Mark Taylor - ODI Career

[TheJediBrah]

Surprising how so many chubby captains played ODIs at the same time at that time. Mark Taylor, Arjuna Ranatunga, Inzamam Ul-Haq, any one else?

Sachin

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

Surprising how so many chubby captains played ODIs at the same time at that time. Mark Taylor, Arjuna Ranatunga, Inzamam Ul-Haq, any one else?

Chubby they were but both Taylor and Ranatunga were excellent captains

 

[turnstyle]

The job of the openers in the 80s and 90s was to stick around for the first 25-30 overs before the pinch hitters came in and got the total above 200. Think Greatbatch was probably one of the first to go hard at the start and once it was successful at the 96 World Cup, blokes at the top like like Slater, Taylor, Blewett etc had to go.

It's been interesting to see ODI cricket go back to these tactics recently - conserve wickets for the last 20 knowing you can go at 10+ an over at the end.

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

The job of the openers in the 80s and 90s was to stick around for the first 25-30 overs before the pinch hitters came in and got the total above 200. Think Greatbatch was probably one of the first to go hard at the start and once it was successful at the 96 World Cup, blokes at the top like like Slater, Taylor, Blewett etc had to go.

It's been interesting to see ODI cricket go back to these tactics recently - conserve wickets for the last 20 knowing you can go at 10+ an over at the end.

So in that sense, Taylor did do his job as an opening batsman in that era. Also you mention Slater - he was an attacking opening batsman yet wasn't successful in ODI cricket.

I loved the way Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana changed the way opening batsman operated in that first 15 over block - going all out and attacking. Great spectacle it was.

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

What are people's thoughts on this:

As very rough guess - what is an acceptable batting average for an opener in ODI cricket?

 

[Nintendo]

What are people's thoughts on this:

As very rough guess - what is an acceptable batting average for an opener in ODI cricket?

Depends on the era they played in and their SR relative to their peers.

 

[turnstyle]

So in that sense, Taylor did do his job as an opening batsman in that era. Also you mention Slater - he was an attacking opening batsman yet wasn't successful in ODI cricket.

I loved the way Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana changed the way opening batsman operated in that first 15 over block - going all out and attacking. Great spectacle it was.

Slater sucked at one day cricket because he couldn't rotate the strike.

I wonder if players like Gilly or Sanath were playing today would be more suited to coming in with 20 overs to go, rather than going hard at the start against the new ball and sometimes coming off.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Slater sucked at one day cricket because he couldn't rotate the strike.

I wonder if players like Gilly or Sanath were playing today would be more suited to coming in with 20 overs to go, rather than going hard at the start against the new ball and sometimes coming off.

Gilly and Sanath would average 50 at a strike rate of 140 if they played modern ODIs

They'd be like Bairstow and Roy but way better

 

[The_CricketUmpire]

Depends on the era they played in and their SR relative to their peers.

Maybe low to mid 30s ?