaspr over Bichel. So, basically, I don't know whether Bichel had more attacking tools than Kaspr.

Both bowlers were blessed with considerable stamina, but I also don't think Bichel had it in him to generate the kind of courageous performances, in wholly hostile environments, that Kaspr could - another reason why I'd select Kaspr.

Both could be shamelessly erratic when they were bowling poorly, although I do agree that Bichel was more vulnerable to this than Kaspr (he got taken to by Ganguly in Brisbane in 2003, for instance).

But, Bichel was no mug and did offer an 'all-round' ability.

Hardly. I have long seen Bichel as being little more than a Warne-plus with the bat - more effective (at least in one-dayers), but nearly as inconsistent. That doesn't qualify him as a bowling allrounder, in my book. (His domestic batting record is much better, but that's hardly uncommon.) Also, was Bichel a better fielder than Kaspr?

 

[Mister Wright]

Forum must be slow for DaRick if duplicate posting occurs in the space of 20 minutes.