matthew hayden or brian lara?

[Jono]

Neither sound like particularly easy chances though...

Not that I personally think it matters, but he was definitely dropped very easily after a huge straight hit. I remember it very well.

 

[sledger]

after seeing matthew hayden break laras record for highest individual score in a test match i felt he did not deserve to beat laras record cos it was a relatively rubbish zimbabwe team in which he concluded his 380 odd (summat like that) and lara broke the record against a well england team.
What do u lot think out there, whoz the better player, who deserves to b up there with the best in ur opinion??

Lara every time mate, hes by far the more talented player, hes scored his runs againts better opposition playing in a team that is not upto the standard of australia. Haydens runs have come against poor sides on very flat pitches.

 

[Richard]

One word. H.A.Y.D.E.N. WAAAAAAAAAAAAY Better. Having the best average in the best team in the history of International cricket = Best player going.

 

[Mister Wright]

Lara every time mate, hes by far the more talented player, hes scored his runs againts better opposition playing in a team that is not upto the standard of australia. Haydens runs have come against poor sides on very flat pitches.

India 2001? Pakistan in Sharjah in opressive heat? Sri Lanka with Murilitharan at the top of his game?

 

[Richard]

many reords have been st against teams that aint up to scratch. eventually eople will forget that haydens record was against a struggling zimbabwe and will appreciate the record for what it was. lara's original record (375*) was against an england side that was nto much better than that zimbabwe team

Really? You seriously believe that?
Sorry, that's biggest pile of sh*t I've heard for a long, long time.
That England side wasn't fantastic, no, but there has never been any point in history where England were so poor as to be substandard at Test-level - ie not worthy of playing Test-cricket.
Zimbabwe since WC2003 clearly have been. They had no right to be playing in Australia and if they weren't stupid records like this wouldn't have been created.
Fortunately it didn't last long.

 

[Richard]

Pakistan in Sharjah in opressive heat?

Thanks to Danish Kaneria's sorry excuse for catching off his own bowling, yes.

 

[Richard]

And those conditions will play right into Australia's hands.

Better seam attack plus better batting lineup = Ashes retained.

Yep - certainly will.
If you look carefully you might notice I didn't say that would make us likely to win The Ashes.
However I'd much prefer Kasprowicz, McGrath and Gillespie to tear us apart by bowling well rather than by our batting as usual not being good enough, and I'd certainly rather an Ashes loss where Hayden was at least exposed, and probably Langer as well.
If Hoggard can get hold of Graeme Smith, he'll have Hayden for breakfast if he bowls the same way.

 

[Richard]

They have won one "live" test match in 16 years. Hooray

Wow - you clearly missed the sarcasm in this year-old post.

 

[Gibbed]

Another vote here for Lara...without a doubt.

 

[Richard]

Not that I personally think it matters, but he was definitely dropped very easily after a huge straight hit. I remember it very well.

No, of course, never mind someone being gifted two shots in one innings at a record - one of the most prescient records going round, in fact.

 

[Mister Wright]

Yep - certainly will.
If you look carefully you might notice I didn't say that would make us likely to win The Ashes.
However I'd much prefer Kasprowicz, McGrath and Gillespie to tear us apart by bowling well rather than by our batting as usual not being good enough, and I'd certainly rather an Ashes loss where Hayden was at least exposed, and probably Langer as well.
If Hoggard can get hold of Graeme Smith, he'll have Hayden for breakfast if he bowls the same way.

Hayden is a much better batsman than Graeme Smith and hopefully he will be in better form and won't have that knee problem that he had last time. If one player is going to get found out, if he doesn't in New Zealand it will be Michael Clarke.

 

[Richard]

Hayden is a much better batsman than Graeme Smith

 

[Mister Wright]

I just hope James Anderson pitches them in the same area that he gave them to Smith in 2003. I think you'll find Hayden will be notching 300s instead of 200s.

 

[Richard]

Haydens runs have come against poor sides on very flat pitches.

Not 100% true - Hayden's runs have come on pitches offering little or no seam - he's perfectly good - outstanding, indeed - when the pitches are turning, but he just can't play the ball that comes back into him to save his life.
And the only bowler who's exposed that in the last 4 years has been Kyle Mills (amazingly) and even he's not got the credit for it.

 

[sledger]

India 2001? Pakistan in Sharjah in opressive heat? Sri Lanka with Murilitharan at the top of his game?

overlooking what lara has achieved here mate, although thata 400 i admit was on a very flat pitche, but thats besides the point. Lara = far superior to Hayden. in all forms of the game. bet hes a better bowler as well lol

 

[Richard]

I just hope James Anderson pitches them in the same area that he gave them to Smith in 2003. I think you'll find Hayden will be notching 300s instead of 200s.

I hope, I think realistically, that Anderson isn't going to be playing.
Even if he does, as long as Hoggard gets first shot at him, I'm not too worried.

 

[Mister Wright]

overlooking what lara has achieved here mate, although thata 400 i admit was on a very flat pitche, but thats besides the point. Lara = far superior to Hayden. in all forms of the game. bet hes a better bowler as well lol

I wasn't saying that Hayden was better than Lara. I was disputing your post that Hayden has only made runs against poor oposition.

 

[Richard]

Another vote here for Lara...without a doubt.

The poll continues after a year of dormant!

 

[Mister Wright]

I hope, I think realistically, that Anderson isn't going to be playing.
Even if he does, as long as Hoggard gets first shot at him, I'm not too worried.

It's avatar bet time buddy. I will bet you that Hayden will average over 50 for the entire series.

 

[Richard]

I wasn't saying that Hayden was better than Lara. I was disputing your post that Hayden has only made runs against poor oposition.

Which is not true - he has, however, only made runs against poor seam-attacks, which, for an opener, really is a reason to be enormously overrated.